Toledo at dusk Photo

Photographer’s Note

The most famous view of Toledo at nightfall. The cathedral (white thing at upper left) was horrendously overlit, I tried to darken it, with mixed results. About the city:

The city of Toledo is the capital of the province of the same name, and is also the capital of the Autonomous Community called Castilla-La Mancha. The city is located at 529 metres above sea level, in the Castillian meseta (plateau), practically in the centre of the Iberian peninsula. and just 70 kilometers (43 miles) south of Madrid on the N-401 highway.
The historic city centre sits on a craggy rock, which is almost completely encircled by a wide meander of the Tagus river, called the Tajo in Spanish. The Roman historian Tito Livio mentioned the city of Toletum, a term whose origin would be Tollitum, meaning "raised aloft". The city's historic centre is one of the largest in Spain, and has more than 100 monuments.
In December 1987, the UNESCO declared Toledo a World Heritage city in recognition of its uniqueness. This is due as much as anything to its special history, since in the past the city was host to Christian, Islamic and Hebrew culture and the architecture of the city relects this - being almost impossible to walk its streets without coming across an ancient mosque, a Gothic or Mudejar church, a Romanesque or Visigothic structure, a synagogue, or a Renaissance palace.

Paker, dharbott, jpages, AmiBe, PixelTerror, Tue, Emvee, coco, pamastro, huynt, john_c, sarpedon, sleon, Paolo, lucinka, ruisc_pt, andante, npecanhuk has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

RGatward (19759) 2005-06-14 8:50

Great time of day for this one. I love the way you can see the gradual fading of the sky into dusk across the frame.

Amandine (1028) 2005-06-14 9:12

Nice pisture, colors are very well done. the courb of the river give perspective and move to the picture. It's very sharp an dvery well composed. Well done

Paker (2636) 2005-06-14 9:37

Stunning!
I just wonder what the thing is at the bottom of the picture on the water? Big wave? Stone?
K.

dharbott (1892) 2005-06-14 9:51

Hi Tan - just discovered your portfolio - excellent.

This latest image is outstanding - fantastic lighting. Lots of 'sparkle' and great colours... After getting over the initial impact I can sit back and take in the rest of the view.

Thanks.

Kenny10pin (19301) 2005-06-14 12:47

lovely shot of the city, very good composition and clarity, the lighting is really well handled too, well done

AmiBe (6042) 2005-06-14 15:00

Hi Tan,
superb night shot of this nice city. The POV is good, we can see a big part of the city and the river. I like the castle on the top.
I think here, men are looking women, too.

jpages (1670) 2005-06-14 15:31

This view has impressed me a lot! It is the best POV to get the whole known view of Toledo, and at the evening time, with the sun already gone, but with the sky still blue, and all the night lights shining to get the most magic moment. The sharpness is very well captured, very difficult in this lights conditions. Wich time exposure did you used?
I give you the points with much pleasure, Tan. Really very well done.
Best regards and take care!

toni_al (15476) 2005-06-14 16:05

Hola Tan
J'aime cette image avec ces belles couleurs. Joli point de vue depuis cette hauteur, et comme d'habitude superbe cadrage
Well donne
Saludos Toni

Tue (25770) 2005-06-14 16:13

Hi Tan,
Wow, this is a great picture! Lovely lights and colours. It is a great view over this town. It's just wonderful, very well done! :-D
Groetjes,
Lars

Emvee (417) 2005-06-14 17:02

I can only join in with the other positive comments; it is incredible how you captured the artificial light in the city. You also chose a good point to shoot the picture, and finally, your note is most informative.

Jeppe (18624) 2005-06-14 17:15

A lovely sight - I like the magic light from the lamppost of this nice looking city - truly special effect the long exposure time gives you - thansk for sharing Tan.

Leonie (8647) 2005-06-14 17:32

Hi Tan,
Impressive picture of Toledo! I only know the city from novels..but this is a bit how I imagined it! Thanks,

Léonie

coco (28701) 2005-06-14 18:54

The best shot that I have seen of Toledo. Really good.
Congratulations from Spain.

lukie (0) 2005-06-14 18:58

Great view on Toledo, Tan. Do you know perhaps the name of the river ? Or is it just a small, unknown little river ?

huynt (5077) 2005-06-14 23:09

Hi Tan
A great shot. The light points of the city are very impressive including both church and palce. I love this very nice and peaceful asmospheres. Thanks for good note and sharing
Best regards
Huy

john_c (24635) 2005-06-14 23:46

An outstanding capture, Tan. The lighting is superb and the curving cliff and watercourse enhance enormously. The city appears magical and mysterious. A most satisfying shot. Congratulations.

sarpedon (352) 2005-06-15 4:16

Merhaba Tan,
Renk ve isik dengesi harika. Ozellikle tam kararmamis gokyuzu ve evlerin isiklarinin tonlamasi cok guzel bir fotograf cikarmis ortaya.
Serhat.

PixelTerror (88585) 2005-06-15 4:30

Hi Tan,
Gorgeous view, shooting time is right as the city illuminates, though I'm wondering whether it would not have been worth to wait a bit more, as the sky to the left is not yet dark. But on the other hand you run the risk of having the Alhambra too dark, I think the local authorities should invest some efforts in levelling the lights, maybe you could send them a copy of this one as an evidence shot ?
Anyway, another nice one, Tan, Have a nice day,
Jean-Yves

nerve (10218) 2005-06-15 4:32

Hi Captain,
Great time exposure! Its beautifully composed,
the lights here are just splendid..You always find the best possible POV where ever you go..
Congrulations.

sleon (9378) 2005-06-15 5:48

Hi Tan
Another top-quality shot, especially in this kind of lighting. You have managed to get pretty much all of the subject well exposed, despite the large differences in lighting conditions across the scene. The composition is good too, and the whole scene has a magical feel. I'd be interested to know what kind of exposure you used and did you have to do a lot of bracketing either side?

Paolo (40818) 2005-06-15 8:21

What a great view Tan!
fantastic focus on the night view, full of light and colors.a great contrast and a good focus.
excellent POV.
thanks, ciao

Galmeida (12559) 2005-06-15 18:20

Hello Tan,
You are a great one in postings. What a fantasic end of day shot. I like the way and as also some nice members do something like this. My sincereally smiley to this great quality composition. It's not necessary more comments. You are creative, imaginative in your great way!

Best to you.
Fernando

danyy (70659) 2005-06-16 0:23

Bonjour Tan,
Très agréable à regarder cette photo. Un niveau de détails incroyable, pas de grande surexposition, excellent pour uhn fond d'écran bien coloré.
Compliments.
Daniel.

MiguelP (14338) 2005-06-16 10:59

Hi Tan, splendid view... The twilight moment has been caught with a perfect sharpness, the witched hour in Toledo... Did you like it? Colors are great and the overexposition of the cathedral is not a big deal. Astonishing outcome, I hope you come back to make more photos here. Take care.

pamastro (7215) 2005-06-19 2:11

This is an excellent view of the city. Even better than the painting! The lights are beautifully rendered through the city. Only the overexposed cathedral seems to bother me but it is just so intensly lit compared to everything else. I love this shot for all the curving paths it offers the eye to travel through. The lighting and how well it is exposed adds to those paths making them come to life as living arteries. And the river moving through the shot frames everything nicely. Another very beautiful shot.

Hanssie (9133) 2005-06-20 14:52

Another dusk-picture, a lot of warmth and a romantic mood, great lightning, Tan, nice pic !

donluicu (24129) 2005-07-04 16:40

excellent tan,
this city looks like a christmas tree...sharpness, colors and compo are great. well done (again!!)
loic

mumek (17530) 2005-07-06 17:06

Lovely evening shot Tan!
Very good contrast between brighter part of the city and darker with the Tagus river.Super shot. Congratulations
ziggy

aslhann14 (201) 2005-08-19 13:51

Hi Tan.
Nice Toledo view. I think that is one of your best photos. And Toledo, one of the most beautiful cities.
Regards. Luis.

rajhema (1867) 2005-08-19 13:55

beautiful Lighting Tan. Nice exposure. this late evening picture has colors too!.

Alberto_Trek (276) 2005-12-19 16:24

Magnífica vista toledana. Una de las ciudades más bonitas de España, sin lugar a dudas

royh (577) 2006-02-23 15:25

Excellent work again, looks like every natural condition was in your favor - lighting, setting and location. The river bend and the tree reflections on it look very nice, and I kinda like the overexposure on the city lights. TFS.

svo555 (1028) 2006-02-23 15:42

Hi Tan
Nice exposure control with good composition.
Well done!
Sergi

christlagat (536) 2006-03-25 16:47

Bonjour,
I've been several times in Toledo, but I never had so great vision!
Your talent exposed in your entire gallery is here perfectly visible. It seems that you choose the best moment to shot. The compo is well done, the colors are wonderful: the lights of the city looks like a christmas tree, and the pale blue of the sky and the dark blue of the Tajo set the town as a diamond!
Due to the muslim past of the city, this could be a dream vision of the "Thousand and one Nights"
Mille fois bravo et merci.
Christian

georgemoeciu (1148) 2006-05-17 9:35

very beautyful i must visit this chity ,excelent shot...well done
regards george

sabin (132) 2007-01-06 20:16

Beautiful. Maybe some buildings are overexposed, but the general view is great. I´ve been there, and you captured the magic of this city at dusk.
Congratulations.

ruisc_pt (6217) 2007-02-03 16:41

I must say this is a splendid not ever saw view of the great Toledo..
Thank you very much..
Gracias
Obrigado

Bruno40 (6442) 2007-04-07 5:21

Hi Tan

Good picture. The POV is excelent, by being on the north-south axis, allows you to capture the gradual fading of the color of the sky.
Good work
TFS
Jorge

Manamo (3478) 2007-04-08 21:10

Hello Tan,
this is truly an amazing point of view. This pictures has been on my computer for quite a while now in a section of favorites. But I'm preparing a trip in which I'll pass by Toledo, so I kind of stuck on it this week. I'll pass on the exposure as you perfectly know it is not perfect. But what I think now that I look at it more closely, is that the tones are way too cold. I mean, I like the green touches down and what's going on in the sky. But I think there is a very quick and easy pp that could be done to warm it a little. I'll show you with a workshop...it's quickly done, but it's just to show you what I mean...

All the best,

Marc

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