Michael Hrankowski
September 2023 - GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG
Original
About the Image(s)
I was fascinated by the architecture of the Opera House in Copenhagen, Denmark. On my recent visit there, I photographed the building multiple times over several days and at different times of day. This image was the last one I took at evening Golden Hour and I almost missed it. I had been walking all day and went back to my room to take a nap but I overslept. When I awakened and realized what time it was, I quickly grabbed my gear and ran the entire way to the location. I quickly set up the composition and had just enough time to fire off three shots before the sun's reflection was completely gone. Die Götterdämmerung is the name of one of the operas in The Ring Cycle by Richard Wagner. It means Twilight of the Gods. I thought the title to be quite appropriate.
Sony a7Riv with adapted Canon 24-105 shot at 55mm
1/80 sec; f/11; ISO 100 on tripod
8 comments posted
You were quite lucky to catch this moment and capture the shot. Posted: 09/04/2023 21:11:13
Hello Michael,
It is always fun to see photos from your worldwide travels! The Opera House is a beautiful piece of architecture. I read they used 105,000 sheets of 24-carat gold leaf, equivalent to 1.5 kilos of gold on the interior! Wow, I bet it was out of this world to see it in person.
You had a good cloud cover and golden light on the building, which also fits this beautiful structure. But for me, the colors are not rich in tone; they are more subdued and fading. The bright sun reflection on the top is not working well because it is too bright and too large. Have you tried this photo in black and white? I ran through a few samples in Lightroom, and I think it may have more potential as a black-and-white image. The water would look lovely if you have a long-exposure version.
Thanks for sharing this travel photo. You have memories that will last a lifetime.
Best regards,
LuAnn Posted: 09/08/2023 16:17:39
It is always fun to see photos from your worldwide travels! The Opera House is a beautiful piece of architecture. I read they used 105,000 sheets of 24-carat gold leaf, equivalent to 1.5 kilos of gold on the interior! Wow, I bet it was out of this world to see it in person.
You had a good cloud cover and golden light on the building, which also fits this beautiful structure. But for me, the colors are not rich in tone; they are more subdued and fading. The bright sun reflection on the top is not working well because it is too bright and too large. Have you tried this photo in black and white? I ran through a few samples in Lightroom, and I think it may have more potential as a black-and-white image. The water would look lovely if you have a long-exposure version.
Thanks for sharing this travel photo. You have memories that will last a lifetime.
Best regards,
LuAnn Posted: 09/08/2023 16:17:39
Here is a reworked color version (not sure what is causing the funky stripes on the left of the frame. ...any ideas?) Posted: 09/18/2023 19:21:20
And here is the mono version Posted: 09/18/2023 19:21:50
Hi LuAnn. Thanks for your comments and observations. As mentioned, this was taken in the last few minutes of Golden Hour. I will have to go back to see if I can't add some richness to the tones. With regard to the sun reflection - I captured it just as "too bright and too large" as it was in person. The reflection, in my view, is the story.
I do happen to have a B & W version. It is interesting and I'll post it when I get back to my desktop computer. I chose the color version as it better represents to me the "Twilight of the Gods". Posted: 09/08/2023 16:50:44
I do happen to have a B & W version. It is interesting and I'll post it when I get back to my desktop computer. I chose the color version as it better represents to me the "Twilight of the Gods". Posted: 09/08/2023 16:50:44
Michael, your timing of the shot is terrific! I'm impressed that you captured such a great sunburst in your scene, since it makes your shot. "Twilight of the Gods" certainly is appropriate for this color version of your photo. Your original has a blue sky and golden glow of the building, so you could realistically add more vibrance, saturation, or other editing to bring up the color as LuAnn suggests. Posted: 09/14/2023 11:30:31
Michael, what a find after oversleeping and running to the opera house! I really like your capture of the sunburst, the light reflection on the building and in the water. I understand the comment by LuAnn and Ruth regarding the color but I like how you processed it. I think the subdued color only adds to the time of day and the serenity of a beautiful setting sun reflected on a very interesting and beautifully built opera house. My only thought and not really a big deal would be to get rid of the two pilings on the right. Lovely image and great memory of the moment. Posted: 09/16/2023 17:45:02
Hi Michael,
I am impressed by your determination to go back to catch the last sunrays at the Danish opera house. I like the structure of the building, it looks like the face of a person wearing the cowboy hat.
In my personal opinion, the time you captured the scene was a bit too late in the evening that the structure of the building did not show well because the lights inside the building were not turned on yet and the outside environment was quite dark. In addition, the cloudy sky at dark gives the feeling of melancholy. The sunrays captured at the center of the building and the reflection to the foreground work for me. With tripod available, I'd prefer to shot at smaller aperture (F/16 or F/22)to get finer sunrays. Thanks for sharing your experiences! Posted: 09/22/2023 08:25:08
I am impressed by your determination to go back to catch the last sunrays at the Danish opera house. I like the structure of the building, it looks like the face of a person wearing the cowboy hat.
In my personal opinion, the time you captured the scene was a bit too late in the evening that the structure of the building did not show well because the lights inside the building were not turned on yet and the outside environment was quite dark. In addition, the cloudy sky at dark gives the feeling of melancholy. The sunrays captured at the center of the building and the reflection to the foreground work for me. With tripod available, I'd prefer to shot at smaller aperture (F/16 or F/22)to get finer sunrays. Thanks for sharing your experiences! Posted: 09/22/2023 08:25:08