Cooool monk, a photo from Samos, North Aegean

Photographer's Note

The monastery of Panagia Spiliani (The Virgin Mary of the Cave)in Pythagorio, offers a spectacular views on the ancient ruins of the old town of Pythagorio and the nearby Turkish coast. 95 steps lead down into a huge cave with a cave church inside, dedicated to Virgin Mary. It contains an old tile icon called Panagia Kaliarmenissa (the good traveller). This name is explained by the following legend. Some strangers stole the icon and took it to their home town, but when taking it out of the boat, the icon fell into the sea and broke into five pieces. After a long time the icon returned to Samos island, carried by the sea. The inhabitants were pleased to put it back to its old position.

The monastery was founded in 1836. As all the other monasteries I have seen in Greece, this one also had a splendid view from above to the world below, a beautiful place for meditation.
I have only seen one monk in Spiliani, and he was of the modern type. I saw him twice, once with his cellphone on his ear with his flying habit, and the second time behind the steering wheel of a very new Renault Megane. No more donkeys for this monk ;-)

Thanks Jenny, for the title ;-)

Galmeida, MiguelP, Xalkida, rodoula, everlasting, spence, efigesta, pitai, nwoehnl, bertolucci, lara, papagolf21, KevRyan, lucbus, Valentia, pamastro, jhm, ArtLook, yogi32 has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Galmeida (12559) 2005-10-22 17:20

Hi Rinie,
This is a interesting capture and very good motion composition about people, culture and the way you took. Morden or not the monk have a mobile phone so not so old ;-))) neither in politics or religion. For me is a moder type like you say. From your point of view and capture is a great work and the modern technics life of the new underworld.

Very well seen and a hidden mesage but very well done. Thanks and is a must to be a pothografer than the view.

Congratulations and best to you.
Fernando

MiguelP (14470) 2005-10-22 18:03

Hey, today I磎 having a nice interchange of messages with Henk (Oachappan) about religion, so your photo is quite right today. I think that far from compos and so on, I love this photo for the alternative view of life. Nothing is what it磗 seems to be.

Xalkida (11744) 2005-10-22 19:28

Hi Rinie

Well, the monks in Greece (not all but some of them) are modern. Your shot is very nice. Sharp and with good POV. Nice colors too. Well done.

rodoula (119) 2005-10-22 20:41

2 points of me!

everlasting (19680) 2005-10-23 3:33

Nice to see a monk in a different colour robe:)With a cellphone....mmmm.
Sounds a nice place up there in the hills, just what the doctor ordered for you.

Furachan (0) 2005-10-23 3:43

Hello Rinie,
I find this one extraordinarily attractive, right from the thumbnail - the sharpness, that demarcated tree and the flying ,omk with his cell phone, long hair bobbuing behind him...great stuff!
Bravo,
Francis

spence (65) 2005-10-23 6:48

This one makes me smile, Rinie - what a cool monk, with his mobile phone and new Renault! He's doing quite well for himself by the sound of it. I love your pov which catches him rushing by in profile, standing out so clearly against the light background. And all the details of the surroundings are nice. You've reminded me of a photo I took of a monk at Meteora earlier this year - maybe I'll post it soon.

efigesta (12188) 2005-10-23 8:00

Hi Rinie, Interesting shot with a great capture and composition from the guy, the color is so great and the POV perfect, your note is so good, regards manuel

pitai (3985) 2005-10-23 10:06

Hi Rinie, nice composition, with a great POv and good colors, regards gabriel

nwoehnl (122) 2005-10-23 11:16

A fun and well-captured scene, Rinie, this monk sure seems to be up to early 21st century standards according to this photo and your description, and he even comes with a ponytail hairdo. The framing of the photo is well made with the view towards the monastery building and some contextual elements establishing the "Greek" setting. Nice.

Rockyboy (20598) 2005-10-23 15:41

You remind me when I saw a monastery in Creta during my trip of 2000. There was also monks with very nice cars...
Here I like the composition with that tree in the foreground and the modern monk! Well seen!

premels (2400) 2005-10-23 16:05

Hi Rinie, I have been very busy and I will be again in the next weeks (visiting Apeldoorn ! is there something worth a picture up there ? - I'm joking I know there is but I'll be working all day). This is thus a short visit in your gallery. I'd like to spend more time on your views from Brazil.
I stopped on your last post as it is funny enough. The composition is very well balanced and the monk silhouette really catches the eye.

bertolucci (14052) 2005-10-24 2:31

Hi Rinie, hehe indeed a very cool and superbly composed shot! I like the light and especially the rhythm a lot here - it's also very graphically pleasing. Durinfg my stay in Greece the way the pappas participate in the commmunity also struck me as very modern. Great job.
Bert

eleparc (24063) 2005-10-24 18:25

cool monk indeed! rather hype with his cellular phone andd long hair;-) nice shot!
Eric

PS: The shop has decided to pay be back for the D70 and let me buy something new to cover for my 2.5month with out a camera... big choice now... D70S or D2? or canon? your opinion?

papagolf21 (152605) 2005-10-25 4:38

Bonjour Rinie,
Nous connaissions la Gr鑓e antique, maintenant nous avons la Gr鑓e des Temps modernes avec ce promeneur accroch� � son t閘閜hone cellulaire.
Une tr鑣 belle prise de vue nous permettant d'admirer plusieurs choses � la fois (urbanisme, ciel, promeneur).
Excellent cadrage. F閘icitations Rinie.
Amiti閟.
Philippe

KevRyan (22956) 2005-10-25 18:53

A nice take on contemporary culture - or at least it's impact on such an ancient tradition - nevertheless it is the centuries which still speak with the loudest voice - this comes through too.

He walks with God and his mobie!

best wishes Kev

lucbus (11) 2005-10-25 18:56

Hi Rinie,

The monk have really changed, he seems stressed and in a hurry walking fast with a cell phone., like in the modern city life. Very nice colours and sharpness. Great shot
Luc

Fixfocus (9385) 2005-10-27 6:05

Dag Rinie,
Great how you placed the monk into the lovely atmosphere of the place.I like the pose and his "dancin step" as Kev could have called it.
Een prettige dag toegewenst!
hermann

bantonbuju (51815) 2005-10-28 2:09

hi rinie, the thing that i like about greece most is that it modern 21st century country is full of preserved places, people, and scenes as if taken 50, 60 years ago; like this view of yours today, great, crisp, yet so full of melancholy;
very beautyful;
best wishes, jerzy

SophieL (6042) 2005-10-28 7:41

I had noticed this picture when you posted it, I'm surprised I didn't leave a critique. I like the silhouette of the man very much. Actually, with the sunglasses, the hair in a ponytail, the beard, the "cool" attitude and the cell phone, he looks more to me as a modern motorbiker than a monk (and his clothes would be a long, leather overcoat... :^). I like the contrast between his modern/young attitude and the timeless setting he is in.

RGatward (20108) 2005-10-28 11:57

Very cool indeed, and very well framed candid shot. Nice work.

pamastro (7296) 2005-10-29 12:14

Despite this ancient setting and this quaint corner the monk is a totally modern one as you say. With his cell phone on and apparent fast pace it gives us the feel of a monk in the modern, high action, fast paced world in which we live. He's always on the go and always busy with a full schedule. He almost has the look of a playboy in his villa on the Mediterranean when one thinks of the beautiful setting the monastery. Of course I mean that just in the sense of describing his fast pace, not being critical of him or religion. And as usual it's a fine, crisp, clean image from you, Rinie. Nicely done.

For the first few minutes of writing and looking I thought I was looking at an image by Bert. Since I was going through images I bookmarked I wasn't putting names and pictures together. And I knew he had been in Greece recently. Then I saw his critique down below and was totally confused. :) I hadn't realized you were going down that way, too. Hope you enjoyed it.

oochappan (4880) 2005-10-30 18:47

Hey Rinie, je hebt niet stilgezeten, effe naar Griekenland en dit prachtig shot aldaar ingepakt, leuk deze monnik, ik hou wel van een vleugje humor in een shot, en wat een shot, een schoolvoorbeeld qua afwerking en mooi geplaatste elementen zoals die boom op eerste plan en die man op een sterk punt met zijn mantel dat mooi open zijn beweging suggereert, pico bello deze photo, een mooi licht hier.

ArtLook (2348) 2005-11-01 0:12

Hi Renie,
Interesting comment (story) to this photo. Yes, the technical progress is everywhere even among monks in monasteries. :)
Regards,
Arthur

nerve (10231) 2005-11-08 1:55

so cute!!
Hi Rinie!
i love this shot, i wish i had more space for a favourite..
Getting orders from the God probably, Lol!
such a contrast.. just a great image..

bfly (5775) 2005-11-10 1:51

dear Rinnie, I see you have been to Greece and Brazil both this summer :)..I am jealous again..but I cannot forget your Mongolia trip yet...
why don't you come over to Istanbul even shortly ? this old tired city may not offer you places you have not seen before but it might be a change...

and yes, this a really cool monk :) not only because of his cell, there is such an aura about him..it is like a frozen frame from a movie (he is a secret agent disguised as a monk..something like that :)..
big hugs..
fusun

donluicu (24741) 2006-02-16 11:28

Hi Rinie
excellent picture, very funny!!
well done
loic

faubry (35447) 2006-07-25 17:23

hello Rinie, yes it's similair shot, simple, modern and tradition!!
bravo
francine