The Colosseum Exterior

The best way to appease the mob was to give them blood. But will you be giving me a

thumbs up, or a thumbs down for my photograph of this, the bloodiest of all arenas?

Hi, Nick! Very nice! What makes it so is that the sky is rendered all white, so you get full detail on the top of the strucutre. Great shot! You live in a very special place!

-Allenda

Thumps up! .. What I like most of this photo is that the line of people sitting leads the eye to the first cirkle of the arena.. and I love your b&w architecture photo's..

Thanks Allenda, thanks Dilber.

 

Unfortunately I don't live in Rome, I just visited and burnt an aweful lot of B&W film over seven days! I'm glad it works with the burnt out sky, as I had my reservations, which is perhaps why it has taken me so long to post this one, but I felt it compliments my previous posting of The Colosseum Interior!

 

Fond regards, Nick.

You cerainly picked a great subject. I agree about the sky and the people. Two thumbs up Nick.

 

I certainly am in the thumbs-up crowd here. Nicely filled frame and a few gaping tourists but they add to the image, not detract, since they too are in B&W.

Live, Live, Live.

This is what I hear from your photo.

Excellent tones in the stonework suggesting the antiquity of the place. The gaggle of tourists add scale and are probably unavoidable anyway!

Thanks Jeri, but it is the Emperor Vespasian who we have to thank for this most singular expression of Roman culture. He had a reasonably humble birth and came to prominance as a general. He came to power after a year of bloody cival war. Three emperors had come, and violently gone since Nero had been thrown to the mob, and Vespasian cemented his popularity by giving something back - namely The Colosseum. To add insult to the last of the Claudians, he had it built on top of a ridiculous artificial lake which was part of Nero's extravegant Golden House!

 

Thanks Ken, as Colin has said, the Tourists are enivitable here (even in the middle of the night!), but they do add scale!

 

Thanks Mahrashk, but I fear that many things may have died!

 

Thanks Colin, I think that Roman architecture really lends itself to B&W. The warm tones of the sandy coloured stones, somehow detract from the majesty of these very special buildings.

 

Fond regards to you all, Nick.

Nick, a very well structured shot, congratulations.

 

Seeing these structures colour with the red sandstone would remind me of Chester and make them seem more parochial, I think.

Pete, I hadn't thought of that, but you are quite right, the colour of sandstone does mean something special, and of "home" for me!

 

With these insightful forays into the unconscious, we'll make a Psychiatrist of you yet!

 

Nick.

Hello Nick, Thank for popping in to my portfolio and giving such great reviews on my shots but you are to kind. I am still looking for that one shot that makes everyone feel good or just shot and look.

The colosseum is well set and strongly composed

it give a the feeling of foreboding as was you intent I beleave.

It's a thumbs up :)

good to see in black and white only

Nick... I must admist B&W is an acquired taste, so I'm still learning why you're doing them like this... Why not in color?

Thanks Gul.

 

I believe that a Black & White image helps one to "see" differently, and perhaps more carefully, than when we look with our eyes, or indeed at a colour image. In monotone, different elements of the photograph have different emphasis when not seen as "in life". Details, and textures are often highlighted in ways that you would not expect, and difficult and fussy colour elements can be successfully tamed!

 

Take some of your fantastic portfolio Gul, and convert them to greyscale, adjust the contrast and light "levels", to correct for the colour image, and ask yourself what the image says to you? - you may be surprised.

 

I shoot only in film, and prefer the special qualities of true B&W film, rather than converting a colour image. When I went to Rome, I made what you may think an extrordinary descision to only take B&W film with me. I shot largely with a deep Orange filter, which increases the contrast, and in my opinion has offered a stately reverance to these ancient buildings.

 

Fond regards, Nick.

Hi Nicholas, I agree on your comments on B&W. This is so much nicer than the colour shots I took a couple of months ago from pretty much the same angle. & the B&W gives it a timeless classic look, as well as bringing out textures, tones and shapes. I love the simplicity and 'pared back'ness (if that's a word) of B&W. It's an art form in itself. I travelled recently with a digital - as a newbie I felt I wanted the experience of getting instant feedback, and I am really glad I did, because I learnt an enormous amount (from my mistakes). However on returning, my Husbands similar shots, taken on quality B&W film on a Leica seemed to have so much more character and substance (apart from him being more experienced, the medium he was working in just seemed to offer more). I think there is a place for both, and I will continue to work in colour and digital also, however I know what I will be aspiring to take more of. Really enjoy your work.