
Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 24 mm, 1/30 sec, f/8, ISO 3200.
I mentioned last week that I was going to do a separate post on church interiors, but it became clear to me that I had too many images for a single post and thought it best to split them up. This week includes views from inside York Minster (York) and King’s College Chapel (Cambridge); next week will showcase London interiors.
The image above is from York Minster’s Chapter House, which is a large structure connected to the even larger main cathedral. As with everything about York Minster, it is spectacular. With pictures like this, it is important to either get the symmetry exactly right or avoid the symmetry altogether. But it is really awkward trying to crane your neck back to look exactly straight up. Having struggled with this in the past, I am very grateful for my camera’s articulating screen. Beyond the obvious symmetry, the way the ceiling almost glows is particularly beautiful. A wider lens would have been fun to play with here, but I only took one lens on my visit inside York Minster.
This next image is also from inside York Minster. When there is so much symmetry, it can be hard to find a good composition that avoids it, but I am happy with the way that this image features both the east window and one of the side ones. There are a lot of repeating shapes in this scene that give it coherence across the frame. It also helped that the weather was truly hideous outside—all the dark clouds and heavy rain kept the windows from being overly bright compared to the rest of the interior.

Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 56 mm, 1/125 sec, f/9.5, ISO 1600.
The following images are all from King’s College Chapel, in Cambridge. This first one goes for the symmetry, once again. And although it highlights the intricate ceiling detail, the surrounding colorful stained glass gives the viewer a lot to explore. I think the eye naturally starts in the center because the perspective has everything pointing that way, then moves over to the brighter windows on the right, then down around the bottom to the left side, before finally returning back to the center. I think it is good that the windows on the right hand side are brighter than the rest and encourage this sequence.

Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 24 mm, 1/8 sec, f/8, ISO 500.
This next image is as much a pattern as anything else—there is no clear subject. But I think that is okay, especially when used as part of a sequence of images, because it adds some visual variety to the set. The strong repeating verticals are broken by the (nearly) horizontal patterns of colored light and shadow—it almost looks like a double exposure.

Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 105 mm, 1/125 sec, f/6.7, ISO 3200.
I had a number of images of the organ, below, from different angles, but in the end decided that I was happiest with the straight-on perspective. The strongest tonal contrast is around the organ, with the bright brass pipes and the dark wood surrounding them. The columns on the two side walls echo the vertical pipes, and that whole lower portion of the image contrasts nicely with the sweeping symmetric curves in the ceiling. There are not many midtones in this image: I think the ceiling takes that role, but it is definitely on the dim side of a middle tone, which keeps its intricacy from being too overwhelming. I toned down the brighter areas on both sides a bit because I didn’t want them to compete with the highlights on the pipes. Also, the two angels get some prominence from the bright horns they hold and the fact that the pipes point right at them. There’s a lot going on here, but I think this is a complex image that works.

Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 77 mm, 1/60 sec, f/6.7, ISO 3200.
This next image is a tighter view of the right hand angel shown above, but taken from an angle that makes more of the illumination coming from the massive array of stained glass windows. As with the image above, the elaborate ceiling is subdued by virtue of being somewhat dark, especially relative to that bright bell on the horn. The round detail on the ceiling next to the horn also echos and reinforces its shape. The image is entirely browns and yellows, which make for a very calm, almost monochromatic, color palette.

Nikon Z8 with Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S at 115 mm, 1/60 sec, f/6.7, ISO 3200.
Thank you for visiting (or following!) my blog. I hope you enjoyed these images as much as I enjoyed making them. Next week I’ll feature images from three of the many churches in London, including Westminster Abbey.
6 responses to “Cathedrals and Such—Part One”
Excellent ‘unraveling’ process Jim. As you know I have always been fascinated where the eye upon the photograph travels to.and your investigation of thsee magnificent cathedral cameos is so enjoyable. Congratulations.
Thank you, Charlie! I don’t tend to think about such things when I am taking the pictures…it’s either instinctive or I just end up liking (and sharing) the ones that do it better.
So glad you posted the Cambridge images especially!
My eye moved in a slightly different sequence on Chapel West Wing (top middle to bottom, actual middle, to centre bottom window, to rapid left-right). I mention this only because intention and effect may differ. In any case, it is a great image.
Pipe Organ is also excellent: the pipes stand out wonderfully but the ceiling is also shown respect. Stained Sidelight also does justice to what the light was doing at the time.
Tiny typo: slightly different sequence on Chapel West Wing (top middle to bottom, actual middle, to centre …
should be
slightly different sequence on Chapel West Wing (top middle to bottom/actual middle, to centre bottom window
No worries…I just found out that York Minster is two words and had to edit three posts to fix it! (Westminster is one word, after all!) Astrid pointed out that my spelling was astray.
I’m glad you like them, Rob! I was hopeful that you would. Like all of these places, I would have been happy there for hours. (My wife, probably not…)