Underground Spring
Centuries old, underground spring that supplied the drinking water for the Alcázar de Sevilla.
Hand-held, no OCF.
Centuries old, underground spring that supplied the drinking water for the Alcázar de Sevilla.
Hand-held, no OCF.
Read less
Hand-held, no OCF.
Read less
Sep, 2019Views
93
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Awards
Top Shot Award 22
2020 Choice Award
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Absolute Masterpiece
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AlysonLolli
December 10, 2019
Thank you so much. This was a difficult shot to get as it had to be hand held in a very dark space!
PRO+
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken during a tour of the Alcázar de Sevilla in Spain. It is the underground spring built to supply the drinking water for the entire castle and over 1,000 years old. This spring was a bit of an afterthought for the tour guide but was one of the most striking aspects of the whole structure for me. You can also find it as one of the settings in Season 5 of Game of Thrones.Time
At the surface, it seems like the time of day does not matter for this image since it is underground. However, the orange light comes from light wells dug up to the surface to supply the only light. Therefore, the fact that I was there in the middle of the day with little cloud cover helped. It was about 2pm November 15, 2018.Lighting
The lighting was the most challenging and intriguing aspect of capturing this image. No on-camera or off-camera flash was allowed on site. The only light came from light wells dug up to the surface which provided the orange light along the length of the spring. I hand held the camera at 1/50 and pushed the ISO up to 4000 in order to allow enough light into the sensor.Equipment
This was shot on a Canon 5D mkIII with a 24-70 f/2.8 L series lens. No other equipment was used.Inspiration
Throughout the entire tour, we were shown examples of gorgeous, intricate artistry and detailing. Once we reached the spring, built purely for utilitarian function, I was struck by the beauty and simplicity of the engineering. It is simply a series of ribbed vaults, built over a linear pool with light wells along the side. It is symmetrical and dark with a perfect reflection in the still pool. It was the most memorable part of the entire tour for me because it was so unexpected and different from the rest of the castle.Editing
This image required minor post processing in Lightroom. I straighten the image (because I can never hold my camera straight) and brought up the contrast and highlights just a bit.In my camera bag
I am not a huge gear person. I have good gear that allows me the flexibility to capture the images I want, but I don't hoard lenses and always have the newest tech. My trusty Canon 5D mkIII and my 24-70 are my work horses. If I know I'll be outside a lot, I do love my 70-200mm. As the saying goes, the best camera (gear) to have is the one that is in your hand!Feedback
Patience! ....and not a lot of coffee beforehand! This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and they strictly monitor what gear is allowed unless you are able to score a special use permit. Additionally, it is a major tourist site and can be quite crowded. Therefore, you need to have a steady hand and the ability to wait and then jump in to capture the image you want.
