Only 90 cm wide Photo

Photographer’s Note

The Old Town of Stockholm, Gamla Stan, has many narrow streets. The Alley of Mårten Trotzig is the narrowest one. I found only one night photo of this alley in TE, so I decided to send mine.

Wikipedia:
Mårten Trotzigs gränd (Alley of Mårten Trotzig) is an alley in Gamla stan, the old town of Stockholm. Leading from Västerlånggatan street and Järntorget square up to Prästgatan street, the width of its 36 steps tapers down to a mere 90 cm, making the alley the narrowest street in Stockholm.

The alley is named after the merchant and burgher Mårten Trotzig (1559-1617), who, born in Wittenberg, immigrated to Stockholm in 1581, and bought properties in the alley in 1597 and 1599, also opening a shop there. His original German name is said to have been Traubtzich. According to sources from the late 16th century, he was dealing in first iron and later copper, by 1595 had sworn his burgher oath, and was later to become one of the richest merchants in Stockholm. He was however beaten to death during a trip to Kopparberg in 1617.

The alley was closed for about 100 years, but was reopened for public in 1945.

In WS is the same alley seen from top to down.

Geocode: 59.322845,18.072574

Buin, mikolaj_kawa, Longroute, fanni, pablominto, snunney, JCG, bobocortis has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

holmertz (9645) 2009-04-21 5:25

Hej Lasse,
Really, only one earlier picture of Mårten Trotzigs gränd? That's amazing. I would have imagined dozens. Maybe it's too narrow for people to discover it.
The one detail I appreciate the most in this picture is the narrow strip of light seeping into the alley between the two walls.
Hälsningar,
Gert

saxo042 (15680) 2009-04-21 6:07

Hej Lasse,
Evidently this street was built long before cars... Your photo here is very good, showing this narrow alley with very good light and exposure conditions. Good note too!
Hälsningar från Oslo
Gunnar

vinicio (22412) 2009-04-21 7:29

We have in some small town narrow street like this, one of them in San Polo dei Cavalieri, close Tivoli (Rome) is called "Vicolo del bacio", translate in english baybe "alley of the kiss" :) It's of about 50 cm large
Nice idea Lasse, compliments.
Ciao
Vinicio

Buin (37656) 2009-04-21 8:28

Hallo Lasse!
What a place! One nearly gets claustrophobia seeing this - especially with my "dimensions" ;-)) A somehow a bit "mystic" alleyway, shown from an advantageous angle. Thank you for the excellent note

mikolaj_kawa (30161) 2009-04-21 10:41

Hello Lasse! Dangerous narrow way. Original POV and capture. Nice lightness. Very nice colours. Good luck!

Longroute (9355) 2009-04-21 11:52

I do remember this alley in Gamla Stan, it was the only street almost free of people while all the other at right angle with it were crowded...
Beside the interesting alley in itself what impresses me most in this photo is its extremely realistic appearance due to a tridimensional effect and an excellent sharpness. you can see all the indentetions and scratches in the wall and it's so real that one think it's possible to touch it!
The colours are perfect! And so the contrast (so this time Roberto has no chance!). In my view an excellent work both from the compositive side and the tecnical one.
Compliments,
Donato

fanni (8737) 2009-04-21 23:00

Hello Lasse,
I know this street very well, and I also have some photos of it, but I have not posted them because I thought that there're dozens of them on TE! How interesting LOL
But of course, your photo is different - as always! because you have a special talent to choose original compositions and POVs which shows even a "trivial" view in a new, unusual light :)
Excellent idea to take a photo from this angle, because if you step a little to the right there will be the sky above - and the lighting conditions will make it very difficult for taking a photo...
Thanks for this "shot from the Middle Ages" ;)
Warm regards,
Elena

pablominto (40712) 2009-04-21 23:08

Hej Lasse,

A picturesque place!
And I notice the fine gas lights, well I guess they are not gas nowadays...
Interesting capture showing a place where the ground is used for buildings not streets, well framed with good details!

Greetings,
Pablo -

snunney (34884) 2009-04-22 0:49

Hello Lasse,
A good composition of this narrow little street that has been there for many centuries. I like the point of view with the emphasis on the right hand wall rather than head-on. Good light and natural tones. Thanks for sharing.

JCG (25331) 2009-04-24 8:55

Hello Lasse,

One should not be large to pass by this alley !!! Beautiful and interesting catch of sight of this historical passage as we can read it in your note. I like much also the downward version in your WS. Thank you Lasse.

With all my friendships and a very good WE,

Jean-Charles

bobocortis (14140) 2009-04-25 8:10

Hello Lasse.
We daily have something to learn.
I did know that in Sweden there were some narrow ways like this one, as the ones you can see in the old town of center and south Europe.
Nice shot with great depth.
Best regards.
Bobo.