Ian Bramham's Photoblog
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.
For purchasing high quality archival prints of any of these photos you can send me an email by clicking here or by going to MY NEW WEBSITE where prices are listed in the gallery sections under each individual photo.
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Links to the websites of other photographers whose work I love and who have all helped me enormously over a long period of time. I find the work of all 3 to be inspirational.
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 5:36am
@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 5:47am
@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 5:56am
@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 7:05am
@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 8:09am
@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: Thanks very much Ana!
ManuelaR from Hainburg, Germany
Excellent angle and the colours and textures are breathtaking... wonderful Ian!
18 Mar 2008 8:57am
@ManuelaR: Thanks very much Manuela!
@Lorraine: Thanks very much Lorraine!
@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 2:05pm
@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 2:58pm
@Nataly: Thanks very much Nataly!
Viewfinder from Bradenton, United States
What perfect symmetry; the details and colors are spectacular.
18 Mar 2008 7:13pm
@Viewfinder: Thanks very much Glenn!
João Mourão from Amadora, Portugal
Great eye. What a photo just looking up. Excellent.
18 Mar 2008 10:29pm
@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 10:33pm
@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 11:34pm
amy from Rocky Mountain House, Canada
Nice when you can lay down on the job, eh?! LOL And it's a grand thing that you did... Really outstanding, Ian.
19 Mar 2008 12:53am
danthro from Suburbia, United States
wow. it looks like it goes on forever. beautiful color too.
19 Mar 2008 1:32am
Emily Ng from Studying in: Adelaide, Australia | Home:, Singapore
my favourite shot from all ur images.. Such beauty which would not normally be showcased in its own right. a rather unusal photo too - dont think i ever saw this. perhaps u're passionate enuff to lie on the floor to get ur shoot..
the pipe organ u got in, the lighting at the window, the hynotising web-like ceiling. lovely!
14 Oct 2008 9:11pm
Nikon D40
2/5 seconds
F/8.0
ISO 1600
15 mm (35mm equiv.)