Dreaming about Love, a photo from Istanbul, Marmara

Photographer's Note

My previous post was devoted to the architectural interior of the Hagia Sophia. Temples always have a very special light and I dont know how the architects of such sanctuaries achieve it, but there isnt a single church, mosque, synagogue or any other holy building that doesnt have a special light.

Hagia Sophia certainly does have that quality too or shall I say even more than the usual, because this temple is really unique in every respect. Its interior seems to be pure light. That is something that I cant describe. Photography gives a glance of what I mean with that, but yet, you will have to go there personally and experience it yourself.

Recently we had a brief TE meeting in Istanbul and our Turkish friends were eager to show whole Istanbul in 12 hours. Complete craziness! However, it was still enough time to explore and scratch the photographic potential of the city and the Hagia Sophia. If someone asks me about Hagia Sophia I would say that it is still there, almost 1,500 years later, because it was build with light.

This light baths every corner of the building and puts people in a different mood - more introspect! This young, beautiful, attractive and single lady did she feel solitude like the teenager captured by Rigoletto or were there other feelings It seems that the heart behind her forehead gives us some clues ;-)

Can you see what I mean with special light? Difficult task to catch such atmosphere without a tripod at 1/6s handheld.

Technical Data:
Nikon D200
2008/02/03 17:17:04.6
RAW (12-bit)
Image Size: Large (3872 x 2592)
Color
Lens: 18-55mm F/3.5-5.6 G
Focal Length: 55mm
Exposure Mode: Programmed Auto
Metering Mode: Multi-Pattern
1/6 sec - F/5.6
Exposure Comp.: 0 EV
Sensitivity: ISO 800
Optimize Image: Custom
White Balance: Preset d-0
AF Mode: AF-C
Flash Sync Mode: Not Attached
Color Mode: Mode II (Adobe RGB)
Tone Comp.: Normal
Hue Adjustment: 0°
Saturation: Normal
Sharpening: None
Image Comment: 2008 Š P. Böhringer
Long Exposure NR: Off
High ISO NR: Off

ribeiroantonio, paura, Scharan, lucasgalodoido, wgreis, Docarmo, isabela_sor, johannes68, JPlumb, jjcordier, rigoletto, anes_lc, ktanska, belido, Dyerco, wishlist, dkeus31, Wandering_Dan, euryan, robertosalguero, Gerrit, plimrn, Flavia, gunbud, jhm, Emile, abulafia oznaczył to zdjęcie jeko użyteczne

Critiques | Translate

ribeiroantonio (22730) 2008-02-19 16:24

Single or not, she is beautiful and seams to be in a moment of deep meditation. The light over her face is superb and enough to clearly show her profile. Well done.
Antonio

paura (25802) 2008-02-19 16:37

Peter,
Tá uma beleza a fotografia da bela jovem. O trato da iluminaçăo, o bg escolhido, enfim, vocę mostra um outro estilo em que tb é bom.

Abraço

Paulo

rbcy1974 (20758) 2008-02-19 16:42

Hello Peter
Very nic emoment,
her expression is beautiful and captured very weell in the soft light
nicely seen
Regards
Daniel

Scharan (14144) 2008-02-19 17:01

Olá Peter

Um belo retrato desta garota de olhar distante e que me parece um pouco triste. Gostei do coraçăo pichado...
Parabéns por este trabalho, bem diferente.
GA
Vera

lucasgalodoido (27698) 2008-02-19 18:12

Olá Peter,
um belíssimo retrato da moça esse, gostei de como vocę controlou a pouca luz do ambiente pra mostrar a face da mulher e aqueles recados no muro, um ótimo trabalho esse, digno de ganhar concurso. Acho que talvez um B&W aqui ficaria interessante também.
Parabéns e Abraço!

wgreis (8267) 2008-02-19 18:17

Peter,
um retrado digno de profissionais. A posiçăo da cabeça, a iluminaçăo, as pinturas na parede. Tudo conspira para uma composiçăo harmônica e elaborada.
Abraços e parabéns,
Wagner.

Docarmo (9767) 2008-02-19 19:00

Oi Peter,
Very impressive management of light here! And you've chosen the right place at the right moment. The heart on the wall and the physionomie of the girl are suggesting a story of disillusion. I would say she is sadly thoughtful.
An excellent work, Peter!
Thanks for sharing,
MCV

kagemusha (1288) 2008-02-19 21:56

Hi Peter,
Wonderful light management with a beautiful model.
regards
mali

isabela_sor (47748) 2008-02-19 22:03 [Comment]

Show Comment

johannes68 (3469) 2008-02-19 22:27

Hi Peter,
fantastic portrait of a very special young lady ;)
Very calm mood, beautiful light, lots of atmisphere, and great sharpness taking into account the long exposure. But whether it´s love what´s on her mind... will we ever know?
Regards, Johannes

JPlumb (3159) 2008-02-19 22:42

Wonderful work Peter and welcome back. Looks like you had an amazing trip.

This one's a pose, but it's in a very natural setting. This is awesome. I like the light, or in this case the limited light forcing you to shoot at 1/6 (good hands by the way). The pose by the girl herself is very good and doesn't look forced, or contrived, again, very natural looking. Even the walls with the graffiti on them and their great textures, add to this shot. Very very nice.

Thanks, John

rigoletto (34279) 2008-02-19 23:35

"...eager to show whole Istanbul in 12 hours. Complete craziness!" ???
This is like saying "We saw whole the Yellowstone" after seeing only the geysers (mmm, i like the simile) Man, you haven't seen only a single percent of it and my guiding capabilities as well :))
I challange you to stay here for one month, and then turn back with such a claim. Ha!

And i guess the lady, who looks dreamily gazing into the eternity, is tired, and this is the lethargic expression on her face. I don't know, maybe it was the same expression on my young model's face, who knows...

It was already quite a challange visiting Hagia Sophia wasn't it... Ahhh, i missed already....

hopsy_life (101) 2008-02-20 0:08

Beautiful calm picture. I like it.
Viele Grüße

anes_lc (14968) 2008-02-20 0:22

....hard comment on ....i look at and i canțt belive is me :D
you really good Peter ...the light can make miracles ...
dreaming about love :)...who knows
thank you dear for such great portrait ,i will take it like a personal gift :D
hugsssss

hatti52 (12786) 2008-02-20 1:00

Hi Peter,
wonderful portrait with excellent light
very impressive
regards

japiey (10163) 2008-02-20 1:10

Hi Peter,

Fantastic lights, and it's admirable the way you handled it technically perfect. Great work.
All the best, dear friend.

jp

delkoo (68) 2008-02-20 2:02

hi peter
magical place, magical light,a very simple and yet clean and fabulous catch of the light over her face.

regards
didier

barrufeto_77 (28888) 2008-02-20 2:07

Hi Peter.

Maybe a little bit dark?? Mmmmmm...I'm not sure.

Anyway, a nice daily-life pic.

Rgs, Oscar

jjcordier (79299) 2008-02-20 2:35

Peter
Tu as exploité au mieux les conditions de lumičre de l'endroit pour nous proposer ce magnifique portrait trčs intimiste. Magnifique unité de tons et superbe cadrage. Une grande photo!
Amicalement
JJ

ktanska (44438) 2008-02-20 3:48

Hi Peter,
Light is magical. Exposure is perfect, did you adjust it a lot? I don't think my Canon would get it like that without exposure compensation.
Dark colours remind of Rembrandt and other masters, although I've read somewhere that they come from centuries of dust and smoke, and were pretty bright originally.
Steady long exposure. She isn't entirely sharp but I guess it's not your hands but her head that moved tiny bit.
Kari

PixelTerror (0) 2008-02-20 4:02

Hi Peter,
I see you had fun with Deniz competing for the best model... of course I couldn't resist the temptation to compare the two versions, I find the way he brings the face out of the darkness better, but on yours there is the added value of the background heart, so different but both good.
Have a nice day JY

dkeus31 (27739) 2008-02-20 4:37

hello Peter,
indeed, the light - maybe not only the light ;-) seems beautiful in this picture, you've caught a great expression in her visage.
i would have said at first glance that the brighter spot on the left is not so good, but here, with the heart, it contributes well to the general ambiance.
well done!
didier

baba_flies (8829) 2008-02-20 4:41

Weiss nicht, ob sie über die Liebe nachgedacht hat, auf jeden Fall sieht sie eher etwas leidend aus, aber auch das ist ein Zeichen vielleicht, wer weiss ... gedankenverloren ueber etwas, das gewesen ist und nie mehr kommt. Auf jeden Fall ist das Herz in der Ecke schon ein Knueller und laesst Raum zum Interpretieren. Das Portrait ist wunderbar, die Farben seltsam schoen, leicht duester vielleicht, aber das passt ja wieder zum gedankenverlorensein. Barbara.

belido (19934) 2008-02-20 4:54

Sim, podemos sentir um certo ar de tristeza no rosto da bela garota. Bem provável que os tons escuros escolhidos por vocę tenha ajudado nisso. Belo retrato, Peter!
Abraço,
Carlos

Dyerco (10185) 2008-02-20 7:31

Hi Peter
You caught the light very well. It is a tad soft but I think it is akin to using a soft focus filter which can be very effective with this type of shot. The graffiti adds to to the mood although I am surprised that it has not been removed from such an important building as this.
Phil

wishlist (4133) 2008-02-20 7:37

Peter, are you sure this is not studio lighting?
Just kidding of course; another great portrait to add to your wonderful gallery. Light has been so well managed and the result is excellent, with soft shades and good clarity on the face of the girl. Go and get a 50 f/1.4 or a 85 f/1.4 and you'll be the more happiest and successful portraiter in the world.
Thanks for sharing it.

Igor

zmey (7335) 2008-02-20 7:51

hello, peter

a beautiful, moody portrait. and nice catch with that heart behind her head. it seems, you have caught her mood exact. i also agree, there is something special about the light in your istanbul fotos. in all the ones i have seen so far. it's interesting: would the light in the city have the same "taste" 1500 years ago. what do you think?

kind regards and TFS
kristaps

mesutilgim (0) 2008-02-20 8:28

Hallo lieber Peter,
Nein nein, ich werd's nicht sagen "wenn das Modell gut ist...." ;hier kommt es auf den Blickwinkel, Meisterschaft, richtiges sehen (koennen) etc etc.
Wunderbar dieses Portraet im -unbeschreiblich- himmlischen Licht . Bonus, die Graffiti am Wand. Wie gut dich kennengelernt zu haben. Und wie gluecklich diese huebsche Dame, von Dir photographiert zu werden.
Danke schoen und
Alles gute aus İstanbul
MESUT ILGIM

PS. Wie kriegt man den Photoviewer bei deiner Intro ?

Wandering_Dan (3449) 2008-02-20 15:12

Hello, Peter -

Beautifully captured, though I'm not sure the model would agree; she looks like she is pouting a bit, perhaps at being photographed? Great use of light, especially in the way it picks out strands of her hair. There are a couple of spots I might have cloned out, particularly the spot in the lower center, as I find it distracting.

Minor nitpick on a lovely job!

Best,
Dan

euryan (8442) 2008-02-20 20:42

Well I just critiqued one of her photos so now I guess I'll critique your photo of her ;-)
This is great. Your exposure control is excellent. I really like the square crop too. The heart on the wall is the icing on the cake. You have been showing us lately that your talent for photography isn't limited to great landscapes. Nice work.
Regards,
Ryan

robertosalguero (292) 2008-02-20 21:03

Hello Peter,

Another excellent portrait. The woman seem attractive and at the same time focused in her own thoughts. The light is definitely a plus in the image as it create a soft reflection on her face. I think in ancient times architecture was designed around seasons and sunrises and sunsets. Windows were placed strategically to allow for maximum natural light exposure...Good work Peter.

Roberto

Gerrit (62042) 2008-02-21 2:22

Hi Peter,
fantastic light and good portrait. The grafitty and wall form a perfect decor,
regards, Gerrit

plimrn (21344) 2008-02-21 3:51

Hi Peter,
As I have discovered shooting in places that restrict the photographer to ambient lighting with no tripod; the result shows a truthful reality that would be lost with fill flash. There were many relevant things in this month's OP. David Stoecklein discussed learning to find beauty with less than perfect light, as you have done here. The portrait shows excellent detail of this contemplative pose; I particularly like the way that you have placed the woman by including the marble wall. Then there is the shock of graffiti in this historic place.

Other items of interest include another photo by Steve Siren and a discussion of more moblie tripods/stabilizing devices in the column about shooting in Africa.

HLJ, Pat

jaywalker (16105) 2008-02-21 14:08

Hi Peter, A wonderful profile of this gorgeous girl, the shadow on her face is perfect & the light is shining on the right places to show her beauty, the overall composition is superb, as she could not be better positioned with the heart right behind her head, excellent & TFS, kind regards Wilson.

Flavia (10352) 2008-02-22 7:14

Ola Peter,

A luz aqui e realmente extraordinaria, pare que a foto foi feita em estudio com a luz controlada. Perfeicao. O fundo e fantastico, com tons de ciza metalicos e o coracao gravado na parede so aumente a sensacao de nostalgia e solidao. Mesmo a expressao da mulher parece meio de sofrimento... Sera door de cotovelo por algum amor perdido?

Abracos

gunbud (34066) 2008-02-23 19:04

Hi Peter,
Wonderful candid capture of this lovely young woman deep in her thoughts. Her profile that is seen in varying tones gives her a very mysterious look. Wonderful mood created by your use of light.
Regards, Tom

MarianneS (15338) 2008-02-24 12:57

Hello Peter,
Effectively, the light seems to be unique there. It enhances the beauty of this young lady and you captured both of tehm very well.
I don't have the impression she is dreaming about love... but let's hope so ;-)
Regards,
Marianne

jhm (211734) 2008-02-25 4:14

Hello Peter,

Maybe is the title the exactly what the lady dream!
You took the profile of the lady very well, and you chose for a very dark foreground, this not bad.
But you place the heart nice in the corner.
Very well done, thanks for sharing.

Have a nice week,
John.

Merline (0) 2008-02-25 15:29

Hi Peter,
I'm out of breath...so busy these days and have to catch up. This is very beautiful. So lucky and well seen to have that heart on the wall...maybe a good omen ? I love the dark parts very much, and the so natural attitude you caught, thoughful, maybe a bit tired, who knows. The plays of the light are superb. I am truly amazed at the quality of the hand-held exposure! Great work.

TFS
Kind regards

jmcl (14535) 2008-03-01 20:00

Hi Peter,

Ha, I guessed who it was .. the light is stunning .. you are absolutely right .. not just the quality but the angle as well .. you hand held this???? wow .. what really shocks me is how well all the darkness works .. striking portrait .. even from the thumbnail ..

John

Angshu (56760) 2008-03-02 19:57

Hello Peter
The light is indeed difficult, but with that directional light, the shadows do enhance the definition of a portrait. Admirable job at 1/6 s handheld. Nice in the soft focus, like the way her face comes out of the darkness (thanks also to the black leather coat). A very good portrait shot, infact admirable under difficult light conditions.
Regards
Angshu

Emile (20352) 2008-03-05 7:37

Hola Peter.
Very good description of the beautiful lady, the lights and shadows on her face worked perfectly well, the dark coat and grey wall gives a superb atmosphere that goes very well with her expression. Well done.
Abrazos.

abulafia (4900) 2008-03-13 11:14

A beautiful portrait Peter!
Great light, You are really becoming quite an expert on portraits.
Is it just me or have I seen this girl somewhere before:)
Classy shot
Harry

cam (9043) 2008-03-19 18:11

Hi peter.
Just went through your Turkey shots, and this composition is fascinating.
It is the light, as you say so well, that accentuates a certain part of the person in the clear, while keeping the zone just besides it in the shade,(trying to make myself clear, not sure that I am succeeding) a painting with light, creating a work of art.
Your touch, including the heart behind the head is a touch of genious, nothing less.

Charles