Towermania, a photo from Siena, Tuscany

Photographer's Note

San Gimignano from just outside the town, after sunrise, 75mm. focal length. This is a well known viewpoint, though I have not seen any other photos on this site from this angle.

It was tempting to title it "Medieval Towers", but almost half of San Gimignano photos have that title.

From Wikipedia:
In Italian medieval walled towns, rich families competed in the erection of high towers, that served as lodgings, fortresses and prestige symbols. While in other cities like Bologna or Florence, most or all of the towers have been brought down due to wars, catastrophes or urban renewal, San Gimignano managed to conserve 13 towers of varying height which are its international symbol.

stego, deblink, marjan, sabyasachi1212, peter1892, John_F_Kennedy, ktanska, asajernigan, ChrisJ, Cormac, kevinos, Tue, pboehringer, balatrek, salvator, ahmetgedikli, pasternak, Angelillo, john_c, sleon, Didi, Philippe, VeeJayCee, tigra, sanalytis, Paolo, axiotea, alvaraalto, tibervince, linask, ruisc_pt, batalay ha contrassegnato questa nota come utile

Critiques | Translate

Leonie (8809) 2007-01-21 22:04

Hey Tan,
First comment wow...I guess it's because I am in the States just now and closer in the time zone!! :) Great shot of San Giminiano...a gorgeous place!
Cheers, Leonie

deblink (2548) 2007-01-21 22:21

Hi Tan,
The quality of this image is superb and the colours and lighting fantastic. The little bit of cloud in the sky adds a lot of appeal to the photo. Very nice indeed.
Cheers,
Debbie

RGatward (20108) 2007-01-21 23:16

Hi Tam, long time since I caught one of your's here. Quite a lot of posters now. Beautiful light you've found for this, Mr landscape master.

SteveH (8220) 2007-01-21 23:35

Hi Tan, Good POV of this scenic town. I like the sky colour you have achieved with the pol filter too. cheers, Steve

AROBN54 (11475) 2007-01-22 0:10

Oh, my. This one leaves me speechless. To avoid it being just a comment - your light and colors are just breathtaking. GREAT detail, POV, balance. Oh, my word. This is just an AWESOME shot! TFS, Shelly

marjan (7) 2007-01-22 1:09

hi Tan, nice and cleare shot. Good POV and info .
Marjan

sabyasachi1212 (19779) 2007-01-22 1:53

Hi Tan,
Excellent perspective shot of these strange looking highrises bathing in wonderful warm light. Superb work.
With Greetings from India
Sabyasachi

jjcordier (79299) 2007-01-22 2:16

Superbe titre et non moins magnifique photo avec une lumière extra et de superbes tons chauds pour les bâtiments.
Amicalement
JJ

Traczewska (14) 2007-01-22 2:18

The town of one hundred towers.. I had a pleasure to visit that place once, climbing curling road was very sick but when I finnaly saw San Giminiano, I recovered immediately :-)
Beautiful shot, nice choice of the time of a day with warm colours. Nice to be back ..
With regards, Agnieszka

vincz (19113) 2007-01-22 3:29

Magnificent shot. The light you catched here is fantastic, all the buildings became goldened, this is awesome. The sky is great as well with beautiful colour and texture. Congratulations!

peter1892 (1681) 2007-01-22 3:45

Hi Tan - really great, the viewpoint is perfect, the long focal length pulls everything close together. Good timing as the early morning light bathes the city in colour & the sky forms a great backdrop.

Angshu (56760) 2007-01-22 4:09

Hi Tan
So you've been travelling again! I really envy you..From the thumbnail, this appeared like skyscapers..Quality is excellent as always, with the sidelight on the towers especially interesting. Lovely!
Regards
Angshu

ribeiroantonio (22730) 2007-01-22 4:19

As usual, your picture is very good with a great POV and very sharp. However, I have a question. Did you try to apply “auto levels” in photoshop? I did it and the warm colours on the buildings were maintained but the general picture became brighter and with a very nice blue sky. It may not be what you had in mind but it looks good too.
Antonio

John_F_Kennedy (43797) 2007-01-22 4:37

Your photo says much on the age of the town. It shows the rusticity of the places.
Achim

ktanska (44414) 2007-01-22 5:09

Hi Tan,
It's funny how some places become familiar here in TE, even though I have never been there. The towers rise like skyscrapers in bigger cities. Beautiful view on excellent light.
Kari

delkoo (68) 2007-01-22 5:13

hi tan
great quality of light, Magnificent colours, all that towers Revitalize the composition, very good result
regards
didier

pastadog (13111) 2007-01-22 5:18

Hi Tan, I believe I remember this viewpoint, but the highlight is the amazing light you've captured, beautifully painting the towers and the houses; also you captured a very nice diagonal cloud. TFS! Daniel

Gerrit (62042) 2007-01-22 5:18

Hi Tan,
Such a wonderful place, but very crowdy in summer.
You made a perfect overview in great light conditions.
Regards, Gerrit

vedra (0) 2007-01-22 5:35

Hi Tan,
Lovely panorama of the town placed on the beautiful blue sky background.
Well captured low sunlight makes these towers simply glow, and gives the town buildings such a warm look.
Vedrana

sc07 (1292) 2007-01-22 6:55

Hi Tan!
Georgeous medeieval town, stunning picture! The light is wonderful, and you used it very well to create one of the best shot of San Gimignano I've ever seen! Fantastic colors!
Seb

asajernigan (21427) 2007-01-22 7:14

Tan,
Wow! Outstanding photo with great clarity and sharpness. The lighting is outstanding adding great color to the towers and buildings. You have captured a wonderful sky here as well.
TFS,
Asa

kevinos (7517) 2007-01-22 10:29

You are the master of landscape and cityscape,Tan. Your perfect captures every time must be the result of careful planning. I see that ypu were up just after dawn. This is abother stunning document and beautiful image. regards Kevin

Cormac (26565) 2007-01-22 10:31

Great shot! The progression of buildings, from the small houses to the grand towers works well, and I like the repeated form of the towers. Nice lighting too, from the side, but not so strong that the shadows are too dark to show details. Beautiful!

Budapestman (82620) 2007-01-22 11:01

Dear Tan!
Splendid shot! This is a beautiful historical place! Its an impressive POV and fascinating mood. Superb shot, again!
Thank you, nice days
George

Tue (91440) 2007-01-22 11:06

Hej Tan,
Beautiful view of this town! I like all the stone houses and towers very much. You captured it with an attractive lighting and with a nice blue sky in the background. Well done and thanks for sharing!
Hilsen,
Lars

carper (96) 2007-01-22 12:57

a very nice place Tan,
I have never seen before a place with such a lot of toweres, good point of view, fine quality, very good job here,
gr. jaap

pboehringer (770) 2007-01-22 13:54

Hi Tan, that is definitively a classic POV and masterfully achieved with a wonderful light and sky conditions. Half of the success of a shot is waiting for the right moment of light and you nailed it here.
I was there too and was asking myself what was the urge for all these families to have there own tower. Crazy! A little bit less politically correct title would be "Phallomania".
Regards, Peter

tcht (7565) 2007-01-22 14:10

Hi Tan
Very good lighting here. The framing is good and illustrates your point well. And I also like that little cloud cutting diagonally across the sky. Lovely documentary!
Regards
CheukHin

rhizomes (15343) 2007-01-22 14:18

Hi Tan,
Impressive view of Toscany, with usual beautiful lights ! Nice point of view to present the entire beauty !
Christophe

gilou530 (34) 2007-01-22 17:07

salut tan
superbe ces tours féodales, bien éclairées par cette lumiére magique, bravo
amitiés
gilbert

bazal (7900) 2007-01-22 17:13

Hi Tan.
This one reminds me so much of these incredibly beautiful medieval towns of Tuscany. In fact, and unfortunately, I passed in front of them a pair of times while going to other places in Italy and never had time enough to visit them a bit. That's a pity!
The light you were able to capture here was great and it puts some golden colors on the old stone walls and red tile roofs.
That's just beautiful, what could I add?
Thanks for sharing.

balatrek (7455) 2007-01-22 17:29

Hi Tan,

Excellent perspective and perfect composition, I like as the towers try to touch the sky, the clearness of the scene is very good, you have created a photography very balanced and with many interesting elements. Good work!

Regards
José

stego (24132) 2007-01-22 18:28

Hi Tan,
Fabulous pov, wonderful light and colors.
Not that I find it important or annoying, but I notice a strange perspective efect that I don't understand: all the vertical lines seem straight except the centre of the the tower on the middle, which is inclined to the left. It's even stranger when I would expect to be the more straight one, for being on the center of the image. I guess that side of the tower is wider below than it is on top.
TFS, Regards, José.

Robpulp (917) 2007-01-22 18:29

great shot Tan! the colours and clarity are really great. Such a clear and crisp photograph. Good job!

Rob

ahmetgedikli (25609) 2007-01-22 18:34

Şu yabancılarında mimarileri çok orijinal... Güneşin ilk ışıkları altında harikulade bir eser yakalamışsın yine. Selamlar, saygılar. Ahmet

anesugur (18789) 2007-01-22 19:04

Merhaba Tan,
Manzaranın güzelliğine diyecek yok.
Işık ve netlik ise mükemmel.
Eline sağlık. Uğur

pasternak (15185) 2007-01-22 19:47

Exciting, Tan; one of the best images of San Gimignano I saw in my life, and I saw a lot... I see this one as a big poster on a travel agency wall, it would be a success! Light and overall quality is fantastic...

Cheers
Alexander

Angelillo (9374) 2007-01-22 21:30

Hi tan,

A surprising light and compo of this famous italian village. I like too the titre, but mainly the light over the houses and the tours, a big contrast, almost a 3D image. Perfect, one of my favs. Thanks,

Angel.

TravelerNL (3011) 2007-01-22 21:34

Hello Tan,
Nice POV, love the old buildings. They really stand out well with the warm evening light. Excellent photo all together. Well done!
Harko

john_c (24666) 2007-01-22 22:30

Hi Tan,
A crisp clear shot with your 70-300. I like the gold tones of the stonework and the way the grees interlace in the foreground, providing some life to an otherwise rather sterile looking environment. The clothes hanging on the line to the right provide a note of humour, as one wonders what the ancient lord who built these towers - or lords - would think of such impudence. Well seen and captured, Tan. Have a good week.
John

ChrisJ (171146) 2007-01-23 4:38

Hi Tan

Fantastic repetition of the vertical elements contributed by the forest of towers. Well titled, with excellent colour, sharpness & pov. Tfs!

salvator (19110) 2007-01-23 4:42

Merhaba Tan,
Renkleriyle, bakis acisiyla, kompozisyonuyla, isigiyla, super bir kare. Eline saglik. Selamlar. Salvator.

sleon (9402) 2007-01-23 5:40

Hi Tan
Definitely worth getting up early to benefit from this fabulous morning light on the towers, which really glow against the polarised sky. And I can't even see any satellite dishes - unusually and pleasantly absent from this beautiful medieval scene.
Susanna

sergio1 (12152) 2007-01-23 5:41

Hi Tan

Lovely compo to Tower and magnific sky. I like the expossure and textures too.

Your gallery is beauty.

Sergio

Didi (61589) 2007-01-23 13:41

Salam Tan
J'apprécie beaucoup cette lumière semi-latérale qui donne un joli relief à ces tours.
L'arrière-plan dramatique met bien en évidence cette composition.

Salam Tan
I appreciate much this half-side light which gives a pretty relief to these towers. The dramatic background highlights this composition well.

Philippe (11836) 2007-01-23 16:02

Hi, Tan. I think you chose the best moment to shoot here. The light on the towers and the houses is wonderful. Your viewpoint is very good: some trees in the foreground to provide contrast and a vantage point to see the towers rising above the town standing out against the beautiful blue sky.

berek (50518) 2007-01-24 1:39

Merhaba Tan,
muhteşem bir görüntü ve bakış açısı. çok net ve temiz bir kadraj ellerien sağlık. selamlar
Burak
****

VeeJayCee (2410) 2007-01-24 10:03

An interesting view and also very well composed. You have caught the warm low-angled light perfectly and the perspective against the blue sky is excellent

cherryripe (21033) 2007-01-24 10:08

Hi Tan
Looking at this, I see that autumn light is better than high-summer light here (which is how I saw it). The details of the buildings are excellent and I like the warm brick tones. Nice mix of vegetation and varied sky which contrast well.
Regards
Nikki

Ann75 (0) 2007-01-24 22:37

Hi Tan,

What an amazing shot with these beautiful towers and the village below basking in the sun. I love the lighting and the details! Great composition with beautiful colours and excellent quality!

Greetings,
Ann

tigra (2968) 2007-01-24 22:58

Hello Tan
Nice view on the town, well done!
The medieval walls look astonishing!
Katia

Stepan (27210) 2007-01-25 1:50

Pertinent and funny title for that good city shot. This light is perfect to appreciate the beauty of the place. Well seen and captured.
Stéphane

rbcy1974 (20758) 2007-01-25 7:55

HellO Tan
Very nice view of this town's skyline. The sharpness of the photo is excelent,
really well done
Regards
Daniel

sanalytis (1634) 2007-01-25 10:07

Hi Tan,

This is one of the best photos I've seem of San Gimignano. The composition is outstanding. You really captured an excellent photograph. Congratulations.

Spiros

Paolo (41258) 2007-01-25 11:26

Hi Tan, i well know this wonderful small city, the grandma of Manhattan!
excellent capture of all that old towers, with excellent colours, light and quality.

That towers were typicall of all the north and central italian cities from the X century, in Milan there were more than 150 towers, someone higher than 100 meters! unfortunally its were all destroyed in all the cities during the past centuries.
San Gimignano it's the only one where we can see what was an Italian medieval city!

ciao

leonorkuhn (16237) 2007-01-26 15:31

Hi Tan,

The towers are neighbour, it's a ununsual architecture. I like the golden light of morning. Very good POV too.
Greetings,
Leonor

axiotea (21651) 2007-01-27 4:11

Hello Tan,
Your title is fitting well to the compo with the towers and old houses illuminated by the warm light. Great colors, sharpness and framing.
Cheers,
Marilyn

alvaraalto (42804) 2007-01-28 17:18

Hi Tan,
Tuscany is my favourite region in Italy. Florence and Sienna are so beautiful. Like many painters I hope once to paint one summer here.
These houses and the way they are built together is so typical and beautiful.
Groet Rob

tibervince (781) 2007-01-31 21:26

Hello Tan,
What a beautiful village... You have found a perfect point of view to take this picture... the light is exquisite and the blue sky is amazing... bravo!
Vincent

ruisc_pt (11584) 2007-04-09 8:13

Well observed Tan, both "literally" or "pictorialy"
Goos used of the C Polarizer..and beatifull lite
TFS

batalay (41261) 2007-04-13 14:18

Merhaba Tan,

Toscano'de 8-10 defa bulundum, San Gimianoyi ziyaret etmek imkan olmamisti. Sizin bu muhtesem fotorafinizi gördükten sonra, Livorono'ya bu yaz ugradigimizda San Giminiano listemin basinda olucak. Herhalde 12-14. cü asir aralarinda buralari ihya olmustur. Notunuz bol malumatli -- resimde muhtesem;

Güzel bir hafta sonu dilerim. San Franciscon'un hangi tarafindasin. Eskiden Berkeley'd post-doc yapmistim. Oralar bayiliriz.

Bülent

donluicu (24741) 2007-05-01 10:43

ah San Gimignano...
i was in Tuscany last week, but i choose to go to Montecatini before going back to Livorno..

It looks like a very nice village, in the style of Sienna..

nice pic

bye

Signal-Womb (13048) 2008-02-12 11:34

This scene brings back good memories Tan, I was here in 2003 when I toured the seven cities of Italy. You captured this very well. Love the warm tones in the walls and how you managed the exposure. Good sky details to complete the overall look. Regards Steve..

rockofages (0) 2008-08-17 6:27

muhteşem bir kare bu. renkler tek kelimeyle harika. sabahın köründe kalkmana kesinlikle değmiş. ellerine sağlık.

mineelci (1535) 2008-08-25 22:38

çok güzel bir yer,burayı da listeye aldım:) çok güzel renkler ve kadraj. ellerine sağlık.

korbee (6619) 2010-08-24 11:51

Dear Tan,this is exactly what I like so much about Italy,the old architecture and atmosphere still intact,youve got some lovely light here.

jan