Midsummer's Eve, a photo from Sodermanland, Svealand

Photographer's Note

Yesterday was Midsummer's Eve, which along with Christmas Eve is probably the most popular day of the year in Sweden, when families celebrate together and children get full attention. It's usually a fairly quiet day in Stockholm, because lots of people go to the countryside or to the archipelago outside the city to spend the weekend away from asphalt and heavy traffic.

I didn't go to the countryside or any island, but walking through one of the small parks on Sermalm island I took a photo of these two young ladies wearing garlands of flowers in their hair in honour of Midsummer.

By coincidence I already had two earlier photos from the same place that I hadn't bothered to show, but I will use the opportunity now to post them in the WS.

Across the water, which is a bay of lake M舁aren, you see the shoreline of Kungsholmen (Knight's Islet). Beyond that island are glimpses of the northwestern parts of Stockholm's "inner city".

The Map: view will give you some indication where I took this. The Google camera wasn't brought to the exact place.

Fis2, ikeharel, ktanska, pajaran, ChrisJ, pierrefonds, COSTANTINO, jemaflor, aliabazari, Royaldevon, jean113, macjake, mcmtanyel, adramad, PaulVDV, worldcitizen has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

ifege (49363) 2022-06-25 0:23

Hi Gert
3 good photos from the same spot but all very different because of the varying human elements.
cheers
Ian

Fis2 (171877) 2022-06-25 0:32

Witaj Gert my neighbour today :)!
Nice view with beautiful girls in the foreground.
The costumes are impressive.
A great shot outdoors.
Good work.
Have a nice weekend.
Krzysztof

ikeharel (114535) 2022-06-25 1:06

Hello Gert,
Three wonderful pictures from places around your neighborhood.
Main photo was the right choice, though I'd suggest to post the #2 Ws as main picture on any day.
Wonderful parkview with the town and waterway between.
Wish you a nice weekend,
Ike

Silvio1953 (222847) 2022-06-25 1:58

Ciao Gert, great view of fantastic city, lovely composition with nice couple, excellent, clarity, splendid light and wonderful colors, thanks for beautiful WS, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

ktanska (45048) 2022-06-25 2:27

Hej Gert,
Wonderful shot combining city, green foreground and Midsummer traditions. Those boots are a surprising detail, especially on this weather. I was by a lake in countryside yesterday, but now back in the city.
Kari

pajaran (117001) 2022-06-25 4:10

Pozdrav.

Lep pogled i trenutak, dobar tekst ...
Lepo mesto sa posetiocima i deo grada u pozadini, dobro pokazano sa lepim bojama, kontrastom i uhvacenim trenutkom.
Dobar rad, lepe fotografije u radionici i arhitektura.

Zelim vam lepo popodne, sve najbolje.
Paja

dedee (3235) 2022-06-25 4:59

Hi Gert
A very striking image. I like the way you have framed the young ladies. It almost seems to be comparing ancient and modern. Nice one.
David

ChrisJ (172408) 2022-06-25 6:35

Hej Gert

A superb elevated view of the old part of the city with the 2 fg girls animating the scene. Good colour, sharpness and lighting. The workshops compliment the main upload post. Tfs!

pierrefonds (115488) 2022-06-25 7:05

Hi Gert,

You have captured well the smiling expression of the woman dressed for the occasion. The point of view is showing the details of the buildings in the background. The quality of the light beautifies the colors. Have a nice day.

Pierre

lousat (139960) 2022-06-25 9:45

Hi Gert,three beautiful photos from the same place and in different seasons, I really like the second WS but also the first with these female presence celebrating the solstice is very special, excellent quality as always! Have a nice evening and thanks,Luciano

jmdias (116405) 2022-06-25 10:57

gert

I liked the WS because they shows better the landscape in horizontal format, but the personages in the main post are more interesting and well positioned. it is beautiful view of the city and a curious mix of new and old architecture. here we had a cold autumn and after the midwinter day we have had sunny hot days, almost like a summer in miniature. but the waters are very cold.

take care

jorge

PiotrF (55934) 2022-06-25 13:05

Hello Gert
A very nice the panoramic view of city in WS, great view of two ladies. Interesting note. Good work
regards
Piotr

Tue (93374) 2022-06-25 13:21

Hej Gert,
Vejret var rigtig var meget smukt og det ser virkelig ud som sommer. Byen ser s� godt ud i baggrunden og p� den anden side af det bl� vand. De to piger i hvidt er meget godt kommet med i baggrunden desuden.
Lars

COSTANTINO (117726) 2022-06-25 22:57

Hello my dear Gert and have a nice day
what a beautiful photo with these young
ladies dressed in white traditional dresses
enjoying the moment....
this scenery seems to be taken
from a book with fairy tales....
I also like the garlands of flowers
which both ladies wear on their hair
in honor of Midsummer
welldone
regards
Costantino

jemaflor (148180) 2022-06-25 23:33

Hi Gert,
Interesting to share a view of this traditional popular day in Sweden, A beautiful POV of your capital from this hill and good portraits with these traditional clothes, pleasant sunlight, well captured, tfs.

aliabazari (23205) 2022-06-26 1:02

Hello Gert
Beautiful view of the river with a combination of city and girls in the foreground. Clarity and lighting done well. I edited your post in the workshop, I hope you like it.

[workshop] [compare] +

Royaldevon (86400) 2022-06-26 1:07

Hello Gert,

You were very fortunate to come across these two, young ladies, for they add a very special 'Mid-Summer' atmosphere to the photograph, as well as being excellent subjects.
For me, you have composed this beautifully, the figures well placed, with sufficient details of the f/g to create a sense of the setting, whilst the b/g is interesting and creates a good sense of depth.

The lady seated in the w/s would have made a photograph worthy of of a main post!

Have a lovely Sunday,
Bev :-)

emka (158744) 2022-06-26 1:21

Hello Gert, You were lucky to see these girls in such a place with a view of the Old Town.

In Poland it is a similar tradition. We celebrate a midsummer on June 23 or 24, 哲oc Świętojańska� which means St. John痴 Night. Releasing wreaths with flaming candles into the river by young girls (which, in turn, constituted the divination of marriage), are just some of the most famous rituals of this night. I remember the views of the wreaths on the Vistula River.
A very famous custom was the search for fern flowers. The perennial flowers � a symbol of happiness, wisdom, and prosperity, which according to legend only blossomed on the shortest night of the year � it is said that the only brave and righteous people are able to find it.

Have a nice Sunday

MAlgo

jean113 (28253) 2022-06-26 12:58

Hello Gert, this is a view that I would return to if it was available to me. You have three lovely shots; the young women really enliven this shot, and I like the wintry scene with the wonderful view of the icy river.
All are beautifully sharp.
Kind regards, Jean.

macjake (98544) 2022-06-26 16:55

Hi Gert
forgive me if I have asked you once already...but something in the bg really caught my attention...and i'm sure you're guessing correctly - those 2 twin towers that look like Lego.
what the heck is that? it looks like something I would hunt down and go photograph. is it a high rise apartment building? a business tower? I'd like to see more of that...its so interesting how they're built by the same owner/engineer but they're separate. I need to know more haha. wonderful day for photo here, looks like a great spot for a pic nic. lovely
cheers
Craig

mcmtanyel (69165) 2022-06-26 19:51

Hello Gert,
Two lovely ladies dressed in pretty white for Midsummer's Eve. Not living so far north, Midsummer passes us by without much attention. My only criticism of the lady with her back against the camera is that those boots do not go well with her attire, nor with the season.
Regards,
MT

GyurMaster (25018) 2022-06-27 2:15

Dear Gert,

It is the usual well-spotted and composed scene. I like the ancient looking clothes and garlands against the modern city-scape.

Best Wishes,
Gy.

adramad (73418) 2022-06-27 10:57

Hi Gert.
A wonderful point to observe the panoramic view of the city and sit for a while on the grass, indeed the WS photo is taken at the same point, it only changes that the trees and bushes were without leaves, now everything is green and even in flower.
In this composition the two ladies in white add a nice vital touch to the image.
A magnificent color that gives a lot of chromatic richness to the image.
Very good management of lighting and sharpness.
Well done. I like it.
I wish you a pleasant week.
Very best regards.
Luis.

PaulVDV (63452) 2022-06-28 10:27

Hello Gert,
This must also be a favourite spot for tourists too (if they can find it at all). And for newlyweds who want wedding photos.
If I had known this place when I was in Stockholm I would have definitely gone there. But you've already shown once another beautiful spot where you thought I had been close but still I didn't see it ...
I think your photo is very suitable as a touristic promotional material (and I do mean this as a complement).
Best regards, Paul

worldcitizen (16226) 2022-07-01 12:49

Hello Gert,
Great photo for celebrating Midsummer's Eve. I like all the different buildings in the background, and the ladies seem to be enjoying themselves. I remember that back in high school one of my teacher's had a Swedish boyfriend. She spent one lesson telling us all about the Midsummer celebrations. :-) Take care!

saxo042 (38078) 2022-07-03 1:41

Hej Gert,

En mycket fin och trevlig bild. Exakt var ligger hhusen bakom den v舅stra personen?

H舁sningar
Gunnar