Tag Archives: portico

Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Spain, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Tables and Columns

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Tables and Columns
“Tables and Columns” — Tables set up between pillars under a portico, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

On a cool May Day, these tables in the sunlight between stone columns along a narrow street in Santiago de Compostela were quite attractive. While the narrow streets serve, in part, to reduce the amount of hot sun on the passageway in the summertime, on this cloudy day a bit of sunshine between the arches seemed appealing.

For us, travel is an opportunity to stretch boundaries and step outside of the usual routines. At home, we’re more likely to just walk along our local streets without stopping, but here it seems like stopping is the point.

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G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

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Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Spain, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Table and Chairs

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Table and Chairs
“Table and Chairs” — A table and chairs under a portico in Santiago de Compostela.

One of the pleasures of (warm-weather) travel in many parts of Europe is sitting at an outdoor table to have a drink or a coffee and watch the world go by. The table and chairs were ideally situated beneath the arch of a portico, perfect for that kind of activity along a narrow street in Santiago de Compostela.

The table was empty, but my photo archive suggests that this was not the case for long. The next photographs in my collection are a series of images of espresso cups and spoons… strongly suggesting that we must have ordered coffee, taken seats at the table, and engaged in precisely that activity.

Leave a comment or question using the form. (If you are reading this on the home page, click the article title to see the full article and the comment form.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Spain, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Curving Portico

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Curving Portico
“Curving Portico” — Light spills into a curving portico and walkway in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

I can’t quite put my finger on precisely what it is, but the town of Santiago de Compostela, Spain has a different feeling than many others of about the same size. There are tourists, of course — but many of the visitors are completing a long camino. You’ll see lots of people carrying backpacks, and not the usual traveler’s carry-on luggage packs. Aside from the Cathedral and its large square, the scale of the place fells a bit smaller and more intimate.

In a few areas there are portico-covered walkways. Most streets do not have them, but where they exist they provide welcome shade and escape from the weather. I photographed this example, with lovely soft light shining between the pillars, during a moment when it was completely deserted.

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G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

Photographs: Architecture, Photographs: Scotland, Photographs: Travel

Corridor and Columns

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Corridor and Columns
“Corridor and Columns” — A walkway lined with stone columns and topped with stone arches, University of Glasgow.

I have previously shared a few other photographs of almost this exact spot — a walkway beneath a wing of Glasgow University that separates two inner courtyards. These enormous columns support several stories of building above, and these porticos are filled with light and give the courtyards are greater sense of space.

These aren’t easy to photograph, largely due to some light challenges, though composition can also be tricky. Fortunately, because the light comes from the courtyards it is softer and more diffused than it might otherwise be and it fills in the shadows.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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