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FISHEYE ON OXFORD


FISHEYE ON OXFORD
Information sur la photo
Copyright: Bulent Atalay (batalay) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3697 W: 208 N: 5172] (15768)
Genre: Lieux
Média: Couleur
Date de prise de vue: 1990-06
Catégories: Architecture
Appareil photographique: Nikon F, Fisheye 16-mm
Versions: version originale, Workshop
Date de soumission: 2006-11-17 3:42
Vue: 1997
Favoris: 1 [voir]
Points: 43
[Ligne directrice - Note] Note du photographe
RADCLIFF CAMERA — OXFORD UNIVERSITY

The oldest university in the world is in Fez, Morocco, and dates from the 10th century. In Europe of the 12th century crafts' guilds, "studium generale," began to emerge, prefiguring modern universities — first in Bologna, followed by a few more in Italy, and then the University of Paris. By AD 1167 scholars were already congregating in Oxford.

By 1205, an altercation between the scholars in Oxford and the town's people led to the scholars’ abandoning the town and moving eastward and establishing Cambridge. Within four years, however, many of the scholoars would return to Oxford, rejuvenating the tradition of scholarship established there fifty years earlier. In the process, the seeds had been sown for another university.

Oxford, and its great rival, Cambridge, are both federations of colleges — eating and lodging institutions within the larger institution of the University. The first of the colleges at Oxford, University College, was established in 1249. In the next few centuries a dozen or so more were established. Subsequently, in phases, numerous others emerged. Today there are thirty-nine colleges at Oxford University.

The view in the photograph is from the steeple of the University’s eight hundred year old St. Mary’s Church. The quadrangle seen to the left belongs to Brasenose College, and the one to the right is that of All Souls College, and just beyond, Hertford College. The centerpiece of the photo, however, is the cylindrical beauty, Radcliff Camera, built in the 17th century as the undergraduate reading room. Beyond the trees to the left are the Bodleian Library, and with the small cupola, the Sheldonian Theater — an indoor amphitheater designed by Christopher Wren. I was a post-doc in the department of theoretical physics and had several different stints. I also served as tutor to students of Hertford College.

This picture was taken in 1990 when I had come into possession of a 16-mm fish eye lens for a Nikon-F camera body that I had at the time. I recently scanned it for posting on TrekEarth.

As a postscript, I should mention that I met a fellow trekearth photographer — Andrew Coppin "Boots" — who is the grandson of my former boss and hero, Sir Rudolf Peierls, the legendary head of the theoretical physics department during my years at Oxford. This has been an immensely gratifying experience for me, and I can only thank TE-for providing the forum.
dougie, atilgone, Polonaise, cobbydale, Angelillo, bostankorkulugu, emjleclercq, stego, Boots, aimee, madux, Tango7174, Miks trouve(nt) cette note utile
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Discussions
Enchaînement de réflexionsInitiateur de la discussion Messages Modifié
A rjsweeney212: Oxford...batalay 1 05-13 02:36
A Yar: Fisheye on Oxfordbatalay 1 02-19 18:57
A aimee: Oxfordbatalay 1 01-05 13:46
A hello_ishan: Oxfordbatalay 1 12-31 19:21
A anaines: Oxfordbatalay 1 12-06 11:06
A missninja: Thank youbatalay 1 11-25 15:39
A missninja: Oxfordbatalay 1 11-24 19:15
A bostankorkulugu: Oxfordbatalay 2 11-20 06:40
A alkramer: Fisheye on Oxfordbatalay 1 11-20 04:25
A emjleclercq: Oxfordbatalay 1 11-20 04:22
A capthaddock: Fisheye on Oxfordbatalay 1 11-19 00:43
A UnTrained: Oxfordbatalay 1 11-17 14:21
Vous devez vous authentifier pour démarrer une discussion.

Critiques [Translate]

Bonjour Bulent
superbe vue et excellent POV. Cette impression de dominer est vraiment extra. J'aime beaucoup la luminosité et le ciel chargé de nuages vient renforcer la profondeur de la photo. Beau travail
amicalement
Xavier

Hi,
What a wonderfully composed picture. The dome is positioned perfectly as is the horizon with just the right amount of curve. Great detail and interest with lots to look at. I wonder if this view has changed over the years. Thanks.
Dougie.

Merhaba Bülent Bey,

Elinize sağlık güzel bir geniş açı çekimi. Havanın bulutlu olamasına rağmen çok iyi pozlanmış.

Saygılar...

Hello Bulent,
An excellent high POV...the wide angle works very well,interesting centered and symetric composition,the heavy sky gives a soul to the architecture,
vincent

Hi Bulent,
thanks for the interesting notes about general history of education and special notes about Oxford and Cambridge. Your photo is amazing. The fisheye gives an interesting effect and those grey clouds would announce some bad news if there wasn't some light pads on the buildings. Fine light and shadow.
Regards Ulf

Hello Bulent,
a perfectly composed shot. I love the moody grey sky, and the way the sunlight plays on the sandstone, especially on the central building.

cheers
Leon.

i love the composition, but it needs some more contrast.
beth

Hi Bulent
This is a great shot and composition of this famous college. I have visited it many times. Your vantage point is superb and the framing is nicely balanced and symmetrical. Good light and detail. Nice work.
Aubrey

Hi Bulent,

Excellent viewpoint for two reasons: the fish eye let us a great view of this nice place; the 2th reasons: it's everything almost straignt and it's not easy with a wide-angle. Very nice capture! Thanks,

Angel.

Hello Bülent - fantastic, I love the wide angle, the centred position of the library works very well here, at least I think it is the library, I took a similar photo also in 1990 of the same view, but without the benefit of fisheye, the scan quality is also excellent, though I see a dominant blue cast on my monitor.

this is simply beautiful... i like the nostalgic feel of it... congrats dear professor... hope to see you soon in istanbul :)..

Hallo Bulent
Nice composition and POV. I know the new shot with the digital camaras have more quality but considering this is over 16 years old is a nice one. I must thank you for your extensive coments, they are very instructive.
Regards
Alberto

Excellent view of this university (which I did not visit to my shame, only Oxford). There is off course the distorsion of the fisheye but the view is very large and full of details, thanks to the excellent sharpness. A very tormented sky bt still enough light for a good picture.

All the best,

Emmanuel

  • Great 
  • fallan Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 236 W: 19 N: 326] (1624)
  • [2006-11-22 19:45]

The composition is great. The clouds aren't bad either. Your camera position keeps everything straight, which is also nice.

Hello Bulent!

This is a very nice picture from one of the most beautiful places in the world (well, to me it´s one of the most beautiful places in the world). The fisheye gives this shot something very special. Next year I´ll be in Oxford, too and I can´t await it! THanks for sharing this beautiful picture!
Warm regards, Nina

Bulent,

I have been catching up on your recent postings, which are amazing. I really like this one, a dramatic view of one of the finest examples of the highest achievements of man: the university.

I think my dad wanted me to follow his lead and study at Oxford, but through either rebellion or lack of interest, I never really wanted to go. I think it might have been the pressure high schools put on students to attend university, threatening fast food jobs for life, or welfare or worse. It was such a negative way to portray higher learning: give us your life for four or more years, or you will fail. Why not encourage kids to learn for learning's sake? Give role models, perhaps people like you, who are educated, well traveled, interesting, artistic, humane... instead of movie stars?

Anyway, after finding success without university, and meeting you, my family roots are starting to emerge, and I wonder if perhaps there is a place for me at a university somewhere.

Meeting you has certainly been a treat, and so unlikely it amazes me. And as I trek across this site, I see many examples of TEers meeting, either at planned events or totally by happy accident. What an amazing possibility, that we can all look at each others worlds and communicate like this. Meeting you has made it real for me. Thank you.

Andrew Coppin, "Boots".

I like a lot the fish eye effect on this picture. The colors and the threatening sky make the photo perfect!
TFS

Hi Bulent,
Nice photo with great detail. You have capture nicely the structure & the sky wonderfully. Well done & TFS.

Srinivasan

  • Great 
  • aimee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 250 W: 15 N: 182] (877)
  • [2007-01-05 10:15]
  • [+]

Hello Bulent,
really nice composition. This very cloudy sky is interessant and contrast well with the stability of Oxford buildings. The fisheye effect is great too. I like the deep vision you offer us here !
Have a nice evening

Aimée

Bulent,
Here is another shot that stuck out for me, this time because of the mood of the image, which to me seems strikingly similar to the HDR technique to gain some extra dynamic range. I have used it before by combining numerous differently exposed shots but the light and timing appears to have worked well for you using but one exposure.
Good Job!
Dan Abraham

  • Great 
  • Yar Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 190 W: 0 N: 118] (738)
  • [2007-02-18 10:30]
  • [+]

Dear Bulent
a wonderful panoramic shot with great details of the architecture and nice sky. also, I like the shadow details on the roads

Great POV with the fisheye. Lots of crisp details in the image, near and far. The alternation of light and shadow on the landscape, due to the overcast sky, is very attractive too.
Congratulations Bulent!

Thành.

Thats wonderful.

It makes me think of the His Dark Materials trilogy, which is why I looked up Oxford pictures to start with :)

  • Great 
  • Angshu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5164 W: 175 N: 8023] (26140)
  • [2007-10-06 21:36]

Hello Professor "A"
Digging into your veritable goldmine of a gallery I extracted this gem. Outright fantastic, I love the wide angled view where the central position of the church works superbly. A great note about the history of the great colleges of Oxford & Cambridge. The scan quality is also excellent, but only thing I would nitpick is about the blue cast...otherwise excellent!
With Warmest Regards
Angshuman

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