Skellig Michael

SkelligMichael, a Celtic Monastery where time stopped 15 centuries ago.Perched on the top of a small island, off the coast of Ireland. Wesailed past the island and managed to disembark, to find the ruinslost in a cloud: one of the most awe-inspiring places I've ever seen.

What does the picture convey to you? Your comment and criticism ismuch welcome.

Wonderful colours, very celtic :-)

 

The erosion on the cross makes it look a lot like a human figure, and that face profiled against the cloud... staring up in agony at heaven, and conveintly following the rising line of the buildings.

 

The piles of rocks on the left... skulls.

 

Great atmosphere.

They sure look like igloos made of stone. Interesting.

Stephen, I was sure you would have liked it. I had not remarked the face-like structure in the cross. It is going to come back and haunt me, now.

Actually, just to the L of the cross there was the small cemetery of the monastery. A few square meters for several centuries...that was eerie.

Actually the whole place was very eerie. We arrived at the break of dawn, saw only the base of the island, and a cloud on the top. The only place to get onto the island amid the waves was as big as our boat... quite a cold blooded maneuvre to get close to the land and jump ashore. We climbed the path and found this in the fog at the summit... (then the tour boats from Ireland arrived)

 

Arthur, those are the so-called beehive cells. They are quite cramped in the inside, and I never so as many in one place. Really a trip of 15 centuries back in time.

 

Thanks to both of you to stop by. I though this was going to be just a 3-catcher out here on photo.net!

Salvatore, "Too dark", I thought on first viewing; then I turned off the ambient room light and watched the details start to seep through. Nice arrangement of the major elements and perfect placement of the cross to nicely break up the mass of light gray sky on the left. In spite of the flat lighting the textures are quite apparent. Would make a nice print if done with care. Best, LM.

Len, thanks for your kind words. I had put some effort in thinking how to compose this (I had only one lens with me) and, time being pressing, I've only a few pictures from up there. This is the one I liked the most. In addition, I also like the way the fog slowly engulfs the background, which gives some depth to the image notwithstanding the flat light. For a while, I was disappointed by the weather once we made it to such a rare place...on the other hand, in a bright sunny day against a blue sky, I guess the place would have lost much of its magic.

 

As for printing this, I guess that largely trascends my capabilities!

Your pictures are shot in various jewels of the globe ...

I agree with Lionel. Very unlikely place to find the ruins of ancient civilization. That cross and strcture appear to me like totems.

Salvatore, what a mystical place you encountered here with the mist and wind blowing through these tight spaces. The notion of shelter brings comfort upon this exposed perch. These dwellings offer that and much more...