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 by Milan Hutera

Banska Stiavnica – Autumn 2018

In mid-octobe 2018, I made a one day trip to Banska Stiavnica to see how the city looked during the peak of autumn colors. I was not disappointed. This time, my focus was on photographying the morning views of Old Castle and city itself, the well known antiquarian store on the main square, the underground “Love Vault”, which was featured on BBC International and of course the newly restored calvary complex, that was listed among the World’s Most Endangered Cultural Sites. I hope to be back to our UNESCO World Heritage Site jewel soon, hopefully during the upcomin winter season.

A morning panorama of Banska Stiavnica, a very old mining town located in Central Slovakia and a part of UNESCO World Heritage Site. The displayed town landmarks are: Old Castle (Right), The Church of Saint Catherine (Center) and Evangelical Temple (Left)
A cloudy October morning with a hint of Sunshine at the Old Castle courtyard in Banska Stiavnica, Slovakia. The old fort is located inside the historic center of Banska Stiavnica and is a part of UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A charming little antiquarian store located on the Holy Trinity Square in Banska Stiavnica, Slovakia.
A charming little antiquarian store located on the Holy Trinity Square in Banska Stiavnica, Slovakia.
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 by Milan Hutera

Venice 2007

At the beginning of August 2007, I visited Venice for the first time. It was a dream come true to visit one of the most unique cities in the world. However, back in the day I only owned two usable lenses and the widest of them was 50mm. It was fun not only to create photos that are somewhat different from the traditional tourist photos, but also getting back to them after almost a decade. Some of the photos didn’t make it due to my increased standard for technical quality. Some had to stay in despite their poor quality due to their significance and some photos were developed for the first time since they were captured.

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 by Milan Hutera

End of Summer 2016 in Moravia

At the end of August, I spent a couple of days in beautiful south-eastern Moravia, Czech republic. This region is known for its winemaking and three beautiful towns – Mikulov, which is the heart of Palava region, Valtice and Lednice, which form Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape. These towns were the seats of Liechtenstein and Dietrichstein families and are part of UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1996. Unfortunately, the weather was mostly unfit for serious photography (read blue sky and no clouds whatsoever). Neverheless, I brought back a couple of photos I’m happy with. Disclaimer: This is a work-in progress gallery and will be updated with new photos once I finish processing them.

A cloudy September dawn at the beautiful fortress in Mikulov, Moravia. This fortress was one of the several castles owned by the Dietrichstein family. The castle was almost completely destroyed by the massive fire at the end of World War Two. It was restored to its former glory in the mid-20th century.
A beautiful and subtle pre-dawn glow on the courtyard of Valtice Castle. It was the seat and residence of the Liechtenstein family. It is a part of Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape, that is registered as UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A beautiful and subtle pre-dawn glow on the courtyard of Valtice Castle. It was the seat and residence of the Liechtenstein family. It is a part of Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape, that is registered as UNESCO World Heritage Site.
First sunlights hit the facade of Valtice Castle. It was the seat and residence of the Liechtenstein family. It is a part of Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape, that is registered as UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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 by Milan Hutera

Banska Stiavnica Afternoon Visit

In late August 2016 I briefly visited the old mining town of Banska Stiavnica in the heart of Slovakia. Its rich history is closely associated with mining operations and because of its historical importance, it was proclaimed as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. I can’t believe it was eight years since my last visit. The weather wasn’t particularly nice for photography, but I managed to snap a few photos I’m happy with. Hopefully my next visit will be much longer and it won’t take me another eight years to make it happen.

The old mining town of Banska Stiavnica is one of the most important landmarks of Slovakia and it is a part of UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993. The mines around town were rich in silver ore and other precious metals. The town was also a home to first mining college in Europe and the first ever Technical School in the world - established in 1763. This photo depicts a late August afternoon overlooking the rooftops of the historic center of Banska Stiavnica. The metal and wooden rooftops are a necessity due to large snowfall in winter months. The hilltop Calvary, which is perhaps the town's most famous landmark, is visible in the distance.
The old mining town of Banska Stiavnica is one of the most important landmarks of Slovakia and it is a part of UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993. The mines around town were rich in silver ore and other precious metals. The town was also a home to first mining college in Europe and the first ever Technical School in the world - established in 1763. This photo depicts a late August afternoon overlooking the rooftops of the historic center of Banska Stiavnica. The metal and wooden rooftops are a necessity due to large snowfall in winter months. The hilltop Calvary, which is perhaps the town's most famous landmark, is visible in the distance.
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 by Milan Hutera

Florence 2016

In April 2016, I visited Florence for the first time along with some of my friends. The goal was to get to know the city, that is often labeled as the birthplace of Renaissance. Since it was my first visit, I concentrated on the most famous landmarks, such as Santa Maria del Fiore, Basilica di Santa Croce, Palazzo Vecchio, Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Pitti and its gardens and more. Despite many beautiful buildings, I found Florence to be a little less “visually rich” compared to Venice. Hopefully I’ll be able to return soon to explore less known places away from the main tourist paths.

A morning view of the Florence old town, dominated by Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral.
First light on Piazza del Duomo with its jewel Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, Italy. The incredible size of the cathedral, the closeness of the Baptistery of San Giovanni and the overall smallness of Piazza del Duomo made the shooting incredibly challenging.
Beautiful details of Florence's cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore main entrance at Dawn.
A play of light and shadow inside Giotto Campanile, the belltower of Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence, Italy
The arcade at Basilica di Santa Croce during a rainy April Mid-Day.
The famous dome of Santa Maria del Fiore from the gardens of Palazzo Pitti, Florence, Italy
Dawn light at Neptune Fountain on Piazza della Signoria, Florence Italy. Neptune Fountain was designed and sculptured by Bartolomeo Ammannati and his collaborators between 1563 and 1575.
A cold spring evening view of Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo
A cold spring evening view of Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo
Many beautiful vaults, frescoes and stained glass windows can be found inside Basilica di Santa Croce, Florence, Italy
A black and white rendition of a night view from Piazzale Michelangelo, overlooking Florence.
One of many lion reliefs on the facade of Palazzo Pitti, Florence, Italy
Perseus with the head of Medusa - a bronze sculpture by Benvenuto Cellini, located in Loggia dei Lanzi, Piazza della Signoria, Florence
The Rape of the Sabine Women is a sculpture by Italo-Flemish sulptor Giambologna. It is carved from a single piece of marble and was in the works from 1574 to 1582. The word "Rape" was commonly used to describe abductions at the time. The sculpture is on display at Loggia dei Lanzi, Piazzale della Signoria, Florence.
A cloudless April dawn on Piazza della Signoria, the central square of Florence, Italy.
One of the Saints on the stained glass window displayed at Museo di Santa Croce, Florence, Italy.
The famous brick dome of Santa Maria del Fiore, designed by Filippo Bruneleschi. The dome consists of 4 million bricks and it is considered to be the masterpiece of Renaissance architecture.
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 by Milan Hutera

Prague 2015

In June 2015, I briefly visited Prague. This was my third visit to this beautiful, but crowded city. It was also the first time I was able to shoot properly at least some of the landmarks. I’m already looking forward to my next visit, because there is so much to photograph in Prague.

 

The famous Astronomical Clock on Old Town Square in Prague during the twilight hour. This marvel of engineering was constructed in 1410 and it's the oldest astronomical clock that is still operational. It shows 21 different astronomic functions.
The famous Astronomical Clock on Old Town Square in Prague during the twilight hour. This marvel of engineering was constructed in 1410 and it's the oldest astronomical clock that is still operational. It shows 21 different astronomic functions.
A detail of the entrance door to Basilica at Vyšehrad, Prague.
Gloomy morning view of Church of Saint Salvador and its spires and the dome of Francis of Assisi Church. The many statues quietly observe, like they do every morning.
A peaceful evening without tourist boats on river Vltava, near Charles' Bridge. The town silouette from the left: Towers of Clementinum, The dome of Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, Old Town Bridge Tower and the Tower of Charles' Bathhouse
A peaceful evening without tourist boats on river Vltava, near Charles' Bridge. The town silouette from the left: Towers of Clementinum, The dome of Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, Old Town Bridge Tower and the Tower of Charles' Bathhouse
Cloudy June dawn at the Old Town Tower of Charles' Bridge in Prague. Even at this very early hour, there were lots of people sitting and waiting for the sunrise (which unfortunately didn't happen that day).
Tourist boats passing under and in front of Charles' Bridge in Prague during a cloudy June evening.
Quiet summer twilight at Charles' Bridge in Prague. The dome of the Church of Francis of Assisi and Old Town Bridge Tower are visible in the back.
A warm summer dawn near Charles' Bridge Towers on Malá Strana. The Prague Castle with St. Vithus Cathedral is visible in the distance.
Prague Castle at dawn, as seen from Charles' Bridge.
A hidden detail of the Old Town Tower at the Charles' Bridge in Prague.
The most famous view of Prague castle and Charles' bridge about one hour after sunset. Even the seagulls lined up for this world-famous view.
Beautiful early morning on Malostranske namesti in Prague. The lone wandering Taxi took a different route than I expected. Two lovers are making out in front of Starbucks Coffee shop. The square is dominated by the Church of Saint Nicolaus. Its dome and spire are bathed in beautiful pre-sunrise light.
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 by Milan Hutera

Venice 2015

In March 2015, I was fortunate to visit Venice again after nearly 8 years. I was looking forward to explore this fascinating city again, but my visit was greatly affected by constant drizzle and rain. Nevertheless, I tried to capture as much as I could. The resulting photos are different than I wanted, but that’s the beauty of life – sometimes we get different things that we want and that’s not always a bad thing. Hopefully I’ll be back to this magnificent city soon.

The famous view of Gran Canal from Ponte dell' Accademia is captivating any time of day. But I feel the most interesting is just after the sunset during the "rush hour". The last light of the day is still visible in the sky, the city ligths come alive and the boats create those fantastic long streaks of light.
A late, cloudy March evening on the canal steps leading to Santa Maria della Salute, one of the most famous and most beautiful churches in Venice.
A quiet cloudy March evening at Santa Maria della Salute - one of the most famous churches in Venice.
The glass workshops on Murano island, close to Venice, were the leading manufacturers of high quality and cutting-edge glass ware and artistic objects. Today, the fine examples of their work is displayed in the Museum of Glass, or Museo del Vetro.
The arcade of Doge's palace is usually full of people during the day, waiting to get inside. It is peaceful and empty during the early mornings.
Homage to Michael Kenna 2. Michael Kenna is one of the premier black and white photographers of 20th and 21st century. The main ingredients of his well know body of work are the square format, useage of black and white film and photographying predominatnly at night. This often leads to bleak but many times thought-provoking images. He photographed the city of Venice fairly extensively over the past 30 years. This is another scene from Piazzetta San Marco from the bleak, late March Morning in Venice. The statue on top of the column depicts Saint Theodore with the spear, slaying a dragon. I positioned myself to include the nearby buliding as well. The statues on the balcony are the perfect spectators to this heroic act.
A wide selection of masks from the prestigious mask workshop, that supplied several pieces to Stanley Kubrick's final movie - Eyes Wide Shut. The masks served many purposes in Venetian republic and they were even used by doctors as a form of protection during the plague. After the fall of Venetian republic, the craft was almost completely forgotten until the 1980s. After the revival of Carneval, mask workshops were established again and had to re-learn the process of mask making from the ancient records.
Homage to Michael Kenna 1. Michael Kenna is one of the premier black and white photographers of 20th and 21st century. The main ingredients of his well know body of work are the square format, useage of black and white film and photographying predominatnly at night. This often leads to bleak but many times thought-provoking images. He photographed the city of Venice fairly extensively over the past 30 years. The winged lion of Piazzetta San Marco appears on one of his photos. The bleak, cloudy morning and impending rain ispired me to do this homage to his work. My version is slightly different. I took it from another angle so the other wing is visible as well. And naturally I left it at the standard 3:2 ratio instead of square format.
Santa Maria della Salute, one of the most famous churches in Venice at dawn.
A dark and cloudy March morning in Venice. The sway of gondolas is exaggerated by long exposure. The iconic church of San Giorgio Maggiore can be seen in the backgroung.
A dark and cloudy March morning in Venice. The sway of gondolas is exaggerated by long exposure. The iconic church of San Giorgio Maggiore can be seen in the backgroung.
Dark heavy clouds create perfect conditions for the blue hour at Isola de San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice
Vast amount of grills and bars almost block the view from the inside the Bridge of Sighs. Taken on a rainy March day, the Ponte della Paglia is nevertheless crowded by tourists. The church of San Giorgio can be seen in the distance.
An unusually shaped Murano Glass on display at Museo del Vetro
A piece of modern art made of Murano glass displayed at Museo del Vetro on the Murano Island. The author of this sculpture is Luciano Vistosi. The details of these scupltures were breathtaking.
A piece of modern art made of Murano glass displayed at Museo del Vetro on the Murano Island. The author of this sculpture is Luciano Vistosi
Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri in Italian) is a covered bridge, that connects Doge's palace (the left building) with the prison. It was built in the year 1600 and it is one of the most viewed landmarks in Venice. I must say I'm baffled by its popularity. It's located above a narrow canal, in the shadow of Doge's palace and not "stunningly nice". Nevertheless, millions and millions of tourists stop there for a long while and take the picture. This is how it looks without the crowds.
Rainy dawn at Isola di San Giorgio Maggiore, as seen from Ponte della Paglia.
The famous Venetian bookstore with gondola serving as a bookshelf.
The famous Venetian bookstore with gondola serving as a bookshelf.
A black cat guards the books in the famous venetian bookstore.
Ferro da Prora is the S-shaped front piece of Venetian Gondola, made of Iron. It is an essential piece of Gondola, because it balances the weight of a gondolier. The six teeth under the main blade represent the six districts of Venice (sestrieri). Three ornate pieces between the teeth represents three main venetian islands - Murano, Burano and Torcello.
Long exposure of a gondola, tied to a pole. The waters were particularly green after a long rain and the color was further enhanced by circular polarizer.
Rainy dawn at Piazza San Marco, Venice
Very rainy March dawn at Piazzetta San Marco.
Taken on a rainy March Morning, this panaorama depicts Ponte della Paglia on the left, the Doge's palace in the middle and Ponte dei Sospiri - Bridge of Sighs on the Right. This view was inspired by very similar photo of Italian photographer Paolo de Faveri. There are some subtle differences. The archway of Doge's palace is visible and if you're lucky, you can even catch a glimpse of "The Doge's Ghost" walking under it.
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