An autamnal day in Tervenichi.

That was an accidental, totally unplanned trip. Everything went on exactly as the previous time : having felt that I lost all strength to keep on driving along the main road I took a turn to Alekhovshchina to avoid anything worse. Of course, dropped in Tervenichi on my way back. The weather should be said seemed the most inclement for the landscape photography and that is technically true as drizzling hampered to change lenses and covered them with droplets, but the result proved the opposite of what I expected. 

A downstairs view with the Life-giving Spring chapel, standard lens, f11, 1/15s, CPL filter:

The same view, f11, 1/20s, a bit different polarization:

The Intercession of The Holy Theotocos church (center) and partly the Assumption Refectory church (right), standard lens, f11, 1/15s, CPL filter:

The same view with a bit different focal distance and polarization:

The Assumption Refectory church, upstairs view, f11, 1/20s, CPL filter:

Chapels view, f11, 1/15s, CPL filter:

Upstairs view, f11, 1/10s, CPL filter:

The same shot, but something shifted:

The Life-giving Spring chapel, standard lens, f11, 1/15s, CPL filter:

A view from a field, f11, 1/10s, CPL filter:

Chapels (actually the second one isn't a chapel, that is for ablutions), f11, 1/10s, CPL filter:

The same view, f11, 1/15s:

A general view from the chapels, f11, 1/15s, CPL filter:

The same view with an AIS Nikkor 28 mm, f11, 1/15s, CPL filter:

Upstairs view with The Assumption church in the center, AIS Nikkor 28 mm, f11, 1/15s, CPL filter:

The Assumption church, AIS Nikkor 28 mm, f11, 1/15s, CPL filter:

Downstairs view, AIS Nikkor 28 mm, f11, 1/20s, CPL filter:

The Intercession of The Holy Theotocos church, AIS Nikkor 28 mm, f11, 1/20s, CPL filter:

The Assumption church from behind an altar, AIS Nikkor 28 mm, f11, 1/10s, CPL filter:

A closer view, f11, 1/15s:

The Assumption church and nunnery shop as seen from the central road, AIS Nikkor 28 mm, f11, 1/20s, CPL filter:

The Intercession of The Holy Theotocos church main entrance, AIS Nikkor 28 mm, f11, 1/15s, CPL filter:

The Intercession of The Holy Theotocos church southern view, AIS Nikkor 28 mm, f11, 1/15s, CPL filter:

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary church in Nikola-Renya.

The church was constructed in 1907-1924 to replace an older wooden one dating back to 1777. Closed in 1950s, currently plundered and abandoned.

As for the place, now it looks completely wild and forlorn, with ruins of two very old houses on the southern side of the road. I even drove past them despite all my attempts to see any landmarks at night.

Nikola-Renya village doesn’t exist any longer. It was situated 6 km eastwards (I think, a bit more: count 6,5km by your mileage indicator and begin looking around, otherwise you will run a risk of missing your destination) of Lyubegoshchi village, along Sandovo-Lyubegoshchi-Vesyegonsk road and on the right side of Renya river, more correctly, a stream. The toponym is compound: its first part is derived from the St. Nicolas side-altar of a previous wooden Assumption church that had been existing 1777 to 1915, the second is hydronym.

In the village vicinity a group of 44 Vepsian mounds dating back to XI–XII centuries has been preserved.

I have to warn all travelers that at night neither church nor ruins of houses are seen, so you will have either rely on your navigator or gaze around. Your turn is here 58°35’51.51”N 36°55’03.22”E, the church is 100m away from the road.

Road conditions can be an issue. If you drive from Saint-Petersburg via Ustyuzhna and Sandovo, the local dirt road is quite good up to the boundary with Vesyegonsk district, except for sporadic puddles and fallen trees (I was there right after a thunderstorm), but right after crossing the districts boundary city cars can find themselves in trouble. My advice is that you shouldn’t try to make a deed like that in spring, autumn and rainy weather, even more to say, the previous year the road was washed out somewhere.

A field where the church is situated is used for grazing, no indications of hay mowing were detected, so grass is high, dew is everywhere. Keep high boots ready.

Night. f8, shutter speed 2s, CPL-filter, standard lens.

Dawn is breaking.

Dawn keeps on breaking.

Glimmering light.

Right after sunrise.

Another view of the Assumption church, counterlight from a shade. Here a grey gradient filter effect can be seen, undesirable in a weather like that. All the rest shots with this filter were rejected.

Foggy morning. Nikkor AIS 28 mm lens, CPL filter.

Dew is everywhere. Nikkor AIS 28 mm lens, CPL filter.

Interior.

Skylight filter worked well here.

Fog and dew. Skylight filter.

Fog and dew. Skylight filter.

The Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple nunnery.

Weather conditions like that must always be avoided, but unfortunately there was no alternative on my way back from Tervenichi. Let's play with contrasts, if we have no other option. An old Nikkor worked its best here. 

Northern view from a river bank. Kit 24-85 mm lens, f14, 1/50s, CPL filter.

The old Nikkor works as usual, featuring fantastically deep space. The trick here was in a closed aperture. I'll make no secret of that: f16, 1/60 s, CPL filter. 

Another view from a stream flowing into the river. Not the best one, since absence of clouds resulted in polarization circles that couldn't be removed. Kit lens, f14, 1/40s, CPL filter.    

A view from the western gates. Kit lens, f14, 1/60s, CPL filter. A strange yellow smoke is seen here. Do nuns use sulfur additives or a cheap coal?

 

 A general view of the nunnery from chapels situated near a water well. Nikkor AIS 28 mm, f16, 1/80, CPL filter.