This is one of those must get photos when you visit London. I tried a number of angles, but this one was my favorite. We got up early to shoot the bridge and we wanted to get the St Paul’s Cathedral for opening time. The Thames, the bridge, the low level skyline of the city of London, St. Paul’s in the backdrop…what is there not to love about London.
No Photography. It’s a sign I see all over while traveling. I generally pay heed to these signs, even when others do not. Often they serve a protective factor as at the National Archives in Washington DC. Perhaps it makes sense that places with massive numbers of tourists like Notre Dame in Paris would not allow tripods so other gawking guests don’t trip on your sticks.
What these signs, or rather the people who install them, don’t understand is photography is how I see. Photography is how I remember events in my life. I recall places as pictures in my mind and far too often I fail to remember; my photography reminds me how I spent my time on this Earth. They in many ways are my life.
When I visited St Paul’s in London and came to the alter. I saw this scene. It was like the heavens opened up to show me its glory. All the beauty man can create is nothing compared to nature. No signs matter.
The facades of La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona Spain are, much like the entire structure, difficult to conceptualize for people who have not seen the site in person. Honestly I am not sure I fully understand. Sure it’s a depiction of the life and times of Jesus, but aside from that, there are things going on in this cathedral that are mind blowing. The Passion Facade was stark and cold, understandable so…the figures were human, but distorted with grief. Here are but a few tortured souls.
I love a spiral. Throughout history humans have been enthralled with the golden ratio and to me this particular expression is one of the best. This particular spiral staircase is one of the ultra narrow towers of La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona Spain. The last spiral staircase I shot was in Paris and people seem to love the Arc de Tripmphe staircase photo. Personally I think I hit the expression of the golden ratio more dead on with this photo and I particularly like the texture. Which do you like best?
I have said it here before, but I have the hardest time shooting details. On my more recent trips around the globe, I have really been working to remember this small, but significant mindset. Details make for some stunning photos, as evidenced by this detail. I was struck upon entering the door of La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain (as I am sure many are) by the door. The entire minor basilica is a bit of a surreal explosion…too much is happening all over. The main door I entered was no different in its busy-ness, but there is a obvious focal point in the mass of words. Maybe it doesn’t work the same for tall people, but for someone my height, there was no doubting the purpose.
The Swiss are efficient. They did not appear to enjoy repeating themselves for me, but my French is not the best and sometimes the latitude I was given in Geneva surprised me. I asked the docent of Saint Pierre Cathedral if I could take photos. He said yes. I asked if I could take photos with my tripod…he gave an irritated yes. Not because, I think, he was annoyed at my tripod, but rather because I didn’t take his first yes at face value. I love old churches and Geneva was build around this church. The entire history of the city can be traced in the foundation of this building. It is simple, but it was also the home of John Calvin for a good deal of time. I decided on doing a little something different with the processing. I generally do not like selective color, but I think in this way, it works.
Something magic happened to me in Geneva, that I can’t really explain. I hesitate to share it. What I can say it that the bells of Saint Pierre Cathedral touched my soul. For an instant I felt deeper than I thought possible. It startled me so, I lost it. I will continue my search. I am only sorry I can’t share, or explain the moment better.
The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao;
The name that can be named is not the eternal name.
I have a terrible time with details. One former boss of mine said I had a problem seeing the trees for the forest. Often a new place is SO overwhelming, this actually does become the case. I see the big shots, but I often miss opportunities for little details that are in fact amazing. I found some in detail in Paris, in a flower vendor’s bucket. While in Geneva, I found a detail I loved in a 15th century choir stall. The stall was not native from the church. It survived the reformation, but was brought to Saint Pierre Cathedral after the departure of John Calvin. It’s these wonderful details that make life all the more sweet. I try every day to spend more time with them…in wonder.
Joan of Arc was a simple peasant girl who felt a strong calling. A calling so strong, that she lead the French army to a number of victories during the Hundred Years War. She was later captured and transferred to the British where she was tried for insubordination and hetrodoxy. She was burned at the stake for her crimes when she was 19 years old. 25 years later the pope declared her a martyr. She was beatified in 1909 and canonized as a saint in 1920. She is today on of the patron saints of France. Today’s image is of her statue located in Notre Dame. It holds a place of honor gazing up at the awesome Southern rose window that graces the cathedral.
This photo got me thinking about callings. What are we here to do? Why do so few of us seem to know? Do you think if for just a moment, we could turn off out egos and still our minds, we might catch a glimpse? Perhaps divine providence is there for all of us, if we simply listen.
Some photographers have to constantly remind themselves to look behind, above and below their eye level. I don’t seem to have that trouble. I love ceilings. I am not sure why, but they seems easy to me. There are so many things that are hard to truly see, but that easy shot is a double edged sword. The things that are easy in our life tend to start to lose their joy. We want to conquer something new. We long for a new sensation…one we always knew was there, but we failed to see its beauty. One of my goals for 2013 is to “SEE” the world differently. I don’t expect it to be easy, but welcome the growth. This is where I am looking now. The forward. It too is a double edged sword and one of my goals for 2013. I constantly lose the now for the future. I must remember the past and the the future are but illusion, NOW is all that truly exists. This following photo is of the ceiling of St Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, NY, USA.
