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The Victory Tower & the Grand Gateway


The Victory Tower & the Grand Gateway
Photo Information
Copyright: Angshuman Chatterjee (Angshu) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4792 W: 166 N: 7340] (23874)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-03-07
Categories: Architecture
Camera: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5, Leica DC VARIO-ELMARIT 36 - 432mm
Exposure: f/4, 1/320 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Historical Monuments of Delhi [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-03-29 0:52
Viewed: 524
Points: 64
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Just back from Delhi again. But this shot was taken during my earlier trip to Delhi in the beginning of this month.

In this photograph I have attempted to show two landmark monuments of Delhi, the Qutub Minar and the Alai Darwaza, which were built a little more than a century apart.

On the left is the unmistakable structure of Qutub Minar, perhaps the most famous among all the monuments in Delhi. The construction of the tower began in the year 1193, immediately after the defeat of the last Hindu Kingdom in Delhi. Qutb-ud-din may have started to build this just as a particularly large minar associated with the mosque for calling people to prayer, or it may have been built as a victory tower. The Qutub Minar is nearly 73 meters high and tapers from a 15-meter-diameter base to just 2.5 meters at the top. The tower has five distinct storeys, and each storey is marked by a projecting balcony. The first three storeys are made or red sandstone, the fourth and fifth of marble of sandstone. My earlier post of Qutub Minar here

To the right, is a part (one of the doorways) of the gate described as one of the most treasured gems of Islamic architecture – Alai Darwaza. This gate built by Alauddin Khalji in 1311AD. This gateway formed the main access through the southern wall to the enlarged Quwwat Ul islam mosque. It is the first building employing whole islamic principles of accurate construction and geometric ornamentation. The darwaza is a square, domed building with intricate carvings in red sandstone and marble. Its fine proportions, profuse carvings on the exterior, inscriptional bands of white marble in bold naksh characters and other decorative details in red stone make it a unique structure. The geometrical decoration in its interior is reminiscent of delicate timber ornamentations.

It was through one of the four such doorways of the Alai Darwaza that light was streaming into the Darwaza, in this shot.
robertosalguero, aytu_k, siolaw, axiotea, ribeiroantonio, John_F_Kennedy, pablominto, rakeshgupta, papagolf21, ChrisJ, riclopes, vincz, batalay, sabyasachi1212, pierrefonds, vinicio, Budapestman, feather, pranab, josepmarin, emjleclercq, jhm has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

The details and colours in this picture are superb. Your perspective of the tower and the finely decorated wall is very good. The tower seem to have taken time to complete. A beautiful, sacred place. TFS Angshuman.

Roberto

very impressive!excellent job with perspective and colors. congrats
mustafa

  • Great 
  • siolaw Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3804 W: 393 N: 6247] (21410)
  • [2007-03-29 1:22]

Hi Angshu,
A good POV to show these two monuments in one picture making us feel we're right there looking up the tower... sharpness and colors are fine, the two circling birds add some life as well...
Regards
Laurent
I m in Thailand and i will try and go to Myanmar (if i manage to escape from Bangkok's claws! ;D

Hello Angshu,
I like your POV showing the impressive Qutub Minar with two birds flying around it, and the sunlit Alai Darwaza architecture, which stand out nicely against the blue sky. Fine textures, nice details , colors, light and framing.
Have a nice day
Marilyn

Hi Angshuman,

One more of your Qutub Minar shots.

Clear and detailed shot. Nice POV. I almost have to crane my neck up to look at the top of the minar.

Nice colours and contrast.

Wonder if could have just managed not to get a part of the wall which is appearing in the bottom left of the shot. Slightly distracting.

Cheers,
Guru

  • Great 
  • Graal Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4632 W: 120 N: 429] (40749)
  • [2007-03-29 2:59]

Hi Angshuman,
interesting POV and note. Great old architecture. Excellent quality of photo. I like it.
Gr., Aleksander

It looks beautiful this monumental tower with its design and colours. The POV is excellent and the colours and sharpness very good. The birds are an added value. Well done.
Antonio

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  • jasmis Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2849 W: 611 N: 3031] (36671)
  • [2007-03-29 3:38]

Amazing POV, interesting perspective, interesting, educational note. Really well done. Regards.

Thats is great reminder for me when I saw this in 1991. Thanks
Very good POV and very nice colours. Good to see the textures of the beautiful architecture. Well done
Best wishes
Achim

Hello Angshu,
Bold framing... Good dynamics!
I like the composition, where the two birds however small add to my experience...
Good colours and sharp fine details!
Greetings,
Pablo -

Hi Angshu,
This is unusal but great perspective. You mostly highlighted here carving part. Good contrast and sharpness.
Thanks for sharing.
- Rakesh

Bonjour, cher Angshu,
Une prise de vue qui donne le vertige tant par la hauteur que par la beauté de l'édifice.
Cette prise de vue en contre-plongée est très réussie. La décoration de ce monument est d'une grande magnificence.
Un grand merci, Angshu, pour le partage.
Amitiés.
Philippe

  • Great 
  • ChrisJ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 8647 W: 911 N: 11403] (55282)
  • [2007-03-29 4:19]

Hi Angshu,

A good, upward pov with excellent sharpness & colour contrasts between the red & blue. Good sharpness & well framed. Tfs!

Olá Angshu, there's a lot of red stone in India - I've never seen so many red monuments before. I remember well the other shot you took of this tower - I can see now what I missed in Delhi. Such dramatic perspectives allways attract me very much and even more with these kind of details. The lighting on the gate wall is beautiful and making the impressive artwork stand out nicely. The division of the composition in two is smart and very well succeeded. Really love this one, my friend. Nice detail of the two big birds up in the sky, as well.
Friendly regards,
Ricardo

Hi Angshuman,
Wow! Beautiful architecture photo! I like the historical atmosphere.POV, Details are superb and nice decorative. Very good work.TFS.
Cheers!

hAyAti

  • Great 
  • vincz Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2999 W: 87 N: 5049] (17510)
  • [2007-03-29 5:55]

Great details and colours for this beautiful arranged vertical composition. That way the minar looks so high, almost touching the sky. A great one. Congratulations!

Hello "Mr. B", my friend Angshuman,

This is a spectacular photo of the details of 'Qutup Mimar' and the 'Alai Darwaz'. The vantage point that you have chosen is impecable, one tower reaching toward the heavens and the other offering a strong butress. The details in carving are astonishingly clear, thanks to the perfect lighting conditions, a camera with a Leica lens, and a very talented photographer. The birds circling overhead (above the highest monument in Delhi) add to the drama. Finally, the note is highly informative (as usual), helping to create a total package that the Ministry of Tourism should buy from you. They will never see a better photo of this site.

Warm regards,

Bulent, "A"

Dear Angshuman,
Absolutely top class, too good to find a fault in this. Very unusual POV and this is what makes this so special. The birds on either side of the tower is a wonderful presence but would have loved this even without them.
Best Wishes
Sabyasachi

Hi Angshuman,

A good POV of the Qutub Minar and one of the gate to Alai Darwaza, the photo has a good composition, sharpness and nice colors. Thanks for sharing.

Pierre

Beautiful play with the vertical perspective Angshu, compliments, wonderful rich details and beautiful composition, the two bird flying are the right contrast to break our eyes, well done, also compliments to the note.
Ciao
Vinicio

Dear Angshu,
This is beautiful spectacle. What a gorgeous and rich details. I like the historical atmosphere and the superb composition. This is a splendid architecture photo. Thank you, nice days
George

I enjoyed following the links for a reminder of the earlier posts to put everything in context. Here I like your close POV really playing with the upward perspective. You have also captured well the excellent detail in the doorway on the right. Good work
Kath

  • Great 
  • pranab Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1567 W: 21 N: 1361] (5342)
  • [2007-03-29 12:43]

angshu,
what is special about this shot?
it is the pov. excellent color saturation and the details are just superb. having the birds on the top of the composition is a plus. well done.

Hi Angshuman,
Excellent plane looking at the sky, where this splendid minaret is outlined, really spectacularly for his fine decoration, and to his side the gorgeous door with a great work of carving and beautiful ornamentation. The birds flying they add a dynamical and vital details to the composition.
Very good photo, with a great perspective.
Best regards,
Josep

  • Great 
  • prumod Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1143 W: 149 N: 297] (8223)
  • [2007-03-29 13:48]

hi angshu....
wonderful pov.... the intencity of colors are very beautiful... i like the details also....
regards...
pramod

Hi Angshu,
a beautiful and interesting image of the old architecture. Beautiful details visible and nice colours.
A nice POV.
Best wishes,
Nino

  • Great 
  • Gerrit Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4026 W: 86 N: 4872] (23821)
  • [2007-03-29 15:15]

Hi Angshu,
excellent POV and beautiful colours. IImpressive picture.
Tomorrow

Both buildings, the tower and the other one, are beautifully sculptured and those sculptures are very finely detailed, especially for the building of the right thanks to a better light. Nice color of the sky here to provide a colored background.

All the best,

Emmanuel

  • Great 
  • plimrn Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3605 W: 226 N: 4778] (15209)
  • [2007-03-29 21:21]

Hi Angshu,
The detail and light management is impeccable. As Laurenty comments, the POOV give a sense of being there. HLJ, pat

  • Great 
  • partha Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1488 W: 85 N: 1293] (12832)
  • [2007-03-29 23:33]

Hi Angshuman,
U must have a great eye for shooting architecture. This is not an exception. Great use of forground to give nice perspective and good balanced composition as well.
Partha

  • Great 
  • jhm Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 12343 W: 246 N: 16228] (64868)
  • [2007-03-30 8:46]

Hi Angshu,

A very great detailed picture, the tower lead us right to the heaven together with the two birds above! Very well done!
Thanks for sharing.

I wish you a nice weekend,
John.

  • Great 
  • sayat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 546 W: 4 N: 278] (2482)
  • [2007-03-30 13:44]

This is excellent Dear Angshu! Your point of view creates an inmistakable feeling of vastness with the minaret pointing towards the sky and the inclusion of the birds just increases the freedom effect. The exposure that reveals the details of the handiwork on the right is amazing! Great shot my friend.

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