Carefree Photo | TrekEarth

Photographer’s Note

Sanssouci - “without worries“ - the summer residence of Friedrich der Große. This was the first palace (or castle or royal residence of any type) that I was able to visit in my entire life, and since that had been a goal of mine for at least a decade, it was a pretty big event for me.

After visiting the palace though, I began to form my own opinions about why it might be called the rough equivalent of “Carefree Palace“. The grounds were so ridiculously enormous that it would be easy for a monarch here to feel isolated and forget (s)he has a country to rule. The architectural style was supposed to show a harmony of nature and mankind, yet this so-called harmony consisted of mankind completely taming nature and removing all of the “nasty“ bits. They even had some “ancient“ ruins built nearby especially for the purpose of improving the beauty of the landscape.

Wouldn't it be nice to live in such a place where you have created your own ideal world, removed all the parts of it you don't like, and even rewritten history the way you wanted it to go? Carefree? Maybe... but the palace gave me an eerie, unnatural feel... something just doesn't feel right when everything is sugar-coated...

gentedilivello, resato, BilboCA has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

chawax (5909) 2009-06-22 13:26

Hi Jordan,
Very nice architecture, very colorful. The light is very pleasant. Good sharpness.
Regards,
Olivier

gentedilivello (1803) 2009-06-22 13:53

Hi Jordan,
nice view of this interesting building. The colors are vivid and the datails of the building are very sharp and clear.
Regards.
Gabriele.

ciakgiak (10496) 2009-06-22 14:41

Hello Jordan,
first of all I like this splendid architecture. The contrast between the yellow and green colour and the sky is really superb. Great details too.
Friendly regards.
Giorgio

resato (428) 2009-07-18 3:53

Hello Jordan,
I know this place quite well, as I live in nearby Berlin. Apart from you picture being one I like because of the colours and perspective, I really liked your note. We live in a world concerned to remove the nasty bits nowadays too. I like nature and being outside...and that's what I try to convey in my pictures. Regards, Rene

BilboCA (734) 2009-07-26 11:57

Hi, Jordan,

Excellent note!

The photo is well executed, too, with good color rendering and sharpness.

I like the "sans souci" visible along the top and the ornate figures that are at the top of the ornamental columns.

I find your choice of a portrait orientation interesting. I'm pretty certain that I would react to a scene like this always with a landscape camera orientation. I've seen in your gallery that you often make this choice differently than I would. A different way of seeing, I guess...

Regards,
- William