Photos: Earth >> Asia >> Armenia >> West >> Yerevan >> Gerhard

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See the light


See the light
Photo Information
Copyright: Aleksandra Borzecka (starbug) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 501 W: 4 N: 1033] (6924)
Genre: Places
Medium: Black & White
Date Taken: 2007-08
Categories: Daily Life, Architecture
Camera: Panasonic DMC-FZ30
Exposure: f/2.8
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-09-08 8:59
Viewed: 984
Points: 8
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
A photo from my personal highlight of the trip to Armenia - Gerhard monastery.

I'm not really into architectural aspects of churches. In fact, I'm not into churches as such, but if you go to a country like Armenia you can't avoid visiting at least a few of them since -basically, they (and monasteries) are what guidebooks list as "things to see". No wonder- Armenia was the first country ever to accept Christianity (301 A.D.), and it boasts some of the oldest examples of sarcal architecture of the Christian world. You can be surprised however- like I was - how some of these buildings may affect you in spite of the fact that you're going to them without much previous interest. I used to think "Ok, I'm travelling in this country,
and as much as I'm mainly here for the views I should take a look at some monuments to learn a bit of its history..." Gerhard was to be just "the next in line" , yet I was actually unwilling to leave it at all (that day at least:-))... You see, Gerhard is so austere, so dark, so sodden with age and
so beautifully devoid of any objects, furniture, lamps, paintings, pews etc., so amazingly irregular in the shapes of
stone walls, and uneven in the surface of the stone floor, so abundant with with khachkars (stone crosses)of all sizes....I could go on and on- all leading to the point that it's raw and simple and thus more "conductive" to eclectic atmosphere.
Its name has an interesting origin as well- Gerhard means the Sacred Spear - the one with which Jesus was wounded, and the monastery was supposedly first built in 4th century to house this relic.
Iva_R, brandstaetter, Paul65, MDL has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Iva_R Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 127 W: 57 N: 79] (1126)
  • [2007-09-08 9:20]

Bonjour,
Je trouve la composition, le n&b et la lumière vraiment fantastiques. Il se dégage quelque chose de presque mystique de cette image... J'aime beaucoup!
Iva

  • Great 
  • sayat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 546 W: 4 N: 278] (2482)
  • [2007-09-08 11:15]

Hi Aleksandra!
To me, Gueghard is a masterpiece of architecture and I never like any of the shots that I made there (been there twice). But this shot of yours reflects quite well the dark and mystic atmosphere. I like it. Good shot.
Sayat

Mystic place and very good lighting. So it´s not disturbing that the person is not that sharp..
TFS Chris

  • Great 
  • MDL Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 61 W: 1 N: 39] (1028)
  • [2008-01-19 5:40]

Not easy for this picture under the light wasn't enough. Good!

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