Chania – Ritva Sillanmäki Photography

Monochrome Photography of the Egyptian Lighthouse

Black and White photos, Photography, Travel, Traveling Crete

This time I am sharing images of The Egyptian Lighthouse for Leanne’s Monochrome Madness. It is among the oldest lighthouses in the world, and it stands as a testament to maritime history, guiding sailors safely into the harbor for centuries. I tried to add an old photo touch to them to invoke a sense of nostalgia, highlighting the lighthouse’s timeless charm and the stories it could tell if only its walls could speak.

I captured a solitary man sitting on a wooden bench by the waterfront, facing the prominent Egyptian Lighthouse. The lighthouse stands tall on a rugged stone pier, with a small group of people visible at the base, adding a sense of scale and human presence. The foreground reflects the soft light, while the clear sky enhances a tranquil and contemplative atmosphere. What I wanted was to depict architectural strength intertwined with quiet solitude, utilizing monochromatic tones that emphasize texture and contrast to evoke some emotions in this and all the other photos I edited for this post.

The Egyptian Lighthouse of Chania-5 — A solitary man sitting on a wooden bench by the waterfront, facing the prominent Egyptian Lighthouse.

The Egyptian Lighthouse is one of the oldest in the world and is located in the old harbor of Chania. It’s a stone structure that sits at the end of the breakwater, serving as a “guard” for the old Venetian harbor and is actually the most photographed spot in the Prefecture.

The Egyptian Lighthouse of Chania-3 — A peaceful seaside scene with people relaxing on benches near the lighthouse on a calm waterfront.

The Egyptian Lighthouse of Chania-4 — People strolling and sitting near vintage lamp posts on a pier.

The Venetians built it in the late 16th century, but it was later rebuilt by the Egyptians between 1830 and 1840 when Crete was under the regent of Egypt, Mehmet Ali. By the time the Ottoman Empire was winding down, they had added a ladder on the east side and some pipes for seawater to flow under its base. The lighthouse stands 21 meters tall, covers an area of 26 square meters, and its light can be seen from about 7 nautical miles away. It has an octagonal base, a part with 16 angles in the middle, and a circular top.

Stylish Summer Fashion

People, Photography, Traveling Crete

A very stylish woman. She is dressed in a flowing white outerwear and wears a wide-brimmed hat and dark sunglasses, exuding a relaxed, summery vibe. The cobblestone street and soft, diffused lighting create a quaint, charming atmosphere, suggesting a leisurely day spent exploring a picturesque Chania City

A woman from behind as she stands in front of a handmade jewelry store. She wears a large, wide-brimmed beige sunhat and a light, semi-transparent blouse that flows gently, with her brown hair visible underneath the hat. The store’s entrance is dimly lit with warm tones, showcasing several jewelry displays featuring necklaces on white busts. The focus that emphasizes the textures of the woman’s attire and the handmade fashionable jewellery

Participating in One Word Sunday: fashion

Traveling Crete #10

Cities, Photography, Travel, Traveling Crete

Some atmosphere photos from Chania old town lanes and the harbor area from an other perspective

52 Frames: Week 28: Silhouette!!

52 Frames, Traveling Crete

Photography is drawing with light and this week’s Silhouette challenge firmly shows us that. A silhouette is about bringing together contrasts of a well-lit background against a dark subject, making the subject’s shape and outline as the main point of focus. A silhouette balances what the viewer sees alongside the darker toned facets of the subject that are intentionally kept hidden from the light.

Silhouettes are a great way to tell a story while leaving it up to the imagination of the viewer – there aren’t visible features to express emotion, so your viewer will fill in details depending on the context of the image – use this to direct your viewer’s line of thinking.

This is a lesson in exposure, composition and creativity all coming together. While silhouettes are commonly shot in the day and at golden / blue hours, you can absolutely shoot silhouettes at night too. This will work best when the object being shot is recognizable through their well-defined shape and outline.. Portraits, Still Life, Architecture and Nature typically make for good silhouette genres.

Silhouettes can often convey some kind of mystic story. By leaving the details in the dark, the story becomes compelling and the viewer is more engaged with the picture.

I would have loved to use these shots I took at Crete as they would have suited this challenge perfectly, but no, still I think they are great examples of silhouette! But I will have to come up with something new for the challenge or I could cheat… no, I won’t do that.

TIPS:

Background Choice: Very often, we blur out the background and pay less attention to it. Here, pay a little extra attention to your choice of background. Make it contrast with the shape of your main subject.
Narrow Aperture: Shoot with a relatively narrow aperture of f/8 or higher to reduce the amount of light falling on your sensor, getting great Depth Of Field and also reducing chromatic aberrations especially if you’re shooting into the light.
Metering: We want to “trick” our camera into intentionally under-exposing the subject. So use spot metering or expose for the background.
Post-processing: Use software wisely – in post processing, it’s generally helpful to boost the contrast in your image, add more saturation, and increase the blacks slightly to improve a silhouette shot.

Traveling Crete #9

Landscapes, Photography, Travel, Traveling Crete

Some atmosphere photos from Chania and buildings at the Venetian harbor. The first set I took with my mobile and the other with my camera where I was able to adjust the settings and zoom better and was able to get more moody shots.

52 Frames: Week 27: Negative Space!!

52 Frames, Flowers

Less is more. This week’s Negative Space challenge is what those words are all about. Make your composition’s subject stand out by ensuring you eliminate clutter, distractions and sometimes even a background.

Many minimalistic photography images have a great deal of negative space to isolate the subject. There are tons of genres and ideas that would make for very compelling shots – architecture, landscapes, portraits, food photography, abstracts and so much more. Think about the story or emotion you’d like to convey to your viewer and compose your shot after taking some time to think about it.

We’re looking for clear, un-cluttered images where the space surrounding the main subject or idea enhances your shot by taking the viewer’s eye straight there. That little bit of extra space allows for breathing room and leaves no doubt as to what the main point of interest is.

There’s magic in negative space, when used wisely, so think, breathe, shoot…

TIPS:

Zoom with your feet: Move around to get the best composition for your photo.
Different shooting angles: Because everything else is simplified in your frame, you have more license to “break” the rules of typical composition, for example where your subject is placed in the frame, or where they are looking.
Find your background first: Go on a hunt for a red brick wall, or a blue garage door, then place your subject in front of it.
Balance: Use the negative space to balance out the main subject. Don’t go overboard with the negative space, making it hard for the viewer to understand and absorb the main focus point of your shot.
Shoot wide open: That dreamy, creamy bokeh is a great way to simplify your subject’s background, and keep the frame more minimalistic.

I would have loved to use some of the shots I took at Crete as they would have suited this challenge perfectly, but no, still I think they are great examples of negative space.