Nasir-ol-Molk Mosque, Shiraz, Iran
Jun, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo in the winter prayer hall at the Nasir-ol-Molk mosque in Shiraz, Iran. Iran is probably one of the most photogenic countries I have visited, and the people are extremely friendly.Time
This was taken around 10 a.m. when the sun is in the right position to stream through the stained glass.Lighting
I had seen some great images of this prayer hall online before my trip, so I knew I really had to be there at the correct time to get the sunlight through the windows.Equipment
This was shot on my first dSLR - a Canon 400D. The camera was mounted on my trusty Gitzo carbon fibre mountaineer tripod. I used a shutter release cable to avoid any camera shake.Inspiration
I love Islamic architecture and in addition to the incredible stained glass windows, the whole of this mosque has beautiful tile work. I really love the incredible floral patterns and geometric nature of Islamic art. I had wanted to visit Iran for a long time and I'm glad I got the opportunity.Editing
I didn't do any post processing on this shot. I shot it in RAW and just underexposed it by 1/3 of a stop to bring out the colour of the patterns hitting the carpet. I don't usually do much post-processing of my shots anyway, usually just a bit of sharpening and contrast adjustment at the RAW stage. Sometimes I will boost the colour saturation on my Canon RAW files just a little, as I find the colours can sometimes be a little flat otherwise.In my camera bag
It really depends on what I'm doing. I specialise in travel photography, so I try to think hard about what I will see and what lenses I will need. These days I use a Canon 5D Mk III as my main camera. If I'm going trekking or backpacking then I take my 24-105 f/4 L lens and my 16-35 f/2.8 II L lens. Sometimes (for example when I knew I would be photographing the tanning pits at Fez, Morocco and knew I would need a bit more reach) I will take my Canon 135mm f/2 L lens, which has incredible bokeh and renders amazing colour. Normally I take my Gitzo mountaineer carbon fibre tripod coupled with a Really Right Stuff ball head and clamp. I protect my lenses in betashell lens cases as these are virtually indestructible and give me peace of mind.Feedback
With travel photography, it really pays to do as much research on your destination as possible. I look around for interesting images before I go, and that will help me plan what gear I need to take, where the interesting things to see are, and when is the best time to be there.
