Gulliver at the Brobdingnag Mosque Photo

Photographer’s Note

UPDATE - WS with a more open angle of the whole space.

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Interior of the big mosque on the left of my previous post. Contrary of what was written in that previous note (sorry for my mistake), this is the Sultan Hassan Mosque and the other is the Rifai Mosque.

Entering beneath a towering stalactite hood, I was drawn by instinct through a gloomy domed vestibule with liwans*, out into this central courtyard (sahn) - a stupendous balancing of mass and void. I felt like an ant.
In this image you can see a detail of one of the four liwans displayed in the four sides of the whole space. The height is emphasized by the long hanging lamp chains.
A PLACE OF TEACHING
Each liawn was devoted to teaching a rite of Sunni Islam. In this Mosque, four madrassas** have been skilfully fitted into an irregular area behind the liawns.

Information taken from the "Rough Guide to Egypt".

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* Liawn - Arcade or vaulted space of a courtyard, commonly found in mosques and madrassas. Originally, the term meant a sitting room opening onto a covered court.

** Madrassa - Literally a "place of study" but generally used to designate theological schools. Each Madrassa propragates a particular rite of Islamic jurisprudence.

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The title refers to the book "Gulliver's travels".

velocista, leo61, josepmarin, syd1946, ChrisJ, lucasgalodoido, paura, danos, Photo65Net, Partha_c, stego, maglex, ribeiroantonio, siolaw, coco, japiey, delic, bostankorkulugu, xuaxo, Tue, Bluejeans, JCG, Benedict, gilou530, Scharan, JBotelho has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

P-S-I-G (24482) 2008-05-31 7:40

Hello Ricardo,
A very well found title, I enjoy it.
Well composed with the lamps. A very good vertical framing.
Well seen and taken.
Best regards,
Fabrice

velocista (881) 2008-05-31 7:45

olá,
parabens pela foto que está excelente. o pov está muito bom e consegue dar a percepção dos tamanhos de maneira a que aquela pessoa pareça minuscula em relaçao aos candeeiros. Assim o titulo fica mesmo adequado à foto.
abraço
pedro

bantonbuju (48630) 2008-05-31 9:56

oh, this one is... monumental...
this one speaks to me...
this one appeals to me...
i dont know why but mosques have this special influance of power, prayer, silence, meditation... even seen from outside...
good one...
(i'd try to strighten the wall but i'm not sure if i'd work with this perspective...)
best,
j.

maglex (1582) 2008-05-31 10:08

Hi Ricardo, this is a good angle well seen combined well with the person sitting at the background. Well done...Alex

jonathan_hart (22576) 2008-05-31 10:29

hehe, well done for the title :) an impressive place where men looks tiny, the framing emphasize the impression, excellent compo :)
regards
jo

leo61 (43398) 2008-05-31 10:34

Hi Ricardo!
This doorway/arch must be giant!He looks so small there sitting alone.
Great shot of this fantastic architecture,well composed with "Gulliver".
Regards,Leo

carper (64878) 2008-05-31 10:36

fantastic place Ricardo.
I like the fantasie the good pov and the composition, fine quality, very good photojob, have a good evening.
gr. jaap

emka (21466) 2008-05-31 12:00

Hi Ricardo,
Fantastic title to this shot. It is really impressive. The figure is so tiny even when compared with the lamp. Well done1

Malgorzata

josepmarin (33785) 2008-05-31 12:47

Olá Ricardo,
este hombre sentado nos da una referencia de las dimensiones del lugar, absolutamente enorme.
Me gusta el efecto de estas lámparas colgando y las altísimas paredes de la mezquita muy bien iluminadas por el sol, con una exposición correcta.
Es un buen trabajo divulgativo de esta arquitectura y de tu viaje, bien integrado en el espíritu de TE.
Un abrazo, amigo mío,
Josep

syd1946 (17901) 2008-05-31 14:16

Hello Ricardo,
I am still impressed from your new fine work.So many lamps is a great opportunity to create a wonderful image.But you have also one person to the frame that adds so much beauty.A great photography my friend!

Enjoy your weekend,
Thomas

ChrisJ (70231) 2008-05-31 18:46

Hi Ricardo

Good repetition of the lamps with the solitary man reading on the steps adding a superb anchor v& focal point. Good sharpness & pov. Tfs!

lucasgalodoido (16603) 2008-05-31 19:08

Olá Ricardo,
lembro dessas histórias de Guliver quando criança, eu gostava. Ficou bem interessante essa imagem, com uma boa perspectiva.
Parabéns e Abraço!

Graal (57941) 2008-06-01 0:15

Hi Ricardo,
amazing image, nice view with the lamps and lonely man. An interesting place. Well quality of photo. I like it.
Gr., Aleksander

paura (38410) 2008-06-01 3:56

Ricardo,
Está muito boa a fotografia, mostrando não apenas arquitetura mas também a aplicação da mesma. Eles não reclamam de você tirar fotografias lá?

Abraço

Paulo

danos (32468) 2008-06-01 7:14

Ola Ricardo,
very nice composition with the lambs to create a scene,a sight for sore eyes.I like the title of the photo as the perspective and the POV.The sitting person adds life in the scene.Informative your note too.

Have a nice afternoon,Danos

pablominto (40712) 2008-06-01 7:19

Hello Ricardo,

The repeating lamps catch my attention!
Interesting piece of architecture and the sitting person gives a good scaling to the place...
Well composed and good details!

Greetings,
Pablo -

Photo65Net (43084) 2008-06-01 8:40

Ricardo,
Your title is just perfect here :o)
I enjoy this post a lot, with great use of sizes and perspectives, very pleasant to look at this one.
Regards,
JB.

Partha_c (1985) 2008-06-01 12:05

Hi ricardo. It is really incredible. What a marvellous shot you took with a well defined perspective. The vastness is well understood especially with the lone visitor down below. Great. Regards.
Partha

stego (22352) 2008-06-01 14:50

Olá Ricardo,
Dir-se-ia que os arquitectos desta mesquita pretenderam que a sua obra tivesse o mesmo efeito dos templos construídos pelos seus antepassados uns milhares de anos antes. Mesmo que não dissesses que há um arco por cima daquilo, acharia na mesma que a escala é esmagadora. A presença da rapariga (que suspeito saber quem é :-) tira-nos as dúvidas quanto às dimensões, não fossemos nós pensar que as portas e janelas fossem miniaturas. As lâmpadas compoem um padrão gráfico muito interessante.
Dava para entrar nos locais de oração ou apenas nesses pátios e madrassas?
Um abraço, José.

ribeiroantonio (21917) 2008-06-01 19:24

A inclusão do teu modelo pessoal na foto diz-nos tudo sobre a altura imensa do interior da mesquita e também sobre o tamanho daqueles candeeiros cujo número é impressionante. É um trabalho excellente, tanto a foto como a nota.
António

siolaw (25734) 2008-06-01 21:11

Ola Ricardo
I think you managed well to show us the sheer size of this place and added an artistic touch to the compo by including the recurrent lamps. Man looks very small in there.!
Abraço da Paris
Laurent

delkoo (34296) 2008-06-01 23:37

bonjour Ricardo,
I never get tired of seeing shots from this amazing place, especially when they're as well taken as this.
perfectly framed, I obvioulsy like this a lot.

didier

coco (27854) 2008-06-01 23:43

Hi Ricardo.

Well, somehow this is a real TE photo. It shows to us something abuot the world and we can learn. We can imagine something about this amazing country, Egypt, and also it is a beautiful picture.

Well done.

Angshu (33645) 2008-06-02 0:40

Ola Ricardo
Excellent work. The vertical framing (a must here), the huge lamps hanging from the invisible ceiling & of course the tiny figure of the person (I suspect Ana)...excellent. An excellent thought of title as well,my friend!
Best Regards
Angshu

japiey (9493) 2008-06-02 1:36

Hi Ricardo,

I loved the title.
Beautifull composition with the lamps and a man in silence..
Excellent capture.
All the best, dear friend.

jp

delic (6735) 2008-06-02 3:56

Hi Ricardo,
I like the image and the concept behind it. Indeed, the man is dwarfed by the grandiose of the mosque. I believe the picture could benefit a lot from correction of perspective distortion, esp., the tilt on the left. Was there any way to avoid the silhouette at the lower right corner? Keep it up! Best,
Hakan

bostankorkulugu (33582) 2008-06-02 4:58

well seen and composed rcrdlps >;)... the lamps look really cool, i wouldnt mind having one somewhere in my house... and is this your wife?... oops, i shut up, ssshhh!!!...

cheers

krkt

xuaxo (5727) 2008-06-02 13:01

Olá Ricardo,
Magnífico. Depois das dúzias de críticas até agora, nada consigo acrescentar.
Ainda bem que mostras isto em vez das mais-que-vistas pirâmides...
Um abraço,
F

Tue (25608) 2008-06-02 16:39

Hi Ricardo,
Excellent idea to add the person here to show the scale of this place. The mosque looks really very impressive! Very good vertical composition, that works really well here. The many lamps are a great inclusion too. Very well done!
Regards,
Lars

JCG (25331) 2008-06-03 11:37

Hi Ricardo,

We feel well the gigantism of the place here with the presence of this person. An interesting tight sight. The night with all these glosses that must be impressive. I like much your photo more general WS which has an exceptional depth. Very instructive, thank you Ricardo.

With all my friendships and a very good evening,

Jean-Charles

Bluejeans (32293) 2008-06-04 4:58

Oi Ricardo ,
Como a pessoa é tão pequena neste espaço gigante , neste lugar mos devemos sentir anões :), os candeeiros ficaram fantásticos parece uma arquitectura meio grosseira devido ao tamanho ,parabéns!!!
Um abraço Gonçalo

Benedict (7062) 2008-06-07 6:08

amazing interior of this sacred place! i have never been inside a mosque.. is it allowed for christians to get in? when i was in saudi, it never was! and i lost the chance to be in cairo this year (my egyptian friend left last month) as i was not given the greenlight by admin to have the leave. looking at this, i sure am a loser..:-(
as usual, an excellent work..and i like your idea of incorporating the human element in here.
Benedict

gilou530 (35226) 2008-06-07 11:37

salut ricardo
une photo originale avec tous ces lampadaires suspendus et bien vu le personnage qui donne une dimension a ce cadrage
amitiés
gilbert

Scharan (13951) 2008-06-07 17:09

Olá Ricardo

Que bela composição...diferente e cheia de arte...lindo detalhe das lanternas, bom ponto de vista. Ótimo trabalho, meus parabéns!
GA
Vera

cepekdong (3668) 2008-06-09 23:27

hey ric

yes long time not seen ! thats a really great shot here. i like the height relations and the many lamps ! fantastic shot ! i think u have had a great journey

daniel

JBotelho (147) 2008-06-17 22:32

Olá Ricardo
Excelente ponto de vista que se transformou numa notável foto. O titulo está muito bem escolhido comparando o tamanho da pessoa que ve na imagem com a grandiosidade da mesquita.
Parabéns
João Botelho

NMaverick (0) 2008-06-28 16:00

Hi Ricardo, beautiful picture although it needed some light and color. I am sure the shot was difficult but it came out very beautiful and well contructed.
TFS
Nick

jmdias (19267) 2008-07-02 17:14

ricardo

belo achado estas lâmpadas dependuradas. Gostei da pessoa ao fundo, dando vida ao cenário. Acho que aquele detalhe escuro no lado direito da imagem distrai um pouco mas não é nada de grave. Podemos sentir a suavidade da luz. belo trabalho

abraços

jorge

giorgimer (21166) 2008-11-07 1:14

Hi Ric,

another very nice one. Excellent composition. I like a lot the lamps.

Very well done!

Gio