Potala Postcard, a photo from Tibet, West

Photographer's Note

I am nearing the end of my series of photos from Tibet in 1986. I have a few more to show you and I can't stop without posting another one of the mighty Potala Palace, largely built during the 17th century, which up to 1959 was the residence of the religious leader of the Tibetan Buddhists, the Dalai Lama, and also the headquarters of the free Tibetan government.

Here is a larger version.

The Potala is one of those few buildings that totally dominates a city, seen from almost wherever you are standing, not just because it is built on a hill and is very large, but for its impressive design. It is perhaps the most fascinating building I have ever seen, both from outside and inside.

I am sorry I can't show you any photos of the dark and mysterious interiors of this palace. I didn't take any inside, not just because photography was not allowed (the monks didn't mind, only objecting when Chinese officials were close), but it was really too dark. But in my diary I described the fantastic, very detailed wall paintings decorating most of the rooms, "hardly less impressive than the Florentine Renaissance frescos, but contrary to Giotto, Fra Angelico, Fra Filippo Lippi and the rest of them, these Tibetan masters of the 17th and 18th centuries are largely anonymous to us".

What struck me was the dark gloominess of the private quarters of the Dalai Lama. I noted that the present, 14th Dalai Lama, couldn't have had a very happy childhood growing up in this environment where he was in reality kept a prisoner, treated like a kind of god while in fact being just an ordinary boy.

I took this photo from a very small monastery built on a hillside opposite the Potala. You can see that monastery in one WS photo taken from where I got out of the palace, just at the far left side seen here. In the other additional photo is a woman I met near the entrance to the palace, which must have been somewhere on the right side of the brown section of the building.

All photos were scanned from Kodachrome slides.

Royaldevon, snunney, PaulVDV, pajaran, ikeharel, jhm, gervaso, Fis2, ChrisJ, mcmtanyel, alvaraalto, annjackman, Cricri, papagolf21, worldcitizen, pierrefonds has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Nicou (178507) 2019-03-17 2:07

Hello

fantastique vue et iamge quelle compo et captage aus objets sacré en premier plan et en dorures ces formes et au travers de l'armature de bois on voit le tmeple et ce ciel bleu clair qui se contraste superbe
Bravo et beau dimanche
Nicou

Royaldevon (59139) 2019-03-17 2:39

Hello Gert,

Your photographs clearly show the rugged, almost inhospitable nature of the terrain in Tibet, yet I am always impressed by the happy countenance of the people's expressions.

I like this main shot very much and it makes a great post.
The details of the prayer wheels, fill the f/g with interest. Then the wooden frame invites us through its screen-like shape, to view the palace on the hill.
The light is excellent.
The shots have scanned very well.

Have a good day,
Bev :-)

snunney (128085) 2019-03-17 2:52

Hello Gert,
Clever use of the prayer wheel structure to frame the massive palace in the background. An image that neatly sums up the importance of Buddhism in Tibet. Very good colours and sharpness. I particularity like the detail to be observed in the prayer wheels. Excellent control over depth of field.

PaulVDV (44848) 2019-03-17 3:21

Hello Gert,
Your main picture surely is a postcard, one I'd also like to make. Nice to see the Potala surrounded at three sides by prayer wheels. Even gold plated adding an extra colour to the photo.
Nice to find the row of postmen in the WS. Or are it busdrivers? On the same picture we can see that there are a lot of trees in Lhasa. I mentioned already before that I mistakenly thought that the whole area was arid and without much greenery. There are also a lot of 'modern' buildings on that picture.
I cannot recall to have seen hand prayer wheels before. Perhaps I've forgotten it. A bit like a rosary that could be taken everywhere.
If I understand well, you've travelled to Tibet only to visit Lhasa?
Best regards, Paul

GyurMaster (13866) 2019-03-17 3:27

Dear Gert,

That's a photo that I would also like to take if I ever visit the place. (Provided that this frame of bells is still there.) You observation was really good.

I wish you a nice Sunday!
Gy.

PS: What a pity you didn't have a cellphone back then allowing to take crisp images even in low light. :)

Tue (63480) 2019-03-17 3:34

Hej Gert,
Et udmærket billede med det imponerende slot højt oppe på bjerget. Lyset var dejligt og du brugte hele den konstruktion med bedemøllerne meget godt som en ramme for slottet.
Lars

pajaran (84732) 2019-03-17 3:50

Dobar dan.
Lep pogled, interesantan i dobar tekst ...
Dobar rad sa lepim fotografijama u radionici, lepo pokazano, lepe fotografije i secanje.
Zelim vam lep dan za odmor, sve najbolje.
Paja.

Good day.
Nice view, interesting and good text ...
Good work with nice photos in the workshop, beautifully shown, nice photos and remembering.
I wish you a nice day for rest, all the best.

Silvio1953 (181575) 2019-03-17 6:31

Ciao Gert, fantastic postcard from fabolous place, wonderful colors, fine details, splendid light and excellent clarity, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

jhm (183276) 2019-03-17 6:40

Hello Gert,

We get a very difficult choice all your pictures are very well made.
You want see that the date not is important, but the pictures with a good nota.
Everyone can learn of your nice photo work.
A completely series with nice colours and excellent of presentation.
Very well done, TFS.

Best regards,
John.

gervaso (24713) 2019-03-17 6:55

Hello, Gert!

I like the way you framed the palace in the background with this interesting structure in the foreground, which also gives very good depth to the composition! The details look very nice, and the temple looks really imposing! Wonderful job!

ktanska (34347) 2019-03-17 7:08

Hej Gert,
Perfectly chosen viewpoint where foreground and the palace are well in balance. A truly wonderful place with a long history. Those flowers are nice extra details.
Kari

Fis2 (133215) 2019-03-17 7:37

Witaj Gert!
Very interesting composition of the frame.
The building in the background is impressive.
Excellent light and sharpness.
I like colors.
Well done.
Nice sunday afternoon.
Krzysztof

ChrisJ (145260) 2019-03-17 7:49

Hello Gert,

A well composed shot with good use of the fg fence support for the prayer wheels to frame the bg Monastery on the hill. Wonderful warm cold colour contrasts and good sharpness. Tfs!

BennyV (27126) 2019-03-17 8:10

Hello Gert

Lovely & meaningful framing of the impressive potala!
Great picture, Gert. Thanks for sharing.

Benny

emka (131472) 2019-03-17 11:02

Hello Gert, I like this picture of Potala very much. Creative composition with the spinning wheels. When I was in Potala, it was not possible to take pictures so I do not remember much from the interiors. But I remember it was similar to the interiors in monasteries. And the visit was quite short, something like 1,5 hours, a little disappointing after so much trouble to get the tickets. I do not remember this monastery from where you took the picture. I do not see it on my photos but maybe I have a different POV.
Fantastic quality of this very old photo.

KInd regrads MAlgo

mesutilgim (109950) 2019-03-17 11:05

Hello dear Gert,
Another perfect capture from your archive.
Very good pov and sharpness. Nice warm and brigth colors.
Many interesting and usefull notes as well.
TFS and best regards
MESUT ILGIM

jmdias (85031) 2019-03-17 12:54

gert

I liked the use of the prayer cylinders as a frame to the famous potala.while in eastern china I saw few of these cylinders. potala looks like a giant castle.

take care

jorge

mcmtanyel (48060) 2019-03-17 22:12

Hello Gert,
I like the natural frame with the main entry. I don't like to see Chinese soldiers in Tibet, though.
Regards,
MT

rychem (62179) 2019-03-17 22:19

A very nice idea to use the rack for prayer wheels as a frame, it shows clearly where the photo was taken, a very good capture
regards Ryszard

ifege (14546) 2019-03-17 23:09

Hi Gert
A very original photo of Lhasa's most famous building. Very well framed. A very good scan.
cheers
Ian

alvaraalto (34678) 2019-03-18 2:54

Hello Gert,
Another wonderful series of photos with accompanying informative text.
A dark room is no objection for the modern camera, but in 1986 it was a bit different. How radically the world can change in such a short period and yet not because the Chinese domination of Tibet is undiminished.
Excellent picture
Have a good week, groet Rob

annjackman (22563) 2019-03-18 3:22

Hello Gert,
You have cleverly framed this famous Potala Palace. As always there is plenty of interest in your photos with a great note too. Great depth, colour from this scan.
Kind Regards, Ann

Cricri (150765) 2019-03-18 8:39

Hi Gert
Une belle façon de présenter le Palais avec les roues de prières , intéressante note et présentation
Amitiés
cricri

papagolf21 (136825) 2019-03-19 4:34

Bonjour, cher Gert,
L'intérêt ne faiblit pas à travers vos photographies toujours appréciées et parfaitement numérisées.
Les sujets demeurent intéressants et donnent une idée assez précise du peu de liberté...
Très bonne journée.
Amitiés.
Philippe

claudeD (46074) 2019-03-19 5:01

Hello Gert, you have choosen a very fine way to frame this Potala Palace in the backgroun.Very original shot. Tfs.

With regards from Luxembourg

JC

worldcitizen (11850) 2019-03-19 11:43

Hello Gert,
It's nice to see both POV's. The view of Potala is impressive as always, and I like the gold prayer wheels, but it's also nice to see where you took the main photo from. Your journal entry is also fascinating. Your journals are real treasures, and they add to the your posts.

federico (5085) 2019-03-19 15:14

hello Gert an iconic view here, I wonder if it is still like that there or it change a lot since 1987, anyway very lucky to visit Tibet that time, by the way very good composition and warm light
regards
Federico

pierrefonds (86906) 2019-03-19 18:18

Hi Gert,

The prayer wheels are framing well the palace. The point of view is showing the details of the Potala Palace. The light is giving good colours output. Have a nice day.

Pierre