The very special Oppidum of Ensérune, a photo from Languedoc-Roussillon, South

Photographer's Note

The very special Oppidum of Ensérune
On request from my TE-friend Said (didi)(who took me to this place when we met this year) I present today not only the empty lake of Montady but in the foreground also some ruins of this very special place where people already in the bronze age was in full swing making their daily lifes. The ruins here are from the time of the Romans who from this fortified hilltop could control the traffic along Via Domitia (the motorway A6 follow the same route even today here close to Narbonne and Beziers).

The photo: HDR, 3 photos bracketed, Photomatix. PP: Paintshop pro - clarifyer, sharpness, light.

From the net
The Oppidum of Ensérune, not far from Béziers and Narbonne, is located on a hill which overlooked, in ancient times, a plain dotted with ponds. From the high point of the site, there is a beautiful panoramic view of the Montady pond which was dried up in the 13th century : a network of canals that converge towards a central drainage well give this area a remarkable topography. You can see some “dolia” embedded in the ramparts.
The oppidum of Ensérune constitutes one of the most important pre-Roman sites of Europe.
Occupied successively by the Etruscans, Iberians and finally the Romans, from the 6th century B.C. up until the 1st century A.D., this site was once a major fortified town of 10,000 inhabitants.
Inhabited from the 6th century B.C. till the first one of our era, the site was abandoned, in the first century A.D., for plains.
The historic site will be found out only in 1912, by Félix Moure. Hundreds of artefacts representing the three distinct building periods of the city, and discovered during archaeological excavations (between 1943 and 1965), are exhibited in the museum at the Oppidum.

Ref: http://www.educnet.education.fr/musagora/
voyages/provence-en/enserune-en.htm

For a more detailed look at the empty lake Montady
klick here >>

Burnham, dhurjati, vincz, ChrisJ, qpochet, Paolo, kittyhawk, HOBO, Muse, nwoehnl, Pitoncle, Silvio1953, mortijo, evanrizo, Didi, Philippe, JCG, bertolucci, lgir, miuky, jafadabret, Photo65Net, syd1946, lukas, alexlie, sayan, bakes888, John_F_Kennedy, jmdaoudal, dorte_s_t, TeresaT, balatrek, henrytf, danos, touristdidi, matt_harris_42 has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Burnham (2428) 2006-11-16 3:50

WOW Jack! Fantastic sky and light on the ground. I think you could have gotten a "prettier" picture if you'd left out the foreground, but I'm glad you didn't, they tell a story and break the serenty really well.
The colours are very TE style in a way, and very very beautiful.

Cheers
Line

ninaL (21348) 2006-11-16 3:51

I can't say in english what i would say then I'll try to say it in french ;)

Ce que j'aime beaucoup, dans ce "paysage", c'est le POV qui intègre la perspective en diagonal tout en gardant la partie haute droite, avec le centre de l'image bien au centre, comme si c'était une un paysage pris de face. Excellentes proportions, excellente composition, excellentes couleurs. I like it very much. Regards. Grazyna.

Gustaw (21670) 2006-11-16 3:55

Hi, friend!
Very interesting view!
From Mars...? Beautiful strong colours. Excellent composition. Good light, I very like old architecture and history. Specially beautiful is your sky. Well Done.
Marek

dhurjati (2709) 2006-11-16 3:55

Hi Jack,
Absolutely fantastic work.Great sky and the landscape looks very attractive.I feel the foreground is a good contrast to the rest of the pic and Im happy that the f/g part is there.Top class photography.
Greetings from India,
Dhurjati

delkoo (68) 2006-11-16 3:56

hi jack
what a beautiful view!! perfect light and very well POV , you are helpded by the cloudy sky.
HDR works very well onthis photograph.

best regards
didier

jasmis (58653) 2006-11-16 4:18

Famous place, extraordinary technique, amazing photo. Nothing to add. Regards.

PixelTerror (0) 2006-11-16 4:21

Hei Jack,
nice HDR image, I think here it enhances the special light of pre storm conditions well, I recognize in the background the radiating field lines Said has already shown on TE, I like the heritage foreground that introduces to the view, nice composition.
Have a nice day,
JEan-Yves

vincz (19113) 2006-11-16 4:22

Fantastic shot. The POV is optimal, the light is perfect to highlight the geomety at its best, the sky gives a great settings to the whole picture. Very well done. Congratulations.

anesugur (18789) 2006-11-16 4:27

Hi Jack,
Excellent shot! Perfect colors, sharpness and good clear photo. Great work!
Have a nice day.

ChrisJ (171888) 2006-11-16 4:30

Hello Jack

An interesting historical note & strange radial pattern in the distance. Tfs!

qpochet (1412) 2006-11-16 4:36

Hi Jack,

Wow, what an amazing light you managed to capture. wonderful threatening sky and pleasant composition. The kind of star-shaped fields in the centre have a nice graphical effect as well.
Well done!
Quentin.

Paolo (41258) 2006-11-16 4:36

Hi Jack, excellent shot, with a great PP work on tones and saturation.
the POV was the great one to see on the unusual fielda, the grey sky and to the close coloumn.
thanks, ciao

kittyhawk (1802) 2006-11-16 4:58

Hei Jack,

Very nice landscape, I like the detail in the foreground and that the land seems to continue for ever. I allso like what seems to be an interesting graphic design in the lanscape, in the center of the image. Very nicely captured. TFS.

- Halgeir

coco (30439) 2006-11-16 5:20

Hi Jack.
Impressive light and colours in this shot where all the elements look end in the same point: the lines of the fields, the clouds and the light too.
Also I like the diferent horizontals lines of the composition.

Well done.

HOBO (5282) 2006-11-16 5:27

Hello Jack,
thank you for this excursion into history, great note and perfect picture!
but...
The column gives a sharp shadow, so does the HDR darkened to much the scenery?
Regards
Knut

Muse (35030) 2006-11-16 6:14

Hello Jack,
Tout simplement magnifique!
Une ambiance très particulière donnée par ce superbe ciel.
De très belles couleurs toutes en dégradé avec la touche verte qui contraste bien.
Excellents pov et cadrage.
Good capture Jack!
Best regards
Denise

nwoehnl (122) 2006-11-16 6:51

The result of the post-work is remarkable, Jack. Great textural definition in the foreground area with the bricks and stones, good contrast in the natural features of the landscape and a nice voluminous quality rendered in the clouds. A nice add to your earlier variations from this place. Greetings from Tokyo.

Pitoncle (3745) 2006-11-16 7:19

Bonjour Jack,
C'est la première fois que je vois l'étang de Montady sous cet angle en incluant les ruines de l'oppidum et ça lui donne beaucoup d'allure. La lumière est très belle et ne devait pas-être facile à maitriser compte tenu des nuages.
A bientôt sur TE pour de nouvelles aventures.
Gérard

cessy (13647) 2006-11-16 8:34

hallo Jack
great capture of the place
the light and shadow especially in the center of the picture is really amazing
this HDR technique is really interesting, I might try someday

danyy (0) 2006-11-16 9:02

Bonjour Jack,
une technique de bracketing et de HDR qui continue à faire ses preuves. Ici, tout le naturel des lumières et des couleurs est conservé.
Il y a juste un peu de bruit dans le ciel, mais les conditions n'étaient pas des meilleures.
Excellents cadrage et POV.
Best regards from Liege.
Daniel.

Silvio1953 (221813) 2006-11-16 9:10

Hi Jack, fantastic perspective, great sky, very interesting note, great photo, ciao Silvio

mortijo (12828) 2006-11-16 10:30

Excellent photo. A very impressive sky and a phantastic management of light and shadow. I am impressed and will definitely take a closer look at HDR as soon as I have managed to master the ptitfalls of my new camera. Thanks for the history lesson. I passed nor far from there with the boat on the Canal du Midi.

dcawker (5717) 2006-11-16 10:57

Excellent perspective, color, it's got it all! Really beautiful shot here. Regards, Doug

evanrizo (462) 2006-11-16 11:52

Hi Jack.
Lightness, colors and depth are excellent here.
Very nice view composed with this sky.

Didi (61589) 2006-11-16 12:18

Bonsoir Jack
J'ai ajouté cette photo dans le thème.
Je suis de plus en plus convaincu de l'éfficacité de ce système.
De mon côté j'avais donné priorité sur l'étang asseché. Nos deux images se complètent.

Philippe (11836) 2006-11-16 12:36

Hi, Jack. You have a very good foreground with these Roman ruins. The details are well rendered and the column on the left creates depth. The empty lake catches the eye with its geometrical forms. A site that looks very interesting.

JCG (35153) 2006-11-16 15:40

Hi Jack,

Splendid and superb treatment of this landscape framed with taste. I like very much the relief that this treatment gives to the image. A success, cheer. A very pretty work and thank you for sharing.

Greetings from France,

Jean-Charles

Gregtom (7169) 2006-11-17 1:49

Hello, Jack!
Fantastic place, beautiful weather situation. I like these heavy clouds hanging above the the fields looking like a shield. I wonder, what is more interesting - polar shape of these fields, or foreground with ancients fragments of walls. Nice work!
regards,
Greg

markstaples (15670) 2006-11-17 4:04

Hello Jack
This is a very nice image is many respect. The DOF is tremendous. We can see for miles into the distance. The play on shadows and light is equally pleasing. The overall quality of the final image is superb - nice and sharp with very pleasing colours. As for the compo, I like the diagonal of the wall crossing the shot. Very nice work.
Best wishes
Mark

bertolucci (14052) 2006-11-17 4:27

Beatiful take on the oppidum Jack! The HDR again shines here. I love the way the remains of the ancient settlement are positioned in relation to the empty radial lake and the facinating sky does the rest. Xcellent work.
Have a nice weekend,
Bert

lgir (7363) 2006-11-17 7:10

Bonjour Jack,
Le travail effectué sur cette composition est tout à fait remarquable.
J'aime beaucoup le résultat obtenu.

Best regards
Laurent

miuky (3335) 2006-11-17 9:49

wow
Great POV...
Hy Jack
This picture is great...nothing to complain about it, just perfect!!!
Regards, m.

Manamo (3710) 2006-11-17 9:56

Hello Jack,
I like how on most of your pictures, you are able to play with the curves(I guess it is what you do) to find that dramatic effect, but without overdoing it so that it stays natural. Here, adding to that dramatic sky, the zones of shadows and highlights in the foreground are very nice and progressively attract our eyes to these beautiful shapes on the fields. It is like all the lines converge to a center points.
Beautiful! Bravo!
Marc
It is already winter in Norway? We don't have snow yet, it is still that grey-rainy-dull autumn...:)

jafadabret (56501) 2006-11-17 12:49

Superbe lumière, Jack, sur ce site vénérable. Le premier plan avec les murs et la colonne laisse voir le champ de forme circulaire vu dans tes précédentes photos. C'est excellent !
Jacques

Photo65Net (43144) 2006-11-17 13:35

Hi,
A perfect HDR pic, the treatment works great with this one.
I like the colors too, and the way the sky appears.
Very nice.
JB.

Kenny10pin (19301) 2006-11-17 14:50

Really good woek, I like the moody clouds here, the ground is nice, well done

greg64g (11193) 2006-11-17 16:13

Hi Jack
Wow photomatix + clarifyer tool that's the first time i see this technic for sure the result is very interesting and colors beautiful, an impressive shot
cheers
greg

Scharan (14144) 2006-11-17 21:28

Olá Jack
Ótimo ponto de vista, lindas e interessantes cores...uma bela imagem, ótimo trabalho Jack!
Parabéns e grande abraço,
Vera.

indoka28 (5261) 2006-11-18 9:34

Hello Jack,

This is an amazing photograph..!!The clouds, the colours and the clarity are all mind blowing...the contrast is so so good...looks like a alien space ship landing site with the ship arriving....through the clouds..

great grewat shot,

Regards,

indro

rbcy1974 (20758) 2006-11-18 10:51

Hello Jack
Beautiful view of these ruins surrounded by a beautiful landscape, the light is absolutely wonderful,
regards
Daniel

jhm (211736) 2006-11-18 12:23

Hi Jack,

I remember your splendid previous picture, also this image are very well, maybe better through the details in foreground, again your trade mark of stitching different pictures, you do this very lovely, without remarks.
Very well done!

Have a nice weekend,
John.

rosaline (0) 2006-11-18 13:01

Hi Jack
Great capture of these ancient ruins. The colour of the sky is awesome and delivers a good atmosphere of foreboding and suspense. Good technical work and good sharpness. Very nice.
Aubrey

syd1946 (1167) 2006-11-18 14:39

Hi Jack,
The perspective looks like is never ending.Very strong composition and image with the clouds in the dark sky and the ruins in the foreground creates a great scene.Splendid work!

Thomas

tabora (0) 2006-11-18 17:44

Bonsoir jack,
Superbe et étrange endroit ,avce un ciel dramatique.
Les couleurs sont extras.
A+ Joseph

efigesta (12188) 2006-11-19 7:07

Hi Jack
great diferent colors here, the perspective and the sky so well
regards
manuel

lukas (2067) 2006-11-19 8:39

Hoi Jack
Excellent view of a place I didn't know. Splendid lines in the landscape and a beautiful heavy sky.
Congratulations!
Luc

alexlie (5359) 2006-11-19 12:31

Hi John!
It's a really great photo, I enjoy very much this view. Great job with HDR technique, I use Photomatix too but yours works are better then my. Thanks for interesting note.
Regards

alkramer (0) 2006-11-19 18:01

Hello Jack,
I always love to see your HDR work ,like this picture for exemple.They are sharp and clean,there´s almost no trash of HDR at all!
And of course,thanks for your HDR advices.
Regards from Spain,Alberto

capthaddock (28790) 2006-11-19 21:02

Hi Jack - the clouds and the ruins make fine enough subjects, but the circular crop patterns sandwiched in between add even more appeal.

sayan (2617) 2006-11-20 1:37

Hi Jack,
This is a wonderful post. Lovely light and shades. The diverging lines in the back are adding a beautiful effect.
regards
Sayan

bakes888 (18499) 2006-11-20 2:27

Hi Jack. Wonderfully composed image of this interesting place. I can see I am going to have to make some effort and learn all about this HDR process. I downloaded a couple of web pages but the learning curve thing has been putting me off studying them. Your fine photos are the inspiration I need to learn this technique. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers, Paul.

John_F_Kennedy (43797) 2006-11-20 2:38

A very stunning photo of a beautiful landscape. The light and colours are awesome! Very well composed image!
Achim

barrufeto_77 (28888) 2006-11-20 3:45

Hi Jack.

Impressive image that it is (aprox) 2 hours in car from Barcelona.

The atmosphere with that sky is lovely. Excellent POV.

Rgs, Oscar

gilou530 (34) 2006-11-20 12:07

salut jack
magnifique photo, que je regrette de n'avoir pu venir vous voir Didi et toi une ambiance terrible de cette photo, contraste et lumiére contribue a cette ambiance, bravo pour le travail
amitiés
gilbert

jmdaoudal (82) 2006-11-22 2:32

With the other shots detailing the "reservoir" this makes a complete visual information.
Nice place under this very special light, this is also a rich photo wityh the ruins and the great shape of the fields.
I like it
Jean Michel

kevinos (7517) 2006-11-22 3:46

A quite extraordinary and dramatic shot, Jack. So much has been said about it already that there is little to add. It has, like a lot of your work, a certain monumental or heroic quality. Nothing about it is trivial. The pictures have a real sense of importance, if that make any sense. Regards Kevin

carper (96) 2006-11-24 5:39

Jack, again a nice HDR shot,
your become a specialist in it and I must say the effect of it is very nice and it gives a good 3 d effect, very nice job.
gr. jaap

dorte_s_t (2287) 2006-11-24 8:24

Hello , Jack .
Absolutely awesome photo - almost surrealistic to look at . Very inviting for one's imagination !
Great note which brings one back to this reality .
Great colours and a lot of drama in the sky !
I really like it !
Greetings
Dorte.

TeresaT (10806) 2006-11-25 17:44

Hello Jack,
Fantastic view of this ruins with a perfect POV.
The sense of depht here is perfect and the stormy sky creates a nice dramatic atmosphere.
The sharpness and light are also great too.
regards
teresa

balatrek (7455) 2006-11-27 8:32

Hi Jack,

Excellent landscape, I like the composition and the smoothness of the colors, the scene has a great depth, the light of the earth is incredible, he is interesting to see as the lines of the fields create a star in center, good work!

Regards
José

Lix (0) 2006-11-27 15:24 [Comment]

Show Comment

sebcz (2345) 2006-11-29 8:00

Hi Jack!
A successful HDR, nor exaggerated. Fine compo with teremendous depth and som epoints of ineterest. Those clouds really look heavy.
Regards,
Seb

marietom (34611) 2006-12-16 3:49

très belle image, bien composée.
Marie

henrytf (985) 2006-12-19 11:11

Hello Jack
Wonderful photo and very interesting note that work perfectly together.
I particularly like the dark sky and the warm light covering the ruins in the foreground and the dried lake in the distance.
Well done.
Friendly
Henry

danos (110407) 2007-03-07 3:34

Hi Jack,
nice the shot of this beautiful place.The great sky and the landscape looks very attractive.I like the heritage foreground that introduces to the view, nice composition.Well done.
Regards,Danos

touristdidi (8583) 2007-03-09 11:58 [Comment]

Show Comment

fleurdaubergine (85) 2007-03-16 9:38

Magnifique ! Bravo pour la dimension très puissante du paysage. Premier et second plan sont mystique et reflete bien l'esprit de l'antiquité.
Félicitation