【明報專訊】London photographer Rich McCor likes to take pictures of British landmarks. He has recently decorated the landmarks in his photos with whimsical paper cutouts. These creative photographs have been gaining popularity on social networking sites.

The photographer uses a paper knife to cut out desired objects. Initially the photographs were meant for his and his friends' amusement only. After the British newspaper Daily Mail had published his works, those photos went viral. According to McCor, Lonely Planet, a renowned travel guide, contacted him and encouraged him to do similar things with monuments in Paris, Copenhagen (哥本哈根) and other cities by partly sponsoring his trips.

"I wanted to find a new way to photograph London like never before," said McCor. He first carried out his creative idea when he took a picture of Big Ben (大笨鐘).

He said some ideas came quickly, while he had to think a while for others. Though he enjoys taking creative photographs, he dislikes being called an artist because of them. (source: Ming Pao, CNN, Daily Mail)

■Photo story

Some of McCor's works taken of Big Ben in London (left), the Arch of Triumph (凱旋門) in Paris (middle) and the statue of The Little Mermaid in Copenhagen (right).

■Words

landmark 地標

cutout 從物料剪下的圖案

monument 歷史遺�[

■Quiz

Choose the correct answers.

(answers on next text)

1. According to the passage, Rich McCor is based in...

a. Paris

b. London

c. Copenhagen

2. Which of the following word in the passage refers to McCor's original purpose of taking the creative photographs?

a. popularity

b. opportunities

c. amusement

3. Which landmark is the first McCor has taken a picture of with the addition of a paper cutout?

a. The Little Mermaid

b. Big Ben

c. Arch of Triumph

4. McCor does not think he should be called ... just because he has taken those photos.

a. an artist

b. a photographer

c. a traveller

■Glossary

whimsical (adj) 異想天開的

amusement (n) 樂趣

viral (adj) 病毒性的，引伸為傳播得極快的

sponsor (v) 資助