Celestial Ceiling

Posted by Ian Bramham (Manchester, United Kingdom) on 18 March 2008 in Architecture and Portfolio.

This is a photo looking directly upward toward the ceiling of the Lady Chapel of Liverpool's Anglican Cathedral. The chapel was completely empty so I lay down on the floor with my camera pointing directly upward and took this photo handheld......I didn't think at the time that it would be possible to get an unblurred image this way so you can imagine how pleased I was when this turned out sharp enought to be a keeper.

The Lady Chapel was opened in 1910 and was the first element to be completed. It is much more ornately gothic in style than the main cathedral.

Links to other Photoblog sites that I have found inspirational:
http://hugopoon.blogspot.com/
Hugo Poon records his home city Hong Kong in photographs so beautiful that they inspired me to start taking my own photos. Deeply humanist in his vision, Hugo claims that he is not a photographer. Why not visit his photoblog and decide for yourself.

VFXY Photos | Cool Photoblogs | Listed on Photoblogs.org

Comments (22)

hugo poon from Hong Kong

fantastic subject, fantastic view, and fantastic capture!!! I'm so touched by your passion!:-)

Happy shooting!
Hugo

18 Mar 2008 12:36am

@hugo poon: Thanks very much Hugo......I do feel passionately about it more than I care to admit but i'm pleased that you think it shows in the photos!

Michael Skorulski from Cigel, Slovakia

Oh my. Such beautiful detail and captured from a stunning angle. The architecture is breathtaking and the brickwork fascinating. You must be thrilled with this. It is a keeper and keepsake.

18 Mar 2008 12:47am

@Michael Skorulski: Thanks Micheal....this is just a small side chapel to the main cathedral!

It's such a beautiful and awe inspiring building.

Alfredo J. Martiz J. from Tokyo, Japan

This photo is beautiful, wonderful angle, such richness in details, great composition, sharpness, really amazing. Congratulations Ian!

18 Mar 2008 12:56am

@Alfredo J. Martiz J.: Thanks very much Alfredo....it was a really pleasant surprise when this turned out sharp enough to post here!

Saeed from Tehran, Iran

Very Nice shot. I like the camera angle & colors . Excellent :)

18 Mar 2008 2:05am

@Saeed: Thanks very much Saeed!

Anne from White Rock, Canada

Wonderful, the "gothic" architecture made me think at first that it was much older. You really did catch a keeper! Beautiful detail! Composition is lovely - especially from that angle! :-)

18 Mar 2008 3:09am

@Anne: Hi Anne....well i suppose neo-gothic would be a more accurate architectural description but that 'neo' bit always seemed like nit picking to me. Whatever you call the style it's a wonderful building!

Ana Lúcia from Leiria, Portugal

GORGEOUS architecture.

18 Mar 2008 3:33am

@Ana Lúcia: Thanks very much Ana!

ManuelaR from Hainburg, Germany

Excellent angle and the colours and textures are breathtaking... wonderful Ian!

18 Mar 2008 3:57am

@ManuelaR: Thanks very much Manuela!

Lorraine from Gatineau, Canada

Wow dizzying and sensational :)

18 Mar 2008 6:27am

@Lorraine: Thanks very much Lorraine!

Kaddy from Mumbai, India

very beautiful... very creative!!!

18 Mar 2008 7:46am

@Kaddy: Thanks very much Kaddy!

Wysterior from Kloten, Switzerland

AWESOME photograph 4/10 seconds handheld isn't easy... Have you got a built in image stabilizer in your lens?

18 Mar 2008 9:05am

@Wysterior: Thanks very much....no image stabiliser in my camera body or lens but then it's a wide angle that doesn't really need one. Even so, I was still surprised that 4/10ths second was possible handheld even with a lens at the 35mm equivalent of 15mm. (I was lying on the floor which probably explains it)

Nataly from Santa Monica, United States

Well captured details. I imagine that on a full screen or the actual size it looks magnificent

18 Mar 2008 9:58am

@Nataly: Thanks very much Nataly!

Viewfinder from Bradenton, United States

What perfect symmetry; the details and colors are spectacular.

18 Mar 2008 2:13pm

@Viewfinder: Thanks very much Glenn!

João Mourão from Amadora, Portugal

Great eye. What a photo just looking up. Excellent.

18 Mar 2008 5:29pm

@João Mourão: Thanks very much João!

MadScientist from Düsseldorf, Germany

Superb shot, perfect! Love it!
(If you don't want to lay down yourself on the floor, just do so with your camera and use a remote control. This attracts less attention to you and the camera lies still.)

18 Mar 2008 5:33pm

@MadScientist: The problem with putting the camera on the floor with a lens this wide is that I would probably end up in the shot as well + composition is evrything with this lens....as it was i had quite a bit of correction to do to get the image square and as distortion free as this and it isn't perfect.

Momo from Montpellier, France

extraordinary...great photo ian...it takes guts to lie down in an empty church to get the shot...bravo...that's one part of photography not often mentioned, the fear, excitement, balls it can take to get what you want...what a rush...

18 Mar 2008 6:34pm