Lake Van from Akdamar Island, a photo from Van, East Anatolia

Photographer's Note

Lake Van from Akdamar Island. Taken looking west towards the lookout. If you follow the paths from the tour boats there is a group of people standing on the path. Around the middle of the island there is an open gate in the tall wire fence. I went through and scrambled up the rocks to the line of trees about 2/3 of the way up the bg peak. That was far enough for me. After that the rocks were becoming increasingly steep. Turning around from up there will give you a tremendous view all the way to the eastern shores of the lake and including the old 10th century Armenian Church. Time it right in April May and you get the flowering cherry blossom trees as well.

https://i.hurimg.com/i/hdn/75/0x0/5d3845d1c9de3d21cc21f24a.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akdamar_Island#/media/File:Akhtamar_Island_on_Lake_Van_with_the_Armenian_Cathedral_of_the_Holy_Cross.jpg

pajaran, papagolf21, PaulVDV, ikeharel, pierrefonds, holmertz, jhm, ktanska, Royaldevon, PiotrF, mcmtanyel, aliabazari has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Tue (91658) 2020-10-14 1:56

Hello Chris,
A beautiful view along the coastline of this island, the composition is very well balanced between the deep blue sky and the land with some trees, patches of green and rocks. Very fine sunlight also.
Lars

pajaran (115025) 2020-10-14 1:56

Greeting.
A beautiful part of the island on the lake, well shown with beautiful colors, contrast and good text.
Nice photo and a moment with white ships.
I wish you all the best.
Paja.

papagolf21 (152605) 2020-10-14 2:18

Bonjour, cher Chris,
Eh bien, je m'aperзois que pour obtenir une bonne photo, il faut prendre des risques.
Force est de reconnaоtre que la prise de vue mйritait ces efforts.
Amitiйs.
Philippe

PaulVDV (62810) 2020-10-14 2:19

Hello Chris,
I've taken an almost similar picture of Akdamar Island. But that was in 1984, the times of the slides.
Wonderful colour of the water of the lake.
Looking in this direction you cannot see the shores of the lake.
The moored boats give us a good idea of the scale.
Best regards, Paul

lousat (138683) 2020-10-14 2:27

Hi Chris,it seems to be in a carribbean beach and not in a lake island. A difficult walk as i can read,but the view is amazing,just a pity for the delay to see the cherries trees full of flowers. Have a nice day and thanks,Luciano

Silvio1953 (220717) 2020-10-14 2:36

Ciao Chris, fascinating landscape with fantastic lake, wonderful colors, excellent clarity and splendid light, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

pierrefonds (113676) 2020-10-14 4:37

Bonjour Chris,

L'йtendue du lac Van crйe de la profondeur. La prise de vue permet de voir les dйtails d'une partie de l'оle Akdamar. La lumiиre rehausse les couleurs de l'image. Bonne journйe.

Pierre

holmertz (102066) 2020-10-14 6:27

Hello Chris,
It's a fine view but it's unusual to see a photo of Akdamar that doesn't include the church. I have vague memories of exploring a fairly large part of the island in 1974. I like how the green tones of trees and grass seem to spill into the lake. When I wrote a very carefully worded note about Turkish-Armenian relations during WW1 I received several angry comments and three Turkish members (as far as I remember) struck me from their lists of favourites. ;-) It will for ever remain a sensitive question, as we have also seen in recent days.
Best regards,
Gert

jhm (211734) 2020-10-14 10:11

Hello Chris,

We get a fantastic view of this lake from Akdamar Island.
It seems wonderful also very quiet.
Pleasant depth and perspective too.
Nice sharp and clear photography.
Pleasant composition, TFS.

Regards,
John.

ktanska (44492) 2020-10-14 11:09

Hi Chris,
Beautiful rocky shoreline. Interesting to see how bare rocks and big bushes alternate. Your note reveal this is a lake, but for sure this view looks very Mediterranean.
Kari

Miguel82 (47110) 2020-10-14 13:04

Chris, the lake Van can be compared to an inland sea, it is the biggest lake in Turkey. Its high salinity prevents its waters from being used for irrigation but the water is strongly alcaline so detergents can be made with the salts extracted after evaporation. Fine colors, good sharpness, regards.

emka (157280) 2020-10-14 15:40

Hello Chris, Here the lake Van looks like a sea. Marvellous colour of water. Nice view of the boat near the halb-island. Have you seen there the famous cats?

Best regards MAlgo

ifege (47069) 2020-10-14 21:11

Hi Chris
That group of people are barely visible, even in the large view. Great colour in the water and a well composed photo.
cheers
Ian

Royaldevon (85674) 2020-10-15 1:23

Hello Chris,

Well the first thing I tried to do, after reading your notes, was to find the group people! Even when I enlarged the shot several times, I could not find them ... maybe my sight is deteriorating!

Nevertheless, this is a beautiful scene of rocky outcrops, leafy green trees and a greeny/blue sea that looks enchanting.
The tour boats act as a focal point and help us to understand the scale.

My warm regards,
Bev :-)

mkamionka (73500) 2020-10-15 3:09

Hi Chris,
beautiful natural scenery of this interesting destination. I would really like to visit it someday but thing are more complicated now than before.
Fantastic colors, perfect composition.
Excellent work,
M

PiotrF (54246) 2020-10-15 13:27

Hello Chris,
Interesting rock formations on the island of Akdamar.
I like good composition, nice colours and good light.
Thank you for informative note.
Fine presentation.
Regards
Piotr

mcmtanyel (67757) 2021-04-05 18:47

Hello Chris,
I would love to see that Armenian church. I am wondering, have you seen any beaches around Lake Van? Do people swim in it?
Regards,
MT