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tdarden
2-Sep-2008, 20:52
Hello all,

I am heading to Vienna, Austria 19-24 Sept. for a travel story for a magazine assignment. I wonder if there are any LFers in the area or if anyone might offer up a few photo suggestions. I plan to have some fun with my Speed, the AeroEktar and Xenotar 150 but don't know the area at all. Thanks in advance for any help.


http://gallery.me.com/tdardeniii#100094&bgcolor=black&view=grid

Vlad Soare
4-Sep-2008, 01:59
Tyler, I was about to open a new thread to ask the same thing, when I saw yours. :D
I'll be in Vienna between the 17th and the 20th of September, and I'm bringing my 4x5 Calumet. Maybe we could meet there.
Unfortunately I'm as clueless as you are in regard to Viennese photo opportunities. I've only been there once and had no time to see much of the city.

shmoo
4-Sep-2008, 09:18
In tourist areas, watch your pockets and gear...as in most tourist cities, pickpockets are not uncommon. Have fun, though. It's a beautiful city for LF...wish I had mine (and the time) when I went last year.

Check out iJourneys if you have an iPod. It's a pretty good walking tour for a first time visitor. Eat at the Nascht Markt if you want to save some money...great kebab sandwiches, fresh fruits, breakfasts. Have fun!

Armin Seeholzer
4-Sep-2008, 10:21
Here at the german LF page you will find some people from Vienna:

http://www.grossformatfotografie.de/

Good time in Vienna

hase
4-Sep-2008, 11:02
what kind of pictures do you want to make?

br
Hase

Vlad Soare
7-Sep-2008, 07:20
I'd like to try some architecture and cityscapes. As far as architecture is concerned, I'm mostly (but not only) attracted to church and cathedral exteriors and interiors, details as well as full-size views.

What's the policy regarding tripods inside churches and cathedrals? Of course I won't mount my tripod in the middle of an aisle full of tourists. I'm thinking of mounting it between two rows of pews. The tripod has independent legs. Two of them could be fully extended and rest on the floor, while the third one could be extended only halfway and rest on the bench. I don't know if it will work, I've never tried it. Any other ideas? :confused:
Will they let me use my tripod inside churches, as long as I don't disturb other tourists? Will I need a permit for that?

Also, could you recommend a few places where I could get some good cityscapes?

shmoo
7-Sep-2008, 11:05
The Ringstrasse area (center of town) is the most architecturally robust area. It is a walking city (okay, you can ride cars, trolleys and trains but the distances aren't bad...walking is the preferred mode within the center of the Ring), so if you're hauling around LF gear, stamina and a good back are helpful. The embassies are also within the Ringstrasse and are incredibly beautiful.

I don't know the policy inside the churches/cathedrals, but I don't recall ever seeing anyone with a tripod inside...but most people were carrying those digi-gizmos. Flashes are NOT smiled upon for the most part...but that varies from church to church.

Exterior-wise, in the center of the city, there are the classic Stephansdom Cathedral, The Hofburg (Hapsburg Palace area, most of the country & city's gov't is located there, lovely park), the Belvedere Palace has beautiful gardens and fountains (and the Gustav Klimt paintings - WOW). Every street and alley way has an interesting angle photgraphically.

Outside the Ring (short ride) is the Schonbrunn Palace. Exquisite gardens, tree-line paths, fountains (unbelievable fountain at the opposite end of the palace). Also outside the Ring is the Nascht Markt which is a wonderful open air market...great people photos to be had there.

I'll take a look at my photos and list the cathedrals that I visited later on.

----it's later on----

Stephansdom
Peterskirche
Augustiner Kirche (my personal favorite)
Jesuiten Kirche
Karls Kirche

Vlad Soare
5-Oct-2008, 23:45
So, here are the pictures I got in Vienna.
These are scans of the final prints, not of the negatives. The prints look better than the jpegs, at least on my uncalibrated monitor.

http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/7446/image0255micjy2.jpg

Here I got a reading of 1/2s at f/32. Instead of making one exposure at 1/2, I made 16 exposures at 1/30. :)
Too bad about that ugly sky. Oh well...

Vlad Soare
5-Oct-2008, 23:48
Hofburg.
The statue's hand is not cut off in the actual picture. The prints were 24x30cm, and my scanner only goes to A4 (21x30cm), so a slight crop was unavoidable.

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/6452/image0257micry7.jpg

Vlad Soare
5-Oct-2008, 23:54
This is St. Ruprechtskirche, the oldest church in Vienna. I was attracted by this wall. It looks to me like the face of an old man - old and textured face, tired eyes full of kindness. Like an old and wise grandfather. Seems appropriate for a church which is itself the grandfather of Vienna's churches.

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/3673/image0258micww6.jpg

Vlad Soare
5-Oct-2008, 23:59
This is another detail from the St. Ruprechtskirche. This wall is covered by a tree and is not visible unless you come close. Going under that tree was like going back in time. Those dead roots and branches, along with the statue and a small wooden door, gave me the impression that the place had not been touched or changed since the time of Saint Rupert.

http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/2811/image0259mickf9.jpg

Vlad Soare
6-Oct-2008, 00:13
I really wanted to take a picture of a church interior.
At the Stephansdom tripods are forbidden unless you have a permit. I tried to get one, but couldn't, because there was nobody I could talk to - it was 1:30PM and the folks had gone home for the day. :rolleyes:
So, I went to the Votivkirche, which I found just as beautiful.
Unfortunately, I didn't have a wideangle lens. This is the best I could do with a 210mm lens.

http://img396.imageshack.us/img396/8105/image0256micrn4.jpg

shmoo
6-Oct-2008, 09:59
lovely...Vienna is magical...

Marko
6-Oct-2008, 13:03
Another point well worth the visit is the Hundertwasser Haus (sp?).

matthew050204
13-Oct-2008, 09:18
Hi! I love your photos of Vienna. You missed some really beautiful places, though, so here are just some tips in case you ever get back:
- the fountain at the Russian memorial on Schwarzenbergplatz is absolutely beautiful, especially at night since it changes colors then. Beautiful.
- the Belvedere which is right next to it is an absolutely beautiful building
- Schloss Schönbrunn, the former palace of the royal family, is worth taking photos of as well, the architecture is amazing
- Stephansdom is a beautiful cathedral in the centre that you have to look at!

Vlad Soare
13-Oct-2008, 13:05
Thanks, Matthew. I will get back, that's for sure. It's not far from where I live, and my wife still has some shopping to do. :D First I'll have to get a wideangle lens; right now I only have a 210mm.
I went to the Belvedere and Schönbrunn and took a couple of pictures, but I don't like any of them. They look just like crude snapshots, that's why I'm not showing them. I haven't even enlarged them. Hopefully I'll do better next time.
Next time, especially if I manage to get a wideangle by then, I'll try to get a permit for the interior of the Stephansdom. I have no idea what's needed to get it - I couldn't find anyone to talk to. We'll see... :)

matthew050204
25-Oct-2008, 06:06
Oh, I see! Well I'm looking forward to your next Vienna photo session :D
Brings back lots of good memories for me...