PENA PALACE — SINTRA Photo

Photographer’s Note

PENA PALACE — SINTRA JULY 2002

Evocative of a painting in a book of fairy tales is Pena Palace, perched on a hill in Sintra, which in turn is a town in the larger district of Lisbon. The palace, although resembling an edifice from the Middle Ages or Renaissance is in reality a mere infant for this part of the world — it was created in the 19th century. I had been giving lectures on the cruise ship, Crystal Symphony, in 2002, when the ship docked in Lisbon. With close friends from the ship, I took a bus to Sintra to see the palace, as well as the Palacio Nacional de Sintra dating from the 15th century, and the in Sintra-Cascai National Park featuring extraordinary lush vegetation.

Nikon N90, Kodachrome-64 slide, scanned. 70-210 mm Nikkor lens, circular polarizing filter.

I would like to dedicate this image to my many Portuguese friends in Trekearth, who know Sintra and its beauties, and can attest to the accuracy of such brilliant colors one encounters in their lovely country.

Um Grande Abraço!

Matthew-Watt, avene, robertosalguero, claire526, daddo, tober, carper, belido, MLINES, gunbud, stego, Bluejeans, danos, Emile, Norte, jhm, papagolf21, Charo, azaf1, alvaraalto, Tue, paololg, siolaw, Silvio1953, Angshu, JCG, adores, emjleclercq, syd1946, Henryk_Bilor, salvator, Didi, Gerrit, ribeiroantonio, AiresSantos, xuaxo has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Matthew-Watt (4463) 2008-01-31 20:48

Hello Bulent,

A triumphant capture of this incredible structure. It is a very unusual style of construction, and at a glance it is difficult to guess an approximate date of construction as it is comprised of both more ancient and modern elements. Very peculiar! Good to see some blooming agapanthus flowers in the lower frame, a favorite garden plant around where I live. I like the use of bold colour surrounded by the more natural landscaping. The diagonal wall is well positioned, it draws the eyes across well. Thanks for this post Bulent! Take care and enjoy your week!

Matt

avene (11014) 2008-01-31 20:52

good evening, Bulent!
even before I started reading your note I thought that the place looked like a fairy tale castle, or may be the Disney logo :) I like a lot how you have composed the shot - the tree branches in the foreground both give a nice frame and also create a sense of depth. the colours seem a bit overexposed, but not too much, and I actually think that it emphasises the feeling of a hot day. but what I like most is the symmetry between the pattern on the edge of the wall in the foregroud and then on the both towers, the repeating arches nicely "build up" and make the photo look very harmonious. my compliments :)
with best regards,
Kristine

ViktorVaughn (1517) 2008-01-31 20:55

Hello Bulent,

Sintra is a truly amazing area, and your note mentioning fairy tales is the best way to describe it. Unfortunately, I don't think your photograph is truly up to the rest in your gallery. The tree covering the top of the tower is really distracting, and I think you should have left a bit more space at the top of the frame, having more sky from the top and the tip of the tower. I like the diagonal line the wall makes at the bottom, but the colours are a bit too washed out (difficult shooting in the middle of the day).

A harsh critique, but then when you have such high quality photos in your gallery, you have higher standards to live up to :)

All the best,
David

robertosalguero (110) 2008-01-31 21:25

Hello Bulent,

I haven't seen a colourful castle like this one before. The red colour is definitely attractive and provide a nice contrast to the brownish colours of the other walls. The image is very nice and the quality is excellent for a scan. Nice angle to capture the tower and well framed by the branches. Thanks.

Roberto

claire526 (1261) 2008-01-31 21:29

Hi Bulent,
Indeed it has a fairy tale feel to it. You showed us a glimpse of the palace covered by trees and teased us to know more more about the place, just like in fairy tales..we always wanted to know more about what happens after..is it really happily ever after? lol. I also like the blue sky in the background.
Cheers,
Claire

daddo (11365) 2008-01-31 23:03

Merhaba Bulent. A treat in terms of colour and geometric shapes.I like how the foliage seems to open like a curtain to reveal the beauty of the palace.lovely interplay of light and shade and excellent details. Regards. Klaudio.

TopGeo (21811) 2008-01-31 23:12

Hello Bulent!A important arrest and good formulated picture They is a frame in to the frame with important frames and depiction of detail of Palace! It leaves in the form the architectural part and colours to present I like a composition splendid and possible. I praise you and greet!
Georgios

meltemi (9746) 2008-01-31 23:51

Hello Bulent,
a lovely piece of old architecture, wonderfully shown in a really scenic place. The lighting really makes the greenery glow. Exposure is high quality, with excellent sharpness and depth of focus. Wonderful colors and framing. It's very well composed and seen. Congratulations.
Warm Regards.
Stella

tober (3954) 2008-02-01 0:00

Sayın Hocam Merhaba, daha dün buradaydım. Hemen ertesi gün sizin bu rengârenk fotoğrafınızı görmek çok güzel bir tesadüf oldu. Zaman zaman giderim bu masal gibi saraya. Elinize sağlık. Saygılar, Tolga

carper (64908) 2008-02-01 0:23

it is for sure not your best photo Bulent,
but even that my friend I like the looking through, nice contrast, very good note and fine photojob, have a fine day.
gr. jaap

jasmis (50440) 2008-02-01 1:30

Smart vertical frame, interesting note. I really like the branches which make the foreground.
Regards.

belido (16499) 2008-02-01 2:36

Hi Bulent,

thing things make this image a great compo. One is the vertical framing which gave you an wide dof from the wall on bottom to the top of the tower. The second is the natural elements surrounding that architecture. I like this one a lot. Great job!
Regards,
Carlos

sacavem (8289) 2008-02-01 4:31

Olá Bulent,

Strong perspective,but I like theresult.Great colocontrast between the architecture,the vegetation and the sky and many fine details to view. Classic shot.
TFS and have a nice weekend,
Filipe

Cormac (26449) 2008-02-01 10:43

Nice shot of the castle and tower. The view looking between the trees is good, because the trees tend to frame the tower. Also I like the colours very much, so bright and kind of unsual for a castle. Nice work!

MLINES (10884) 2008-02-01 11:28

Hi Bulent. The more i see of Portugal in photos such as this, the more it appeals to me. The tall castle is appealing and as you say richer colours than many in other countries. Good notes as always. TFS. Murray.
PS Hope to visit here one day.

gunbud (27891) 2008-02-01 12:15

Hi Bulent,
Beautiful vertical presentation of this storybook palace. The wonderful archritecture is seen in all its glorious details and the vibrant pink and gold look stunning against the cloudless blue sky. The vibrant green surrounding the castle lends to its magical feel.
Regards, Tom

stego (22352) 2008-02-01 14:15

Hello Bülent,
Congratulations for your première on my country. You offer us, the Portuguese of TE, a wonderful dedicatory. I notice here again your talent for choosing POV's and composing, framing that corner of the palace with the trees and the inclined FG wall. I agree with ViktorVaughn about the branch on the upper right corner being a bit disturbing, but it is actually the only flaw and I can't figure how you could have avoided it. I like very much that purple spot of the flowers below.
I wish you a nice Carnival WE.
Regards, José.

emka (21506) 2008-02-01 14:58

Hi Bulent

wonderful shor of Sintra Palace. Very peculiar structure.

Regards

Malgorzata

Bluejeans (32335) 2008-02-02 3:25

Ola Bulent,
I like your photo of Pena Palace against the blue sky, I live only 10 km of this palace, good colors, good framing of the photo, for more information on the palace I have sites here:
http://www.guiadacidade.pt/portugal/?G=monumentos.ver&artid=4873&distritoid=11
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pena_National_Palace
http://www.cm-sintra.pt/Artigo.aspx?ID=2903

Um grande abraço Gonçalo
Portugal

danos (32512) 2008-02-02 5:05

Hello Bulent,
nice shot in a close up view of the Pena Palace,with all these splendid colours that is painted.The greenery that surround the palace as the peculiar architectural make the shot memorable.I like the sharpness and the clarity as the contrasted colours.Informative your note too.

Have a nice weekend,Danos

Emile (19995) 2008-02-02 5:47

Hola Bulent.
Lovely architecture captured in a vertical format with a very good upward POV, nice colors, clarity and sharpness. Beautiful palace. Sintra is an enchanting place.
Well done. TFS.
Wish you a nice weekend.
Best regards,

Norte (531) 2008-02-02 13:35

Hello Bulent.
Very fine view of the palace, nicely framed by vegetation.
Excellent colors, good sharpness.
TFS!
Regards, Jon.

jhm (82577) 2008-02-03 1:34

Hello friend Bulent,

Wonderful quality for a scanned image.
Very nice presentation with this building as subject excellent colours and very nice architecture.
Composition with green vegetation make this picture very attractive.
Thanks for sharing.

Have a nice weekend,
John.

erel (11540) 2008-02-03 7:07

merhaba,
herşeyiyle dopdolu ve rengarenk bir kare çok çok güzel bir bakış açısı:)
tebrikler
erel

mursaloglu (5164) 2008-02-03 7:25

Dear Bulent bey
Really excellent picture with saturated colors and great POV. Using a polariser gave maximum saturation to the photo. Great work best regrads ihsan

papagolf21 (56421) 2008-02-03 14:55

Bonsoir, mon ami Bulent,
C'est bien vrai que le Portugal possède des joyaux architecturaux. Quand bien même ce château semblerait tiré d'un dessin animé, il a l'avantage de posséder un charme fou.
J'aime les couleurs et le rendu général. Les couleurs et les détails sont saisissants.
Amitiés.
Philippe

ahmetgedikli (21913) 2008-02-03 15:13

Hocam yine hoş bir bakış açısı ile tarih ve doğal güzellikleri bize sundunuz. Binadaki mimari detaylar dikkat çekici, belki bir başka olayda bu binaları yapan insanların sabrı... Bu sabır bu günün insanlarında yok sanırım.
Selamlar, sevgiler.
Ahmet

delic (6735) 2008-02-04 12:47

Merhaba,
Very nice architecture for sure with all its little details. Your pov looking up makes the palace look even more impressive. I like the colorful facade but the bright daylight has washed out the colors. You can try lowering the brightness using levels and increase the saturation a bit before resizing and sharpening for more visual impact. Selamlar,
Hakan

setenay (7604) 2008-02-04 12:49

Merhaba Bülent Bey,
Masallardaki kulelere benziyormuş.2 yıl önce muayenehane komşusu 4 doktor hanım arkadaş,Nisan ayında bir haftalık Portekiz turuna yazılıp,pasportlarımızı yollamış ,ben kitaplar alıp çalışmaya başlamıştım, prog.da burasıda vardı,derken bizden başka başvuran olmamış gezi iptal edilmiş,mosmor olup Amsterdama gitmiştik.Sizin bu karenizi görünce göremediğim Portekizi hatırladım.Yeşillikler içinde tarihi kulenin renkleri ve detayları çok güzel görünüyor,elinize sağlık.Selam ve saygılarımla
setenay

alvaraalto (5231) 2008-02-04 14:42

Hi Bulent,

This looks like a castle in a fairy tale. It architecture must be the source of inspiration for the Disneyland architecture, but I think this has much more quality.

Groet Rob

azaf1 (15547) 2008-02-05 1:32

Good morning Bulent
I was greatly impressed by the looming effect created from the low angle of shooting, the imposing feeling it creates and its clarity combined with vivid colors and a very informative note.
TFS
Argiris

John_F_Kennedy (31427) 2008-02-05 1:39

Gorgeous light and colours in this wonderful composition. Nice work.
Viele Grüße und Hellau,
Achim

Charo (31671) 2008-02-05 3:24

Hola Bulent,
Bella composición de estas torres hermosas de este gran palacio. Magníficos colores y gran resolución. Bien visto.
Cordialmente
Charo

Tue (25608) 2008-02-05 13:44

Hi Bulent,
A beautiful catch of the colourful palace, which is nicely lit by the sunlight. I like the natural framing by the trees. Well chosen lower POV and excellent vertical composition. Thanks for sharing!
Regards,
Lars

paololg (13761) 2008-02-05 15:31

Ciao Bulent,
beautiful composition of this very interesting castle for the colors and for the architectural style. The image is very clear and opposes very well with the color of the sky. Good job. Compliments.
Ciao
Paolo.

ElAprendiz (7370) 2008-02-05 17:00

Hello Bulent

The view used (from the bottom up), makes this architectural work, something majestic.

The use of light, makes it possible to refine some magnificent colors and textures. The branches of trees within the membership, determine a place of dreams. Congratulations.

John

siolaw (25736) 2008-02-05 19:58

Hi Bulent,
That is a nice POV on the tower (only the small branch hides a bit the top, but not so disturbing to me) Colors and light are good, details are sharp. The diagonal of the wall adds some graphism.
I like how the all thing is framed by the vegetation.
Best regards, Bulent!
Lauent

Graal (57995) 2008-02-06 0:09

Hi Bulent,
good shot, an interesting view of famous Sintra Palace. Nice composition with the natural frame. Good work. I like it.
Gr., Aleksander

Angshu (33665) 2008-02-06 0:35

Hello Professor 'A'
A very good capture of the edifice. Comes out stronger with the colours & contrast between yellow, red & the blue sky. Well framed with the foliage. Perhaps you could have left a little place (sky) above the turret by moving your camera an inch upwards. A very interesting note as always.
With Warm Regards
Angshuman

Silvio1953 (41803) 2008-02-06 5:02

Hi Bulent, splendid view on this lovely palace, wonderful colors, excellent POV, very well done, ciao Silvio

berek (28909) 2008-02-06 10:17

Merhaba Bülent bey,
çok güzel açı ve mimari. paylaşım için teşekkürler.
selamlar
Burak Erek

JCG (25343) 2008-02-06 11:29

Hi Bülent,

Indeed a coloured architecture which points out these castles of fairy tales. Pretty framing of this part of the building which gives another dimension. I like much the harmony of the colors and this beautiful light which emphasizes the unit well. A pretty glance and thank you for this interesting note as usual.

With all my friendships and with soon,

Jean-Charles

adores (15545) 2008-02-06 17:15

Hi Bulent!
Thanks a lot for remembering us! Good to see you showing Portugal here and you have chosen a beautiful place. I like the photo, if I remember this place well, it's not one of the easiest places.Good pov including the tower and also these little flowers in foreground.

emjleclercq (14302) 2008-02-06 23:15

A bit like a fairy tale castle (I have a preference for the good, solid fortresses of the Middle Ages), but the point of view and framing are both excellent.

All the best,

Emmanuel

syd1946 (17913) 2008-02-07 2:25

Hello Bulent,
So nice note for this picture,I am really enjoy it!And the image is so beautiful,captured from a very good low point.So many levels in perspective to the colorful Palace.
Like a scene from a fairy tale...

wishes,
Thomas

Henryk_Bilor (20367) 2008-02-07 19:07

Hi Bulent
Excellent capture of this palace. Interesting architecture and colours. But I wonder if the framing isn`t a little to tight ;).
Abraco

Tobias__Ortmann (2589) 2008-02-08 2:47

Hi Bulent
great shot very good pov we can see this strange building,which has a lot of different colours and so gives a good contrast
the trees are placed there very well
tfs Toba

salvator (18819) 2008-02-08 2:49

Hello Bulent Bey,
The pov and the color of the sky is marvellous. The sharp details and the clarity is wonderful. The blend and harmony of the colors look superb.
Best personal regards. Salvator.

hay_kes (28562) 2008-02-08 13:41

Merhaba Hocam,
Portekiz mimarisini harika yansıtmışsınız.Bakış açısı, perspektif ve detaylar süper.Elinize sağlık.
Türkiye'den bolca selam...

hAyAti

Didi (36136) 2008-02-09 9:11

Salam Bulent
The point of view is not very simple but we have a n interesting approach to this castle, mabe in winter it's possible to see more but the voyage is not so cheap from US :)
Well done my friend.
Cheers.

Gerrit (35733) 2008-02-14 6:19

Hi Bulent,
exquisite composition in perfect colours.
Regards, Gerrit

ribeiroantonio (21917) 2008-02-17 14:17

This is one of the best picture from this I have seen here on TE. The colours are simply amazing and the POV is excellent. Well done.
Antonio

pablominto (40732) 2008-03-11 11:16

Hello Bulent,
A fine point of view and a pleasant composition!
You use the branches well for natural framing, and the fine light gives great details and vivid colours...
Well balanced and good lines!
Greetings,
Pablo -

jemaflor (39385) 2008-03-13 4:07

Hi Bulent,
very well framed this monument, good effect with a natural frame around this tower, interesting the pink colours on a blue background.

AiresSantos (42156) 2008-03-16 9:52

Hi Bulent
were you in Portugal ?
Very nice captured of the Pena Palace. It's a beautiful place with a fanastic view arround. I like your POV and how you frame it
TFS and greetings
Aires

xuaxo (5733) 2008-03-24 14:06

Hi Bulent,
In a single frame you show a lot of features of this palace. The trees add to compound a very nice picture.
Regards,
F

BWJ (1773) 2008-06-26 19:27

Hello Bulent,
This is a beautiful composition with a superb POV. The diagonal wall in the foreground is nice contrasting with the shapes and designs in the palace. I like your framing with the trees. The colors of the castle against the clear blue sky are gorgeous!
Warm wishes,
Betty