a romantic couple in El Jadida cistern Photo

Photographer’s Note

It was raining terribly in El Jadida, normally I should have seen the sun rays entering the Portuguese cistern, a little bit like here - instead, it was even more atmospherical, because out of season and deserted apart from very few visitors once in a while, so I could hear the rain falling down into the well and its sounds reverberated into the eerie silence, a strange and lovely atmosphere that the other visitors sensed as well...

Most of the time, I was all alone and lost myself in thoughts and dreams while taking many photos ; back at home, I realise that it is only those ones with the rare persons that I find interesting and special (my own taste) !

Films were turned there, the most famous of course, masterpiece "Othello", by Orson Welles. For a totally different POV and interesting cultural explanations about this place, have a look at this other post from fellow TE member.

NB : this photo was taken with my small IXUS at ISO 100, leaning firmly against a pillar, that's why it is grainy. Worked with photoshop to regain some more light and reflection.
Here is a darker version that I had done earlier, maybe more atmospheric but where the ceiling is less visible. Which one do you like best ?

usnadir, macondo, stego, Silvio1953, adelune, jcdurka1, crckt, Bruno40, ChrisJ, jonathan_hart, TopGeo, ewasting, manatee, papagolf21, salvator, kiwi_explorer, giorgimer, feather, Partha_c, berek, Santi, diafani, Henryk_Bilor, Glint has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

usnadir (781) 2007-12-15 2:02

fantastic light with reflection.
nadir

aadilj (17950) 2007-12-15 2:06

ab solutely magical. Now I hope you dont delete this one off!!!! I simply like the way you have treated and used the colours and the darkness in this quaint architecture. lovely and well compsoed

Morac (21943) 2007-12-15 2:07

Bonjour Catherine,

Belle photo de la citerne portugaise d'El Jadida, les reflets sont superbes.
J'ai aimé m' y promener c'est donc un agréable souvenir
Marc

pcp (3370) 2007-12-15 2:33

Hi Cath,

Beautiful lights and architecture making this scene wonderful with nice note. Picture details and reflexions are awesome.

TFS

Senthil

faubry (32974) 2007-12-15 2:37

bonjiur Catherine, tu as ici une tres bonne lumiere et de bequx reflets,mais je regrette que le couple soit si loin, j ai du le chercher...
passe un bon we
amicalement
francine

delkoo (35642) 2007-12-15 2:59

bonjour catherine
cette citerne est dans un etat de conservation assez exeptionnel, la lumiere bleutée qui vient de l'ouverture apporte "un je ne sais quoi" d'irreel, on remarquera l'alternance de piliers ronds st de piliers carrés , merci de m'avoir fait decouvrir ce lieu qui merite vraiment le detour.

bon w.e
didier

macondo (13519) 2007-12-15 3:41

Hello Catherine.
A fantastic shot taken with your small camera. The exposure and post processing are so good for this indoors shot, especially with the bright light and shadowy areas. The noise is not bad at all. Very sharp and richly coloured. You put yourself in a good position to show the two groups of people, with the woman's white dress making her the focal point. Well done.
Regards,
Andrew

grantlp (2106) 2007-12-15 3:52

Hi Catherine,
This image has a wonderful romantic mood to it, and although the couple are a small element in the photo, they add so much to the overall result. The lighting and colours are nicely subdued and the reflections on the wet floor add another dimension to the photo. Very well seen and captured.
Cheers Grant

stego (22514) 2007-12-15 4:41

Salut Catherine,
Elles sont différentes et elles 'fonctionne' de façon différente, mais même si j'aime beaucoup la mienne, je pense que cette si est franchement supérieur en qualité technique (le moins important), esthétiquement et en ambiance. Le graine ne me dérange pas (il va bien avec la texture de la pierre), la lumière et la compo sont fantastiques et la présence du couple amoureux renforce l'ambiance de rêve romantique caractéristique de l'endroit.
Bravo!
Amicalement, José.

adelune (2) 2007-12-15 4:50

Un univers réellement fantastique! Une ambiance si bien capturée! Très bon point de vue! Quoi d'autre?! Merci Catherine pour cette merveilleuse photo... les autres vers lesquelles tu nous renvoies, étant du même calibre! Admiration! alain

jcdurka1 (1940) 2007-12-15 4:55

Une photo trés lumineuse ou les yeux sont guidés vers cette tache blanche au centre. Superbe effet de mirroir.
Bien fait,
Jean-Claude

crckt (7116) 2007-12-15 6:54

Hi Catherine,
Oh! this one is a beauty! forget the grains, forget the photoshop. i just saw the shot and got drowned in this atmosphere! what a feeling it must have been for you to stand there and see this. thank you for bringing this to us.
regards,
shaeri

Bruno40 (6442) 2007-12-15 6:54

Hi Catherine
Lovely photo, very well done, with good exposure management. I like the reflections alot.
well done
TFS
Jorge

photographer123 (5887) 2007-12-15 7:42

hi...
very good shot..grains made good the feeling of stone...very magical shot...very well done...subir

MarcT (21113) 2007-12-15 7:43

Salut Cath,
cesciternes sont superbes mais sans ton titre, ton couple passait inaperçu!
Amitiés
Marc

jonathan_hart (22926) 2007-12-15 9:16

bonjour Catherine
les gens donnent un bon plus à la photo, et le lieux est magique, c'est une très belle photo tout simplement
amicalement
jo

TopGeo (23013) 2007-12-15 10:17

Hi Catherine Excellent shot! A difficult picture but with a lot of elements good, I liked the luminous parts of your reception and the beautiful frame, Praise you..
Georgios

manatee (4329) 2007-12-15 15:59

Wow I saw may times this place and I never get tired of this place, I love it and I love the arquitecture, but the reflex in the water is amazing.
I thik so one of the best pictures are yours, I like your versin and the capture of this guys holding looking towards the ligth.

Exelent Dear Cath

Elias

Have a nice weekend

lousat (17270) 2007-12-15 17:08

Oh Catherine,peut etre la plus belle photo de ton voyage au Maroc,une reflection et une lumiere vraiment extraordinaires,mes plus gros compliments,merci de partager,Luciano

ChrisJ (71614) 2007-12-16 0:30

Salut Catherine

Wonderful reflections, with perfect sharpness & an attractive colour contrast, between the warm, reddish fg columns, & blue columns in the bg. Merci, et bon week-end!

papagolf21 (57785) 2007-12-16 0:39

Bonjour, mon amie Catherine,
J'aime beaucoup la façon dont vous avez mis en image cette superbe architecture. La mise en scène donne un effet étonnant sur le lecteur. Une grande réussite sans aucun doute.
Amitiés.
Philippe

vincz (19085) 2007-12-16 1:47

C'est une image carrement fantastique. Les couleurs, le rendu, les reflets. Quelle atmosphere extraordinaire. J'aime beaucoup.

Silvio1953 (45136) 2007-12-16 2:26

Ciao Caterina, bella e affascinante, grande architettura e splendidi riflessi, mi piace di più la versione che hai postato su TTL, ora arrivo anche lì, con Amicizia Silvio
PS in Sicilia ci sono stato qualche hanno fa:)

toto (18919) 2007-12-16 5:36

Belle photo de ce couple romantique qui se trouve dans un endroit superbe, au mille beaux reflets,ce qui en fait un endroit qui a deux facettes, un réelle et un imaginaire. Bon POV et vraiment bien réalisé.
Amitiés Thomas

hgupta (1321) 2007-12-16 10:37

Catherine,

This is poetry in vision. I loved everything about this picture....ts hopelessly romantic.
regards,

Hemant

salvator (19073) 2007-12-16 12:08

Bonsoir Catherine,
I think I like this one better. The pov and the composition is very nice, and the colors, the blend of the silvery white and the goldish yellow is absolutely wonderful.
Amities. Salvator.

kiwi_explorer (12203) 2007-12-16 23:00

Hi Catherine,
What a fantastic capture. The way you manage the low lighting conditions is just outstanding. Superbly captured and composed ... the loving couple adds a nice romantic touch to the scene. Excellent work! tfs
Cheers,
Renier

giorgimer (22446) 2007-12-17 2:04

Hi Cath,

there is a magic mood here! Wonderful place, extraordinary atmosphere and a great light managing!

Well done!

Gio

PierreMorel (1168) 2007-12-18 1:50

Bonjour Catherine,
Très belle exposition qui mélange teintes chaudes et froides.
Bonne idée que d'avoir gardé des personnes, ce qui nous donne une meilleure idée de l'échelle.
Amitiés,
Pierre

feather (51026) 2007-12-18 6:43

I remember Jose's image of this place a few months ago. This is a different take on it and the two images complement each other. I don't find the noise disturbing at all and I think your PP was just right to bring out detail in the darker areas. I also like the addition of the two groups of people. Good work
Kath

Partha_c (1985) 2007-12-18 10:53

Hi Catherine. A mystic shot indeed. The bluish tone with the puddles and the greyish pillars created a lot of feelings sought after by romantic couples perhaps as you caught them unaware. Well composed. Nothing to worry about the grains. Regards.
Partha

Stepan (27181) 2007-12-18 11:16

Que l'endroit est dur à prendre. Je trouve que tu t'en tires pas mal, même si tu as peut être un peu forcé sur le sharpening. En tout cas, l'ambiance est terrible.
Stéphane

Angshu (34841) 2007-12-19 1:28

You've done wonderful work with the PP here, Cath, coaxing out the details even from the shadows, especially the vaulted ceiling. Now that you've brought out the details, I like this version over the WS, which for sure, is no way inferior. Fantastic light & exceptional handling of exposure. Love the contrasts in colours here on the pillars, the warm brown vs the cold blue. Yes the romantic couple does add interest, finding prominent place in your frame. Perhaps one of your best, even though I know this is not typically the genre you prefer most.
Best Regards
Angshu

berek (29235) 2007-12-19 6:15

Hi Catherine,
its hard work because of light. you managed well. I like reflections and details. have a nice day.
Burak Erek

Santi (163) 2007-12-19 8:13

A fantastic picture of an astonishing place, Catherine. You've been very smart in playing with both reflections and the balance between the couple and the small group. I loved your work!!!

diafani (700) 2007-12-19 9:22

Very impressive image. The exposure and color are perfect. I like the mix of cool and warm light. Normally in this situation, my instinct would be to wait until there are no people, but here they give the subject a good sense of scale. Excellent! I like the lighter version..

Henryk_Bilor (20377) 2007-12-19 10:18

Hello Cath
Great capture of the cisterns. The light and reflections are impressive. I can`t decide which version I prefer :).
Regards

Glint (3196) 2007-12-22 14:32

hello catherine,
a very special and magical image.The light on the stone pillars turning them into a strange blue is wonderful. The young couple a nice bonus to complete the composition.
regards
Bev

ArtLook (2332) 2007-12-23 16:11

Hello Catherine,
Very nice interiour, I like the columns and acrhes, light on background with a couple and reflections on the floor.. Good shot, Bravo!
With BEST Regards,
Arthur

MichaelTrezzi (3170) 2008-10-15 9:33

Hello Cath, This is just wonderful view, well managed light and nice reflections in the water. The couple just adds romantique. Well done. Kind regards, Michael