Trakai Castle Photo

Photographer’s Note

Tourists coming to Vilnius often visit Trakai, the ancient capital of Lithuania. 29 kms west of Vilnius, Trakai is one of the oldest Lithuanian settlements spreading over unique glacial terrain. The relief of Trakai features moraine hills and numerous lakes. Many hills emerge from water like islands.
The settlement appeared in this convenient and secure place as early as the 1st millennium A.D. After the establishment of the centralized Lithuanian state Trakai was one of its first capitals. In the 14th century a fortified castle was built on the peninsula of the Lake Galve and the construction of an insular castle was begun which in the 15th century became the residence of Lithuanian Grand Dukes.
At the end of the 14 century, then the Grand Duchy of Lithuania expanded its territories reaching as far as the Black Sea, the Grand Duke Vytautas brought some 400 families of Karaites (a small ethnic group) from the Crimea to serve as his castle guards. Thus, in 1989, the 600th anniversary since the arrival of the Karaites to Trakai was marked.

IS1000 + Epson Scanner + NI

ChrisJ, pione, papagolf21, oochappan, jp80, carper, jhm, Aegean, akrisiun, aznegrao, sandpiper, Dinyar, yogi32 has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

ChrisJ (70443) 2004-12-09 3:43

Salut Jean Yves

A superb image, but perhaps I would have tried an 'unsharp mask' with this image? But I do like the subtle variation in tones & colours, as well as the reflections. Tres bon!

[workshop] [compare] +

jmdaoudal (82) 2004-12-09 4:10

C'est très beau, les teintes sont remarquables.Le joli petit bateau renvoie bien sur ce chateau.
Très bien composé.
jean Michel

pione (2031) 2004-12-09 5:00

Bella foto di un posto tutto da scoprire, come le forme dei castelli, molto diverse dalle nostre!

papagolf21 (56749) 2004-12-09 5:14

Cher Jean-Yves,
Il existe les pigeons voyageurs et les photographes voyageurs dont tu fais partie pour notre plus grand plaisir (ce n'est pas un reproche bien au contraire, car nous pouvons voir des pays reculés de notre vieille Europe).
Une suggestion Jean-Yves, serait-il possible d'obtenir une version française de la note d'accompagnement ?
Belle composition de ce château aux tours à poivrière et à pavillon. Une légère augmentation du contraste et un zeste de netteté devraient améliorer la composition (cela dépend peut-être de la nature de l'écran LCD ou cathodique ?).
Très amicalement.
Philippe

oochappan (22032) 2004-12-09 5:34

Everything is there, the colors, the sharpness and the good composition and as most like it hot, I mostly do too, I like in a way the soft dreamy tone that you maintain but still you can make it hot, I know that kind of scan.

jp80 (8437) 2004-12-09 6:11

Une très belle vu de ce charmant endroit Jean-Yves. J'aime bien cet enchainement de plans, et cet équilibre finement pensé. L'image m'a l'air de pencher un peu non ? Enfin, pas grave. Très joli endroit.

Pascal

carper (65696) 2004-12-09 6:42

salut Jean Yves,
Very plesant photo, very good composing, but indeed it's a shame that it is not whole sharp. When It was you had a great photo, now it's a plesure to look, good job

jhm (83352) 2004-12-09 7:44

Hi Jean Yves, a very beautiful castle, with the small bridge, and the lovely towers, the sailboats in the lake and the boat on the forground make the picture completely.

Aegean (2567) 2004-12-09 8:06

Looking at the thumbnail this photo was like painting! I love the soft colors and focusing which add a lot of feeling in the whole image! Great work!

akrisiun (104) 2004-12-09 9:57

How pitty, that you don't have sunny day for you photo.
Good choose of place to capture.

efimoore (2126) 2004-12-09 13:20

Nice scence you captured. The Castle and the boats are a great combination. The composition is very plesent. However it’s a bit too soft for my taste and some sharpning seems appropriate.

aznegrao (10246) 2004-12-09 18:30

Otima composição Jean Yves, a construção inponente ao fundo e fantastica.
Saudações.

sandpiper (1635) 2004-12-10 6:37

A pretty little castle with lots of atmosphere. I like the workshop that Chris J has done, though it may have been a little to much sharpening on the boat in the foreground.

alainh (35387) 2004-12-10 11:37

bonjour Jean-Yves.
la qualité, malgré le scan et Ni reste tres apreciable.
on dirait un chateau, jardin d'enfants.
drole de compo avec ces deux objets de mondes différents qui se completent agréablement.
amicalement
alain

Dinyar (704) 2004-12-11 6:29

Very nice shot. Looks just like a post card.
Great colours. I like the workshop too, it makes the picture brighter.

faubry (32419) 2005-01-03 9:32

chevaliers teutons here, i have seen this castle this summer and il like this red color, and you vhave well done with in front of the boat! who are breaking walls rectilignes
goodshot
francine

vilius (633) 2006-10-19 12:55

Very nice shot of Trakai castle on overcast day, so typicall for Lithuania. I would not alter brightness or saturation because on overcast day it looks exactly like that! Well thought composition with boats. Maybe picture could be tilted to the left a little and sharpened slighly more (but with care). Thanks - Vilius