Khiva stroll, a photo from Xorazm, West

Photographer's Note

It's a pleasure to stroll now along the quiet lanes of old Khiva (much more safer than during the time of the khanate where the strangers have few chances to survive to the khan's cruelty).
The old city it's enterely preserved and it's a little even aseptic as the everyday's life was squeezed out during the Soviet restorations in the 1970s.
On the background the view is on the stunning Islom Huja minaret.

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Khiva (khē'və, khēvä') , city (1989 pop. 40,001), Uzbekistan, in the Khiva oasis and on the Amu Darya River. The city, in existence by the 6th cent., was the capital of the Khwarazm (Khorezm) kingdom in the 7th and 8th cent. From the late 16th until the early 20th cent., Khiva was the capital of the khanate of the same name (see Khiva, khanate of. The city was a significant trade and handicraft center in the late 18th and early 19th cent. It passed to Russia in 1873. It served as the capital of the Khorezm Soviet People's Republic from 1920 to 1923 and of the Khorezm SSR in 1923 and 1924. The ancient quarter of the city has been set aside to preserve such landmarks as an 18th-century fort, the khan's palace (now a museum), and a 19th-century mausoleum and minaret.

from Wikipedia

leiju, linask, AnimeshRay, jjcordier, robjol, Baileys, Leo71538, germanus has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

leiju (1697) 2006-07-23 17:00

What a wonderful atmosphere with these people strolling around! It's a bit of a pity that the feet of one are cut by the frame, yet then we have this wonderful cloud that looks like it is coming from the top of this building (like smoke from a chimney)!
A wonderful composition and bright colors!

TFS!
Julia

jmdias (115230) 2006-07-23 17:29

Luca

Really it is a very beautiful place, unusual for our eyes, a new landscape for us. TFS

Jorge

benny (631) 2006-07-23 20:20

J'aime beaucoup ce cadrage et ces couleurs, belle photo!

AnimeshRay (9089) 2006-07-23 20:38

What a fantastic image...your extreme wide did a terrific job at this imposing place. The pedestrian in the foreground, their flowing robes distorted by the wide lens, add essential mystery to this photo.

agussaptono (198) 2006-07-23 20:42

Hi Luca,
I like the picture very much. The sky is clear and the way you compose the picture is very good.
agus

jjcordier (79299) 2006-07-24 1:11

Luca
Je découvre cet endroit magnifique. La distorsion créée par le grand angle donne un effet très original à la photo.Très belle lumière.
Amicalement
JJ

jinju (14265) 2006-07-24 3:31

Hi Luca,

I love the look of the WA lens, especially the people on the left side who are a bit distorted (are they, it appears to me that is indeed the case, but Im not sure). Great colors. The place is stunning.

cobraphil8 (84) 2006-07-24 3:45

Hi Luca,
great composition of this place, I like the effect of this wide angle...
Good shot of Uzbekistan
Cheer
Philippe

faubry (35447) 2006-07-24 3:57

hello Luca, very beautiful view from Uzbekistan, i would like to go here but i think it's very difficult?
very nice composition with the tower and people, nice blue colors...
thanks
francine

robjol (2399) 2006-07-24 4:26

Hello Luca,
The autmosphere looks so clean. Very nice composition, It does look a little strange,though nice.Like your photo.
Great notes.
Thanks for sharing your country.
Regards, Rob.

Baileys (667) 2006-07-24 16:50

Hi Luca, that's one of the places I would love to see... maybe next year...
the Minaret is really amazing, so magnificent and tall, especially when you compare it with people walking nearby.
I love also the colour, I could guess what the country it is even without the note I suppose, this vivid blue colour of the minaret and sky is so characteristic for Uzbekistan.
Thanks for sharing, Hanna

partha (14023) 2006-07-25 2:10

Excellent use of wide angle. Nice composition and excellent colour tonality.
Well done

lucinka (9976) 2006-07-27 6:40

Luca, great photo from fantastic plance with great note as always. Uzbekistan is on my plan next spring and this is perfect inspiration for my trip. Thanks for sharing. Lucie

banyanman (7797) 2006-07-27 9:50

Hi Luca. This is my favourite lens in my kit and you've put it to good use here to capture this fascinating architecture. It creates beautiful cloudscapes when you have just a few cumulus or cirrus clouds against a clear blue sky to provide a more dramatic backdrop. Good saturation and sharpness, but I agree with Julia re cutting off the feet of one of the women on the left. Cheers . . . David

yannick (1471) 2006-08-03 6:55

I like this picture and the nice colours you got. The distortion is a bit weird, all the more so as the tower is rather centred.
It looks like the tower is swallowing the clouds. I really like this architecture. Another couple of days, and I will be there. I barely can wait, now.
Thanks for sharing,
Yannick

aydindoruk (167) 2006-08-11 15:37

very nice photo

daddo (28748) 2007-05-29 6:19

Hi Luca. Marvellous architecture, colours and light.Clever composition with the clouds seeming to come out of this stunning minaret.Fascinating place. regards. Klaudio.

siislam (290) 2008-02-15 17:07

Its a beautiful picture, excellent colour contrast, well composed!
Regards
Syed

smarcell (19965) 2009-09-18 1:59

Mi sto gustando le tue immagini dell'Uzbekistan. Un posto dove veramente vorrei andare.
Fantastico
Ciao stefano