Our Last Afternoon in Prague

Looking toward our Mala Strana Residence from across the Vltava River - Prague, Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

YOU CAN probably tell by the number of posts and images that Prague is a magical place. I was ready to stay longer. And we will be back there!

Our "home away from home" in Prague, smack in the center of Mala Strana
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

THIS MORNING I had started very early with twilight photos of the Charles Bridge and a "photo walk" into the Old City. By the time I returned to our "home away from home," I had learned that the ladies had decided to go up and see Prague Castle and Bruce had gone along with them.

View of Mala Strana from our Mala Strana Residence Rooftop - Prague, Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

I TOOK the opportunity to make some shots from the roof of our building. We had the penthouse suite and from one of the bedrooms there was a steep, narrow stairway to the rooftop where there were 2 very small seats. But the view! We had already seen Prague and its spires from afar, from up at the Prague Castle. The view from our rooftop was much more intimate, giving a birds-eye view of the busy Mala Strana streets below and a "reach out and touch" perspective of the massive and impressive church directly across from us.

View from the Rooftop of our Mala Strana Residence - Prague, Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

TRAINS AND especially trams have always fascinated me as a photographic subject. Most of my tram images are from street level. Because we were right on a busy tram interchange, our rooftop view afforded the unusual opportunity to photograph the trams from up high, as they rounded the curve into the Mala Strana tram stop.

View from the Rooftop of our Mala Strana Residence - Prague, Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

WHEN THE rest of the group returned from their Castle sojourn, we headed back to the Old City to hit a few places we had not seen (or at least not all had seen). It was actually partly sunny and mild and we wanted to see a few of the things we may have missed in the old city, and maybe hit a pub or two.

Bird's-eye view of Staromestske' nameste' (town square) - Prague, Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

WE HAD planned to go to the Jewish cemetery, but something about access to the cemetery was wonky, and we ultimately walked by and headed back toward the main Old Town square, to take the elevator to the top of the City Hall building for another view from up high.

Staromestske' nameste' - With Tyn Church in the background - from the Old Town Hall
Prague, Czech Republic - Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

THE CHURCH of Our Lady Before Tyn' is a 14th century Gothic Church build during the reign of Charles IV that fronts the main square (once called Tyn Court) that is the oldest marketplace in Prague, set at the crossroads of the trade routes. Often described as "dominating" the square, this beautiful old Gothic Church (one of two spectacular gothic churches - the other being St. Vitus Cathedral over in Mala Strana) is actually hard to photograph from street level. The shot here yields - in my view - a much better image of the church. The Tyn Church is also where the tomb of celebrated Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe is buried.

View toward Mala Strana (with Prague Castle and St. Vitus Cathedral in the background) from Town Hall Tower - Old Town - Prague, Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2023 - All Rights Reserved

THE VIEW from the tower may be the best of all viewpoints to see the expanse of Prague. The parapet all the way around the tower gives a view in all directions. The shot above toward Mala Strana gives a pretty impressive perspective on just how much the St. Vitus Cathedral at the Prague Castle dominates the entire landscape of Prague. For unique and fun photographic perspective, you can also point your widest angle lens down at the street level below.

View of the Square from the Town Hall Tower - Prague, Czech Republic
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WE FINISHED our afternoon at the pub/restaurant Bruce and I had found the following afternoon while waiting for our guide. Drinks all around and cigars for Bruce and me. It was a nice ending to a very memorable "stop" along our trip. Tomorrow we would board our final train - on to Berlin.

My Photo Walk - Prague's Old City

 

Eastern Gate to the Charles Bridge - Prague, Czech Republic
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THE WEATHER began to improve as our week came nearer its end, and I was fortunate to get just a peek of the sun this the morning. Later, it would provide some nice morning light on some of the buildings in the main city square.

Old Town - Prague, Czech Republic
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WALKING TOWARD the center of the Old Town, the narrow, cobblestone streets reminded me of some of the other older cities we have visited in Europe. They work to maintain the old (often gothic) architecture and layouts. Yet you can certainly see the modern touches and even modern building and modern retail establishments.The streets are pedestrian-only in most of the area immediately adjacent to the main square. And, as you can see, the commercial interests have a firm grip on the area as a tourist attraction.

Old Town - Prague, Czech Republic
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WHEN WE planned our trip, Munich, Bavaria, and Oktoberfest were a central focus. Given the extreme popularity of those things, we naturally assumed that Germany was the world's "beer capital." Well. The Czech Republic (and in particular, Prague) would beg to differ. They firmly believe that Prague is world beer central. And it is home (really the first "home" was in nearby Pilsen) to the famed, Pilsner style of beer. The Germans certainly brew pilsner style beers. But it all started in Czech Republic. So it is fitting that there is a Beer Museum and The Pilsner Urquel Experience, in the Old Town.

Old Town - Prague, Czech Republic
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BEING OUT early is really a major positive for a photographer, almost no matter where you are. In addition to the twilight, sunrise, and morning golden hour lighting, you often can use man-made items like lights and headlights, as compositional enhancements in your photographs. Equally positive is the fact that there is usually very little distracting activity. We had walked through here the day before and the scene was crowded with people - very different from here.

Astrological Clock - Old Town City Hall - Prague, Czech Republic
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I EXPERIENCED a certain deja vu as I entered the main square. Much like Munich, the Old Town Hall was a central feature. Churches, governmental, administrative, musueums and retail establishments ring the square and also blend off into the back streets. Also like Munich, the Town Hall sports an astronomical clock that is a major attraction - particularly as a photography backdrop, though unfortunately not so much for photographers like me, but more for two "venues:" Selfie-makers (so called "influencers") and wedding photo shoots. I have no issue with the wedding shooters, other than the fact that they often tend to dominate a venue without consideration for the 100's of other visitors who just want to take a photo or two and move on. I have probably been guilty of this as I "work" a scene sometimes, but I try to be aware of others trying to shoot.

Astrological Clock - Old Town City Hall - Prague, Czech Republic
Copyright Andy Richards 2024 - All Rights Reserved

THE "INFLUENCERS" are another thing entirely. I get that they have a right - just like I do - to photograph a scene. But this morning, there was this guy. He had a vlogger's camera set up on a tripod and he just kept going back and forth from the camera to his "pose" in front of the clock. Not just a couple times. I stood there patiently for at least 10 minutes (and thought to myself what I know my wife had thought every time she has been with me for a photo-shoot: "how many shots do you need of that one thing?" 😆). After what seemed like an eternity, I realized there were 2 other folks with cameras who were also waiting for him. I did something I don't often do. I approached him and pointed out that we had all been waiting for 10-15 minutes and all we wanted to do was make our shots and then move on. Not sure he spoke English, but my pointing and gesturing seemed to work and he "yielded" the scene. The shot here, was taken later that morning as I came back. I found the wedding thing more interesting than the "plain" shot I had waited for. Figures.😑

City Hall - Old Town - Prague, Czech Republic
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I MADE a few shots around the City Hall and the large square that it borders. The previous day - even in the rain - there had been 100's of people in the square. This morning: just a very few milling about - some of them taking pictures just like me. The light got as nice as it had been for our entire trip and I worked around the square.

Church - Old Town - Prague, Czech Republic
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Staromestke Namesti - Prague, Czech Republic
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Old Town - Prague, Czech Republic
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MARTIN HAD told us that it was possible for a small fee to get up on top of the City Hall building, so I resolved that we would walk back into the square later and try to do just that.

Historic Kubista Museum - Old Town - Prague, Czech Republic
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I KNEW our meeting place for the previous afternoon's photo excursion was only a block or so further east, and I wanted to make a "record" shot of the Kubista Museum where we had photographed the spiral staircase. I had also passed by a quaint (mostly hand-made) toy store on the same building block that had caught my eye.

Toy Store - Old Town - Prague, Czech Republic
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I WALKED back toward the Charles bridge, heading back to our Mala Strana Residence, to check in with the rest of our group. The light remained nice as I walked back through the square and as I entered from the narrow side street, it nicely spotlighted the tower of the City Hall building.

City Hall - Old Town - Prague, Czech Republic
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Church of Our Lady before Tyn - Old Town - Prague, Czech Republic

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NEARLY ALL of the images made this morning were shots that are not particularly unique. Any tourist/photographer with an eye toward composition could make them (and 100's have made them). I have tried to make a habit of finding a unique perspective on each new place I go to photograph. I always find it interesting that even in the most urban of environments (even if 1000's of years old), there are always small "green" spaces to be found. The shot below is tucked over in the corner of the main square, in plain, but unassuming, sight. If I turned around from where I made the shot, I would be looking directly at the fountain in the center of the square with the City Hall in the background.

Staromestke Namesti - Prague, Czech Republic
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BACK ON the bridge, the morning light remained nice, filtered by some light cloud cover, and I was able to make a few images back toward Mala Strana.

Mala Strana from Charles Bridge - Prague, Czech Republic

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

Charles Bridge - Prague, Czech Republic (early morning twilight)
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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)
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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)
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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
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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
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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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