Fortress Spinalonga – Crete

The fortified island of Spinalonga

Spinalonga can be seen as an entire island from the air. The fortification follows the irregular bank and reveals different building areas inside. From the sea side, the edge of the wall appears closed, but viewed more vertically, alleys and open spaces on the island become visible.

Walls along the edge of the island

On Spinalonga the built space ends at the water. It is precisely this clear edge that makes the connection between the shape of the island and the fortification particularly easy to read from the air.

On an island, the distance from the shore determines the message of the photograph. If water is visible all around, its shape can be seen at a glance. If there is a piece of land in the picture, the situation in the larger body of water becomes understandable. Both options complement each other for a photo series. The first glance explains what belongs to the island. The second shows from which direction you approach it and which visible reference points connect the narrow piece of land with its surroundings.

Follow the course of the border

You can usually only see the next side of a wall on the ground. From the air, several changes of direction are visible at the same time. The transition from a straight stretch to a corner or goal area is particularly revealing. It gives the image a tangible reference point. If you want to show the outer contour, leave some space in front of and behind the border in addition to the wall. This makes it clear which areas belong together and where the view extends into the adjacent terrain.

The coastline as orientation

At the sea, the direction of view changes the picture even over a short distance. If you look almost parallel to the coast, you will see ledges and bays one behind the other. From a steeper view, the actual contour of the bank is easier to follow. A piece of open water can deliberately remain in the cutout. It gives the land a recognizable outer edge and creates distance between two shapes extending into the sea. In a publication, an indication of the location together with the name of the visible stretch of coast helps to classify this view more precisely.

The distribution of blue tones

If you browse through the 7 aerial photos, you can stay at shot 1 and shot 7 for a comparison. In the first excerpt, shades of blue play a smaller role. In the second shot, blue areas take up more space. Blue can extend over a large contiguous area or only appear in individual parts. What also counts for the effect is whether these areas extend to the edge of the picture or surround the main subject.

For Shot 1 and Shot 7 the same day is noted in the image files, October 6th, 2020. The recording times recorded are about 2 minutes apart. The exposure time was 1/320 second for the first of the images mentioned and 1/640 second for the second.

A moving view is also available. Under Aerial videos you can find the clip “Fortress Spinalonga on Crete from the air”. The linked preview leads to inclusion in the aerial photographer's portfolio on Adobe Stock.

Select the coastal view for a photo series

In a coastal view, water is both a motif and an open space. Whether a large piece of sea remains in the picture depends on the story. When reporting on the shoreline, it holds different landforms together. For a portrait of a coastal town, the development may need more space. An aerial photographer can take this difference into account when choosing the angle of the image. When publishing, it's worth taking a final look at the final format so that a headland or riverside path at the edge isn't accidentally cut off.

Related motifs in the aerial photo archive

If you are looking for related motifs, you can start with Plakas – Crete. At Plakas there is only a narrow populated strip between the barren slope and the water. It's worth taking a second look at Anissaras - Crete. In front of Anissaras, small rocks rise out of the water, which respond to the protruding coast in the wide views.