YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Photo

Photographer’s Note

YALE II — STIRLING LIBRARY

Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut is one of the finest academic institutions in the United States, and indeed the world, with no less than 18 Nobel Laureates affiliated with it during the past century. Founded in 1701, it is also the third oldest university in the nation — with only Harvard, founded in 1636, and William and Mary, founded in 1693, beating it in seniority. Yale’s graduate, law, business, and medical schools are all home to prominent scholars, but it is its undergraduate school, Yale College, that appears to be the pride of the institution.

Stirling Library, the most prominent of Yale’s many libraries, houses a collection of books numbering four million volumes, and rivals some of the greatest national libraries in the world, such as the Library of Congress, the British Library, Harvard University Library, Bodleian (Oxford). Stirling Library is itself a majestic building, inside an out, above ground and below. The stained glass windows seen here are from one of the reading rooms in the library. I was at Yale to give a lecture last spring, and shortly before my lecture went out exploring the buildings and grounds of the great university. Indeed, I just posted a 6-minute segment on YouTube of a one-hour lecture I gave at Yale University last spring. Last week I had posted another 6-minute segment from a lecture that I gave in Jefferson’s Rotunda at the University of Virginia .

PS. After corresponding with Peter (Phwall), I decided to include a comment on the splash of light in the upper right corner. I left it there with some trepidation (indeed, I moved it inward, after cropping out the part of the original image that contained it). A distinct characteristic of good art is that it has to be a little unsettling. One of the most beautiful paintings in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC — Vermeer's Woman Holding a Balance. When Vermeer included the vertical edge of the gilded frame on the side, he revealed a master touch. Mine was a poor man's attempt at creating that unsettling effect, but I'm not sure I've succeeded. It should probably be a little longer, and still remain subtle.

ymrk, phwall, ChrisJ, Wandering_Dan, meltemi, BWJ, belido, leonorkuhn, worldcitizen, AROBN54, ciakgiak, Royaldevon, swiatopelk777, paololg, Vasa, cihandoger, pablominto, didemay, JCG, Angshu has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

ymrk (8639) 2009-10-30 23:23

Merhaba Bülent bey,
Buranın bir öğrencisi,dolayısıyla sizin bir öğrenciniz olmayı ne kadar isterdim...Fotoğraftaki ışık kullanımı harika.Çerçeve de çok şık ayrıca.Müthiş bir grafizm var hem de.Sevgilerle hocam,

Yağmur

phwall (5546) 2009-10-30 23:47

Hello Bulent,
A dramatic image made even more so by the diminishing perspective you've created with your composition. The windows are beautiful. It must be awe inspiring to see them in person. How any student could study with such beauty surrounding them is a wonder in itself. Just one tiny point, if this shot were mine (and I wish it was) I would have cropped or cloned out the small piece of the overhead light intruding on the top of frame camera right. Having perfect black in the top diagonal would have improved the presentation.
Lovely shot.
Enjoy your weekend
Regards
Peter

ChrisJ (70125) 2009-10-31 1:31

Merhaba Bülent bey

Looks a bit more stately than my old Uni library! Good shadow detail, & the stained glass windows look nice. Excellent exposure & framing. Tfs!

Bluejeans (32083) 2009-10-31 4:32

Ola amigo ,
Que interessante grafismo causada pelos vitrais das janelas , bonitos estes candeeiros de tubos , bons detalhes, parabéns!!!
Um abraço Gonçalo

Bom fim de semana

AyseGurel (542) 2009-10-31 6:16

Merhabalar

Isik oyunlarinin en keyifli yansitildigi karelerden biri...hele birde Yale'den olunca.

Kardesimde 1 yil boyunca okudugu bu harika universiteden sayisiz kare paylasmisti benimle...sizleri kiskaniyorum.

Sevgiler
Ayse

Wandering_Dan (3213) 2009-10-31 8:31

Merhaba, Bulent -

I was going to make some comment about the light on the upper right, but then I saw your discussion with Peter on that exact point. I also went and looked at the Vermeer.

I understand what you were trying to do, but I think it needed either more or less than what is here. If that makes sense. (On the other hand, if the light were completely cropped out, that would have left too much negative space, so that's an argument for leaving it in.)

That aside, it is a striking photo, with the windows and the lamps nicely lined up in receding diagonal and the light beautifully handled.

Best,
Dan

delpeoples (5892) 2009-10-31 14:41

Hi Bulent, this is almost like an abstract. I really like the low light look of it. The library is very impressive, so ornate and very fitting opf such a famous University. I hope to see more of it in your Gallery. Thanks for the Note too, highly informative, Lisa.

devimeuxbe (55865) 2009-10-31 16:04

Hello Bulent
the light here is amazing throught the windows. It's very well managed
well done
Bertrand

BWJ (1771) 2009-10-31 18:56

Hello Bulent,
What a grandiose place well captured and presented. The surrounding darkness dramatically sets off the magnificent windows. It is very beautiful.

Vermeer’s painting of “Woman Holding a Balance” is also one of my favorite paintings at the National Gallery. Often when I visit the gallery, I make a special trip into the room with Veermer’s work to admire it.
Kind regards,
Betty

berek (28871) 2009-10-31 22:33

Merhaba Bülent bey,
burayı görmek lazım. detaylar ışık ve derinlik hoş. elinize sağlık. selamlar.
Burak

emka (21261) 2009-11-01 2:45

Hi Bulent, again, wonderful photo of the place of immense historic importance. Beautiful windows and the line of lamps. fantastic composition with the black background. But how to read something there?

Warm regards

Malgorzata

The video films are fantastic, it is like to be there and listening to your short lecture. And fine music added to it too. I like it very much. Thanks!! M.

belido (16357) 2009-11-01 2:58

Hi Bulent,

the lack of light here was not a problem for you. Actually you did a great job with the light spots and the windows. It's such an attractive and original composition. Creative work, my friend!
Regards,
Carlos

leonorkuhn (13559) 2009-11-01 5:55

Hi my friend Bülent,

Stunning composition. The stained glass windows and lamps were captured in a soft light, in great contrast with the dark wall. Excellent perspective. Part of a lamp in the top right do not disturb because it is an element of the scenery.

Have a nice sunday
Leonor

mesutilgim (36687) 2009-11-01 12:13

Selam sevgili Bülent,
Benim gibi bir "kitap delisi" için burası Mekke gibi, Kudüs gibi kutsal bir yer !
Zor ışık koşullarına rağmen sen de çok güzel bir şekilde yansıtmış bu muhteşem mekanı.
Verdiğin mükemmel açıklamalarla da son derece etkileyici bir TE katkısı olmuş.
Teşekkürler
Selam ve sevgilerle
MESUT ILGIM

worldcitizen (2251) 2009-11-01 12:41

Hello Bulent,
I like the elegance in this photo. The repetition of windows and lights is beautiful, and the windows themselves have wonderful patterns. All of the details jump out well against the black background. At first glance the small slice of light on the right seemed not to fit, but after reviewing your photo several times I believe that the effect you wanted to create was successful. :-)

AROBN54 (10735) 2009-11-01 17:56

Wonderfully done, Bulent,
I love the diagonal line of the composition and the graphism is outstanding. Marvelous light management and exquisite detail. It has such a quiet, peaceful feel to it. I don't mind the light at the top right. It gives a feeling of it being a corridor. That is really beautiful. Many thanks and warmest wishes,
Shelly

ciakgiak (10548) 2009-11-02 13:48

Hello Bulent,
splendid graphical effect created by the decorated windows and by the magnificent lamps.
The management of the light is really superb.
Friendly regards.
Giorgio

crckt (7072) 2009-11-02 16:29

Hi Dr. Atalay,
I am at Yale now, and I appreciate this photo a lot. Most of us have ordinary photos of the campus, but your shot is so intriguing, so outstanding. Loved it.
Thanks for sharing,
SHaeri

jhm (82319) 2009-11-03 3:39

Hello Dear Bulebt,

Also is your picture little bit dark, your intentions are absolutely present.
Nice captured and presentation.
Thank you very much for you nota, excellent as alway.
Very well composition. TFS.

Kind regards,
John.

Royaldevon (5910) 2009-11-04 2:26

Hello Bulent,

Surely not an easy shot but one which has worked very well. The repeating patterns of the stained glass windows, and the suspended lights, makes a diagonal line, easy to follow and giving a sense of depth; the process from sharp to slight blur accentuates this impression.
I think I would have cropped or cloned the partial light on the right.

Kind regards,
Bev :-)

swiatopelk777 (8294) 2009-11-04 5:59

Hi Bulent!
Amazing lamps, amazing windows. good light and shadow, original composition. Mysterious effect.
Greetings from Warszawa!

nirvana73 (8628) 2009-11-04 6:24

Bülent Hocam
merhaba
harika bir ortam
ışığı çok güzel kullanmışsınız
paylaşım için teşekkürler
selam ve saygılarımla
Özhan GÜRSOY

pattabe (415) 2009-11-06 1:13

Hi Bulent,

Great shot, from the light throug the misterieus windows, it exudes a special atmosphere, well captured.

Regards Freddy (Bangkok)

rikko77 (6014) 2009-11-06 3:11

Hi Bulent
a pic full of mistery, I like it because you managed to represent a library as it was a sacred place, like a church, a mosque...great job indeed!
Have a nice day and WE!
Rikk

Cretense (55848) 2009-11-06 3:45

Hello, dear Bulent!

Beautiful photo, beautiful "detail" from one of the most famous universities of the world! Great composition and framing, great light management, wonderful atmosphere! I can only imagine, some of the world's "big brains" sitting in this library!

Warm regards,
Hercules

tedesse (13144) 2009-11-06 13:36

Interesting night shot!
Amazing windows of the library.

Warm regards from of the Greater Poland Voivodeship,Poland
Tadeusz

danyy (68602) 2009-11-06 23:43

Bonjour Bulent,
une photo audacieuse, faite dans un contre jour dans une pièce assez sombre, ilmpossible donc d'équilibrer les lumières. Tu as basé ta photo sur le graphismee proposé par les sources de lumières et cadré de la sorte, ce qui est une excellente idée.
Regards from Belgium.
Daniel.

paololg (13643) 2009-11-08 5:30

Ciao dear Bulent,
this is a photo very difficult to get, for the precarious condition of light and for the so many details of the windows that require a good sharp. You have overcome these difficulties in excellent way, showing us a pleasant and interesting image. An image that gives us the feeling to breathe the air of the library. Compliments!
Ciao, have a beautiful week!
Paolo

Vasa (5454) 2009-11-08 10:26

Your subject is the light, dear Bulent. The brilliant light is surely in all book of that room. Your privilege to be there. Many thanks fro sharing, friend

Branko

cihandoger (270) 2009-11-08 11:31

Karanlık ortam çekimleri herzaman beni etkilemiştir.Fotoğraftaki grafizm ile birleşince enfes bir fotoğraf ortaya çıkmış elinize sağlık

pablominto (40508) 2009-11-09 23:13

Hello Bulent,

The place reminds me of a church, and maybe that's what it is - a house of worship for knowledge..!
I like the simplicity in composition, with sharp fine details and dominating diagonal lines...
You capture the atmosphere well, maybe the lamp upper right is a small distraction..?

Greetings,
Pablo -

didemay (2431) 2009-11-13 0:19

Bulent Merhaba,
Muthis vitraylar. Insan butun dolastigi kutuphaneleri degisik acidan cekmeli bence. En azindan karelerden o ortamin kokusu bir parca da olsa hissedilebilir. 10 Kasim'da yaptigin konusma ile eminim karsindaki kitleyi Ataturk'e hayran birakmissindir.
Ellerine Saglik.
Sevgiler,
Didem

JCG (25207) 2009-11-16 10:31

Hello Bülent,

I do not know why but that makes me think of the big room whom one can see in the film Harry Potter !!! Except this remark, a back-light interesting and it are not an easy exercise, I will have perhaps cleared up the image slightly, in all the cases that gives an original atmosphere to this splendid place, a library where the students must, certainly, to come to study with much pleasure. Well done Bülent and thank you for your note always so instructive and your bonds towards YouTube where we can see you in lecture with a fascinated audience.

With all my friendships and a very good week,

Jean-Charles

Angshu (33607) 2009-11-17 20:40

Dear Professor 'A'
In my humble opinion, two things which makes this a little gem...the contrasting exposure with the fantastic glass windows and lamps against darkness, and the diminishing perspective. I was only wondering whether you could have done a distortion correction on the right side, thereby 'cutting off' the little bit of lamp to the right...that said I have never seen (with my own eyes) a library so beautiful!
With Warmest Regards
Angshuman