Within Castle Walls
Cardiff Castle
Cardiff Castle
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Dec, 2013Views
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Awards
2020 Choice Award
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Absolute Masterpiece
Outstanding Creativity
Exceptional Contrast
Jaw Dropping
Peer Award
Superior Skill
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo within Cardiff Castle, Cardiff, South Wales. As an amateur photographer I try and get out as much as possible and enjoy experimenting with new ideas and techniques.Time
It was a cold, overcast, winters' day in November 2013. I was out taking photos of the city and around lunchtime, as it was so cold, decided to shoot the Castle from within instead of taking classic exterior shots. It was still cold surrounded by solid stone walls but the glow of the lamps made me feel warmer.Lighting
The passage ways in the Castle are generally quite dark. The windows are small and let in very little light. As the day was overcast most of the light was generated from the lamps on the inside of the Castle wall, which gave off an eerie desolate glow.Equipment
I used my newly acquired Canon 5D Mark iii, along with a Canon EF 24-105 USM lens. I wasn't carrying my tripod so the photo was taken handheld. I didn't have an external flash for my camera so relied solely on what light was available.Inspiration
Cardiff Castle is steeped in history and had given me refuge from the harsh weather. The passage ways seemed to go on forever. For a moment I appeared to be the only one there, you could almost hear the silence. I wanted to capture that moment before it was disturbed by the clatter and thud of visitors footsteps. I also loved the geometric patterns that were formed by the angles the light was being thrown.Editing
I'm quite new to post- processing and editing and don't as yet have Photoshop or Lightroom. I do have Photomatix Pro as I am quite keen to master the art of HDR. With this shot, as I had only taken a single image I decided to use Tone Mapping via Photomatix to bring the Castle back to life and create warmer more artistic feel to the scene.In my camera bag
I love my camera, Canon 5D Mark iii, although it does weigh a ton and with this in mind I tend to limit myself to three lenses. My 24-105mm tends to cover nearly all my possible requirements and is the lens I use most of the time. I also carry a 75-300mm zoom and a 100mm macro, as you never know what you might find along the way. Fitted to my lenses are UV filters and then a polarising filter for when I want more in depth colour.Feedback
My advise is to get out there and explore those Castles, Abbeys and historic buildings, with their fantastic architecture, hidden doorways and passageways. Try and choose a day or time when you think there are likely to be as few visitors as possible which will give you time to enjoy and absorb the scene before taking that shot.
