Fine Pictures: Non abandoned windows - colour or black and white, glass or not!

Photography Challenge opened November 2008.

Windows existed before there was glass. In a tent, openings might even bring in the rays of light from a cloud or tree and make an image inside. The window allows us to look in and outside. It has even become a metaphor to have a window to inner thoughts, for example in a child painting.

What are your special photographs? Any size type or number of windows used in any fashion!

Asher

Hi,

Two from myself....


This first was taken at the walled town of Carcassonne in southern France. We were on a guided tour of the grounds and came across this multi-coloured stain-glass window. The shot made an interesting composition of colour with some of the medieval towers in the background.




This second was at the town of Aigues-Mortes - also in Southern France, and also a walled town! The image is more about the story behind it than the photo itself.

It is the only window in Constance Tower (part of the walls), and is high up on the ceiling. The tower was used a prison during the 18th century persecutions of Protestant Huguenots and has 16ft thick walls. The protestant Marie Durand was imprisoned in this tower for 38 years, and if you believe the stories it was her who scratched into the wall the word 'Register' meaning 'Resist'. She was finally released in 1767.





Cheers,

Andy,

A stellar start for this Theme! Thanks for sharing. I must go beyond the proposed "Ten word comment limit" for this forum because this is the very first set of submission to this Theme, I'm so impressed by the originality and also I have contacts here, LOL! So allow me this transgression and indulgence.

The first glass window maybe original hand made with lead strips holding hand rolled glass. Initially, there was no technology to form large sheets safely. One can see distortions therefore in the scene through the window giving an Impressionistic feeling. So we have rectangular patch work. Some parts clean and sharp others blurred and colored with different hues. Altogether splendid! Interestingly, the lines converge to the left and the main tower and slate roof is in close to optimal in compositional placement.

The second image surprised me as I'd forgotten about the iron bars of prison windows. Here this is remarkable for, being so high there's only possibility to see blue sky and perhaps clouds pass by and one day a bird, but no escape! The wooden planks of the roof converge this solitary window directing the prisoner to his reminder of an outside world he cannot reach.

These two images are remarkable. The first is especially impressive.

Asher

Reflection

Andrew Stannard said:

Hi,

Two from myself....


This first was taken at the walled town of Carcassonne in southern France. We were on a guided tour of the grounds and came across this multi-coloured stain-glass window. The shot made an interesting composition of colour with some of the medieval towers in the background.

Click to expand...

Andrew,

I see this was f5.6, 30mm, 17-85mm lens, 1/400 sec. But is this through the window or a reflection?

Asher

Hi Asher,

This was through the window. Actually I just did a quick google on 'Carcossonne Window' and there are a few other shots that have picked up the same window.

The converging lines of lead are due to the shot being taken at an angle through the window - the view straight through didn't give the composition of the towers in the background that I was looking for. Saturation was boosted to emphasize the window colours.


Bill - A photographic joke? Desert Resorts, but green trees reflected? Enjoyed the image!

Challenge - Windows

From an abandoned commercial greenhouse.
Thanks for looking.

Best,
John Angulat
http://www.lightsimage.com

DeYoung Reflection

I shot this the week the new DeYoung museum opened in SF a couple of years ago. Unfortunately the EXIF was stripped and the exposure data is lost.

John Angulat said:

From an abandoned commercial greenhouse.
Thanks for looking.

Best,
John Angulat
http://www.lightsimage.com

Click to expand...

I like the jagged glass. Do you have a wider shot with the wall?

Asher

Sorry, but no...

It was a farly tight shot to begin with.
Here's the unedited original:

There's much more sense of violation to the window with this color version. I like it, but how so wide?

Asher

That's DX format for you!

Done on 8X10 with a 12" Pinkham & Smith Visual Quality lens.

Jim,

The chest through the window with the overlying reflection is splendid, but the lens, the
Pinkham & Smith Visual Quality lens, makes it sightly less surprising. Do you happen to remember what aperture you chose?

Asher

Asher Kelman said:

Jim,

The chest through the window with the overlying reflection is splendid, but the lens, the
Pinkham & Smith Visual Quality lens, makes it sightly less surprising. Do you happen to remember what aperture you chose?

Asher

Click to expand...

I don't but I will venture f22 - f32 because it's quite sharp. The house reflected from across the street would have been at infinity so there was a big gap to close between the near surface of the glass and the house.

Non abandoned windows - colour or black and white

Just to follow on from Janet's black and white windows in abandoned buildings thread, here's one from a non-abandoned building in colour. It's a window in King's College, Cambridge - shot a few weeks ago in January - It may also qualify as a self protrait - though the thought is one of dreams and aspiration.

Mike

I love the feeling of power and authority this window emanates Mike. The self portrait is an added bonus.

Here is one of the windows of the medieval Gothic palace (Het Markiezenhof) in my town:

Cem_Usakligil said:

I love the feeling of power and authority this window emanates Mike. The self portrait is an added bonus.

Here is one of the windows of the medieval Gothic palace (Het Markiezenhof) in my town:

Click to expand...

Cem, you just need a 'Welcome' sign I really like the way the steel mesh is detailed in the centre.

Mike