It’s something like an addition to my series of morning landscapes of Svirskoye as the set was taken on my way back from there. Of course, lighting is already more day-like since sun had risen 4 hours earlier, but not a midday one, and as we see, I managed to get deep contrasts and clear outlines and evaded counterlight.
f14, 1/40s, standard lens, CPL filter.
Nikkor AIS 28 mm, f16, 1/40s, CPL filter.
A general view of the nunnery:
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:
"Neither glowing window nor hut heated by a chimneyless stove" – a line by A. Pushkin came to my mind while approaching to Belozersk. Night, no villages, just turns, as all villages are situated aside of the modern road. Of course, I totally forgot the way, since my first and only visit there took place some 9 or 10 years ago. The town's sodium lamps appeared in darkness all of sudden.
Now about the subject-matter. In autumn the sunrise point direction is right east of the town what creates an opportunity to avoid getting into counterlight. I summer of course the situation is different, as the sunrise point shifts north-eastwards. That must be kept in mind. Landscape and architectural photography sessions in evening are not advisable, since the landscape in itself you will beyond doubt take, but an architecture will not work its best as altar parts of orthodox temples are east-oriented. So one has to choose between two options: morning with its fog, mist and difficult lighting conditions (up to counterlight) or nothing. Yes, if your purpose is taking the lake views, including those taken from a beach or strand that would be preferable taking them in evening.
As for shooting points on the rampart, its western semicircle is of no avail, unless your task is taking the town views (remember, in morning only). The only observation spot featuring panoramic vistas of the lake and town, including architectural monuments, is situated on the north-eastern quarter.
Old narrow streets cause a problem with fisheye and/or vertical perspective while shooting temples. My guess is that a 16-mm lense can provide a solution.
While mapping out your program time consumtion should be taken into account: as you will have to run a lot, there is a risk of failing to carry all scheduled tasks out. For one morning you can take only the rampart with panoramas, inner views of the Kremlin, Our Graious Savior church and possibly something else nearabouts whereas there are some more ancient churches, including those in a half-ruined cobndition, but time is just that. In morning you will have 20-40 minutes before sunrise and the same later, may be an hour at best, if you are lucky enought to meet light clouds. That would suffise just for those points.
Not night, actually 20 minutes before sunrise. The image is just underexposed and heavily shopped.
Minutes before sunrise. The Most Gracious Saviour church and the lake:
Panorama of Belozersk on the lake at the moment of sunrise:
The same from another position:
First sunrays touching upon The Most Gracious Saviour church:
Panoramic view from another point:
The day has set in:
An old moat, in former times it was flooded:
An ancient bridge:
Belozersk Kremlin entrance:
Transfiguration of Our Savior Cathedral (presently museum):
Belozersk Kremlin view from the rampart:
The Most Gracious Saviour church:
I hope, what wasn't completed this time, will be done next year.
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.
