Abu Simbel Photo | TrekEarth

Photographer’s Note

Abu Simbel (Arabic: أبو سنبل‎ or أبو سمبل) is an archaeological site comprising two massive rock temples in southern Egypt on the western bank of Lake Nasser about 290 km southwest of Aswan. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the "Nubian Monuments",[1] which run from Abu Simbel downriver to Philae (near Aswan).

The twin temples were originally carved out of the mountainside during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II in the 13th century BC, as a lasting monument to himself and his queen Nefertari, to commemorate his alleged victory at the Battle of Kadesh, and to intimidate his Nubian neighbors. However, the complex was relocated in its entirety in the 1960s, on an artificial hill made from a domed structure, high above the Aswan High Dam reservoir.

The relocation of the temples was necessary to avoid their being submerged during the creation of Lake Nasser, the massive artificial water reservoir formed after the building of the Aswan High Dam on the Nile River. Abu Simbel remains one of Egypt's top tourist attractions.

PaulVDV, paura, vasilpro, bobocortis, mvdisco, ymrk, Cretense, patdeph, danos, Urs has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

ghilain (1714) 2009-06-21 2:24

BonjourLuciano,

Une photo en or!!!!

Tu as su transformer le soleil et la lumière en OR!

Merci pour cette dose de soleil et pour ton commentaire sur le site d'Abu Simbel

brigitte

Morac (21943) 2009-06-21 2:54

Bonjour Luciano,

Que ces couleurs sont chaudes et belles ! superbe !
Bon dimanche
Amicalement
Marc

PaulVDV (5495) 2009-06-21 2:58

Hello Luciano,
Wow ! A very special light. Very beautiful golden Abu Simbel.
Well composed with the palmtree and the man in the corner.
Best regards, Paul

COSTANTINO (24048) 2009-06-21 3:15

Ciao Luciano,

Ancora una bella foto dal tuo giro Egyziano,
bel esposta con una luce ecelente,
cari saluti e buona Domenica,

Costantino

sandpiper (1677) 2009-06-21 5:29

Hi Luciano

I got sick in Aswan and didn't do the day trip - next time, ha ha!
Good composition and warm tones. I think the story behind them moving the monuments is amost as impressive as the orginal construction.

Chris

npecanhuk (16416) 2009-06-21 5:46

Ciao Luciano!
The close-up on those figures carved on the stone is simply fantastic! Great composition! A magnificent picture!
TFS - congratulations!
Arrivederci,
Neyvan

Nicou (47593) 2009-06-21 7:52

Hello,

Merveilleuse image, loes couleurs sont divines, le contraste parfait, de toute beauté cette image, se sont vraimetn des merveille des statues.

Merci et amitié

Nicou

paura (40841) 2009-06-21 10:01

Luciano,
Beleza de trabalho fotográfico aqui, com eficiente enquadramento e ótimos ajustes de iluminação. PArece-me que o lugar estava exatamente onde você precisava dele.

Abraço

Paulo

vasilpro (10791) 2009-06-21 11:08

Hello Luciano,
Excellent composition, a very nice POV with the palm tree and very nice light management. Beautiful photo.
Regards, Vasilis.

bobocortis (14156) 2009-06-21 11:25

Ciao Luciano.
Questo monumento sembra d'oro, così illuminato dal sole basso.
Buona la palma decentrata, anche il personaggio accovacciato fa la sua parte nella composizione.
Ciao.
Bobo.

Clementi (47668) 2009-06-21 11:33

ciao Luciano,
bella colorazione che ti ha dato il sole al tramonto, quelo accovacciato vicino alla palma che fa?
Giorgio

mauro61 (17622) 2009-06-21 12:50

ciao Lucia',
sorvoliamo sulla notizia della partenza per la Turchia...io qua a sgobbare e tu.....
scherzo...vacanze sempre meritate quelle di chi lavora!
La foto e' molto bella, perfettamente saturata e dalle tinte calde.
ottima l'inquadratura
un caro salut
maurizio

chris04stop (2790) 2009-06-21 13:42

Ed eccoli qui i faraoni ieratici, ma stanchi e assonnati. Per forza: tutta la notte non fanno altro che chiacchierare con me. Io, che ho vissuto una delle me vite precedenti in Egitto, li sfinisco sempre a furia di ricordi! Poi, di giorno, loro hanno gli occhi chiusi. Ronfano. Nonostante la strepitosa luce dorata che li investe in pieno e che tu hai saputo eccellentemente fotografare!
Anna Paola

danyy (70659) 2009-06-21 14:36

Bonjour Luciano,
dans les couleurs de pierres de feun, tu nous exposes sous un de leurs meilleurs angles ces statues millénaires.
Un sujet très connu certes, mais qu'on est heureux de ramener dans ses souvenirs.
Amitié.
Daniel.

mvdisco (11767) 2009-06-21 20:21

Bonjour Luciano,
Jolie prise de vue de ce magnifique endroit archéologique, superbe cliché et composition aux couleurs fantastiques.
de toute beauté.
complimenti
Michel

aadilj (17950) 2009-06-21 22:50

I am happy that you went to Egypt...now I wouldnt have to go Luciano!!! Youve looked at the place with such different and such beautiful perspectives that you hardly leave anything for anyone else to capture!

ymrk (9670) 2009-06-22 2:30

Luci,this is impressive!The golden symbol with its's got a sharpness perfect!Site of model and you've been splendid viewpoint there.
Take care my friend,ciao!

Yağmur

Cretense (58913) 2009-06-22 5:09

Ciao Luciano!

Outstanding photo from an outstanding place! Great composition and framing, but I think that the magic of this photo lies mostly in the perfect light managment and the warm light! Excellent capture of the textures, amazing definition! Congratulations!

Hercules

amaryllis (18300) 2009-06-22 6:47

bonjour
tu nous combles par ce paysage merveilleux et des couleurs chaudes, avec une archéologie exceptionnelle et massive de ces temples
mon envie devient irrésistible de m'y rendre
bonne semaine
juliette

rodgerg (27003) 2009-06-22 10:17

Ciao Caro Luciano,

Un'altra bella vista del tuo viaggio in Egypt. Questa volta anche l'armonia di colori caldi e molto bella. Ottimo utilizzo della luce anche. L'albero, sulla destra, sorgo molto ben sulli colori caldi. L'uomo, con il suo abito blanco dà un'idea della scala del posto.
Amicize

patdeph (19236) 2009-06-22 11:15

hello Luciano
the lightt is so warm,so beautiful,that it has changes the sand of the ground and the stones of the monument into gold!Even the trunk of the palmtree is in gold,and the place seems still more magic than in reality!Wonderful!
Regards
Pascale

BATEYE (342) 2009-06-22 13:30

ciao luciano
che voglia di viaggiare !!! meraviglia di scatto con una luce molto particolare .....si rimane senza parola davanti a queste opere ..
un salutone

cobra112 (12948) 2009-06-22 15:27

Ciao Luciano. Davvero è un policeman quello accovacciato? Già questo tempio è imponenete se poi lo tratti con questa luce d'oro.... Non vorrei dir baggianate ma la foto mi sembra un filo storta a dx.

Roberto

rikko77 (7722) 2009-06-23 1:59

Ciao Luciano
hai fatto un sacco di belle foto in Egitto. Questa sembra storta ma non lo è in realtà. La figura in bianco lì sotto ci sta tutta, serve a darci un senso delle proporzioni di questa meraviglia. Molto bello e utile per la composizione anche l'albero a dx.
Bravo (del resto da uno Juventino non ci si può aspettare che questo!) Buona giornata,
Rikk

danos (34924) 2009-06-23 7:00

Ciao Luciano,
a very nice presentation of Abu Simbel with the natives on the right to give life in the scene.I like the perspective as the gold colour of the monument, as the sun floodlight it with the strong desert light.Well done.

Have a nice afternoon,Danos

John_F_Kennedy (32772) 2009-06-23 7:27

Great work with the high-saturation approach to this one. Excellent.
Best wishes,
Achim

ciakgiak (12506) 2009-06-23 10:30

Ciao Luciano,
ti giuro non mi spiego come mi sia potuta sfuggire questa meraviglia... sono decisamente preoccupato, sarà l'età?
Bellissima, i colori sono splendidi e la luce di un'intensità ed un calore unici.
Grandissima composizione, complimenti.
Un caro saluto dal tirchione.
Giorgio

Silvio1953 (45136) 2009-06-23 12:25

Ciao Luciano, magnifica la luce sui colossi,altra bella foto dall'Egitto, bravo, ciao Silvio

clio (24037) 2009-06-23 13:18

Ciao Luciano,
Cette image me rappelle l'extraordinaire exposition sur Toutânkhamon au Grand Palais à Paris en 1967. Des images et des couleurs dorées que j'ai toujours dans les yeux depuis et que je retrouve ici.
Bellissimo!
Bravo, maestro!
Diane

mikeo (12119) 2009-06-24 0:22

Hello Luciano,

Great shot! Intensity of colours is unbelievable. Very well chosen POV, good composition. Very nice and original shot!

Best greetings,
Mikeo

PS. All your photos from Egypt are really good!

emka (24089) 2009-06-24 12:09

Ciao Luciano, the marvelous photo of Abu Simbel. From this POV it is difficult to believe it was relocated. Wonderful light - evening or early morning? Nice to see some people (and not the tourists), good for the scale. really impressive. Very beautiful colour ot the rocks.

Regards

Malgorzata

Bluejeans (34486) 2009-07-03 5:31

Ola Luciano ,
Lindo estas estátuas gigantes nesta parede de pedra, bonitos tons dourados , belo ponto de isão ,parabéns!!
Um abraço Gonçalo

Urs (4042) 2009-07-19 4:10

Dear Luciano

I always wanted to go to Egypt but so far I have not visited the country. At least I now can have a look at Abu Simbel. You must have taken the picture in late afternoon, otherwise it would be no so red. It's the golden hour of photography and when you can wait till it is there then you have the perfect shot. I think I do not have to write a detailed critique, as this picture is flawless, even there is a painter or similar peddling his paintings at the right side. Colors, contrasts, sharpness and DOF are simply perfect.

Well done

Best regards from Alor Star
Urs