Stairway to heaven
st pauls cathedral
st pauls cathedral
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Aug, 2013Views
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Sealightphoto
November 03, 2013
Thankyou all for wonderful comments! I'm so glad this shot has been enjoyed so much! That's why we take photos right!
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
This was taken just in the entrance of St Pauls Cathedral, London. London has some great contemporary architecture but the intricacy of the more traditional structures are mind blowing!Time
It was one of those aimless wondering days around London and this shot was taken mid afternoon amongst all the tourists. I had to just wait patiently for a gap of solitude to compose so I had a good chance to just sit and appreciate the craftsmanship before diving in.Lighting
This was all natural light which was coming through the windows. I had to be steady taking 3 exposures hand-held but lucky the building was designed in such a way that lets the right light in to the right places. A good architect doesn't just build a good structure but learns to work with the natural elements to accentuate it's beauty. As a photographer, I'm very grateful for that!Equipment
This as taken with the Canon 5D MKII and Canon 17-40mm F4. Handheld, natural light. Just me, my camera and the architect. Sometimes to take a beautiful image, you just need to stand in front beautiful things.Inspiration
I'm very interested in the Fibonacci sequence, ancient geometry and traditional architecture. I was looking for staircases like these all day through london and this as the perfect match. I was also looking for small spaces to open up with a wide lens. Again, Perfect spot to stumble across.Editing
This was taken with 3 exposures for HDR and lightly processed in photomatix. Then the TIFF went into photoshop and selected parts where painted in with Topaz Adjust for a little extra detail in the bricks and staircase. After that as a little tweaking in Camera Raw....and that's about it. A relativity easy shot to edit but with a very pleasing result.In my camera bag
Four lenses stay with me like a shadow and, although it's a back breaker on long walks, it means I have a real choice for when I stumble across something new. So with the 5D MKII, I have the Canon 17-40mm....sometimes I take the Sigma 12-24mm instead though. Sigma 70-200mm F2.8. An old but classic Olympus 50mm F1.8 and a prakitca 135 f2.8 which is bruised and battered but I've been using it since I was a kid when it all began in my back yard. Also a standerd £100 tripod of unknown make but it's steady and reliable. The Flash is with me but rarely used, spirit level gaffa tape and sandwiches.Feedback
When I was camera assistant for a doco with a skilled architect he told me "look up". The city sure has plenty of fast food chains and it ill seem uninspiring at first, but if you look past that, you'll always see the original brickwork above and hidden little gems. If you find a good spot but with no light, the photographers ephemeris will help you to plan the right time of day/night to come back and shoot. So I keep a little book with locations I find on my wonders. Some architecture has been snapped a million times so take your time to look for different angles, Learn about the history and the architect which may open doors and help you spot details where never obvious upon first sight.
