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Steps to the sky


Steps to the sky
Photo Information
Copyright: Sunil Tantirige (linus) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1477 W: 10 N: 738] (10767)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-12-20
Categories: Architecture
Camera: Canon PowerShot SD600
Exposure: f/2.8, 1/1500 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-12-30 9:40
Viewed: 204
Points: 3
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This is a close up of the main pyramid at Chichen Itza. My pervious post shows the complete structure. The pyramid has been built to very sophisticated and exact mathematical and astronomical standards. Each side of the pyramid has 91 steps, and with the final step at the top has 365 steps, the number of days in the year.

On the vernal equinox (March 20) and the autumnal equinox (September 21) at about 3pm the sunlight bathes the western balustrade of the pyramid's main stairway. This causes a series of shadows of triangles to form imitating the body of a serpent 37 yards long that creeps downwards until it joins the huge serpent's head carved in stone at the bottom of the stairway. This phenomenon is called the “decent of the feathered serpent” and every year thousands of people from all over the world gather at Chichen Itza to witness this.

Mayans had a very sophisticated calendar and according to them everything occurred in cycles of 52 years. At the end of each cycle, they would rebuild most of their temples right on top of the old one. For example, the archaeologists have discovered a smaller pyramid inside the currently existing one, which has been completely built over.

The slope of the pyramid is very steep. In the past people were allowed to climb to the top, but now the practice has been stopped after a tourist was killed falling from the pyramid.
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To trekks: Hi Bill,linus 1 12-31 09:27
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Critiques [Translate]

hi Sunil

This angle of shot really makes my eye goes up to the full height of the pyramid wall. One thing that really puzzles me a lot is the use of f/2.8 here that is not supposed to get good depth and you would not need 1/1500 for this, yet the wall is giving nice detail.

I think there is OE on the sky's washed out area.

tfs, bill

  • Great 
  • boonie Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1289 W: 69 N: 1538] (7679)
  • [2009-01-26 20:19]

Greetings Sunil
I was drawn to this older image of your because of the lack of citiques.
On the positive side: The composition is well done, DOF is amazing considering the f/stop and shutter speed combination.
On the negative side: The blown out sky. Some one or some thing on the steps to suggest proportion.

This one has potential.

Dan

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