Yachts in the Symi bay, a photo from Dodekanisos, South Aegean

Photographer's Note

Symi also transliterated Syme or Simi (Greek: Σύμη) is a Greek island and municipality. It is mountainous and includes the harbor town of Symi and its adjacent upper town Ano Symi, as well as several smaller localities, beaches, and areas of significance in history and mythology.

The shipbuilding and sponge industries were substantial on the island and, while at their peak near the end of the nineteenth century, the population reached 22,500. Symi's main industry is now tourism and the population has declined to 2,500.

Geographically, it is part of the Dodecanese island chain, located about 41 km north-northwest of Rhodes (and 425 km from Piraeus, the port of Athens), with 58.1 km² (22 sq mi) of mountainous terrain. Its nearest land neighbors are the Datça and Reşadiye peninsulas of Muğla Province in Turkey. Its interior is dotted with small valleys, and its coastline alternates between rocky cliffs and beaches, and isolated coves. Its main town, located on the northeast coast, is also named Symi and consists of the lower town around the harbour, typically referred to as Yialos, and the upper town is called Horio or Ano Symi. Other inhabited localities are Pedi, Nimborio, Marathounda and Panormitis. Panormitis is the island's famous monastery which is visited by people from all over the world, and many Greeks pay hommage to St Michael of Panormitis each year. The island has 2,606 inhabitants, mostly engaged in tourism, fishing, and trade. In the tourist season which lasts from Easter until Panormitis Day in early November, tourists and day-trippers increase the number of people on the island to as much as 6000. In addition to its many historical sites, the island's isolated beaches, many reachable only with small boats, are popular with tourists. The Municipality of Sými includes the uninhabited offshore islets of Gialesíno, Diavátes, Kouloúndros, Marmarás, Nímos, Sesklío, and Chondrós. Its total land area is 65.754 km².

The history of the island begins in the ancient times when some of its names were Kirki, Aigli and Metapontis. The island got its current name from the nymph Symi, who according to greek mythology married the God of the seas Poseidon and brought to life Hthonios who became the leader of the islands inhabitants.
Homer mentions Symi in the Heliade, for its participation in the Trojan war, headed by the Symiot King Nireas.
Later in history, Symi was conquered in 1309 by the knights of St. John. Then a period of prosperity began for the island with the development of shipping, sponge commerce, boat building and other crafts. In 1832 Symi was found under the Turkish dominion which was followed in 1912 by the Italian dominion.
Symi confronted poverty at that time: the replacement of sailing with motor ships occurred, sponge diving decreased and world war II begun resulting in a greate migration wave of Symiots abroad.
From 1943 when the Italian dominion ceased and onwards, Symi changed hands several times between the English and the Germans, with the English taking over the island for the third time in 1944. On May 8th 1945, the Germans signed the treaty of the Dodecanese surrender, while on April 1st 1947, the British military command handed over his rights to a Greek one.
At last, it was on Symi that on March 8th 1948 the Protocol of integration of all Dodecanese islands to the Greek state was signed. Source: symisland & wikipedia)

gildasjan, ikeharel, vasilpro, Cretense, delpeoples, yeln, Gerrit, asajernigan, francio64, amaryllis, JCG trouve(nt) cette note utile

Critiques | Translate

swiatopelk777 (0) 2010-04-24 1:56

Hi George!
Superb vertical take. Amazing composition. Wonderful exposure. Perfect sharp.
Greetings from Warszawa!

gildasjan (43826) 2010-04-24 1:56

Bonjour George
Le POV était le bon pour associer ces bateaux bien cadrés et la très photogénique architecture de l'arrière plan.
Bon weekend
Amicalement
gildas

ikeharel (113319) 2010-04-24 2:04

An excelent POV over the village.
I see a windmill's ruins on the hillabove.
Well taken pic.
Enjoy the weekend.
Ike

dkmurphys (79209) 2010-04-24 2:07

greece is very beautyful.You've captured the essence of a little tourism town.

mursaloglu (8682) 2010-04-24 3:57

Szia Gyorgi
Thelast summer me too I've been in this fantastic island and I loved so much. Your picture is a great mixture of houses and yachts make a great example of this wonderful island. Amazing colors and very strong composition. Bravo ihsan

snunney (130967) 2010-04-24 4:09

Hello George,
A very typical scene in the Greek Islands I would say. It is a well framed composition that perfectly suits the vertical frame. The little town makes a pleasant backdrop to the yachts in their various shapes and sizes. Pleasing ambient light with very good colours and sharpness. Have a good weekend.

JanD (0) 2010-04-24 4:13

Howdy Budapestman!
A lot of sails. Amazing houses. Excellent composition. Perfect shot. Perfect sharpness. Fine frame.
Regards.

vasilpro (41801) 2010-04-24 4:35

Szervusz György,
Beautiful view from a very well chosen POV, excellent clarity, lighting and saturation, lovely colors, the architecture in Chora of Symi is unique.
Jó hétvégét, Vasilis.

Cretense (68709) 2010-04-24 4:45

Hello George!

Beautiful photo, excellent framing and composition, great POV, great depth of field! Flawless light management, beautiful colours, great definition!

Hercules

Sergiom (117241) 2010-04-24 5:12

Bonjour George

Une autre très belle image de ton merveilleux pays. Le détail des maisons à flanc de collines, la beauté des bateaux dans la rade, la composition en portrait au lieu de paysage est bien choisir.

Bon weekend mon ami

Serge

delpeoples (60342) 2010-04-24 5:14

Szia kedves György, ez a fotó emlékeztet engem a látványos panorámák Szicília. A házak tetejére halmozott egymásra, és beépített a domboldalon annyira jellemző és egyedi a Földközi-tengerre. A graphism, színes és izgalmas történet. Nekem tetszik a nagy Point of View és a választott a függőleges kialakítása, amely növeli a mélység a fotó .. Köszönet részére cserépdarab és kívánom, hogy egy jó hétvégét. Barátságok, Lisa

yeln (11516) 2010-04-24 6:27

HELLO GEORGE
google
as I said to "Vasilis", Greece is indeed a beautiful country. I'm glad that you are sharing her beauty with us! good colors and sharpness. nice design! useful note.
Congratulations!
Have a nice day
Vojko

Gerrit (62042) 2010-04-24 8:28

Hi Gyorgy,
magnificent view iver the village an the harbot.
Good tele effect and the right chois for the vertical format.
regards, Gerrit

francesav (749) 2010-04-24 8:29

Hi Geroge.
I immediately recognised the place!
I remember, few years ago, in a very sunny day, a turkish coffe and cold water drunk in a bar on the harbour!!

asajernigan (21427) 2010-04-24 8:31

George,
The shot has great depth which is emphasized nicely by the vertical format. The water provides nice contrast for the earthy tones of the buildings and hill in the background. The lighting and colors are great and the photo has excellent sharpness.
TFS,
Asa

npecanhuk (79329) 2010-04-24 8:43

Hi George!
A very attractive photograph!
Sharpness, exposure, pov, dof, colors, slim vertical format, black&white borders and composition are all outstanding features in this image!
I'd love to be in one of those boats! I'd love to be in one of those houses, specially those up in that hill, because the view from there must be great too!
Traveling with you around wonderful Greece!
TFS - congratulations!
Have a wonderful week-end!
Neyvan

mesutilgim (0) 2010-04-24 10:05

Hello Georg,
Another nice view of Symi. This time with a different pov. Did you climb the 150 or so steps high above the houses ?
Nice to see those old windmills at top. Very good layout, nice framing and again good and usefull notes.
TFS and best regards
MESUT ILGIM

bema (26591) 2010-04-24 10:10

Hello György,

another very fine capture of that pittoresk island, here i like mostly the famous sharpness through outn the whole picture, also the motive is a very nice one..

have a nice weekend, see you Bernd

ines8 (6128) 2010-04-24 12:25

Hi, George,
Excellent composition,beautiful colours, all is perfect. Wonderful picture!
Best regards,
ines

francio64 (39888) 2010-04-24 13:22

Ciao George,
bellissima immagine costruita su due differenti piani prospettici. Mare e montagna.
Bella la vista delle varie case e delle barche che danno dinamicità alla scena.
Ottima luce, colori e nitidezza.

TFS!
L'Assessore

lousat (139236) 2010-04-24 15:47

Hi George,this high view whit the windmills on the top,remember me a view of Bodrum in Turkey,and i live whit your pic the same atmosphere....fantastic sharpness,colors and composition,Have a nice Sunday and thanks,Luciano.

Didi (61589) 2010-04-24 15:59

Hi George
Very great Point of view on the village, nice architecture on background.
You had a good idea for not include the sky.
Best regards

jjcordier (79299) 2010-04-24 22:41

George
Excellent POV pour obtenir cette belle composition verticale qui fait glisser notre regard de la mer à la colline.
Amicalement
JJ

amaryllis (37047) 2010-04-25 0:33

Bonjour
une photo à la verticale superbe avec cette mer bleue, ce village en hauteur, perché sur les rochers, les montagnes en arrière plan et ces quelques bateaux dans le port bien placés dans ton cadrage de pro,une superbe composition et une note explicite
bon dimanche
juliette

JCG (35153) 2010-04-25 0:45

Hello George,

A tightened framing on this bay balanced perfectly here, I like much the various plans of the image which carries out us to mills seems to me it… Once more the lights and the colors are superb and magnify the place. Very pleasant glance, thank you George.

With all my friendships and very good Sunday,

Jean-Charles

Leconte (5795) 2010-04-25 3:16

hello György,

I never tire of this village, waterfront, magnificent, that you exposed us from all angles, even a superb POV on Symi, a very beautiful place and very attractive,

good Sunday
Valerie.

TopGeo (38220) 2010-04-25 22:15

Hi George! Excellent view sea scape with sail-boats and city-Chora Symi's !, amazing architecture of island, wonderful POV Sharpness, exposure, colors, format and composition are all excellent! Well done.
Have a nice new week.
Regards
Georgios

pablominto (53746) 2010-04-25 22:29

Hello George,

This is a fine layered composition, with the boats in the first plan!
The charming village makes a fine backdrop as it is located in the hillside above the sea...
Excellent colours, sharp fine details!

Greetings,
Pablo -

coco (30439) 2010-04-27 2:45

Hi George.

VEry nice place with a lucky high POV and a wonderful composition. Colours and light are nice too.

Regards.