The Group Portrait, a photo from Rodopi, Thrace

Photographer's Note

Over the past decades, I've visited Rhodes 4-5 times. The ruins of the ancient city of Lindos and the living museum of the walled city of Rhodes comprise the main attractions of the island. On my visits to the walled city, I've frequently wondered about these stone stairs ascending to a restaurant, but also worried about the lack of any handrailing to protect against a fall to the cobblestoned ground below. But finally, I see how practical they are for posing for a group photo. The six Asian women visiting the island had discovered the convenient geometry of the stairs and a seventh was getting ready to snap a photograph of the other six. I was sitting in an outdoor cafe across the square when I saw the photo opportunity and immediately snapped a few shots with a long lens. A young girl, not with the group, suddenly wandered into the frame, but a little symmetry-breaking is alright.

I will file this photo away into the group theme, Memorable Staircases. I welcome others to submit photos to the theme.

The Island of Rhodes in the Aegean Sea is known for its walled medieval city, the Knights of Rhodes � legendary veterans of the Crusades to the Holy Land � and for its immense statue, the Colossus of Rhodes, between whose legs small ships would sail in entering the city痴 port. Indeed, this was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Occupied through the centuries and the millennia by the Greeks, Romans, the Crusaders, the Ottoman Turks, and finally the Greeks again, it supports a polyglot society. According to Homer, it was in Rhodes that the Greek ships grouped before sailing north to lay the siege on Troy.

Warm regards to my friends on Trekearth.

snunney, holmertz, papagolf21, jhm, cornejo, PiotrF, COSTANTINO, worldcitizen, ChrisJ, Cricri, bukitgolfb301, lucasgalodoido has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

snunney (130967) 2017-07-13 3:30

Hello Bulent,
Very well spotted this photo opportunity and nicely realised. The ladies' colourful outfits sit well against the ancient stones. The little interloper adds another dimension and is not out of place at all.

Tue (92442) 2017-07-13 4:10

Hello Bulent,
This is really well seen, these ladies are sitting so nicely on the ancient stairs. Their brightly coloured clothes stand out wonderfully from the grey background.
Lars

ChrisJ (171878) 2017-07-13 4:36

Hi Bulent

I like the square format and the repetition of the girls with the one in the fg nicely breaking the pattern. Good sharpness and excellent colour and saturation especially with the clothing worn. Tfs!

holmertz (102760) 2017-07-13 5:09

Hello B�lent,
The diagonal was well used by you and the tourists alike. "Stealing" other photographers' photos this way is a nice hobby which I am always attracted by. People often look quite funny when they pose for someone, and if they are not facing me directly they tend to look even funnier. These women also gave you a very colourful photo with the grey steps as a fine background.
Kind regards,
Gert

papagolf21 (152607) 2017-07-13 5:44

Bonjour, cher ami Bulent,
Etre l� au bon moment.
Vous avez su saisir ce moment particulier offrant une image de qualit� (disposition, sujet, etc.).
Tr鑚 bonne luminosit� accompagn馥 de belles couleurs.
Une r騏ssite.
Amiti駸.
Philippe

Sergiom (117241) 2017-07-13 5:44

Bonjour Bulent,

J'aime beaucoup ce moment parfaitement immobilis� avec ces dames au large sourire qui prennent la pose pour la post駻it�. Bonne id馥 que d'utiliser ces marches.

Amicalement

Serge

GyurMaster (24838) 2017-07-13 8:36

Dear B�lent,

Eye-catching, colourful line on the grey stairs. The girls breaks this line very nicely. I really like the result.

Best Wishes,
Gy

jhm (211736) 2017-07-13 8:46

Dear Bulent,

Notwithstanding were very good forces for make a good handrail in iron, but maybe to expensive.
But I think that the girls not have a trouble without handrail.
She enjoy of the attention..
Perspective and depth are excellent made.
This is an extraordinarily picture but wonderful composition.
Sharp and clear presentation.
Very well done, TFS.

Kindest regards,
John.

Silvio1953 (221695) 2017-07-13 9:28

Ciao Bulent, lovely composition with nice group, excellent perspective, splendid light and wonderful colors, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

cornejo (61504) 2017-07-13 10:04

Hello Bulent, very good photo of this interesting scene of daily life with tourists posing for the photo, very well captured in this interesting image, with good sharpness, light, color and quality. A great job perfectly done, my congratulations, my friend. Thank you for sharing this interesting work.

Good afternoon and happy weekend.
All the best from the south of Spain.
Angel.

PiotrF (54758) 2017-07-13 12:34

Hello Bulent,
This is very interesting scene of daily life with tourists.
The ancient ruins in the background are excellent.
Nice colours and good sharpness
Fine presentation
Regards
Piotr

gervaso (28177) 2017-07-13 14:17

Hello, Bulent!

Interesting and beautiful photo, with the colorful clothes of the women making a very nice contrast with the gray tones of the stairs, and the diagonal formed by them also making the image very attractive! Wonderful composition! Very nice job!

lousat (139308) 2017-07-13 15:38

Hi Bulent,i been there 5 years ago me too,and i remember very well this corner of the old city. Japanese are everywhere,not difficult to find a group in this island too..ehhe..nice and original capture,perfect for the staircase theme. Have a nice weekend and thanks,Luciano

COSTANTINO (116560) 2017-07-14 11:18

Hello dear Bulent and have a nice time
and a happy new day
you are a very ucky traveler have
visiting Rhodes 5 times
clever photo taken the right timing
and you ve frequently wondered about these
stone stairs unfortunately everything
must be protected
welldone and wellseen
regards
Costantino

worldcitizen (16086) 2017-07-14 11:28

Hello Bulent,
It's nice that you took advantage of this posing group to take your own photo. :-) I like how they are each poised on the edge of an ascending step. The steps and stone wall have a nice texture. The blonde girl is a nice inclusion, too, since she adds extra color and interest to the scene.

pajaran (115963) 2017-07-15 11:43

Dobar dan.
Lep pogled i trenutak, interesantan i dobar tekst ...
Dobar rad, lepo pokazano mesto i trenutak, dobar kontrast, lepe boje, lepo uhvacen trenutak sa posetiocima. Lepo stepeniste i posetioci.
Imajte lep dan, sve najbolje za vikend, srecno.
Paja.

Good day.
A nice look and a moment, interesting and good text ...
Good work, beautifully shown place and moment, good contrast, nice colors, nice moment with visitors. Nice stairs and visitors.
Have a nice day, all the best for the weekend, happy.

Cricri (176) 2017-07-16 10:15

Hi Bulent
Quelle beaux portraits de ces dames souriantes, certaines coquines, des tenues color馥s , tr鑚 belle sc鈩e et image
Belle soir馥
cricri

bukitgolfb301 (54014) 2017-07-16 13:12

Hi dear Bulent

So happy and lovely shot from you. We will not stopping small smile, very heartwarming shot at all. Whta a colorful clothes they weared, seeming like to be cordinated byy you.

All the best and have a good day! Takero

mkamionka (74509) 2017-07-19 12:05

Hi Bulent,
what a charming scene indeed. The ladies have also such colorful jackets which makes the picture very eye catching. The idea they had was brilliant! Not only they are colorful but also the make a pleasant diagonal here.
Very well seen and captured!!
M

serp2000 (47063) 2017-07-21 8:48

Hello, Bulent!
First of all I thought this photo tells me something about the earthquake between Greece and Turkey. But this is just peaceful travel photo. They remind me the birds, so funny scene with good graphic of the stairs.
My family is in New Jersey now. And I came back from NYC a two months ago. So I don't know when we can visit the US all together. But I hope we will see someday again.
All the best wishes!
Serghei

lucasgalodoido (27698) 2017-08-11 4:55

Ol� Bulent,
curiosa essa cena mesmo, das mulherers enfileiradas na escada para o retrato. Belo trabalho.
Parab駭s e Abra輟,
Lucas