Panorama of Toledo Photo

Photographer’s Note

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It may lack originality, but the POV is quite irresistible, even with the harsh sunlight of a Summer midday, so here it goes a stitch of 4 horizontal shots made with Hugin.

Toledo is the capital of the autonomous community of Castilla-La-Mancha, a region to which Madrid would belong if it hadn't been decided that as capital of Spain it should stay a separated entity. The name Mancha resounds the famous satiric character of Don Quixote de la Mancha, but this is far from being the only renown figure of the region, as Toledo was an city where culture flourished like few other places in Europe during the Medieval Age, whether during the Muslim/Arab/Moor rule, when it was one of the most important towns of the Al-Andalus, or after the Christian Reconquest in 1085.

The place was populated since the Bronze Age. It was an important town during the Roman times and later it was the capital of the Visigothic kingdom of Spain, which perished in the early 8th century, when the Moors conquered all the Iberian Peninsula except the tiny mountainous Asturias.

After the fall of the Caliphate of Córdoba it was the capital of a Muslim kingdom. The Christian kings of Castilla didn't expel the educated Jewish and Arab people that lived in the city after they conquered it and the touristic propaganda now calls Toledo the "City of 3 Cultures" because Christian, Muslim and Jews lived and prospered supposedly in peace for 5 centuries in the town.

During the Middle Age many scientific, philosophical and even literature texts were translated from Arabic to Spanish and Latin in Toledo, giving an important contribution to the disclosure of the knowledge of Muslim scholars in Europe. Some of those text were Roman and Greek that had been lost in Europe, but preserved in translations only found in the Arab/Muslim world.

WS: Another view, with a tighter framing, using only one shot.

Location of the POV (latitude, longitude): 39.8511,-4.0203

Exif data:
Camera: Olympus E-300
Lenses: Sigma 10-20mm EX DC HSM
Date taken: 9-Aug-2008 16:54
Exposure time [s]: 1/125
Exposure bias [EV]: -0.70
F-Number: F13.0
Focal length [mm]: 12
ISO value: 100

robertosalguero, dip, ribeiroantonio, jwmunro, Giorgio, Emile, ellelloo, Charo has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

robertosalguero (2759) 2009-06-12 22:49

Ola Jose,

From this point and size of picture is hard to see any new architecture in the this city. It look like it froze in time! Nice view showing the city surrounded by semi-arid landscape. Details still look good even when the city look small. Thanks Jose.

Roberto

dip (12412) 2009-06-12 22:56

Hello Jose,
a wonderful panoramic image of Toledo,
excellent point of view,
good stitching work!
Greetings,
Dimitris.

ribeiroantonio (21753) 2009-06-12 23:38

Pode não ser original mas é sempre bonita esta vista de Toledo com o Tejo a passar por perto. São duas fotos excelentes mas para dizer verdade gosto mais da do WS porque me permite ver melhor a cidade.
António

gildasjan (23393) 2009-06-13 0:57

Bonjour Jose
Un pano bien net et un bon assemblage de couleurs entre le sol,l'architecture et ce ciel.
Bonne journée
Amicalement
gildas

COSTANTINO (22255) 2009-06-13 1:36

Good morning
thanks for sharing with us all thosde useful details and this nice panorama of Toledo..I like this kind of photos,I like photos that make me imagine,
many details well composed
regards and compliments
Costantino

coco (27612) 2009-06-13 2:41

And hi again, Jose.

This pano is, believe me, much better than the other one.
Best light and wonderful composition.

Thanks for sharing.

sunamoon (5053) 2009-06-13 5:48

Hola José,

Increible vista de Toledo, muy buena panorámica,
la definición, la luz y los colores son optimos,
mi felicitación!!!!

Un saludo,
Elena

Rafer (4122) 2009-06-13 6:39

Fabulosa panorámica de esta ciudad que habré de vistar...saludos

xuaxo (5649) 2009-06-13 8:00

Olá José,
Pode ser um "PdV pouco original" (também lhe podemos chamar "clássico"), mas acho que valeu a pena mostrares, pois o panorama está com muito boa qualidade. Uma boa foto para "large version", para apreciarmos detalhes.
O WS também tem mérito.
Cumprimentos,
Francisco

delkoo (33988) 2009-06-13 13:03

bonjour josé,
la courbe de la rivière est certainement très utile à la composition, cela délimite bien la photo et protège la ville d'un rempart naturel, la version large permet d'apprécier tous les détails de cette magnifique vue sur cette ville très célèbre.
ta note est un puits d(informations.

didier

jwmunro (6561) 2009-06-13 14:28

Hello Jose -

Whether it lacks originality or was shot during midday it is a wonderful image and demonstrates your skill as a photographer and as a Post Processor. Yes, there are a lot of wishes we could hang on this image, but I do like it as is. Toledo is one of those places that I would like to visit if I ever make to Iberia again. I also think the composition is spot on with a minimal amount of sky, the river in the FG, and a FG element to give the scene the needed depth. I say..."well done Jose..."

Thank you for sharing.

John

Giorgio (8630) 2009-06-13 23:15

- Quel beau panorama sur la jolie ville de Tolède tu nous présente là José, on a ainsi un large aperçu sur la ville et le fleuve et la version lage est splendide, bravo, c'est très réussi, j'avais moi-même posté quelques vues sur cette belle ville, sûrement l'une de mes favorites en Espagne, tu peux voir l'une de mes photos ICI.
Passe un bon dimanche.
giorgio

Emile (19811) 2009-06-15 12:14

Hola José.
Un vista espectacular de Toledo la cual podemos disfrutar sus grandes e históricos detalles en la versión ampliada. Excelente POV, colores y composición.
Un fuerte abrazo mi amigo.

ellelloo (4684) 2009-06-18 12:23

Hello José,
A wonderful panorama from Toledo, a city of very important cultural heritage. Together with your excellent note with lots of information and many complementing links this photo is a wonderful TE contribution. The large version is a joy to view with all its sharp details to take in. The map view is also highly appreciated. Congratulations for a good work!
Best regards,
Lasse

Charo (31651) 2009-06-18 14:19

Hola Jose,
Creí entender cuando hablamos y yo te recomendé ir a Toledo, que habías ido hace muchos años, pero veo que fue el verano pasado.
Otra preciosa perspectiva con una excelente composición y detalles.
Um abraço,
Charo

Bluejeans (31663) 2009-06-19 10:45

Oi amigo ,
Já estive aqui em Toledo algumas vezes , e uma cidade muito bela com as suas casas e a sua famosa catedral , estás um mestre de colagens vais acabar com a tua cota rapidamente :) , gostei do ponto de visão , boas cores, parabéns!!
Um abraço Gonçalo

giorgimer (20750) 2009-06-19 15:44

Hola Jose,

wonderful image. POV and wide format are perfect to see the beauty of this town.

Very well done!

Gio

Giedra70 (554) 2009-09-05 6:19