Night at Badshahi Mosque, Lahore (desaturated)

Thanks for critiques and rating. Karl

It's a classic shot portraying absolute symmetrical architecture in vertical axis-

a favorite Islamic architectural concept in building mosques and holy places employing identical elements in both sides of the axis to invoke divine tranquility in the viewers and visitors who seek a place where they can sooth their internal injuries inflicted by the separation from Him. Karl has chosen the exact front view which highlights this symmetry to transfer to the viewers the same stability and phlegm.

 

The mosque shot from this view seems as if painted on the extent of the dark gray sky in the background which is equally inanimate and stable with no noticeable texture to engage the eyes, thus transferring all the visual importance to the structure, specially so since the sky is in strong contrast with the soft shadeless light shed on the 'Gonbads' revealing the roundness of the routenda- shaped designs (volume perspective).

 

Karl's skillful metering has led to the capturing of the graceful excess of the main horizontal lines stretched and strengthened by the horizons lines and the

one on which the mosque is built and which cuts through the bottom 1/3 of the frame. No excessive light to reduce the soft divinity of the place and not to dark to lose such important details in the structure.

 

His immaculate metering has also led to great contrast between the abysmal dominant low value brown hue and the hope and spiritual revelation in taking refuge in the shelter of light as if the massage is ' come and get blessed'. what a stroke of genius to include those moving figures blurred when Karl uses slow shutter speed to compensate for the low environmental light. The elicited invocation is clear. The blur tell us the figures are scuttling toward the place offering what they seek to dress their wounds.

 

Some elements diminutive physically but huge in contributing visual importance like that tiny star above the Gonbad above the main entrance add to the divinity of the emotional content of this exceptional shot.

 

The usage of 'L' grade lens here has produced tack sharp image that has pronounced the texture of the surface of the building in such a low light. The 5D's full frame image sensor equipped with big pixel pitch has assisted Karl's quest for a noiseless shot that rectifies the softness and homogeneity of the tonal range which go really easy on the eyes.

 

The verdict is that this shot is an exquisite collection of all the impeccable technical and aesthetic aspects Karl's has so masterly managed to put together in one single shot.

 

NICE FOTO .....

Great.

Beautiful shot, the desaturation has actually made it more beautiful and attractive

karl, i must reckon this is an image of outstanding quality. the light & environment & the moving figures [ blurred by creative use of shutter speed as if hastily adhering 2 the prayer call] evoke a deep feeling of sacred peacefulness. exposure very well controlled & speaks volumes about ur skill with low light photography. best regards!

Dear Arash, Ibrahim, Pawel, Yasir and Umair, thank you all for your praise of skills, creativity and stroke of genius... In fact I wanted to shoot a photo without people in the foreground. By mistake the camera was on self-timer and this is what came out ;-). Karl

Great Mughal's architecture captured in the great mood of the photgrapher.

I love the decent desaturation and the moving figures, cheers Jana

thank you for the comment on my photo 'on thre edge'.Your eye is good...in front of the trees is a big hole from a quarry.

Enchanting mood. An enrichment for all who never had been in this area ...

Beautifuly captured Karl Very symetrical.I like the people in the FG, gives it context. I wonder how does it looks in a day light. Anyway it gives a good idea about the mosque architecture.

Thanks Nadeem, Jana, Fun, Daily, Pnina. The second last submission in my Pakistan Panorama folder is a view of this mosque from another angle in day light. Best regards. Karl

Karl, thanks, I went to look at the mosque in daylight, it looks much more impressive in this photo ;-))

Very nice image, well captured in clasic light of Badshai Mosque,

If you are in Pakistan, you could must repeat it, give a different touch,

I am waiting........ Karl,

Amazing to see what a difference a side crop makes ;-) The panoramic is nice, but would be really perfect without the human figures, panned a bit upwards. This version is completely different, there is a mysterious atmosphere (enhanced by your desat), an enigmatic connection of figures and mosque, and the star.

Dear umair . . . I would again say that the picture has no overall appeal . . .

Whether is is accidental or not, this is a good extrusive time shot.

 

Jim Phelps