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Alsatian Icon


Alsatian Icon
Photo Information
Copyright: Susanna Leon (sleon) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1113 W: 125 N: 2083] (8601)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-05-01
Categories: Daily Life, Nature, Architecture
Camera: Canon EOS 350D, Sigma 18-200 f3.5-6.3, Hama circular polariser
Exposure: f/8, 1/160 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Travelogue: Alsace Route des Vins by bicycle
Date Submitted: 2007-05-05 13:27
Viewed: 756
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 62
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Storks are the symbol of happiness and fidelity and for many centuries they were part of the Alsatian scenery. Once very numerous, they would return every year from Africa to announce the coming of spring in France. However they have been on the decline in recent years. Luckily, efforts have been made to help the storks return and make their nests in the Alsatian trees and roofs of homes and they have now returned more numerous than ever. There are many stork parks across the region and the presence of the birds seems please the Alsatian population and tourists alike. As everyone knows, it is the stork which brings babies wrapped in bundles, firmly held in their beaks. Alsatian custom says that when a child wanted a younger brother or sister, he would place a piece of sugar on the window sill to attract the stork, in hopes that it would leave the precious bundle in exchange.

For this shot I was on maximum zoom and I had to wait for a while for this chap to face the right direction. This nest was one of many on the roof of an old abbey in the town of Munster. The town itself was noisy, polluted and not particularly attractive, until we discovered the attractions of this old abbey and its inhabitants. For a wider view of this stork and his neighbours see my workshop.

Dedicated to my Alsatian TE neighbour ;-)

Floydian, gildasjan, zo_tos, bostankorkulugu, jean11-3, jassy, alainh, Viera, PixelTerror, flory, teutza, nwoehnl, pablominto, pboehringer, riclopes has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To cherryripe: WSsleon 8 05-11 03:55
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Critiques [Translate]

Bonsoir Susanna
jolie diagonale de ce toit et bon cadrage de cette cigogne. Une photo qu'appréciera Pixelterror (je pense). En tout cas moi j'aime bien. Joli travail
amicalement
Xavier

Bonjour Susanna
Très bon cadrage de la cigogne dans le format carré.La netteté est bonne et les couleurs bien contrastées.
Du beau travail
Bonne soirée
Amicalement
Gildas

  • Great 
  • zo_tos Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 287 W: 84 N: 192] (1070)
  • [2007-05-05 14:02]

hi susanna,
i like the geometry of your shot, you frame it very good, colours and light are superb as like as your model! these is a scene fortunately common until now in my place and there are efforts to give to the storks more spaces for their nests, thanx for sharing,
stratos

This is a very nice composition and catch Susanna:))))))

Great colors and cropping.
Very spring one,

With greetings, A g n i e s z k a

salut suzanna
une belle netteté de cette photo, un petit coté graphique avec les lignes du toit et de la cheminée, bien vu
amitiés et bon WE
gilbert

Hello Susanna,I cannot imagine how it must be to have storks nesting on your roof.
This is a good shot,very clear with good colours.I like the composition with the diagonal line almost cutting the shot in half.
Thanks for your w/s, which shows the nesting storks very well.A good note too.
TFS, regards Jean.

Hi Susanna,
Lovely graphical composition, full of simplicity.
Beautiful colours orange and blue, diagonal, light and sharpness.
TFS,
Corinne

  • Great 
  • jassy Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 150 W: 19 N: 308] (1061)
  • [2007-05-05 18:19]

Hi Susanna,
A very nice image. I like the diagonal of the roof leading to the vertical chimney, which rises to the stock and her nest. The stork stands out beautifully against the blue sky, and the color of her beak is echoed in the red bricks of the chimney and the tiles of the roof and even of the decorative iron brace between the two. A deceptively simple, very elegant and lovely image. Congratulations!
Regards, Jackie

  • Great 
  • alainh Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4129 W: 141 N: 6674] (31557)
  • [2007-05-06 2:30]

Bonjour Susanna
terrible cette diagonale rouge sur fond bleue, ces textures, et ce beau volatile qui fait les saisons. tres chouette capture. j'espere que la cheminée ne sert plus !!
bon dimanche à toi
alain

  • Great 
  • Viera Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Silver Note Writer [C: 148 W: 16 N: 25] (749)
  • [2007-05-06 3:02]

Hi Susanna,
very nice capture,I like the composition with the diagonal line, beautiful colours and light.Well done.
Best regards
Viera

i like this one a lot susanna... very beautiful compo full of graphism... and of course the stork has the leading role, sitting at the right spot of the cadrage... a real good job, cograts...

regards

korkut

Hi Susanna,
Wonderful capture, excellent exposed and framed. He (or she) is standing proud on the nest. Like it the way you have put the rooftiles in the composition to create a diagonal line in to it...perfect work.
About the blue and red...yes of course they work perfectly together...as always ;-)
Very nice picture, like it a lot.
Regards, Henk

Hi Susanna,
Beautiful impression. This is a very spectacular and fine photo. I like the splendid composition and the fascinating atmosphere. Very good shot, indeed. Have a nice sunday, thank you
George

Salut Voisine ;-)
Merci pour cette pensee, je vois que tu as profite au maximum du beau temps pour biker dans nos vertes campagnes, cette vue est tres lumineuse et j'apprecie autant les jolis toits que cette celebre icone. Tu as un peu de bruit dans le ciel que tu pourrais enlever, mais c'est juste mon ecran qui est picky sinon c'est une tres belle image.
Bon dimanche, JY
P.S. plus que deux salopards, je fais quoi, la peste ou le cholera ?

Belle capture et superbe composition. La lumière est également excellente et te permet de nous proposer une bien belle photo.
Amicalement
JJ

  • Great 
  • flory Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 845 W: 23 N: 984] (4543)
  • [2007-05-06 5:39]

ciao Susana,
a special frame for this storck..:)a good sign of the spring..interesting custom..so,for this pic,your personage is well placed,good contrast and sharpn..hope to come back in every year.:)
nice Sunday,
flory

Hello susana,
that seems like a nice friendly stork:)
nice catch!good qualitty!
teo

Lovely photo of the stork, Susanna. The result at full zoom is pretty good, I think, and not only did you get a delightful contextual portrait of the bird in the nest atop the old chimney, but also the way you cropped this brings a fine graphical aspect to the composition. Not least a whopping color contrast between the orange-red of the shingles, and the polarized blue of the sky. Good catch!

salut Susanna
superbe image avec, effectivement un des symboles de l'alsace..

tres bon cadrage, belles couleurs


loic

  • Great 
  • vikous Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 129 W: 4 N: 328] (2004)
  • [2007-05-06 19:29]

Hallo Susanna!
This photo truly shows the spring in its all power as storks comes back to nest on many chimnies in my home town. Very good photo, good POV, nice diagonal crop between the red roof and blue sky. TFS.
viktor

Hi Susanna,

Good work with your zoom lens there, the image is sharp and your patience paid off waiting for the right moment to take the shot.

Best regards,
Paul.

Hello Susanna,
This is a fine dynamic composition, where the stork is very well placed!
Good lines and great colour contrast in this wonderful creation, the image is very pleasing to my eyes!
Greetings,
Pablo -

Wonderful , clear colour. I love the balance between the cool blue sky and the warm red tiles. The composition is very simple and strong, with that bold angle , giving great prominence to the chimney and the bird. Even the bird has adopted a nice pose for you. I am happy to learn that storks are on the increase again in Alsase. In Thailand too, they return every year. There is a temple in the North of Bangkok where thousands of them come to nest every year. You have mmade a very nice picture from the scene. regards kevin

Hi Susanna. nice composition with perfect light and great colors. The picture is very sharp despite you zooming in. Regards, Yvonne

  • Great 
  • danyy Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 7318 W: 440 N: 10089] (51483)
  • [2007-05-08 17:11]

Bonjour Susanna,
beaucoup pourraient trouver photo banale, et bien non ! Il n'est pas fréquent tout de même d voir des cigognes et d'avoir l'occasion de les pohtographier dans leur situation bien connue, au dessus d'une cheminée.
J'aime beaucoup.
Amitié de Belgique.
Daniel.

You certainly saw the right composition even if it was almost hidden in the distance, Susanna. Using the zoom made all the difference. I wish I had a little toy like this too. Just 55mm is sometimes a big hindrance ... I like your waiting to get the fellow in the right position. It payed out very well.
TFS, Peter

Hi Susanna
Great details and colours. I like your graphic composition too.
He certainly posed for you. If I wasn't so lazy I would do a WS with the stork being replaced by JY, lol.
You had a lovely light. I keep telling Toni that we should go back when it's sunny and the sky is blue.
Regards
Nikki

Hi Susanna,
A very nice picture of this icon ! Good colors and composition with the diagonal of the roof.
Christophe

Hello Susanna
Very beautiful and origianal compsiition with the combination of reds from the roofs,and brickwalls
very well done
Regards
Daniel

  • Great 
  • sined Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 535 W: 0 N: 21] (4319)
  • [2007-05-29 7:44]

love to discover buildings with animals living on it ! it's a good way to share our house too ...

Olá Susanna, I had to come for this one, regarding my last post ;-) I did my note in a hurry, but if I'll post another one with storks, I'll come for this one and copy it... ;-)
I really like the composition of the roof and chimney and the balance of the complementar colors Blue/Orange. But the protogonist is the stork, of course, so well placed and captured in their place of sight. Excellent shot.
Regards,
ricardo

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