<< Previous Next >>

Kukulkan Temple


Kukulkan Temple
Photo Information
Copyright: Robert Calve (perryhooter) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2791 W: 884 N: 6063] (27343)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-04-16
Categories: Architecture, Decisive Moment
Camera: Canon Powershot Pro 1, Polarizer ø28mm
Exposure: f/4, 1/640 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Map: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Travelogue: Mexico 2009
Date Submitted: 2009-05-17 8:08
Viewed: 1680
Points: 28
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Good Day,

Not a very original shot of the temple, but since the day was cloud free, and I could select the best POV for the deepest rich tones of the sky and stones with the polarizer, there you go (^_^).

I recommend highly this visit to anybody travelling on the Riviera Maya.

Information from Wikipedia;

El Castillo
Main article: El Castillo, Chichen Itza
Dominating the center of Chichén is the Temple of Kukulkan (the Maya name for Quetzalcoatl), often referred to as "El Castillo" (the castle). This step pyramid has a ground plan of square terraces with stairways up each of the 4 sides to the temple on top. On the Spring and Autumn equinox, at the rising and setting of the sun, the corner of the structure casts a shadow in the shape of a plumed serpent - Kukulcan, or Quetzalcoatl - along the west side of the north staircase. On these two days, the shadows from the corner tiers slither down the northern side of the pyramid with the sun's movement to the serpent's head at the base.

Mesoamerican cultures periodically built larger pyramids atop older ones, and this is one such example. In the mid 1930s, the Mexican government sponsored an excavation into El Castillo. After several false starts, they discovered a staircase under the north side of the pyramid. By digging from the top, they found another temple buried below the current one. Inside the temple chamber was a Chac Mool statue and a throne in the shape of jaguar, painted red with spots made of inlaid jade.

The Mexican government excavated a tunnel from the base of the north staircase, up the earlier pyramid’s stairway to the hidden temple, and opened it to tourists. In 2006, INAH closed the throne room to the public.

Unquote:

Why they closed the access? Too much vandalism.....

Cheers!
Robert
Fortuna, bluelena1972, brunorsantana, lilimih33, kross1, Juliet has marked this note useful
Only registered TrekLens members may rate photo notes.
Add Critique [Critiquing Guidelines] 
Only registered TrekLens members may write critiques.
Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To teamill: Hello Trudy,perryhooter 1 05-29 20:07
To lisapw1: Hello Lisa!perryhooter 1 05-17 12:23
You must be logged in to start a discussion.

Critiques [Translate]

Hello Robert,

Excellent shot with great perspective!
Wonderful blue sky, perfect lighting, contrast and sharpness!
Very well done and framed!
Congratulations and TFS
Sergio

Hi Robert,

Great shot of the temple. I am so glad that you included people in the scene. It really gives us an idea of the grandeur of this place. The blue sky contrasting with the stone is wonderful. Can people climb the steps to the top? If so, did you? :)

Lisa

  • Great 
  • Adri Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 534 W: 23 N: 1875] (11378)
  • [2009-05-17 9:26]

Hi Robert,

Very nice capture.
Beautiful colors and a great effect of the polar filter.
Wonderful architecture!

TFS and greetings from Netherlands,
Adri

Hi Robert,
maybe not the most original shot, but I can't complain in front of this presentation. Excellent quality throughout the shot, the polarizer filter really did its job very well; the picture looks bright, crisp, with vivid colors, good pov. The presence of the people down there added a sense of scale and brought life in the compo...I like it, as well as the nice frame you added. My compliments.
Bests,

Ele

Wonderful POV, great colors and sharpness, and lovely architecture. Excellent work, Robert! Congratulations and many thanks for sharing.

Warm regards and have a great week,
Bruno

Amazing structure - and it's one of those things that, no matter how many times I see it, its magnificence remains. The inclusion of people at the foot of it really emephasises its scale and the sense of awe it must have created through the centuries.
Well composed, beautiful clean tones in the sky and good detail in the temple itself.
Rew

  • Great 
  • moli Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1460 W: 275 N: 2066] (12616)
  • [2009-05-17 13:52]

Hello Robert.
Great building presented. Temple.
Looks very interesting and show us a size of the temple with the turists on the bottom.
Fine weather there and great light.
Regards
Janek Kloss

Hello Robert!
Beautiful architecture!
Wonderful temple!
Lovely colours, good sharpness!
Best regards!
Lili

  • Great 
  • kross1 Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 567 W: 11 N: 1087] (4376)
  • [2009-05-17 19:50]

Hi Robert,
Excellent POV showing great detail in the structure and people provide a nice scale. The lines and composition are wonderful. Very nice work.
Regards,
Kevin

  • Great 
  • Ejtaan Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 981 W: 101 N: 2260] (11423)
  • [2009-05-17 21:47]

you said it all Robert!
Great colors and razor sharp as usual...

It must have felt weird to walk there knowing how many years ago the maya people lived there... and did what ever they did....

Cheers,
Anneke

  • Great 
  • Juliet Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 883 W: 64 N: 1986] (13678)
  • [2009-05-18 3:45]

Hi Robert,
Now this is what you call a good POV ! Excellent view of this remarkable structure. Beautiful sky and colors. TFS Julie

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3281 W: 268 N: 7782] (33212)
  • [2009-05-19 22:15]

Good shot of this historical monument Robert. And vandalism - what a shame...
Looks a brilliantly sunny, hot day, but the interesting El Castillo is good to see
TFS
Janice

Great POV here Robert - good sharp photo and the colour is rich..

A nice view of this pyramid.

David

How in the world did I miss this one?!?! Glad you had a link in your last post.
Wow, a striking beauty of this amazing structure. Love the gradient of blue color in the sky, and the detail that's visible in the stonework! Such an impressive piece of history. The people add a great sense of scale.
Fantastic job Robert.
Trudy

Calibration Check
















0123456789ABCDEF