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When I posted my last entry I mentioned that I would be spending a week abroad. What I should also have added is that it isn't a photographic trip. The reason I should have mentioned this is that I'm finding that I haven't had much time so far to take any pictures, and those I have taken have been shot in poor light. Anyway, excuses aside, I thought it was about time I posted something so thought I'd put this one up. Technically, it's not great, but it is an interesting shot of this wonderful town.

So, who can tell me where I am?

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4.29pm on 13/10/08
Canon 1Ds Mark II
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3x2 + HDR + travel [Bulgaria]
comment by Carlos Garcia at 08:35 PM (GMT) on 13 October, 2008

Somewhere in South America?

How high are you?

Nice.

comment by RD at 09:04 PM (GMT) on 13 October, 2008

No clue, but for some reason I thought Portugal. I've never been there, nor really seen pictures of it, so why do I think it's Portugal?! I love this picture!

comment by DedicatedRR at 09:24 PM (GMT) on 13 October, 2008

I love this shot, all the different buildings and trees scattered about...anyhow. I have absolutely no idea where this would be. I'm not a very travelled person XD But I will guess not an English speaking country? ^^;

comment by Albert at 09:45 PM (GMT) on 13 October, 2008

Somewhere in Italy

comment by Travis at 09:49 PM (GMT) on 13 October, 2008

Second on Italy.

comment by Sonny Parlin at 10:34 PM (GMT) on 13 October, 2008

Amazing shot, David. This reminds me of an old neighborhood in Norwich, CT USA where one of my aunts used to live. It would be nice to see this photo in color as well (maybe you could post the original at some point?) Again, beautiful shot. I'll guess Italy as well.

comment by Ricket at 10:54 PM (GMT) on 13 October, 2008

With this shot, the thing is everyone could find a place looking just like that ! For me, it seems like a small village in the south of France, near Nice :)

Still, this is a nice B&W, and a good choice for a "standard shot".

comment by Tom at 10:57 PM (GMT) on 13 October, 2008

My guess would be Portugal or Italy. It definitely looks like Europe judging by the cars.

comment by nick at 11:09 PM (GMT) on 13 October, 2008

I'm going to guess Eastern Europe...

comment by sambrill at 11:15 PM (GMT) on 13 October, 2008

I love this image. the sepia toning and the great contrast. The patterns of the building and the people giving a great sense of scale. Lovely. I would have said South America too...

comment by PAolo at 11:32 PM (GMT) on 13 October, 2008

Porto?

comment by ojorojo at 12:37 AM (GMT) on 14 October, 2008

I thought Portugal too, maybe Oporto or Funchal

comment by Alex at 03:06 AM (GMT) on 14 October, 2008

Somewhere in the Balkans.

comment by Eric at 03:07 AM (GMT) on 14 October, 2008

Would love to say Quebec City, but it is no as beautiful as this. Argh... And I could have had the chance to meet you in person! Oh well... No idea on this location. Great shot though, nice b&w! :-)

comment by djn1 at 06:57 AM (GMT) on 14 October, 2008

In the past, whenever I've gone away, someone comes along and says "oh yes, that's such-and-such a place". In this case it looks as though I might have finally managed to go somewhere that none of you have been :-) Anyway, there have been some close guesses - in terms of geographical region, but nobody's got the country or town right yet. I'll see if I can shoot something that may be more recognisable today and post it this evening.

comment by Quenton at 08:35 AM (GMT) on 14 October, 2008

Vraiment superbe cette photo, on dirait du HDR black/white

comment by Mark at 09:32 AM (GMT) on 14 October, 2008

Very tenuous I know, but I'll go for either Malta or Cyprus. Wherever it is, I'm jealous!

comment by Cem Aydin at 10:18 AM (GMT) on 14 October, 2008

Istanbul, Turkey

comment by POV at 10:53 AM (GMT) on 14 October, 2008

A very well done B/W capture! Good work.

comment by Aleš at 11:03 AM (GMT) on 14 October, 2008

Sarajevo :)

comment by nick at 02:04 PM (GMT) on 14 October, 2008

Serbia? Macedonia? Bulgaria? :)

comment by Jay at 02:11 PM (GMT) on 14 October, 2008

Great contrast and tone. Such a busy scene, but somehow I don't get lost in the details.

comment by Sara at 04:18 PM (GMT) on 14 October, 2008

Hi David,
It look like one of those French towns like Marseille...hideous eclectic mixture of architecture through the last century.....
Anyway, interesting photo....
Keep up the good work and INSPIRATION......
Sara.

comment by Pedro at 06:13 PM (GMT) on 14 October, 2008

I really like the texture you have achieved with such processing, but there is no point to focus on. I think the whole picture is very distracting :-)
I would say you're back to Spain! :)

comment by Michael Paulison at 06:14 PM (GMT) on 14 October, 2008

I like the black and white toning. The fact that it's in black and white really shows off the lines and shapes. This place is interesting... tiered so that everyone has a view. Very nice.

comment by djn1 at 09:18 PM (GMT) on 14 October, 2008

Well, nobody has managed to identify the town, but the country has been mentioned, but only alongside other countries. If nobody works it out I'll tell you where I am tomorrow when I post another shot.

comment by AMV at 10:13 PM (GMT) on 14 October, 2008

I´d say Servia, cos it has already been mentioned, though my guess was gonna be Croatia...
Good picture, like the foggy feeling of it.

comment by Alex at 02:53 AM (GMT) on 15 October, 2008

Given your clue, I'm guessing Lisbon.

comment by Laurie at 04:28 AM (GMT) on 15 October, 2008

That is a pretty amazing view of the city. Very interesting.

comment by Paul at 06:12 AM (GMT) on 15 October, 2008

Darjeeling, West Bengal, India.

comment by marcus at 10:56 AM (GMT) on 15 October, 2008

I like the way you tonemapped the file, cant get myself around fdr tools btw. Might be a subject for one of your tutorials?

I might think that this is somewhere in Andalucía, Spain perhaps even Granada.

comment by Mark at 11:08 AM (GMT) on 15 October, 2008

Nicosia? Valletta???

@Paul - my first thought was that the houses bottom at the right reminded me of the north Indian hills somewhere.

comment by Tom A at 11:09 AM (GMT) on 15 October, 2008

Sofia?

comment by Nacho at 11:25 AM (GMT) on 15 October, 2008

No doubt, It´s Spain.
Somewhere in the North East.

comment by noname at 11:53 AM (GMT) on 15 October, 2008

Somewhere at the Mediterranean Sea. Probably Croatia but it could be also Italy.

comment by si at 02:50 PM (GMT) on 15 October, 2008

I'm gonna guess Dubrovnik, not because I know, but because I dream.

comment by s.a. at 03:45 PM (GMT) on 15 October, 2008

i'm pretty sure it is not dubrovnik or croatia.
i don't even think it is a coastal town.
judging by the architecture, my first guess would be bulgaria, second guess macedonia.

comment by John at 05:36 PM (GMT) on 15 October, 2008

Disneyland

comment by chiara at 08:14 PM (GMT) on 15 October, 2008

I think it's either France or Italy. Somewhere near Liguria or the French riviera.

comment by djn1 at 09:06 PM (GMT) on 15 October, 2008

Thanks everyone, and while there were a couple of close guesses (someone mentioned Sofia, and someone else mentioned Bulgaria) nobody worked out that this is Veliko Tarnovo, the former capital of Bulgaria.

comment by simon at 01:47 AM (GMT) on 16 October, 2008

inspirational!