It's behind you!, a photo from Vienna, Est

Photographer's Note

Here is another half forgotten photo I had kept in my files for three years. It was taken in Vienna in September 2015. I can't see it without getting a feeling that the elderly couple studying their map or guidebook are trying to locate the Stephansdom (St. Stephen's Cathedral), probably the most famous building in the Austrian capital.

Of course I am only having fun at their expenses. I am sure they are just discussing what else to see and how to get there. But when looking for photos from outside the cathedral I was more interested in searching for compositions of this kind, rather than trying to get a more distant view of the entire cathedral. That would probably have been impossible anyway in the narrow streets surrounding the church, and it would certainly have meant getting unwanted cars and tourist groups disturbing the view.

Here is a larger version.

I didn't take any photos inside the cathedral. It was dark and hopelessly crowded, but another exterior view can be seen in the WS.

The Stephansdom dates back to the middle of the 14th century. It's the seat of the Catholic Archbishop of Vienna.

The Map: view shows approximately where I took the main photo.

Fis2, snunney, Royaldevon, papagolf21, alvaraalto, alvaraalto, ChrisJ, danos, macjake, PiotrF, PaulVDV, COSTANTINO, pierrefonds, Cricri, mcmtanyel, jean113, clic, adramad trouve(nt) cette note utile

Critiques | Translate

Fis2 (170693) 2018-09-14 1:22

Witaj Gert!
Interesting scene from daily life.
I like beautiful window and stained glass.
Good framing, colors and light.
I remember this place...
Nice day.
Krzysztof

pajaran (115831) 2018-09-14 1:34

Dobar dan.
Lep pogled i trenutak, interesantan i dobar tekst ...
Dobar rad sa lepom fotografijom u radionici, lepo pokazano, dobar kontrast, lepe boje, lepo uhvacen trenutak.
Lepa fasada i detalji, lep prozor i skulpture.
Lepa fasada na fotografiji u radionici.
Zelim vam lep i uspesan dan, sve najbolje.
Paja.

Good day.
A nice view and a moment, interesting and good text ...
Good work with nice photo in the workshop, beautifully shown, good contrast, nice colors, nice caught moment.
Nice façade and details, nice window and sculptures.
Nice façade on the photo in the workshop.
I wish you a beautiful and successful day, all the best.

Nicou (193806) 2018-09-14 1:54

Hello

quelle vue des deux personnages en fond qui regardent un plan devant cette façade d'église sueprbe et quel vitrail et vue quel rendu et image fantastique la forme du vitrail, la décoration sur l'église sueprbe.
Bravo t amitié
Nicou

lousat (139220) 2018-09-14 1:54

Hi Gert,nice idea for a different way to show something of the famous cathedral and of a daily life moment too. A typical stop watching the map,to decide the next stop and maybe to understand where they are...ehehhe....excellent new memory from your archive,and a great gift to who likes reflections as me in the WS. Have a nice weekend and thanks,Luciano

snunney (130967) 2018-09-14 2:04

Hello Gert,
Brings to mind the English saying - can't see the wood for the trees. Interesting and amusing scene from daily life that also includes some beautiful architecture and contemporary stained glass. Well observed, perfectly realised.

papagolf21 (152607) 2018-09-14 2:37

Bonjour, cher Gert,
Comment rester insensible à cette architecture réalisée avec des moyens techniques réduits.
Ces sculptures décoratives ou représentatives travaillées avec le souci du détail.
Merci du contraste contemporain dans la ville.
Belle proposition avec la présence de personnages qui donne plus de force à l'ensemble.
Amitiés.
Philippe

Royaldevon (85896) 2018-09-14 2:40

Hello Gert,

It is fun to look back on archive shots and you probably recaptured the reason you took the shot, too! 'It's behind you!' is such a well known phrase, particularly used in pantomimes, and immediately raises a smile!
I really like the joke!
The couple are fervently searching for information and right behind them is the most beautiful, stained glass window and a pair of very attractive, carved figures, of which they are oblivious!
The reflection is a pleasing bonus.

Have a good day,
Bev :-)

alvaraalto (42804) 2018-09-14 3:05

Hello Gert,
This photo of this beautiful stained glass window of the famous Stephansdom in Vienna gains a lot of power through the two people in the picture and even more because of the comments you put there. I would almost say that you have made a very special photo of it. The beautiful workshop also belongs in this category.
Excellent work
Have a nice day, groet Rob

kasianowak (17676) 2018-09-14 3:23

Hi Gert
Together with the title this is a very amusing post. I even can image that with my sense of direction it could be me looking for a huge and famous building on a map not realising it is just behind me. :-)
The facade in WS is so different to what we can see in the main photo but also very attractive.
Best wishes
Kasia

ChrisJ (171822) 2018-09-14 4:11

Hi Gert,

I climbed up the tower in Stephan Platz and got some great views of Vienna from up there. I also recall many of the statues were covered in a fine mesh to prevent pigeons leaving their mess. The stained glass windows were also magnificent from the inside. Good catch of this bewildered looking tourist couple apparently consulting their guidemap. Tfs!

gervaso (28177) 2018-09-14 4:36

Hello, Gert!

Besides capturing this curious scene with the couple, you also show us beautiful architectural details of the cathedral and of this stained glass window with very good light and sharpness! Very nice framing too! Wonderful job!

Sergiom (117241) 2018-09-14 6:59

Bonjour Gert,

J'aime beaucoup la petite histoire qui accompagne cette jolie photo. C,est très plaisant d'imaginer une histoire lorsqu'on observe les gens. C'est d'ailleurs le sport préféré de ceux qui sont en terrasse.

Amicalement

Serge

jhm (211736) 2018-09-14 7:09

Hello Gert,

I've read your coment to my bithday on the flowers of Mesut.
I appreciate your writing, this is real a beautiful honor.
Thank you very much.
************************************************************
The couple is a very nice addition but the frontage of the church with decorative window and statues, makes your picture attractive.
Also a nice architetural image.
Nice composition and excellent presentation.
Very well done, TFS.

Best regards,
John.

Silvio1953 (221525) 2018-09-14 7:28

Ciao Gert, great view of fantastic architecture, nice scene, wonderful colors, excellent clarity and splendid light, very well done, my friend, have a good weekend, ciao Silvio

rychem (72187) 2018-09-14 8:00

Beautiful photo of the window of the St. Stephen's Cathedral, pure Gothic, great architectural detail and the nice couple, it seems to be really a bit lost :)
regards Ryszard

danos (110407) 2018-09-14 8:44

Hello Gert,
nice the snapshot with the couple in front of the Stephansdom trying to find something in their map.Do you think that this they search is behind them...?
I like the light and the colour management of the scene.

Regards,Danos

dale54 (17768) 2018-09-14 10:47

gert hello and good evening..like this title,cool and fun..some of these churches are massive! these people look so small..great job! tfs dale

GyurMaster (24818) 2018-09-14 11:59

Dear Gert,

This photo would be very boring if, the elderly couple hadn't stood there. It another question that you possibly never taken the photo. :)

Best Wishes,
Gy.

Tue (92322) 2018-09-14 12:34

Hej Gert,
Det var næsten helt umuligt at få hele Stephansdomkirken i ét billede, kan jeg huske. Et godt billede med en del af kirken og det smukke glasmaleri, som ser ret moderne ud. Manden og kvinden er en komisk tilføjelse. Nogle gange er man så tæt på en seværdighed at man simpelthen ikke kan se den længere.
Lars

macjake (98438) 2018-09-14 13:03

Hi Gert
because of your comments, and Stephen's comments, I changed the title of my previous Iceland post, and added a few more notes to it :) you know what i'm most interested in...what do the letters spell on the stained glass? I can't really make it out as its backwards, and not sure which way its suppose to be read, from which window to which window. glad to see you got the MAP feature working again. a photo certainly in your personal style. cheers
Craig

PiotrF (54602) 2018-09-14 13:26

Hello Gert,
An interesting picture from this part of Vienna.
I really like this composition.
Beautiful architectural details.
The picture in the workshop with the reflection in the windows is also very good.
Good work, fine presentation
Regards
Piotr

emka (158092) 2018-09-14 16:14

Hello Gert, I read Craig's note and your reply - and I solved the puzzle :). The original picture of the famous Cathedral and amusing title.
Good night, in some minutes I go :)

MAlgo

[workshop] [compare]

PaulVDV (62880) 2018-09-14 23:52

Hello Gert,
One of the most attractive things in the center of Vienna, I think, are the reflected images of the Stephansdom in the glass facade of Haas House as we see in your WS. Usually I do like squares with a homogeneous architecture, any style. But the contrast on the square of the cathedral in Vienna I find really very attractive. I once read somewhere that a lot of Austrians were against the construction of the Haas House.
A funny title for your main photo to make a story around the couple looking on the map. At the same time you present us some architectural details of the cathedral. Clear and sharp picture!
Best regards, Paul

COSTANTINO (116421) 2018-09-15 13:49

Hello dear Gert and have a nice time
and a happy Sunday
Forgotten photo but always interesting
and useful description
excelent framing indeed
I agree with you that me too I was more
interested in searching for composition
of this kind
welldone
regards
Costantino

pierrefonds (114395) 2018-09-15 15:55

Hi Gert,

Your title is amusing. You have capture wlell the action of the couple. The point of view is showing the details of the stained-glass window and of the sculptures. The sharpness is very good. Have a nice day.

Pierre

mesutilgim (0) 2018-09-16 4:00

Hello dear Gert,
Very nice and self explanatory capture from Vienna.
Taken with perfect pov and timing. Most probably one of tho most photographed corners of Vienna.
Interesting and usefull notes.
TFS and best regards
MESUT ILGIM

Cricri (176) 2018-09-16 9:16

Hi Gert
Une belle présentation a la fois de l'architecture et de la vie quotidienne, détails intéressant de l'église avec la prise du vitrail, bonne netteté, présentation
amitiés
cricri

mcmtanyel (68447) 2018-09-16 13:58

Hello Gert,
Two fine entries, the detail from the gorgeous cathedral is shown very nicely both in the main entry and also in its distortion in the WS. 👍
Regards,
MT

carlo62 (81265) 2018-09-17 14:18

Ciao Gert
questa volta hai utilizzato tre foto che meritavano la prima pagina, senza nessun dubbio.
Osservando questa foto dopo aver letto la tua nota, devo dire che mi diverte pensare la stessa cosa...
Saluti
Carlo

jean113 (27847) 2018-09-19 14:46

Hello Gert, perfect title!
The couple make this shot work; your title and their action ask us to take a closer look.
The stained glass window is rather beautiful even from the outside.
Regards Jean.

clic (76) 2018-09-19 16:20

Hallo Gert In response to your title, my wife and I don't flounder for a long while with street maps; we use a portable GPS set on 'pedestrian' mode and programmed the night before, after dinner. As has been alluded to, this couple is missing a magistral piece of stained glass, rarely making visible so much subtle details when seen from an external point of view. It is beautifully set between these delicately-chiseled columns for a well-harmonized ensemble.
Halsningar.

LuisGustavoLima (5184) 2018-09-21 18:07

Oi, Gert!

Título legal, assim como seu pensamento sobre o casal haha! Composição interessante e original. O casal é um ponto interessante para a composição, serve de comparação para termos uma ideia da grandiosidade da catedral.
Boa foto!

adramad (72970) 2018-09-22 11:05

Hello Gert.
After a vacation again in TE, original image with this large Gothic window of the cathedral and the beautiful detail of the sculptures on both sides, the couple of tourists puts a sympathetic touch to the composition.
Very effective coloring, which highlights the details of the image.
Good management, both brightness and sharpness.
Very well done. I like it.
Enjoy the weekend.
My best wishes for you.

jmdias (115100) 2018-10-03 6:59

gert
I remember this cathedral, it is so big but there is no possibility to get a wider view of it because the narrow streets around. nice details of the sculptures and the couple making a new plan.

take care

jorge

Miguel82 (47110) 2019-09-20 13:00

Gert, the picture shows beautiful architectural details. The statues and the stained glass window add interest to the cathedral facade. The couple of tourists look lost, they are checking their guide book to decide where to go, a situation happening to everybody during a first trip in a new place. Good framing and sharpness.