Some More "Serious Shooting" - A Continuation on the Prior Evening

Charles Bridge - Prague, Czech Republic (early morning twilight)
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

I WAS up and out the door the next morning about 30 minutes before sunrise. It was a brisk morning, but it promised to be a day without rain and even some sunshine before it was all over. I figured about 5 minutes to my "spot" on the bridge; another 5 to scope and find where I wanted to set up, and that left me about 20 minutes to set up, focus and get my shot ready.

Charles Bridge - Prague, Czech Republic (early morning twilight)
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

MY MISSION was to catch the bridge in the twilight with the lights still burning, and then to continue on over to the Old City and wander around in the early morning light.

Charles Bridge - Prague, Czech Republic (early morning twilight)
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

AS YOU can see from the series here, I was able to get a couple shots at the very first light, and then more at the end of the twilight period. If and when we got a sunrise, I would be shooting directly into it, so I didn't see much opportunity there. Changing and moving my position on the bridge up ever so slightly yielded a different look. As the ambient sky lightened, the lilght became not only slightly less warm, but the dispersion giving the star effect began to dissipate (note, especially, the difference in the llight in the most immediate foreground as the photos progress). I made several versions, and I liked a few of them. It was one of those times when being there early and being able to wait as the light changed and developed was a benefit.

Manes Bridge; Prague, Czech Republlic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

THE SUNRISE was muted behind cloud cover which in one way was a benefit as it allowed me to shoot toward the east longer before things deteriorated. Because there was no dramatic sunrise, I moved on accross the bridge and on into the Old City. But before I did, I did that thing that I have been counseled to do time and again (and still don't always remember: turn around and look behind you). I mat the image above, of the bridge to the north. Then I turned all the way around and shot back toward Mala Strana. Not as impactful a shot on of the lighted bridge, but I like it. You can see from these last couple on the Charles Bridge that human activity starts early and builds quickly at the scene.

Charles Bridge - Twilight - Prague, Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

WALKING ON through the eastern gate of the Charles, you get a view of the narrow, cobbled streets of the Old City, my next destination.

Eastern Gate to the Charles Bridge - Prague, Czech Republic
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A Dedicated Photography Shoot in Prague

Mala Strana; Prague, Czech Republic
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I HAD been anticipating this outing. Bruce joined me on a similar tour in Lisbon a year back and had really enjoyed himself, shooting with his iPhone. Our photographer guide worked some with him and showed him a couple tricks on the iPhone - but more importantly, some tips on how to frame and compose images. He worked with me, also, to learn some things about viewpoint, particularly in the night time hours. It was a good outing and from it, I vowed that I would do it again whenever I could.

Rudolfinum Concert Hall - Prague, Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved.

FOLLOWING UP on his own experience, Bruce decided to join me on this one. I think he enjoyed it just as much as the previous outing. Every one of these I do are different, but enriching. Every one a learning experience, and every person a different approach. In spite of myself, I have learned something new and insightful every time. Perhaps the primary "theme" to Martin's teaching was to try to make unique images as opposed to the usual  "calendar" shot. As you can see from the opening image, he suggested that using a wide angle lens to make this shot would result in perspective issues. That's actually o.k. It is part of what can make an image unique. The anal retentive in me wants so badly to take these kinds of images into Photoshop and use its powerful perspective tools to "straighten" things up. But in some cases, the perspective distortion is part of the impact of the image.

Spiral Staircase in the Kubist Museum - Prague, Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024

WHEN WE found Martin at our meeting point, it was still daylight, but it was late afternoon. Knowing roughly where we were staying, we started fairly far away from our residence, and finished very close to it.

In spite of myself, I have learned something new and insightful every time

BECAUSE OF the continued overcast and grey skies, Martin planned a few locations/subjects that wouldn't require skies or dramatic lighting. Our first stop was right around the corner from the meeting point, at a small museum just of the main east west corridor in the Old Town. The Kubist Museum, which we did not actually go into, has a very artistically interesting spiral staircase that starts in the lobby near the entranceway, and goes up the entire 3 stories (there are - of course - "lifts" also). I made several different shots of the staircase, and eventually rendered some of them in B&W. I like color - as I have made clear hear often. So I had to try my hand at color, of which the first image above is my favorite. I do think this is best rendered as a B&W image and the second image is my own favorite having made several different "interpretations" of it in B&W.

Spiral Staircase in the Kubist Museum - Prague, Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024

USING MY widest angle lense (the 18mm end of my M4/3 setup - an m.Zuiko 9-18mm), we were not really able to use a tripod because of cramped space and pedestrian traffic on and near the stairway. Martin gave us the idea he was looking for (no doubt shot by him many times prior). It was an asbstract idea, trying to get the entire curve of the stairs and railing in the frame. There is lots of photographic "fodder" there, including shape and line, repeating details, vanishing point (almost) perspective, and even nicely contrasting colors (although most photographers viewing this scene would likely conclude that this would be a strong image for B&W composition. I did not have my 7.5mm fisheye lens along on this outing. Looking during post, I couldn't help but wonder how that lens might have rendered this scene. I made a note to myself to make sure I carry that lens from here on out.

The Old City of Prague, with the Vltava River and the Charles Bridge in the foreground
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

OUR NEXT destination was a spot at the river edge, which had cobblestones going right into the water. It would have The Charles Bridge in the background. The Vltava River, a tributary of the Elbe River, many miles to the north, flows generally south through the center of Prague, separating the west side Mala Strana from the east side Old City. The Charles Bridge is, since 1967, a pedestrian-only bridge. It is the oldest bridge in Prague, built in the later part of the Fourteenth Century. As we walked back toward Mala Strana, Martin pointed out some opportunities in Old Town for the last couple days we had in Prague. We would get back to a couple of them the next days. Nearing the river, Martin took the opportunity to talk with Bruce about leading lines as we stopped at Rudolfinum, a Concert Hall in the Old Town, using the boxwood hedges in the foreground. Listing out of one ear, I snapped a couple shots of my own.

The Old City of Prague, with the Vltava River and the Charles Bridge in the foreground
(High Contrast B&W Rendering)
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

AS WE set up for the shot with the cobblestones in the immediate foreground, I was was "motivated" to invest in another piece of gear. Martin suggested that there was still enough light that in order to achieve the ultra-flat water surface we wanted, we would probably benefit from using a ND (neutral density) filter in front of the lens to allow for a much longer shutter speed. The lowest ISO setting on the Olympus M4/3 cameras is 200 ISO. My settings (not something I usually get into here - but to illustrate the benefit of the ND filter) were ISO 200; between f10 and f16 (to try to get as much front to back DOF as possible) and between 15 and 25 second exposures. I wasn't going to get there without some help. Martin had a "rig" that I had seen before, but never paid enough attention to do any research. In my dedicated setup (Sony "Full Frame gear), I have carried a couple square ND filters, which I mostly used for waterfalls, and moving water, usually handholding the filter in front of the lens (likely defeating the purpose of having the shot set up on a tripod). Not the optimum approach. His setup is a square (Cokin - compatible) frame that screws onto the lens front and holds the square filter(s). He had rings for numerous filter threads, including mine.

The Old City of Prague, with the Vltava River and the Charles Bridge in the foreground
(Lowered Contrast B&W Rendering)
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

SHORTLY AFTER I returned home, I ordered my own square filter holder and a "kit" of several different strength ND filters, and a square circular polarizer ("square-circular" - I know; kind of a contradiction in terms). My setup can hold two of the squares stacked, so I can use an ND with with a Polarizing Filter in front of it. When there is any direct light around, this setup (adding the PZ) will let me eliminate unwanted reflections and degradation from glare. I am looking forward to giving this "kit" a workout when I visit the GSMNP again in April for shooting the wonderful streams and moving water throughout the park.

The Charles Bridge - Prague, Czech Republic
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WE CONTINUED to think in terms of B&W rendering of these images, given the monochromatic skies. What we needed to try to do was to record some of the cloud detail in the skies. I think we were generally successful. I use a couple different plugins in Photoshop to render to B&W. I have tried "hand-rendering" but I am just not very good with it. My main program is one of the NIK plugins toolbox called "SilverFX." Using a couple of the different presets in the program, I am able to fine tune a bit. Sometimes I will do some layering and masking afterward. When he first saw them, Martin's commentary was that he felt I was a little heavy-handed (he didn't put it that way, but lets call it what it is 😑) with contrast. Looking at the first B&W above, it is easy to see that - and I agree. I like the lowered contrast version much better. Even so, I don't think this image was necessarily the best candidate for conversion to B&W. I kind of like the color version better. Likewise, the diagonal shot of The Charles Bridge above, made after we moved a short way downriver. I played around with B&W, but ultimately did not save any of the B&W renders. I just like the color better for this image.

David Cerny's "Peeing Men" sculpture - Prague, Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

FROM OUR spot along the river, we walked up the bank an on into Mala Strana. Martin wanted to show us a rather unique spot (not knowing we had already been there): Prague's somewhat famous "Peeing Man" sculpture. David Cerny is a Prague artist who has several very unique and abstract sculptures around the city. It was a good thing Martin took us there, because we got the Paul Harvey explanation ("The Rest of the Story"), and were encouraged to think outside the photography box. Two blogs ago, I included the "record" shot of the scupture (and foreshadowed this part of this blog). First, the story. The "pool" the men are standing in and peeing on is a shape replica of the Czech Republic. I perhaps committed the bad photographer's mistake of not really "seeing" the scene. I never really put anything into the shape, which I though was probably random. Knowing it is the Czech Republic puts an entire new spin on things. The men in this sculpture are the "politicians" who are "peeing" on the country. The other thing Martin encouraged was for us to think about different and unique photographs; more like the shot here - through the space created by one of the men's arm and side.

Canal off the Vltava River from the Charles Bridge - Prague, Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

FROM THE "Peeing Men," we would walk once again down toward the river, this time to another spot that I had photographed on my first morning out. Sort of. Up on the bridge as you walk from Mala Strana toward the Old City, to your right you come upon a canal that goes south somewhere into Mala Strana. Lined with buildings, there is a paddle wheel off in the distance. I made a few different shots of this spot. What didn't ocurr to me was what might be down below the bridge. Martin took us to this very spot (immediately below where I stood for the shot above). There was a small (very slippery) landing area for small boats just below the bridge where we nelt down and made the much more striking photograph below. As I stood in the spot, I could immediately see that "the" image would be made by using the arch of the bridge structure as a circular frame. All of the same environmental elements are present (buildings, some foliage, the paddlewheel, and the river). What I learned from Martin on this one though, was that by getting the camera angle way down and close to the water, instead of just a brown expanse, you can see the sheen, the reflection and the colors in the water. It is an interesting technique (and maybe a bit scary), as you are required to hold your camera out away from the dock at arms-length, and as close to the surface of the water as possible without dunking (or dropping it). This is obviously not a shot you can make from a tripod. Martin demonstrated, using his camera with its fully articulating mirror. There was a problem for me. My mirror flipped up horizontally, but was not fully articulating. It required some trial and error and a few shots that were junk. But the end result was worth it. At least I think it was.

Canal off the Vltava River from under the Charles Bridge - Prague, Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

MARTIN HAD a nice little plan for us - and experience taught him how to time things. We had started late afternoon. On a nice day we would have had the nice light of late day. Because we did not, he found spots where we could make nice images without golden hour sunlight. And how to make them work even in the questionable light. I think the above photograph demonstrates how well he did that. What was heading for for a finale was a vantage point (we may never have found it without him) high above the river and just up from our Prague residence. To avoid the walk up many steps, we took and Uber up to a very cool park that had a couple different observations views. Our target was to shoot down the river with as many of the bridges in view as we could, and with the city in the background. And our goal was to get there for the "Blue Hour."

The Vltava River as it flows south through Prague, Czech Republic
"The Blue Hour"
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

AS SOME readers here know, outdoor and landscape photographers strive to work with the best light for recording so-called "daylight" photographs. We often break our days into 6 different "slices" of daylight: There are two slices that we refer to as "Twilight." The are when the first light which precedes sunrise comes and again when the last light just after sunset comes. Lots of photographers miss the twilight and in my experience, it is their own loss. I am always surprised to see folks packing up their gear as soon as the sun passes below the horizon. Sometimes that is the end of the show. But sometimes if you do that, you will miss some of the most magical light possible. The same is true on arrival. Normally when we arrive at a site in the morning, we are setting up in the dark, often with flashlights, and then just waiting. That is why it is so important if possible to scout a side during daylight and do some thinking about where you want to set up when things happen. Sunrises and sunsets are often very dramatic (even when there is substantial cloud cover). They are also very different. If you aren't an early riser, even though you may have made some wonderful sunset photographs, you are missing out on some of the best dramatic light. The other two slices - just after sunrise (for 1- 2 hours at the most) and late afternoon (1-2 hours before sunset) are often referred to as "the golden hours" as the low angle of the sun means it is a lot "warmer" colored agains the landscape.

The Vltava River as it flows south through Prague, Czech Republic
"The Blue Hour"
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

THERE IS a subset of evening Twilight though. It is referred to as "The Blue Hour." This happens (although not always) most times immediately after the sun sets and is so-called because most often the atmosphere takes on a blue hue that makes a very photogenic setting. Twilight opportunities are very short so it is important to be set up and on site. Generally twilight (and the blue hour) lasts for not more than 20 - 30 minutes so once you get to it you need to work fast. I often set up at my spot well before it "happens," knowing I probably won't be changing settings or position of my tripod one the show starts.  You can see that as it progresses, there are subtle differences. The 3 images here are taken only minutes apart, but each is progressively darker and richer, deeper blue, until the blue goes away and it becomes officially a "night shot."

The Vltava River as it flows south through Prague, Czech Republic
"The Blue Hour"
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

HAVING MADE my images of the scene, I looked a bit for something unique. As is common on all rivers in large metro areas, there is a fair amount of boat traffic. Since these images are made at slow shutter speeds mounted on a tripod, catching a boat will render as a streak. It can be a bit of a challenge to time things so the boat is positioned in your frame where you want it. I made a few tries and finally caught the one down in the lower left of the image below. You can also see that in the second image above, I caught the Tram as it started across the bridge. I like those little details in the images when you can get them. Surprisingly, the tram is reasonably sharp - it may be stopped.

The Vltava River as it flows south through Prague, Czech Republic
"The Blue Hour" - Ferry in the forground
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

WE WERE at the end of our session. I was really pleased with the whole thing. Martin is a good teacher, and also gave me some great guidance and where to shoot, and in many instances how to shoot. One thing stuck with me as we walked back down to our residence. He had told me that a shot of the Charles Bridge at morning twilight, catching the lights still on on the bridge was a classic shot. But I would need to get there well before twilight, because even then, there would be a fair amount of action (people) on the bridge. I was running out of time. I really only had one more morning to do it. The very next morning. Which meant I would break the rule I just pontificated on above - pre-scouting. Fortunately I had been on the bridge a couple times and Martin was able to give me a "landmark" for where to set up. Exhausted, but pretty happy, we headed back to the residence.

Touring Prague - Part II

I WAS up and out early this morning. I didn't have any specific destination in mind, but I just wanted to get out and take advantage of the early morning light (for once it wasn't actively raining) and explore the immediate area. It was just getting light when I left the building and as I have said, there was a lot of "fodder" right around our place. I walked around, looking for something interesting. Around a corner I had I thought there might be some interest from the curved street which was just "waking up" for the morning. I stood and watched for a while and then waited while the red car approached. I liked the headlights and their reflection on the still wet street. When the car reached the curve, I made the image below.

Mala Strana - Prague, Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

BACK HOME a week or so later, as I looked at (and processed) the image, I knew I would like it better with just "a little something." I had become acquainted with a photographic technique called the "Orton" effect, that was perhaps "all the rage," a few years back. I never really learned about it at the time, but it came up in a "critique/illustration" of one of my photos by Martin Bisof (the Prague pro we hired to guide us around Prague one afternoon/evening). After a bit of research and some "fiddling" with some of my images, looking at this one, I thought: maybe . . .?

Mala Strana - Prague, Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

I WALKED in the other direction, just around the block and through the arched entrance to The Charles Bridge, just a short way toward Prague's "Old Town," just across the river. It is pretty easy to see that this bridge has lots of photographic potential. Being so convenient to our VRBO, I would spend a fair amount of time shooting there during our stay.

Charles Bridge (Mala Strana in the background) - Prague, Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

THIS MORNING, I made just a couple images: one of the bridge, and one from the bridge, before heading back to see if anyone was stirring yet.

Mala Strana "Neighborhood" (from the Charles Bridge)
Prague, Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

WHEN I returned to the apartment a few minutes later, only Bruce was up. We had no specific plan for the morning, but I did have a couple things I wanted to visit and see. We walked across the street to a little local spot (actually directly behind where I stood for the red car picture) for some breakfast, and while eating, decided to tackle the huge, old castle that was up on the hill behind us in Mala Strana: Prasky Hr'ad (Prague Castle). We calculated that it was just one or two stops on the tram right in front of our residence, so we jumped on and sure enough, our third stop was named Prague Castle. I think I mentioned that one of the really cool things about Prague was the "65 and over ride free" feature. It was nice not worrying about tickets. We just got on and off wherever and whenever we wanted to. This was probably about a 5 minute ride from the time we jumped on at our stop to the Castle. And we were right at the entrance.

Prague Castle - Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

THOUGH BY now these things shouldn't, the entire complex of the castle and surrounding area surprised me. As far as I am concerned, the focal point (I didn't realize it as we approached, but it became pretty apparent after we entered) of the castle is the magnificent and impressive gothic masterpiece: St. Vitus Cathedral. I was apparently dazzled enough by the approaching buildings and the front facade of the castle itself that, though my image below attests, I did see the cathedral, and both my mind and my photographic presentation suggests I thought of it as secondary and in the background. But I didn't really "see" the cathedral. That is, until I walked into the castle interior grounds.

St. Vitus Cathedral - Prague, Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

AS I have noted in previous blog posts, "cathedral" designates the principal or official "seat" of the diocese, where the Bishop generally presides (in this case, the Archbishop of Prague). As such, St. Vitus is probably the most important church in Prague and certainly the most popular for visitors. Indeed, Wikipedia asserts that St. Vitus is the "largest and most important church in the country."

St. Vitus Cathedral - Prague Castle - Prague, Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

COMLETE WITH flying buttresses and French-Gothic architecture, construction of the current-day church was begun in 1344 and continued, but in fits and starts, and  until 1929! It was worth the the wait. I have seen a few churches in the past few years - many of them hugely impressive. But at this point, I can unequivocally say that St. Vitus is the most impressive classic church I have ever seen. And what is crazy is that I didn't even get inside. I have since learned that the St. Wenceslas Chapel is also an amazing work of art and architecture.

St. Vitus Cathedral - Mala Strana - Prague, Czech Republic
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DOWN TO the details, this Castle-Cathedral complex is awe-inspiring. I spent some time making some more intimate images, as well as trying to get the "grand" perspective here.

Architectural Detail - St. Vitus (gothic) Cathedral - Mala Strana; Prague, Czech Republic
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IT IS possible that there is actually a photographic setting in which the dark, dreary weather we were experiencing actually might enhance the mood of the image. If there is such a setting, it would be the dark, gothic architecture we saw here.

St. Vitus Cathedral - Prague Castle - Mala Strana; Prague, Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024

OVER THE years (in this case 100's) it took to finish a complex like Prasky Hr'ad from start to completion, quite a few different architectural styles and trends were ultimately incorporated into these marvels of construction. Perhaps the yet unfinished La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona is the best example of an architectural work that has incorporated centuries of different design styles and yet remains magnificent.

Where Church and State collide: Passageway from Prasky Hrad to St. Vitus Cathedral
Mala Strana; Prague, Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

IN THE case of St. Vitus, the originally medieval gothic is today a mix of that old gothic, and romanesque, renaissance and baroque components. I was duly impressed with the skill with which they incorporated the "newer" materials and design with the medieval gothic. I thought the passageway from the castle living quarters to the cathedral was a particularly striking example.

Passageway from Prasky Hrad to St. Vitus Cathedral in B&W
Mala Strana; Prague, Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

IN TERMS of its photographic "draw," I also like the juxaposition of the different architechural styles, tones and colors. Compositionally, I try to get the "lesser" and more distant castle structures to appear within the arch in the far background to give the image more depth, as well as giving the still-wet stone in the foreground a prominent place in the photograph. I also liked how the stairways on both sides of the image in the foreground served as anchors to the sides of the image.

Prague Castle - Mala Strana - Prague, Czech Republic
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THIS WAS a scene where I actually spent a bit of time on site thinking about its composition and how I might ultimately render the image. And, not shockingly, given the dark skies and gothic weight in the image, I knew this was one that I would look to in post as a possible B&W image. I made several different "versions" of my B&W rendering. The image here is the one I liked best. If you want to see comparisons, there are a couple different images in my B&W gallery on my LightCentricPhotography photographic website.

Main Courtyard - Prague Castle - Prague, Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

SO IMPRESSIVE is the cathedral that the reader might be influenced to think it was the only part of the complex worth photographing. I certainly don't want to misguide you there. Other parts of the complex are equally photogenic. Contra to the somber, dark, gothic tones of the Cathedral, the balance of the castle is actually quite bright and colorful, given its time in history. It is a long and narrow, sprawling complex, perched on the crest of a hill, overlooking Mala Strana. It runs roughly from the northeast (today the main entrance) to the southwest.

St. George's Basillica - Prague Castle - Prague, Czech Republic
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AS WE walked past the main courtyard to our right and the imposing cathedral to our left and through the archway under the passageway, more of the complex opened in front of us, with the surprisingly colorful red masonry of the Baroque fronted, but Romanesque designed St. George's Basilica (designated as a second church for the castle). According to what I could glean from "the usual sources" (Google and the internet - for whatever its accuracy is worth), the Romanesque design is depicted by the twin steeples, but the colorful and more ornate facade is Baroque. Originally built for the Benedictine Order during the late 1st century, it was reconstructed after a devastating fire more than a century later. The Baroque elements were added later yet, and eventually included a Baroque style chapel in the interior. At the time we were there, I spent a few minutes photographing the striking exterior building and courtyard, but we did not know the history, or that this was actually a separate church from St. Vitus. Next time I visit Prague, I will make it a mission (pun intended) to see the interiors of both St. Vitus and St. Georges.

"Main Entrance" to Prague Castle - Prague, Czech Republic
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WE HAD originally entered the castle from the northwest side where we got off the tram. To the west is another gate (Matyas Gate) which is the original main entrance to Prasky Hr'ad. As you look out, you see , a large plaza that fronts the main entrance. The large buildings ringing the square are almost all private palaces. At one time, in their place there were small residences of the local Czech citizens. Those residences were sadly destroyed by a terrible fire which destroyed all of them, as well as parts of the castle (including the cathedral and basilica). Afterward, wealthy aristocrats began buying up the land and building personal residential palaces with the goal of having residences near the Castle.  Many of these palaces today house museums and other public institutions. behind them, however, there appears to be relatively affluent, mostly residential housing (multi-occupant). After walking a bit, we went back to the castle.

View of Prague from Prague Castle - Prague, Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

FOR A photographer especially, but also for every other visitor, the area I just described leads to the south side of the Prague Castle, where there is a walled walkway and a couple viewpoints providing a terrific, sweeping view to the southeast out over Mala Strana, and beyond, to Prague's Old Town.

Starbucks - adjacent to Prague Castle - Prague, Czech Republic
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PRAGUE HAS its share of the now ubiqutous chain retail establishment, including, of course several Starbucks. At least the one at the Castle is unique. We jumped back on the tram and headed back down to our VRBO, to see what the ladies were up to.

View of Prague from Prague Castle - Prague, Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

View of Prague from Prague Castle Viewpoint - Prague, Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

WE DID have plans for later in the afternoon and into the evening. Based on a couple similar experiences a year or so back in Portugal, I sought out and engaged a local professional photographer to guide us for a couple hours. We had finally been able to get today together on our schedules.

View of Prague from Prague Castle Viewpoint - Prague, Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

BRUCE AND I were going to meet Martin over on the Old Town side later in the afternoon, and the ladies had a couple destinations they wanted to check out. We decided to walk across the Charles Bridge and see what there was to see over there, and grab lunch somewhere. We walked over the bridge and headed into the Old Town.

Old Town; Prague, Czech Republic
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UNFORTUNATELY, THE rain was not showing any signs of letting up. I had visions of walking down these same cobblestoned streets with a blue and white sky in the distance. Not this day. But the prediction was that it would let up and dry out as the afternoon went on. This proved to be true. Though it did not necessarily produce nice lighting, we were at least able to stay dry.

Old Town; Prague, Czech Republic

THE ONLY bright spot, photographically, was the ocassional brightly colored umbrella or rain coat, though as I have noted above, I do like the wet look of the cobblestones. We eventually found a restaurant under umbrellas in the main Old Town Square near the Old City Hall. After lunch and a rest, we split up, Bruce and I heading for our rendezvous - near the Powder Gate Tower, and the ladies heading off to find a few things on their list.

Powder Gate Tower - Prague, Czech Republic
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AFTER FINDING THE meeting point, we had time to sit at a street bar/restaurant, people-watch, sip a drink and smoke a cigar. In a timely manner, we spotted our guide and local pro photographer, Martin Bisof. Next up: a session with the pro.