Esther Steffens
November 2025 - Potala palace
About the Image(s)
"The Potala Palace is a group of religious and administrative buildings in Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, southwestern China. The palace is sacred in Tibetan Buddhism and once served as the seat of the government of Tibet.” Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.
I was in Tibet for several days in 1995 and well remember my experiences! I had some bug and did spend half a day in bed. However, I wasn’t going to miss climbing to the top of the of the Palace! I can thank my fellow travelers for their help. They literally pushed me to the top! We scaled 13 stories and climbed 2000 steps to reach an altitude of over 12,000. I submitted this photo here earlier but it has been a long time.
This round’s discussion is now closed!
4 comments posted
It is an interesting building, particularly with the tapestry hanging from the roof. I think it was good that you included the people entering as it provides perspective. I always have difficulty taking photos of tall buildings close-up, due to the distortion. You have a decent sky, but an all blue sky would have made the white building stand out, but nothing that you could do about that. It looks like there is a lot of building behind it, but hard to tell from this point of view. Posted: 11/24/2025 06:23:42
A very accurate exposure shows not only texture in the white building but also detail in the shadow area of the lower right side. I agree with Michael that your inclusion of people entering the temple gives scale - an excellent PT image Esther. Posted: 11/25/2025 05:53:46
This is an unusual view of what I take to be the entrance to the palace. The line of visitors makes a nice diagonal leading into the image. The bright area n the center is offset by the shadows at right. Was the tapestry there for a special occasion or is it a regular feature like for window shades? Posted: 11/25/2025 12:47:42
It is quite a place and my roommate was sick there. I think we had oxygen "pillows' due to the altitude. My photos are all on slide film:-(. It is a challenge to photograph tall buildings. The people really enhance the photo. Posted: 11/30/2025 19:07:23