Photographer's Note
At 5:45 am, more or less, it was a bit cold and very humid. 15 minutes before opening the gates of Machu Picchu, and a group of 20 people already waited pateintly with me outside the closed gates: Americans, French, Irish (warm and friendly, Kev!), Spanish...Deligates from all over the world climbed that early hour the 3000 steps from the Rio Urubamba to the 2400 meter high city gates in pitch black of with little dropletes of water dripping from recently showered tropic tree tops.
The Objective was clear: most visitors come between 8 am and 12 pm, thus, coming first would entitle you with 2 precious hours of an almost deserted Machu Picchu.
Finally, when some little light of early sun tried without any success to penetrate the low clouds, a blueish color covered all of us and added to the already mysterious and exciting feeling of being in proximity to one of the grand mysteris in Human History. This picture was taken toward east, 90 degrees to the ruins that laid under complete darkness.
I have included another shot taken while en route to the gates, and added here a quatation from Hiram Bingham memories about his climb to the ruins:
"For an hour and twenty minutes we had a hard climb. A good part of the distance we went on all fours, sometimes hanging on by the tips of our fingers. Here and there, a primitive ladder made from the roughly hewn trunk of a small tree was placed in such a way as to help one over what might otherwise have proved to be an impassable cliff...The humidity was great, the heat was excessive, and we were not in training" INCA LAND, Explorations in the Highlands of Peru
PP: Crop, USM, Auto-color adjustment
hepcat, djslim, Clairedelune, KevRyan, capthaddock, synaps, bartove, rajhema, Herquin έχουν(ει) επιλέξει αυτή τη σημείωση ως χρήσιμη
Critiques | Translate
femkevdh
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 827 W: 0 N: 417]](http://i1.trekearth.com/misc/g-n-g.gif){kind=small}
(2633) 2005-11-25 14:39
it's beautiful! You can tell it's early and cold, but the color is amazing. Looks a bit like a scenery from Lord of the Rings!!
well done!
bantonbuju
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3364 W: 166 N: 7137]](http://i1.trekearth.com/misc/g-g-g.gif){kind=small}
(51815) 2005-11-25 14:54
hi chen, actually i am not sure if this is is "a photography", for me it is more like an illustration to stephen king's novel about ... whatever;
very impressive, maybe not to everybody's liking but for me it works very very well;
have a nice weekend;
j.
djslim
![Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 123 W: 25 N: 116]](http://i1.trekearth.com/misc/g-s-g.gif){kind=small}
(570) 2005-11-25 14:57
The colour is what really atracted me to this shot. The mountains look like something out of a movie. Very nicely composed. I wonder what the exposure was?
Clairedelune
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor [C: 1022 W: 201 N: 1021]](http://i1.trekearth.com/misc/g-g-n.gif){kind=small}
(4923) 2005-11-25 23:31
Hi Chen,
You decided to put a picture of Machu Picchu with the foggy conditions! Not only fog, but kind of dark too! It was that blue? This is kind of weird! Like others said, it is almost frightening! And finally, after that long climb, did you see the Machu Picchu in all its grandness? I like the dark silhouette of the mountains and the play between the trees and the fog on the right part of the picture. I'm happy that you post finally!
Claire
KevRyan
(22956) 2005-11-26 5:23
This is stunning and I can really feel that sense of mystery and awe in expectation of which your note tells us - it's a great note! The limited colour range against these stark silhouettes , the interpenetration of the cloud with the landscape is just beautiful!!
Really nice shot and somehow knowing where it is really adds to the mystery for someone who has never been there.
TFS
best wishes Kev
capthaddock
(28790) 2005-11-26 13:58
Hi Chen - a bit dark, but that gives it a special atmosphere, I really like the swirling mist.
starbug
(6924) 2005-12-02 5:31
hi Chen, with a story like that, you're almost making me decide for Peru next year:-)
For years the history of the old civilizations in Central and South America were - to me- full of mystery and unexlplained facts, and seeing this picture I once again think of it like that...you make me wonder what's behind, make me anxious and a little afraid of the mysterious view that's about to come out- I love this shot, thanks for sharing:-)
greetings
A.
Luan
(12971) 2005-12-02 6:30
Hello Chen,
may be it is a bit abstract, but I found you have nicely translate the mystic atmospher of the place. However it is working for me, a great composition.
Cheers
Luan
arindam_thokder
(3987) 2005-12-02 9:09
Hello Chen,
This is like a painting, I like the blue color here, very unusual but very attractive. The dark Black tones are excellent.
Arindam
dHitman
![Gold Star Critiquer [C: 293 W: 0 N: 0]](http://i1.trekearth.com/misc/g-n-n.gif){kind=small}
(0) 2006-02-23 9:23
Hi Chen,
Lovely surreal picture. Love the colors and mood. Thanks for sharing!
Regards, Jino
synaps
![Silver Star Critiquer [C: 13 W: 0 N: 8]](http://i1.trekearth.com/misc/s-n-n.gif){kind=small}
(571) 2006-03-23 7:13
this shot is one of my favorites in your gallery. excellent photo with deep-emotional attractivity and skillful technique! thanks for sharing and congs.
erkan
rajhema
![Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor [C: 633 W: 39 N: 289]](http://i1.trekearth.com/misc/g-s-n.gif){kind=small}
(1873) 2006-07-21 12:16
WOnderful narration and a marvelous place to be Chen. Thanks for sharing. Picture has a dramatic blue in the sky and I like the fog as well.
TFS
Rajesh
irishkiwi
![Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 51 W: 0 N: 20]](http://i1.trekearth.com/misc/g-n-s.gif){kind=small}
(90) 2007-07-19 20:59
What a dramatic unusual shot of a popular place. It's stunning and surreal. Great colour and capture. Thank you for sharing the story of how you got the picture. Well worth it.
Photo Information
-
Copyright: Chen Guttman (pilpel-adom)
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 713 W: 166 N: 546]](//i1.trekearth.com/misc/g-g-g.gif)
(3018) - Genre: Τοποθεσίες
- Medium: Έγχρωμο
- Date Taken: 2005-07-00
- Categories: Φύση
- Camera: Canon EOS 33, Canon EF 28-105mm f: 3.5 / 4.5 USM II, Kodak Gold 200, Hoya 58mm UV
- Details: Tripod: Yes
- Έκδοση φωτογραφίας: Πρωτότυπη έκδοση, Workshop
- Θέμα(τα): YOUR FAVORITES [view contributor(s)]
- Date Submitted: 2005-11-25 14:20
- Αγαπημένα: 4 [view]
Discussions
- To djslim: Thats the thing - I forgot! (1)
by pilpel-adom, last updated 2005-11-25 03:01 - To bantonbuju: LOL! (1)
by pilpel-adom, last updated 2005-11-25 03:05 - To starbug: Yes, go to Peru! (1)
by pilpel-adom, last updated 2005-12-02 08:56
