Hilltop Monasteries

[Paul_O]

This is one of my favourite photos taken at Meteora, Greece last year. It is one many monasteries built on hilltops that the monks had to access by climbing ropes.

Just wanted to see what you all think?

http://www.bytephoto.com/photopost/data/500/3020Meteora-med.jpg?9730

[GPR1]

It's a beautiful shot, but I wouldn't know it's a hilltop monestary without your title, because it's at the bottom of the frame. That doesn't make it a bad image, but it doesn't tell the "hilltop" story.

Greg

[lucasdigital]

It's a beautiful shot, but I wouldn't know it's a hilltop monestary without your title, because it's at the bottom of the frame. That doesn't make it a bad image, but it doesn't tell the "hilltop" story.

Greg

Its a great image. I think the title is fine, course I've had specialist training in distinguishing rocks from hills, coming from Sheffield (UK) which has loads of hills, though not too many with rock formations on them.

You could always call it "Rock Monastary".

Any more shots from Greece worth posting, it looks a lot more mountainous than I envisaged.

[Paul_O]

Thanks for the replies, Lucas, here's a couple more from the same Meteora/Vikos region.

http://www.bytephoto.com/photopost/data/500/3020Meteora5_Large_-med.jpg?744

http://www.bytephoto.com/photopost/data/500/3020Meteora1A_Large_-med.jpg?3211

They're not my favourites but I hope you enjoy them

Paul

[Malok]

I actually like your third shot best. it makes much better use of the frame. If you had taken this just after sunrise or as the sun was setting, the lighting would have been much more dramatic. Also some shots from below looking up that give more of a sense of height would have helped. It is an amazing place though. I used to live north of there across the border. I need to get back and do some photography.

[karusel]

The shots are good, as in - 'good enough for a large print or a postcard', but it they don't look very clear, I assume because of the air humidity perhaps some polarizer might help? Or, adjusting levels in PS. At what focal length was this shot?

Had to access them with ropes? If that means there is no other way up there, how did they build the monasteries? :shock:

[Paul_O]

Thanks for the replies, I've lost my original exif data but am pretty sure that the focal length was around 50mm. The air was very hazy at the time and I would've loved to get late afternoon or early morning shots but unfortunately we had to be on a ferry out of Igoumenitsa approx 3 hours later so they had to be taken in the middle of the day.

The monasteries are unique in that all the construction materials had to be brought up on ropes! I think they may have made a small crane or something but that is one of the attractions of them, how difficult they were to build (in the 14th century).

thanks for the comments

Paul