Casa dei Cavalieri di Rodi (House of the Knights of Rhodes)

South of the Great Hemicycle of Trajan's Markets is this fine 15th-century loggia of the

House of the Knights of Rhodes. It's somewhat Venetian look is due to it having been built by

the Venetian Popo Paul II. I chose not to alter the distorted perspective here, as I think that

doing so would ruin the dramaticism of the shot, but I would be glad to hear your views -

Nick.

Here is a version with altered perspective - it just doesn't work!

 

Nick.

Hi Nick,

 

maybe the perspective doesn't work because you were too close to the subject? Could you see everything in the picture without moving your head or your eyes?

 

Maria

Probably not Maria, as my lens was at 28mm. However, this is the best shot of the building that I could find. Unfortunately 2500 years of building work in the area has made things quite cluttered (and interesting), so it is difficult to isolate the various elements.

 

Here is a photograph of the Loggia as it sits above the Forum of Augustus, upon the remains of which it has been built, and next to Trajan's Markets, from where I took the photograph (the red X).

 

Fond regards, Nick.

Here is a shot from ground level, which gives an idea as to the difficulties with which I was faced.

 

Incidentally, the people at the top left of the frame, are standing at the possition from which the original photograph was taken.

 

Nick.

Hello Nick, I know that you have fully explored the perspective issue with Maria, but my view is that there is no need to correct it. Wide-angle distortion appears more significant looking up and a lot less significant looking down, as in this case.

 

It's an interesting building and your shot has lots of very good detail and powerful contrast. I like it. If I were to make any change, it would be to clone out what appears to be a stack of metal chairs in one of the arches. Other than that, what you have produced here is a timeless classic.

 

Best wishes. Pete

Thanks Pete, I tend to agree with you about the perspective, and you are quite right about the chairs, but I wanted to post an "unmanipulated" image.

 

Regards, Nick.

Nick, have a look at the rules for unmanipulated. You would be surprised at what it encompasses.

I take this is a day off for you.

 

Regards. P

I'm a bit puzzled about what you think is wrong with the original - it looks fine to me but then I have not seen the original building. As to the question of how wide an angle is permissible doesn't it depend on how we perceive things at any one moment? - from detail vision of a few degrees to close to 180 degrees with peripheral vision. But I won't go an further on that. I once made a remark about sight to a guy who turned out to be an anatomy professor and tripped off a full explanation of human vision with diagrams on the back of an envelope!

 

I also don't mind the chairs. And a good shot with a strong feeling of reality and good tonal qualities.

Thanks Colin, you are quite right, and I now reasise that I have been concerned about nothing!

 

Thanks for the positive feedback!

 

Cry havoc, and let slip the wide angled lens!

i dont see why so many people disagreed with the angle in this picture. i think it is one that i may not have seen myself but i like it a lot. it works for me. great shot!

Thanks Jessica, I really appreciate the encouragement! Sometimes one just needs to hear from other people, that a thing works. I'm lucky to be able to hear it from so many tallented photographers. Long live photo.net!

 

Fond regards, Nick.

Hi Nick, I like the angle. nothing disturbes me....,

The angle accentuate the character and details of the Historic constarction. Very nicely done. Pnina

Thanks Pnina, I think that you are quite right!

 

Nick.

Hello Nick,

I've back to look at this photo several times now. I'd like to visit the real building. Do you sell your photos to tourist guides? :-)

 

In the meantime a nice discussion has developped which I have enjoyed following. So I throw in my own bit here.

 

I like the perspective you took and the wide angle lens doe not bother me. The unavoidable "clutter" at the edges took a little getting used to though.

 

This photo has a lot of detail. I appreciate the large size you uploaded for us, which really does the photo more justice. I like the dark tones and moodyness, but it does hide some of the details of your photo. A lighter develop (or a tweak on the gamma of my monitor to 1.6 or so from the standard 2.2) shows a lot more detail. What where you after, the moody or the detail or a balance of these? (Sorry if this question is naive....)

Thank you Maurik.

 

I was going for detail, if I am honest, but a comprimise with mood pleases me just fine. I am touched at the responce that I have had for this photograph, which as you can read above, I always felt problamatic!

 

I am flattered that you ask if I sell my photographs to guide books. The answer is no, partly because I would have no idea how to, but mainly because I am far to insecure about my tallent (despite the encouragement here), to think that anyone would ever want to buy them! - its probably an English thing!

 

Kind regards, Nick.

Well done, Nick. :)