Sydney Opera House

Sandro 63(Myles), on February 13, 2008, said:

Ian compliments your new photos they are spectacular. You greet sandro

Ian Stehbens, on February 13, 2008, said:

Thanks Sandro! I like taking them, even though I have seen the Opera House so many times, I can't pass it by without trying to make another image of it.

Sandro 63(Myles), on February 13, 2008, said:

Indeed it is very beautiful.... Regards Sandro

Majlend Bramo, on February 13, 2008, said:

Really a great shot, very professional!

Bye

Ian Stehbens, on February 13, 2008, said:

Majlend and Sandro, thankyou both for your affirmation.

Ian

EVA_L, on February 13, 2008, said:

Dear Yan! Yellow star and many thanks. Wonderful Opera and superb photo. Greetings from Ukraine. Eva

Rafal Ociepka, on February 13, 2008, said:

What a stunning shot, Ian!! You are lucky you live in Sydney...

Greetings from cold Poland

:-)

stephan Seo, on February 13, 2008, said:

Hi! Ian, Magic composition! Wonderful contrast, Outstanding colours,Unique atmosphere, Best choice of Elegant Opera House.And How I couldn`t express your capture on this subject!

Greetings Stephan Seo,

Marilyn Whiteley, on February 13, 2008, said:

A "view from the bridge," Ian? A very successful one! It's a wonderful shot. Marilyn

Richard Ryer, on February 13, 2008, said:

Greetings Ian, what a great view of the opera house. Looks like a beautiful post card. Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,

Rich

Ian Stehbens, on February 13, 2008, said:

I am honoured by the appreciation you all have given to this image. Most of its success is in the subject itself, the design of Dane, J Utzon. Brilliant architecture!! Thankyou Rafal, I am privileged to live here for a period of my life, and I have fallen in love with the city. And Stephan, it is special to receive your message full of superlatives. I look forward to further communication with you. Thanks. And Richard and Marilyn, I know that the postcard photographs are by far the most popular in GE and so some of them are important in our folios. I wonder how many thousands of tourists and natives alike have walked across the bridge and taken photos of the Opera House from it. I was with a party of 16 the other night when I took this and I guess everyone of the 16 cameras took at least 3 shots of this, but their wide angle images and poor compositions meant they all wanted a copy of this one before they left to return to their overseas homes. Many of their pictures had them in the foreground their victory fingers raised, flash on and the SOH in the background through the safety mesh on the bridge. Why does taking a good photo not come naturally to most?

Appreciatively, Ian

And Eva, Thankyou for the YS! You certainly love beautiful things and enjoy creating special friendships. You must see this for yourself one day! Come!

Yan

Marilyn Whiteley, on February 13, 2008, said:

It's no surprise, Ian, that they wanted copies of this! But I, too, marvel at the photos people take that can't possibly work. (I recently saw flashes going of into glass windows. Those must have been lovely shots!)

If people can't visualize the picture beforehand, those with digital cameras can look as soon as they've clicked. I suppose, for one thing, people are so aware of the experience that they fail to see whether they've found a usable, expressive image that conveys it. Marilyn

Craig Ward, on February 14, 2008, said:

An excellent image Ian :),well captured,was it hand held? ,Cheers Craig

Palmina Moore, on February 14, 2008, said:

A lovely shot of the Opera house Ian

Palmina

Ian Stehbens, on February 14, 2008, said:

Dear Craig,

I own a mini flexible tripod but have never found it successful. All my longer exposure shots are taken without a tripod, so I am always looking for the appropriate street furniture on which to sit, or hold my camera against, often with the strap as a cushion to straighten the frame. I have fun doing this for it often has me seeing things from a different perspective. I like night shots for this reason. In this case, the bridge framework gives ample opportunity provided you are prepared to poke the camera through to the outside of the safety screens, etc and accept that you can't look through the view finder.

If you have a look at my "Sydney Opera House" tag set you will see some of my best work is night shots without a tripod in every case. My favourite is one taken from under the bridge in a thunderstorm and I found that a plastic street bollard was my prop. Had I not used it I would have created a different pic, which would not have been as good, I believe, for I would have centred the image differently. Hope you enjoy it, too.

I find it interesting that you ask. Do you use a tripod?

Regards,

Ian

Craig Ward, on February 14, 2008, said:

Yes if i am purposely out to shot long exposure, if not like you ,i make do with what ever is about,it can be interesting ,which as you say forces a change in perspective , and it's amazing what the camera bag and assorted stuff can help position the camera,Cheers Craig :)

Ian Stehbens, on February 14, 2008, said:

Dear Palmina,

I am pleased you like it. I am going to "Carmen" there next month, in the Opera House. What a privilege.

Ian

pier luigi baglioni, on February 14, 2008, said:

Grazie. Mai vista così bene l' Opera House di Sydney. Ancora Grazie.

Alan Knox ©, on February 14, 2008, said:

A perfect exposure Ian! A stunning composition too :-)

Alan

Leo Laps, on February 14, 2008, said:

that's what i would say, ian: you're a great photographer, but this place don't need your techniques and sensibility to look fantastic, hehehehehe. a giant master-piece! makes humans seem so great!

regards!

Lecleire Jacques, on February 14, 2008, said:

That is a classic picture of the Opera house, but like you take it. Superb ! Great picture ! So pure and look those colours. Fantastic job. Congratulations. I give "best of"

Greetings, Jacques

Ian Stehbens, on February 14, 2008, said:

Dear Jacques, Leo, Alan and Pier Luigi,

Your appreciation and comments are very special. You each have different styles and I am stimulated by your different work. So to have you all comment on this is appreciated so much.

The Opera House certainly has much appeal internationally, and I don't know whether you have seen other images of mine of the Opera House - but one is receiving 100+ hits per day, everyday. I don't know how or why, whether it is GE or another link.

Leo, I look forward to your visit to Brisbane and to further communication. Pier Luigi, your folio is new to me, but I am impressed by the diversity of still-lifes you have in it and some of your culinary pics too. I will "digest" it at my leisure soon.

Kind regards, Alan and Jacques. Keep up the great work and uploading.

Ian

jhk, on February 21, 2008, said:

Hello Ian,

A stunning shot, and together with your 10000+ hits shot, it makes a perfect pair of the Sydney Opera House. I'd love to see it - as well as the country it's in.

Interesting comments here as well. On my very recent trips to Madrid and Paris (only a couple pics online so far) I too noticed so many people taking nightshots with flash... I do have a small tripod, but don't use it very often. Like you, I prefer using objects in the direct surroundings.

Greetings from Toulouse, Justin

Ian Stehbens, on February 21, 2008, said:

Well Justin,

like Leo you will just have to organize an assignment for a year or a lifetime and drop in here. Once upon a time, it seemed to be every Brit's dream to come here or to at least have a direct relative living here or to have compelled some poor person to come here "for the term of their natural life", and the South Americans were on another planet. Now that we play football reasonably well, and beach volleyball very well, and cricket too well, the Brits aren't as frequent but the Brazilians, Argentinios are now frequent visitors to OZ.

So when you come and walk the Bridge with me, or go to the Opera House to hear Sydney Symphony Orchestra playing or watch Carmen, you will be among 10000+ visitors from 1000+ places around the world, and many will be people like you who could only be described as citizens of the globe.

I like your approach to photography very much, especially the creativity that is required for night photography.

And thank you Justin for your visit and appreciation. I'm off to Madrid and Paris with you right now.

Ian

A little flashback (pun intended) if I may: I remember a bus load of girls from a Brisbane College arrived in the dark at a camping ground about 10kms from Uluru and were told that Uluru (Ayers Rock as we called it then) was in that direction. "OOOooo,"" was the reply and out came a camera. "But it is dark!" "OOoo, that's ok, I've got a flash!"

Marilyn Whiteley, on February 21, 2008, said:

Oh, Ian! I love that "flashback"! That's even better than watching flash pictures taken of Niagara Falls; those people could at least see that the falls were there! Marilyn

Ian Stehbens, on February 21, 2008, said:

Dear Marilyn it is very early here (5:50am) it must be too late for you to be still up, there! I think those who were at Niagara in the dark were simply trying to take pictures of themselves at Niagara Falls without the falls in the background spoiling their portraits! The water wouldn't keep still you see.

Ian

jhk, on February 21, 2008, said:

Hahaha that is too funny, Ian!!

Cheers, Justin

yves floret, on May 1, 2008, said:

Stunning shot Ian.Beautiful light. Y.S. Greetings. Yves

Ian Stehbens, on May 1, 2008, said:

Hi Yves,

I appreciate your discovering this image in my folio and for the honour of the Y*. Thanks you so much!! I have seen quite a lot of your work and conversations over the last few months and am impressed by your folio. I try to keep up with the conversations as best as my busy life allows. As I don't want my recreation squeezed out, I think it is the time to add your collection into my favourites for that may help me check on your new work more regularly.

I look forward to more conversations with you, Yves.

Kind regards from Sydney.

Ian

Ian Stehbens, on November 18, 2008, said:

OWS Google Earth Travel

Ian Stehbens, on November 21, 2008, said:

Wikipedia Sydney Opera House

nyx_ss, on January 9, 2009, said:

perfect composition! greetings from sare!

FlinstoneRO, on January 10, said:

Great night shot, your gallery is impressive, greetings from Romania

Ian Stehbens, on January 10, said:

Thanks nyx_ss and FlinstoneRO.

It is good to receive such encouraging comments from you both.

But where is Sare, nyx_ss? Do you come from Sare in the hills of Serbia, or another Sare?

Warm regards from Sydney,

Ian

nyx_ss, on January 11, said:

actually sare is my name:)i am from turkey, but it is not a turkish name though. but there is a really small town in France called Sare, where i've never been at:)

Ian Stehbens, on January 12, said:

Sorry Sare. I am pleased to know you now by your name and to know where you are from. Actually there are quite a number of places called Sare around the world. Anyway, thanks for your visit to my gallery. I look forward to the possibility of more contact with you.

Ian

nyx_ss, on January 12, said:

sure, whenever you want:)

peakpoon88, on January 23, said:

Hi Ian,

Your great picture ,very beautiful . I interesting your picture to using in our website , travel agency in Thailand for tour to Australia . Looking forward to hear from you.

Greeting from Thailand, peakpoon88

Ian Stehbens, on January 31, said:

Dear Peakpoon88,

Thank you for your request and appreciation of this photo. I am grateful that you have asked first.

Yes, you may use the photo on your website, provided that you comply with Panoramio API guidelines.

Other sites are already using other photos of mine, but the ones that use them best are those that elect to use the largest format on the site rather than the thumbnail. Customers prefer to see the appealing photo as soon as they come to the site, rather than seeing a small thumbnail and then having to click on it to open it.

I would be very interested to see your website, either before or after the link is made, if you were kind enough to send me the web address, please.

Yours appreciatively,

Ian Stehbens

Sydney

bluelabel, on February 27, said:

Refreshing shot..!

Ian Stehbens, on March 21, said:

Thanks Bluelabel.

Ian

emil_watson, on March 24, said:

Fantastic capture of this marvelous piece of architecture. Your lighting is spot on and truelly beautiful... very well done

Emil Watson _ South Africa

Ian Stehbens, on March 24, said:

Your encouraging comment is greatly appreciated, Emil. Soon there will be a significant concert held here to honour the late Jørn Utzon.

Ian