Alien Encounter Photo

Photographer’s Note

Evzoni,members of the Greek Presidential Guard,taking a first round after the changing of the guards in front of the Hellenic Parliament building.
Besides the Parliament,they guard the Greek Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Presidential Mansion.

The unique uniform is designed to be similar to the outfits worn by the klephts who fought the Ottoman occupation of Greece.
In 1833,the uniform of the Evzones was in the much-maligned Bavarian style,complete with pants,tailcoats&shako,distinguished only by green braid and plumes.In 1837,a new uniform was created based on the traditional fustanella style worn by the klephts,armatoli and many of the famous fighters of the Greek War of Independence.
At first,it was only issued to the native light infantry battalions,but its popularity led to its adoption as the official uniform of the Evzones in 1867.
The basic elements of the uniform are:
-the phareon,a scarlet garrison cap with a long black tassel
-a woolen fustanella kilt
-a cotton undershirt
-white woolen stockings
-black-tasseled knee garters(kaltsodetes)
-red `tsarouhi` leather clogs with a black pompon
-a leather cartridge belt & a M1 Garand semi-automatic battle rifle,with bayonet
The full-dress uniform is worn on Sunday,on important national holidays,at the reception of foreign dignitaries &other special occasions.It has a white,bell-sleeved shirt & a white fustanella with 400 pleats(commemorating the 400 years of Ottoman occupation)with the addition of a fancy gold-brocade waistcoat.
*from Wikipedia

I hope you like it:)

isabela_sor, Liekje, aytu_k, Xalkida, maloutim, gbeli, teutza, downer, szabcsi, PIERRE-HENRI-AU, yedirenk has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

isabela_sor (42471) 2007-03-28 12:35

Ii poate disturba cineva ori ceva??:)I-ai prins exact la momentul potrivit,sincer!!!Acu vazui si simetria in compozitie
Te pup
Ne vedem la intalnire

pendar (34) 2007-03-28 12:39

Oana,You stop the moment, I like it. Good view. I think you were waiting there long time to capture this moment. It need thinking to find out two soldiers.

Buin (38258) 2007-03-28 13:05

Hallo Oana!
A wonderful shot! It made me smile - what better could a photo do !?
Thank you for showing this - really funny!
Greetings from Germany!
Frank

rhizomes (15325) 2007-03-28 13:10

Hi Oana,
Sympathic picture and good timing !
Christophe

evanrizo (456) 2007-03-28 14:08

Hi friend you captured the picture in Athens in prefecture Attica and not in Peloponnesus-Arkadia, you gave the wrong region here.

Hristo (147) 2007-03-28 16:36

WOW
WONDERFUL CAPTURE
BRAVO

Liekje (574) 2007-03-28 18:02

Excellen t POV, hust shot them at the right second!
A great illusion to entertain us all

TFS!
Liek

(my mother says "Al Cool! Athens, I've been there with granpa!"

Kenggaroo (807) 2007-03-28 20:15

Amusing "click" moment, Oana
Perfect click at a perfect timing makes these two guard form an amusing shapes overlap on each other. Nice lines of bodies and guns.
Nice "click".
kenggaroo

aytu_k (221) 2007-03-29 1:31

thats a decisive moment, congrats
mustafa

decticus (35) 2007-03-29 2:12

Frumus, simpatic, amuzant ... trecerea este insesizabila intre adjective.

Xalkida (11740) 2007-03-29 2:23

Hi Oana

Indeed a nice capture of Evzones. I like the timing. Your photo has a lack of lighting and contrast but it's nice. :) Interesting note too.

I have a question about your title. What do you mean? It's relative with the soldiers?

polatkaan2000 (239) 2007-03-29 16:26 [Comment]

Show Comment +

danbachmann (1684) 2007-03-29 17:00

Excellent symetrical work here. Technically good as well. I think this works well on two levels - both photorealistic and abstract - if that is possible!

maloutim (4047) 2007-03-30 1:26

Yes I like it! It's very picturesque and not especially the kind of photo you see about Greece.
Very original and funny clothes they wear! And your photo is so humoristic, as if it was a four-legged man, with two rifles! You caught them just at the right moment.
I like the background of the unknown soldier's tomb and presidential palace as well.
Very complete and instructive picture.
Best wishes. Marie Louise.

vedra (0) 2007-03-31 3:29

Hi Oana,
Simple and nice composition. You captured the guards at the right moment so one in the front appears like a man with at least three legs.
Nice notes too.
However i think the photo would be better with slightly increased contrast.
Vedrana

atlantida (2323) 2007-04-05 7:36

Hey Oana,
One man, 4 legs, what planet is he coming from anyway:) Perfect timing and u got yourself a lovely interesting photo. Good sharpness and colors, I like the greek letters on the wall.
Happy Easter to you.
Gordana

gbeli (2026) 2007-04-14 17:58

Hello Oana
I like your photo very much.
I especally like the symmetry of the soldiers.
I hope you had a good time here in Greece.
Best regards
George

teutza (10568) 2007-04-17 12:52

ia uite cum am omis eu poza asta..poate pt ca nu era din RO:D
super tare i-ai prins1ce de picioaree:D
te pup
teo

TopGeo (22213) 2007-04-18 12:51

Hi..Oana.....multa buna fhotografhia
Bye...TopGeo

thea0211 (1355) 2007-04-21 9:55

ciao oana,
foarte bine i-ai 'prins' :) ... si eu i-am vazut dar nu eram chiar asa pasionata de fotografie asa ca am preferat sa ma uit.
imi placea simetria arhitecturii si jocul 'de picioare'!
bine vazut!
sfarsit de saptamana placut,
dora

sadeik (3159) 2007-05-13 5:33

Very clever, on the thumbnail it is rather strange. Excellant idea to use the crossing over of bodies to get a surreal effect

Simon

szabcsi (179) 2007-05-27 14:24

nice composed picture of the three legged guard - good idea, you were vigilant when capturing!
Szabolcs

daddo (11541) 2007-08-24 16:17

Hi Oana. That is what I need this morning, a laugh, and your title and the composition/timing of your picture did it for me. Clever shot. Excellent PoV. In the town where I grew up we called a skirt fushtan. I wouldn't be surprised if it was a Turkish word. Regards. Klaudio.

zumoduvas (1974) 2009-02-17 12:01

Hello Oana.

Excellent image, nice composition and colors.

Regards.
Jose Luis.

yedirenk (7545) 2009-07-08 8:38

Hi Oana,
very interesting and typical moment from neighbor Greece.sharpnees,light and framed are excellent.also nicely red effect.lovely presentation.well done.TFS
Greetings

Cevdet