Relics, a photo from Bumthang, Central

Photographer's Note

I will take a short break from my new photos from Stockholm.

For many years some of my earliest scanned photos on the site have embarrassed me, among them some taken in Bhutan. My visit to the small Kingdom in the Himalayas was my last journey with an analogue camera, and my photos from Bhutan were among the first scans I posted here.

It took me a while to reasonably learn how to handle the scanning process. Some photos turned out well, others looked disastrous. Unfortunately some of the disasters ended up on TE.

I have posted new versions of a few such bad scans earlier, now I selected the three worst failures from Bhutan and made new scans. Here is the first one.

You can see the original version by clicking in the box to the right. I sincerely hope you will find the new version better.

Here is the original note from November 2007:

A line of chortens along the road through Choskhor valley in Bumthang district. A chorten is a shrine containing a religious relic such as a sacred book or a fragment of a holy person. There are lots of them in Bhutan, where religion is always present.

jean113, aliabazari, ChrisJ, pierrefonds, ikeharel, ktanska, PaulVDV, COSTANTINO, jemaflor, mcmtanyel, adramad, ricardomattos has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

pajaran (116915) 2022-05-11 0:35

Pozdrav.

Lep pogled i trenutak, interesantan i dobar teskt ...
Lepa verska obelezja i priroda, dobro pokazano sa lepim bojama, kontrastom, perspektivom i uhvacenim trenutkom sa oblacima koji dolaze.
Dobar rad, lepa fotografija.
Lepo secanje.

Zelim vam lep i uspesan dan, sve najbolje.
Paja

jean113 (28221) 2022-05-11 0:54

Hello Gert, what an improvement we see comparing the two shots, the colours and sharpness are so much better here.
The composition is excellent with the chortens lined up along the roadside.
The mountains are a lovely backdrop.
Interesting notes.
Kind regards, Jean.

Fis2 (171789) 2022-05-11 0:55

Witaj Gert my neighbour today :)!
A very curious photo from Your archive.
Interesting place, view makes impression.
Good framing, perspective and colors.
I like it.
Well done.
Good morning.
Krzysztof

[workshop] [compare]

aliabazari (23115) 2022-05-11 1:23

Hello Gert
Beautiful view of this shrine with a combination of mountain background. Good sharpness and excellent exposure. Good text. Beautiful shot. I saw the previous scan and this one is better. Thanks for sharing

jmdias (116307) 2022-05-11 2:26

gert

yes, the modern version is perfect. You could say it was took yesterday with your digital camera.
amazing the row of structures, the apparent stones and the textures created by them are a fabulous detail.

take care

jorge

ChrisJ (172372) 2022-05-11 3:50

Hej Gert

An excellent scan this time with good repetition of the stone chortens, which resemble Thai stupas. Punchy light contrasts and well framed with nice perspective. Tfs!

pierrefonds (115408) 2022-05-11 5:01

Hi Gert,

The diagonal line of the road is giving depth to the composition. The point of view is showing the details pf chortens. The light is enhancing the colors. An improved scan of the Kodachrome slide. Have a nice day.

Pierre

Silvio1953 (222747) 2022-05-11 5:19

Ciao Gert, great perspective on fascinating ,omu,emt, fine details, good clarity, wonderful colors, splendid light and excellent exposure, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

ikeharel (114435) 2022-05-11 7:32

Hello Gert,
I am sure this place was interesting to learn about and charming location to visit.
The same-pattern white stones monuments made this attractive spot, with contrast to the green hills beyond.
My best regards from sunny Florida,
Ike

lousat (139906) 2022-05-11 9:35

Hi Gert,making a mistake you learn, actually scans are a very complex job, I had bought an expensive scanner for negatives, and at the 5 photos I stopped and sold it .. heh ... this one turned out well even if the colors are typical of the film and not very real, nice memory of your last analog journey. Have a nice evening and thanks,Luciano

Tue (93296) 2022-05-11 10:48

Hej Gert,
S� flyver vi pludselig til en hel anden del i verden sammen med dig igen! Man vil n誑ten ikke tro at dette her ikke var et digitalt billede, kvaliteten er meget h. Det er et smukt bjerglandskab p� en smuk dag. De sm� hvide t蚌ne st蚌 meget godt frem fra den grne baggrund.
Lars

ktanska (45018) 2022-05-11 11:41

Hej Gert,
What a difference between earlier scan and fresh one! I like the shape of those chortens, a totally new word for me. To me those forest covered mountain slopes look quite a bit like Switzerland.
Kari

PaulVDV (63432) 2022-05-11 12:07

Hello Gert,
This new version of your old photo is actually an ode to the skills you've acquired while scanning.
I've never scanned an old photo and had no idea it was so difficult. If it were easy, you would of course not have shown the less successful photos at the time.
Actually this picture is an acknowledgment of lifelong learning :)
When I saw the photo I first thought of Ladakh but realized that this was not possible because of the green landscape here. So maybe Nepal? But Bhutan is of course also possible. I've never been there but this photo looks very inviting.
The chortens form a very nice view, but the green mountains make for the best background.
Best regards, Paul

COSTANTINO (117652) 2022-05-11 21:58

Hello my dearest Gert and have a nice evening too
I am always interested in your photos
from Stockholm but I love the other
photos from different countries too...
I red that that for many years
some of your earliest scanned photos
have embarrassed you and some taken
from bhutan...thanks for your description,
your memories,your presentation
thanks for all
regards
Costantino

jemaflor (148094) 2022-05-11 23:26

Hi Gert,
Good quality for your old photos well scanned. Original country and view, interesting well presented with depth effect, nice light, tfs.

mcmtanyel (69063) 2022-05-13 20:13

Hello Gert,
Oh, yes, I can see the difference - much improvement. The new scan looks like an original digital.
Regards,
MT

kasianowak (17676) 2022-05-17 8:19

Hi Gert
It's a delightful photo that brings back so many of my memories from Bhutan. The white stupas create a diagonal line and a sense of perspective thus pointing at the mountain peaks in the distance. I also like the house with the stone-covered roof. I remember those very well.
Glad to see you are scanning these photos again. They deserve it!
Best wishes
Kasia
PS. Indeed, I've not been having the time of my life recently. Now I'm being told things are likely to get even worse. But I am going to wait for the test results before I start worrying.

adramad (73376) 2022-05-17 10:17

Hi Gert.
I don't know how the previous scan versions would be, but this one has excellent quality, we can see the wonderful mountain landscape well and these chortens that stand out with their white color from the great greenery of the landscape, from a country unknown to me, I always like to see images .
Excellent POV, with very good lighting, color and sharpness.
Very good work. I like it
Have a nice day.
Very best regards.
Luis.

ricardomattos (17560) 2022-05-17 18:20

Hi Gert

Belissima foto destas reliquias em uma bem feita composi鈬o em diagonal. Belas cores e contrastes assim como estas montanhas verdes ao redor.

Parab駭s

Ricardo

GyurMaster (24996) 2022-05-31 21:00

Dear Gert!

How, I have missed, this photo? Honestly, this is very appealing with the endless space and the white chortens, all together in an excellent composition.

Best Wishes,
PS: I visited the Nyolcker, because it lies between Keleti Railway Station and the place of the conference I was heading to. I had an hour, so I decided to take a walk. Lucky enough, it was clearance day. :)