Visiting the monastery, a photo from Kyyivska, West

Photographer's Note

Visiting the huge Caves Monastery, Pecherska Lavra, in Kiev it's easy to get tired. You will need to sit down and rest your legs, have a relaxing chat or enjoy an afternoon snack to satisfy your need for fresh carbohydrates.

The Kyevo Pecherska Lavra is situated by the Dnepr (Dnipro) river a short distance from the centre of Kiev (or Kyiv in Ukrainian). Originally founded in 1051 it has grown, been destroyed, rebuilt and so on for almost one thousand years. It is one of the centres of Orthodox Christianity and has been designated by the UNESCO as a world heritage. Crowds of faithful and ordinary tourists stroll the grounds every day to see the churches and caves.

There is such a lot to see at the Pecherska Lavra that I could use at least ten workshops to show it, and yet I only saw a small part of it. Since I am only allowed two extra pictures, I guess I will have to return (to Trekearth) with more pictures later.

gildasjan, saxo042, rodgerg, Kielia, Kofman, tyro, Budapestman, Graal, bukitgolfb301, subhendu_bagchi, vasilpro, Schnappilic, csabagaba, Waylim, skippy007, nikkitta, abmdsudi, fanni, kato, ourania has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

John_F_Kennedy (41368) 2011-11-17 7:29

Hello Gert,
I like the daily life scene. Nice colours and great POV.
best wishes,
Achim

gildasjan (38228) 2011-11-17 7:48

Bonsoir Gert
Une scène de vie avec des personnages aux attitudes très naturelles sur ce banc de jardin public.
Amicalement
gildas

saxo042 (31802) 2011-11-17 7:56

Hej Gert,
A long diagonal bench with many persons for us study. They do not seem to be bothered by the photographer. The four couples seem to be deeply engaged in conversations between themselves. A fine street scene with a daily life situation.
Hälsningar
Gunnar

lousat (57704) 2011-11-17 8:47

Hi Gert,very nice capture of this people "in tour" to the monastery,i like the clothes and a lot of colors,very nice and rich background and a lot of pigeons too..eheh...have a nice evening and thanks,Luciano

rodgerg (55767) 2011-11-17 9:31

Hello Gert,

Excellent framing for the pressentation of this beautiful, various, well coloured scene of life full of humanity. The alignement of the peopels give rythm to the composition. You have particulary well collected the attitudes of the differents peoples.
Best regards,
Roger

Kielia (20467) 2011-11-17 9:56

Dear Gert,
you are presenting again very interesting photo work from your great production! I must admit that I cannot decide which one is more fascinating.
This daily life shot is taken from a very well working POV and is showing us very nicely how the people and the doves are enjoying a chat and a coffee break. My compliments!
Warm regards
Harriet

agjika (4015) 2011-11-17 10:11

Hi Gert,
Lovely candid photo. They seem to be quite focused in their conversations. Almost all ladies have head dresses on even though they do not look particularly old to me. Is this common in the Ukaraine or it is because of the place they are in?

You have got to love the pigeon!

Thanks for sharing

Aleks

wolf38 (28208) 2011-11-17 11:08

Hello Gert. Monastery grounds. People on a bench. Many women with headscarves, a man with a beard. All talk to each other. A lone pigeon sits in front. What a beautiful and vibrant photo. Here you have observed the daily life in an exemplary manner. Absolutely worth seeing. Rgds, Wolfgang.

siamesa (27449) 2011-11-17 13:51

Boa noite Gert

First, I like the note. This scene is real and very nice, mainly with the pigeons in the ground.The flowers complete the beautiful composition.
Abraços
maria

dkmurphys (36831) 2011-11-18 1:16

Hi Gert,
Fine street scene. It's true, the monasteries and the churches in Orthodox world are a place for poor and old people who are looking for help. Nice colors, have a great weekend.

tyro (13111) 2011-11-18 4:02

Hello Gert,

What an interesting note and such beautiful and interesting workshop pictures too!

And what a very disparate group of people you have photographed here - I love that lady digging into her food - she eating like she's not seen food for weeks!

Lots of lovely bright colours and lots of interesting faces and things to look at in this one.

Fabulous!

kind Regards,

John.

emka (58194) 2011-11-18 5:39

Hi Gert, yes, ther is so much to see in Pecherska Lavra, specially now when many churches are beautifully rebuilt. Here very interesting display of Ukrainian people. Have you made some photos of the past inhabitants of Lavra?. Incredible view.

I am enjoying my Burma trip very much.

WArm regards

MAlgo

patdeph (35738) 2011-11-18 11:48

hello Gert
very interesting diagonal of people,the clothes are different of those we are used to wear in France,and there are much details to look at.The colors are beautiful,and the pigeon is a nice bonus.
Regards
Pascale

Budapestman (82620) 2011-11-18 12:33

Hi Gert,
an expressive photo with superb composition and lovely details I like the beautiful environment and the effective realization, Tfs! Have a nice weekend! Kellemes hétvégét kívánok!
György

Graal (88950) 2011-11-18 23:51

Hello Gert,
an interesting reportage and portraits in one. Good captured moment and scene. Nice colours. Image well composed.
Have a nice day.
Aleksander

bukitgolfb301 (30087) 2011-11-19 1:28

Hi my dear Gert

Sorry for my late reply as so crazy-busy at concreat jungle weekday. But I still enjoy your garalley very much. This posting is very natural and casual daily life very well catched. Reasonable framework and very well considerd composition are wonderful as usual.
The piegion is a good accent too. Thanks for sharing with your finest work and have a good Saturday,
Best regrads.

Takero from cold and rainy Tokyo

subhendu_bagchi (16590) 2011-11-19 5:49

namaste Gert,
interesting composition. The tourist are waiting the famous monastery and chatting. Nice capture with angular POV. Excellent depth and clarity. I like a lot the frames in workshop. Those are also beautiful. Tfs.
Best wishes.
Subhendu

vasilpro (40194) 2011-11-19 9:53

Hello Gert,
Wonderful daily life scene, excellent diagonal POV, beautiful colors, the pigeon a very nice element in FG, TfS!
Have a nice weekend, Vasilis.

Glint (5573) 2011-11-19 11:58

Hello Gert,
as you know this is just the sort of phot I enjoy. Lots to see, people to look at and speculate about their lives and what they are talking about.Not just their faces but their feet say something about them...but I'm not sure quite what!
best regards,
Bev

Nard (6913) 2011-11-20 2:17

Hi Gert
Nice and funny line of tourist having a rest and eating. I like also the man with the big beard and the pigeons waiting for some part of the food. Nice scene of life.
Regards
Bernard

Schnappilic (7929) 2011-11-20 12:01

Hello Gert,

Excellent image for a report. In my country meet such kind of scenes. Well seen!

Best regards,

Ovidiu

stevesaba (8019) 2011-11-21 5:59

Hi Gert!
Some interesting photos. I particularly liked the Dormition Cathedral, although I see it is quite new. The Monk really is a striking figure, and his beard is large and even looks like it may part in the middle? Lots of interesting looking characters in the main photo. And it appears that the shawl is so universally warn by the women. Another great addition to your Ukraine collection! Warm regards,
Steve

csabagaba (6435) 2011-11-22 9:27

Hello Gert!
This series of photos you're Ukrainian genius.
Perfectly return it to what I saw there. This is not a fun thing and not even interesting. Rather sad. And you know ... This is Europe. (I was not Kiiv and Odessa, but I "touched" the country. I note that Moscow and Nizhni-Novgorod, not much different.
I'm sorry, what I saw ... and what surprised me, however: if there is money to you and your friends ... You can be the emperor.
Have a nice evening.
Csaba

Waylim (22357) 2011-11-23 10:11

Hi Gert,

Very good daily life shot of the locals just resting at the park bench in between the journey. Very colorful charactor and the pigeons waiting for the left over food. I enjoyed the WS too.

Way

skippy007 (12500) 2011-11-24 2:57

Hello Gert, Fascinating image, their coloured clothes & head scarves I find interesting, if I saw these people lined up like this here I would think that they were waiting for some food handout, waiting for alms or the like, on second thoughts they are well dressed, must have been the guy with the beard that gave me that initial impression. A fine street scene with a glimpse of their daily life. Those pigeons are everywhere, bloody nuisance ;-).
Regards
Santo

nikkitta (5896) 2011-11-27 18:30

Hola Gert

I like every day or street scenes, so I hope you will return with more
Like the way you presented it in a diagonal with the pigeon at the Fg
All the 4 couples are having a rest, talking and eating, lot of details to watch
Interesting capture, tfs
Maria

abmdsudi (26295) 2011-12-09 7:14

Hi Gert
A charming scene with the old folks dominate the street scene full of characters who are utterly absorbed in the proceedings and all are in deep concentration yet so relaxed. They deserve a much needed rest surely. Impressive, a well composed image in excellent clarity and lovely array of strong bold colors that give life and vitality. Everything in this image adds to the story, the dresses and faces and the birds of course. You have captured an aspect of proud elderly in each one but an excellent shot full of storytelling, a very nice and warm capture. The stretching diagonal green bench is lovely addition together with the background and general contrast but above all love the heart warming peaceful atmosphere. Excellent street photography that illustrates well what you describe in your notes. Great work, Congrats
Best regards

fanni (13868) 2012-01-02 14:46

Hej Gert,
in my opinion, this scene is typical for any area around any fairly large Orthodox monastery or convent. The type of people is very characteristic.
I bet these people did not notice you shooting a photo of them? because in many cases people visiting such places do not like to be photographed (I tried to! but failed).
So, in this respect, I think you shot a very interesting photo which we can consider a "multi-portrait" shot.
What are these people talking and thinking about? We can only imagine!..

varma hälsningar,
Elena

kato (6789) 2012-05-17 6:22

Hello Gert,

You're capturing well this daily life shot by a good angle and excellent tone/clarity, so it's interesting and impressive to see the spectacle in which many visitors sit on a bench, and eat confectionery, or they are talking in front of monastery. It is impressive in flowers and greenery of the courtyard. And, it is interesting in being felt national traits that ladies have covered the scarf on the head.
Have a nice day.

Kind regards,
mikio

ourania (12427) 2013-04-06 6:07

Hello Gert,
this is a very intriguing picture. Although I would feel very awkward and totally out of place there, this scene seems to me fascinating. It is very well composed with a comfortable and comprehensive slight perspective and the fragment of the tree trunk to create some distance. The scene is very clear and its colours well defined and with surprising contrasts. What's fascinating is the naturalness and spontaneity of the moment and the interaction among the people. I love the picture with the monk in the workshop. Congratulations and thank you!
All the best, have a great weekend,
Ourania