Gargoyle's eye view Photo

Photographer’s Note

After showing you the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres' facade I show you today how's the view from the top, nearly 100m above the medieval roofs of Chartres. This tower (at left in the main facade) has actually 113m (377ft) tall but that includes its early 16th Flamboyant spire. What makes the Cathedral impressive when seen from a distance is that there's not a single skyscrapper at sight - it wouldn't have the same impact if it was placed in Manhattan's downtown, for example.
The light is not the best I could desire but this is view I like more.
WS1 shows the view to the opposite side with better light and colors and I hesitated between the two.

I want to specially thank to José (stego) for making me the stitching of two vertical images that can be seen in
WS2 - it shows a close approach of the facade and tower from where this picture was taken, giving an idea of the height of this POV - above the first level of gargoyles.

Check out the PixelTerrorade blue version of this gothic papagolfade posted one hour after this post.

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Situated about 80km southwest of Paris, CHARTRES is a modest but charming market town whose existence is almost entirely overshadowed by its extraordinary cathedral. Built between 1194 and 1260, it was one of the quickest ever constructed and, as a result, preserves a uniquely harmonious design. The astounding size of the cathedral is entirely due to the presence of the Sancta Camisia – supposed to have been the robe Mary wore when she gave birth to Jesus. After an earlier Romanesque structure burnt down in 1194, the relic was discovered three days later, miraculously unharmed. It was a sign that the Virgin wanted her church lavishly rebuilt – at least, so said the canny medieval fundraisers. In the medieval heyday of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, hordes of pilgrims on their way south to Spain would stop here to venerate the relic – the sloping floor evident today allowed for it to be washed down more easily. The Sancta Camisia still exists, though after many years on open display it was recently rolled up and put into storage. It may yet be restored to the cathedral.
(Rough Guide)

DINOZOR, JCG, Didi, papagolf21, ChrisJ, jafadabret, feather, belido, Cricri, siamesa, Graal, danos, josepmarin, alvaraalto, shevchenko, Henryk_Bilor, paura, luisafonso, Bluejeans, saylan-cb, stego, manatee, Emile, Tue, xuaxo has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

DINOZOR (6508) 2009-02-08 0:41

Hello Ricardo,
Bravo pour cette prise de vue qui ne manque ni de hauteur de vue ni d'intérêt documentaire.
Bravo pour la netteté du premier plan gargouille et des toits de la très belle ville de Chartres. Photo rare et réussie.
TFS.
Cordialement.

JCG (25147) 2009-02-08 0:48

Hi Ricardo,

Almost neighbor today !!! You give me vertigo on these two photos ... A place of choice for magnificent views over the heights of Chartres and the surrounding area, especially since the time of the day was clear. I like the inclusion of the gargoyle and it makes the idea of the title of the image... Bravo for the stitch that gives an impressive view on the arrows to the cathedral. Beautiful and interesting photos, thank you Ricardo.

With all my best wishes to you and Ana. A very good Sunday,

Jean-Charles

Didi (35998) 2009-02-08 0:50

Hi Ricardo
You are the first trekers who had climb on the cathedral roof.
How many marches for going up ?
Nice view indeed.
You were at 70 Km from Orléans :)
Best regards.
Obrigado.

papagolf21 (56159) 2009-02-08 1:39

Bonjour, cher ami Ricardo,
Il faut gravir les marches, reprendre son souffle tout en haut, puis suprême bonheur, découvrir la beauté de la ville. Très bon cadrage avec la gargouille formant figure de proue de la cathédrale.
Une bien jolie "papagolfade" ! ;o)
Un grand merci pour les différentes vues en bonus.
Amitiés.
Philippe

ChrisJ (70019) 2009-02-08 1:56

Ola Ricardo

A good birds eye view, across the sea of rooftops. Good sharpness, colour, & lighting. The Gargoyle makes a fine centre of interest. Tfs!

jafadabret (39357) 2009-02-08 2:28

Bonjour Ricardo.
La netteté de cette photo est à donner le vertige. J'aime beaucoup la gargouille et le bout d'architecture sur la gauche qui nous permet de nous situer tout en haut de la cathédrale. La ville apparait dans ses moindres détails (jusqu'aux deux marelles tracées dans une cour d'école, je pense).
Belle réalisation !
Jacques

coco (27766) 2009-02-08 2:46

Hola Ricardo.

THis place looks really magic and your photo enhances the beauty of this village and its famous cathedral.

Thanks for sharing.

feather (49858) 2009-02-08 3:11

I can see your dilemma between posting this and WS1. The light is better in WS1 but I feel the green roof of the transept(?) spoils the view, which I guess is the reason you chose this one. Here I love the position you were able to use at just the right angle from the gargoyle to make it useful in the composition, as it really does point the way into the scene. I can imagine you hanging out of the window to get this view and it was well worth the steep climb. Good work from José with the stitch in WS2!
Kath

jmdias (19071) 2009-02-08 3:51

ricardo

não subi na torre quando lá estive. Gostei aqui da visão destes labirintos intrincados que se veem lá do alto. A gárgula maior ajuda a dar uma noção de profundidade e de estar à beira de um lugar alto. bela a luz e o enquadramento. Sim, uma torre isolada é sempre mais eficiente no quesito visual do que centenas delas juntas, não por acaso as 2 torres do borró causam este efeito. hahaha

abraços

jorge

belido (16273) 2009-02-08 5:03

Olá Ricardo,

a sensação de vertigem é bem forte nessa imagem. O ângulo escolhido contribui bastante para isso. Vejo aqui uma majestosa arquitetura, incluindo detalhes dessa catedral. Esse detalhe à esquerda foi uma boa sacada para quebrar o desenho das contruções la embaixo. Bela imagem!
Abraço,
Carlos

Gerrit (35593) 2009-02-08 7:30

Hi Ricardo,
teh rooftops make a fine pattern here. A very good POV and excellent clear view.
Regards, gerrit

sacavem (8223) 2009-02-08 8:57

Olá Gonçalo,

Excelente pov e oportunidade para fotografar. Bem visto, resultou numa boa composição, porque bem enquadrado e bom titulo.
Bom domingo,
Filipe

Cricri (43030) 2009-02-08 8:59

Hola Ric
Grand et intéressant POV sur la ville, le cadrage avec la "statue" de la cathédrale, un grand bravo pour avoir monter les 400 marches!!! bien la lumiére sur le WS mais je pense que le toit vert se vois de trop!! en tout les cas c'est une belle présentation
Friendship
cricri

carper (64546) 2009-02-08 9:59

oeps what a depth Ricard,
very nice view, good details, I am high sick, very good photo job here, have a nice evening.
regard jaap

gilou530 (35007) 2009-02-08 11:22

salut ricardo
un vue qui donne le vertige du haut de la cathédrale et qui plonge sur les toits de la ville, bien vu et réalisé
amitiés
gilbert

siamesa (12680) 2009-02-08 11:35

Olá Ricardo,

Bem interessante esse olhar da gárgula para a cidade.Um ponto de vista especial . Excelentes as cores aqui. Parabéns.
Abraços
Maria

giorgimer (21000) 2009-02-08 15:27

Olà Ric,

what a perfect POV! Spectacular view. I like a lot the moltitude of roofs with their lines and the way the sun hits them.

TFS

Gio

Graal (57647) 2009-02-09 0:08

Hi Ricardo,
good POv, fine glance on the roofs of town. An interesting complementary WS. Well photojob. I like it.
Gr., Aleksander

mzmehr (917) 2009-02-09 3:09

Hi Ricardo,

It's like a toybox houses.
no alive creature in photo(just a man who pass the street).

I like POV and clarity of central city here.

thanks for sharing
mzmehr

danos (32198) 2009-02-09 5:09

Olá Ricardo,
really nice your idea to show us the medieval roofs of Chartres from above with the statue of the animal to look to the city.I like the quality of the two stitch photos,thanks to Jose,as the sharpness and the quality of the houses,especially in the foreground.Well done.

Have a nice week,Danos

josepmarin (33785) 2009-02-09 9:56

Olá Ricardo,
profunda y vertiginosa vista sobre la ciudad desde este POV privilegiado, como si fuéramos gárgolas.
La trama urbana de las casas y sus tejados tiene un gran grafismo, y la gárgola en el primer plano es inquietante.
Me gusta la luz del sol que ilumina las casas. Los WS son buenos también, el WS1 tiena una luz fantástica.
Bonito trabajo, amigo.
Un abrazo,
Josep

chris04stop (2277) 2009-02-09 13:17

Bravo Ricardo: a very impressive shot. And the monster...oh the monster! I like it very much! But...what a pity: he is not spitting fire and flames on the city! Oh... sooorryyyy....But, as you know I am a terrible witch (and I love terrible situations)!
A.P.

alvaraalto (5229) 2009-02-09 13:33

Hi Ric,

I saw the thumbnails of your last three uploads and was stuck by the marvellous contrast.
From the dessert to a lonely building in a green landscape to all the roofs of Chartres seen from the famous cathedral. Brilliant choice or excellent coincidence.
All three of great quality.

Groet Rob

shevchenko (9862) 2009-02-09 19:03

Hi Ricardo,
There is so amazing with a high tower on an old Cathedral, good bird view shoot to show the feature of an old town, lovely unique local houses, thanks for sharing.
Ally

Henryk_Bilor (20365) 2009-02-10 0:06

Hi Ricardo
Maybe this fellow isn`t pretty, but it has a great view. Very interesting capture of these roofs, nice perspective.
Have a nice day.

paura (38266) 2009-02-10 1:45

Ricardo,
Fico aqui pensando que pela paisagem esses bichinhos ficam contemplando todos esses anos ... :-) Interessante também a disposição dos prédios e seus bonitos telhados.

Abraço

Paulo

luisafonso (858) 2009-02-10 1:49

Hummm... acho que esta não resultou muito bem em termos de foto, embora como documento seja excelente. Dá para ver todas as casinhas e mais uma e se era o teu objectivo, conseguiste! :)
Mas eu gostava de ter uma maior sensação de espaço, talvez aplicando uma abertura maior estilo f5.6 e focando mesmo no gárgola a ver se desfocava um pouco a manta de casas lá em baixo. Enfim, isto é tudo muito fácil quando estamos aqui sentados feitos críticos de jornal. Agora lembrarmo-nos disto no terreno é que nem sempre é fácil... ;)

Angshu (33551) 2009-02-10 5:32

Ola Ric
I am also in a quandry when I saw this & your WS posts! But I think I favour this one because of fine jigsaw of the roofs we can see down below. The gargoyle looks like ready to pounce down any moment & I can virtually visualise you hanging out of the window to get this view. Good work!
Friendly Regards
Angshu

Juntas (3147) 2009-02-11 3:41

Olá Ricardo. Grande vista e óptimo enquadramento do gárgula. Não estando a luz muito boa e mesmo assim fugiste ao que suponho seria um mau céu, é uma foto cheia de belos pormenores com os telhados muito bonitos a fazerem um belo efeito. Abraço. Paulo.

Bluejeans (32021) 2009-02-11 5:40

Oi amigo ,
Acho que o polarizador nesta tua foto te dava jeito :) , mas o ponto de visão e lindo com as casas lá em baixo e a escola com as quadras desenhadas no chão ficou lindo, a cidade parece muito bonita e antiga, parabéns!!
Um abraço Gonçalo

saylan-cb (12726) 2009-02-12 10:10

Hi Ricardo,
This place a very nice with great capture and excellent POV here.The details and light is perceft.
TFS/Regards

stego (22350) 2009-02-12 16:30

Olá Ricardo,

Uma perspectiva fantástica sobre o casario "très français", na companhia da gárgula mesmo ali ao lado. É intrigante imaginar como a conseguiste, dá ideia de te teres encavalitado noutra gárgula. :D

Gosto imenso do padrão formado pelas casas e pela mistura dos tons frios, tipo cinzento azulado lá de baixo (devia estar um frio do caraças!) e o sol cá em cima.

Tb. gosto do WS's, mas prefiro esta. Embora aquele telhado de bronze(?) seja muito característico, a modos que estraga um bocado o conjunto.

Um abraço, José.

ribeiroantonio (21859) 2009-02-12 17:32

Gosto desta vista, mais do que da do WS, que me parece com pouca nitidez. O uso da igreja no enquadramento ficou excelente e dá-nos bem a ideia de altura. É da luz do dia ou é mesmo a cidade que é um bocado escure?
António

manatee (4279) 2009-02-13 16:33

Interesante foto amigo:

Me gustaron las dos y tines razon la segunda del workshop tines mejor luz y nitidez, sinembargo captaste bien las casa y edificios en este hermosos lugar.

Feliz dia de San Valentin y que lo disfrutes

Un gran abrazo y muchas gracias por tu amistad Ric

Tu amigo cibernetico

Elias

faubry (32277) 2009-02-18 1:59

Bonjour ricardo, thanks for Paris.. superb view from the tpp...wondrful presentation
thanks
francine

Emile (19883) 2009-02-18 13:07

Hola Ricardo.
Nice view from the top of the cathedral, at the same time that your picture is very good it's also very scary, I can imaging you hanging there to get this wonderful shot. The work done by our friend Jose Pires (stego) and the stitches in your WS2 is also good.
Cuando estoy terminando de hacer la critica es que me recuerdo que entiendes el Español perfectamente bien.
Abrazos.

Tue (25608) 2009-03-02 9:36

Hey Ricardo,
I've missed a lot of your great photos during my absence. This one is wonderful, a great view from the Cathedral over the many houses of the city. The sunlight is lovely too and I find the inclusion of the gargoyle very good too. Thanks for sharing!
Regards,
Lars

xuaxo (5693) 2009-05-18 7:42

Olá Ricardo,
Eu já tinha visto esta. Pensava que já tinha comentado. Gosto muito, está magnífica.
Cumprimentos,
Francisco