Barcelona Arches
Apr, 2013Views
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Chatter Award
Top Shot Award 22
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in Barcelona, Spain at Casa Milà -- or La Pedrera, as it is commonly known -- a modernist structure built between 1906-1912 by Antoni Gaudi. The photo depicts "Catenary" style arches that are under the roof of Casa Milà. Like most of Gaudi's work, La Pedrera itself -- the last civil work designed by Gaudi -- was considered controversial at the time because of its unusual form.Time
I took this photo in the late afternoon. The arches stopped me in my tracks as they were a stark contrast to the rest of the building, which I thought was quite garish. The Catenary Arch is a graceful, centuries old architectural technique and, to me, stood in conflict to the twisted iron and odd shapes that comprised the rest of the building. This was very appealing to me personally, as was the combination of natural and artificial light that flowed within the arches.Lighting
The spacing of the arches, which allowed for natural light within the arches, combined with strategically placed artificial lighting increased the appeal of the arches.Equipment
I used a Nikon D80 camera to take this photo. I did not use a flash, tripod or filter.Inspiration
The arches stopped me in my tracks and I just started shooting as I walked within and without the arches. It's just what I do. I believe that, for me, this is how I take my best photographs. It's totally a visual thing. I am struck....I see....I snap.Editing
As for post processing.....I cropped the photo with Photoshop and enlarged it slightly.In my camera bag
Hah.....my bag.....a backpack! In this backpack I now have a Nikon D7000, a Tamron 16-300 mm lens, a Nikkor 50 mm lens, a Tiffen 72mm circular polarizer, a small cleaning kit, and a plastic poncho. I never leave the house without this backpack.Feedback
I believe that even more important, perhaps, than any one type of camera, technique or accessory in taking a compelling photograph are two things: visual skill and visual aptitude. The best advice I believe I can give anyone to photograph arches or anything in this world is to become a "visual" person; hone, fine tune, polish, develop the ability to see beyond first sight. Many times, a shutterbug will hear: "Your pictures are really good. I need to get a new camera." Maybe. But I think most photographers who take admirable pictures would say that they "taught their camera all it knows." I believe we need to teach ourselves to always view the world -- even familiar places -- with fresh sight; as a tourist on vacation seeing things for the first time. See with traveler's eyes at all times to see even the ordinary as extraordinary -- like medieval arches on a modernist structure.
