Advice on Prague photo story
 

Hello,

I am in Prague taking a month long photography class and have to create 3 photo stories.

Story #1 was assigned to us as just a story on "Prague" and how would we depict Prague if we were trying to attract visitors to the city.

Story #2 I am focusing on Jewish Prague including Lidice and Terezin (anyone think of anything I am missing for this story?)

Story #3 I need help thinking up a topic.... Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks for your help!!

-Linda
PS: photos are being posted on cdiaphoto.com under the pull down menu "Prague" if anyone is interested. I think there are only a few up there now but story # 1 should be posted next week.

There are a couple of very unique things in Prague.

The grotto or drip stone wall.

Some amazing stained glass by Alphons Mucha - you could get some wonderful pictures there.

On a smaller scale you could have fun with different decanters and bottles of absynth. That green hue just begs to be photographed under different types of light.

Black light theatre? A little cheesey but it might offer some interesting photographic possibilities.

Petrin Park and it's mini Eiffel Tower.

OK story #2: Lidice and Terezine, must be linked to Reinhart Heinrich the Nazi assasinated in Prague. Check out the church of St Cyril.
http://www.praguetoursuk.com/places_stcyril.htm

Go there and see the church, the crypt the surroundings, there is imformation contained within the church regarding the safe house locations, the actual place of assasination and loads of other stuff, go there you will work it out.

Terezine is bleak, there are several places that you can focus upon.
How about the execution places, the sleeping areas etc..

#1 what about petrin hill? seems to me one of Pragues most under used and under rated places, get up the tower and see the city from high.

Muck

I can think of some stories, but I don't know if they lend themselves to photo essays exactly. I can think of several. Here are some:

1) Art Nouveau in Prague. Prague was one of the main cities for this movement, and there are many good architectural and decorative examples of this. There is the Mucha museum, for one place, and lots of the apt. buildings and others have Art Nouveau decorative styling. there are a lot around Hastalska square. The Municipal HOuse is one of the most outstanding Art Nouveau buildings I've seen. I'm sure you can find some info on this.

2) Cafe Culture in Prague -- there are a lot of famous old and beautiful cafes in Prague, such as the Cafe Imperial and Cafe Slavia, two of my favorites. Cafe Louvre is another one (which is also Art Nouveau). The Slavia is very important in the city life, also -- it was where Vaclav Havel used to meet a lot with his colleagues when planning the Velvet Revolution.

3) Revolutionary Prague -- idea form above, Wenceslas Sq and other sites of importance in the Velvet Revolution

4) Royal Prague -- castle, Powder Gate, etc.

5) Vaclav Havel's Prague -- the Lucerna Palace, presidential Palace, Wencelas Square, the Slavia, and more (see Frommers onlien guide to Prague for more info on this one, they have some details in their Prague Attractions section)

6) religious Prague -- major famous churches/cathedrals to photograph, as well the the Infant of Prague statue, the monastery, etc.

I've got some other ideas, but that's enough for now.

Thanks so much for all the ideas!! Can't believe we have only 9 days left - I don't want to go home!!

Turnip - What is The grotto or drip stone wall? Don't see it in any of my guidebooks.

Thanks!

Linda,

Try doing a search for Wallenstein Garden or Palace. The dripstone is actually a part of the palace grounds. More information can be found here;

www.prague.net/wallenstein-garden

Hi ad,

>I am focusing on Jewish Prague including Lidice and Terezin (anyone think of anything I am missing for this story?)

The old cemetery? The Old New Synagogue? The wall of names?

((I))

Gorgeous photos, well done! I especially like the Crucifix on Charles Bridge and St. Charles of Nepomuk. And Old Town Square (with the flowers). And Changing of the Castle Guards.

They are all very very good, but the above leapt out at me.

Is this a degree you are seeking, or a one-off, one month photo class?

well done you!

How about a story about how the average citizen of Prague lives, away from the tourist zone.

Take a subway or bus line outside of town and observe.

Thanks to everyone for their ideas!!!

Flygirl: I am in an 18-month digital photography certificate program at BU (after 25 years of being in finance I decided that I needed a career change).

The Prague trip is a summer course that is open to anyone and is taught by Bob Caputo (who has written several books and who has worked for National Geographic for since 1980).

The experience was absolutely amazing. Bob is a wonderful guy who taught us so much. We had quite a bit of "one on one" time with him, an hour or more daily, 7 days a week.

My hotel was also unbelievable - I stayed at the Arcadia Residence, I felt as though I was leaving my family when I had to come home. I will post a trip report soon.

The photo stories are all posted on cdiaphoto.com - I ended up doing Jewish Prague, the "Hall - Prague" photos are also mine and I have some photos under Prague images.

For my 3rd story I started with "Off the Beaten Path" hoping to incorporate many of your ideas and ended up at a quaint Marionette factory near Vysehrad which evolved into a story of it's own. I have 100's of photos but the story could only be 15-20. The place was fascinating. I never realized that they were all hand made.

Needless to say I spent 4 full days at the Marionette factory and never got to finish the "Off the Beaten Path" story.

I was able to get out to the grotto at Wallenstein Garden - amazing!! I tried twice to get out to Troja, closed both times (once because it was Monday and the second time for a wedding so I stopped by the zoo for an hour or so since I had traveled out there).

Mucky - Thanks for the info on the church of St Cyril - it was very moving.

Just an FYI that the lonely planet guidebook mentions an exhibit on Heinrich at the Army Museum. I arrived at the museum to find that the exhibit had ended 2 years ago.

Hi Linda,

I looked at your "Jewish Prague". Very moving.

Your crucifix shot is terrific.

Thanks for sharing.

((I))

bookmarking

I was fascinated by Golden Lane. It's the stretch of tiny houses that were built into the fortification of the castle walls in the 15th century. Franz Kafka lived in N.22. Now they're full of shops. Very cool to see. In Kafka's house, it's a bookstore, selling his books.

Wow, where is the stained glass by Alphonse Muchas? He's my favourite artist, I would love to see that when I am in Prague..

It's in St. Vitus Cathedral

http://www.prague.net/st-vitus-cathedral

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:M...n_St_Vitus.JPG

There's also a great gift shop just outside the cathedral with many books showing his work.

Linda, what a great idea! I am eternally toying with "what's next" as well. (timing, what to do, etc etc.)

Congratulations for taking that next step - I always like to hear about folks who do an about-face on life plans. It's rejuvenating, isn't it? Do keep in touch with where your photography career takes you.

Incredible! thanks so much for sharing your talents and information.

Your photographs bring back so many memories of my trips to Prague.

Lidice, St Cyrils, Terezine, they are all captured beautifully and made the hairs on my neck stand up.

Keep up the good work

Muck