before the service Photo

Photographer’s Note

This photo was taken inside Tyska kyrkan (German Church; Deutsche Kirche) which is sometimes called St. Gertrude's Church (Swedish: Sankta Gertruds kyrka). It is situated in Gamla stan, the old town in central Stockholm.

If you like you can look at the church from the outside :)

I took only several different photos of the interior mainly because I came there right before the church service, and people were gathering to attend the service.

Someone kindly informed me in German that the service is about to start and asked if I would like to stay, too, and on hearing my answer that I didn't speak German, immediately switched to Swedish - and to English :) Really nice people there!

Unfortunately I had no time to stay for the long service, so I left and decided not to disturb the people in the church with my walking and taking photos. I think I'll come there again later to take better photos so that I wouldn't hurry, next time I am in Stockholm again...

I did not use the flash (I didn't want to disturb the people there), so I took all the photos (including this one) in RAW with the maximum possible exposure.
And, unfortunately, I had no chance to use a tripod or even place the camera on something to make it more stable.

NB Updated - a special remark about the composition: I deliberately did not crop the left and the right sides of the photo because I wanted to show the perspective as wide as possible. So I apologize in advance! :)

In the Workshop: additional photo. I didn't know which of the two photos to choose as the main post, but I chose this one in the end.

PP work: minor lens distorsion (perspective) correction; slight adjustment of shadows and midtones (the original RAW photo is a little darker).

Info about the shot:

Metering Modes Spot
Exposure Compensation 0
ISO Speed 1600
Focal Length 18,0 mm
Image Quality RAW
Flash Off
White Balance Auto
AF mode AI focus AF
Picture Style Landscape

Vasa, AiresSantos, mortijo, bukitgolfb301, asajernigan, saxo042, maloutim has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

serp2000 (9717) 2009-09-16 1:53

Добрый день, Лена,
А разве шведы частично и в католичестве находятся? Не знал. Храмы католиков напоминают убранством православные.Красиво тут, есть на что поглдеть.Но в остальном - не для ТЕ. Хочется обрезать справа голову, а слева- окно.
Удачного дня!
Сергей

pajaran (3909) 2009-09-16 5:14

Pozdrav.
Pomolimo se ...
Odlican enterijer pokazali ste nam dobrom kompozicijom, bojama i ostrinom snimka.
Uspeh u radu, Paja.

Greg1949 (8519) 2009-09-16 5:23

Elena, this is a fine interior shot, it is all clear adn the lighting is nice. Colors and details are super. Fine work. Greg

Vasa (6357) 2009-09-16 15:27

My dear Elena, let's say that Canon is a good machine for that picture. But you make a good team, with your ideas, sensibility, your position. With your note it is complete event. In Serbian churches it is not possible to make pictures (many time), only if you are ther for some job (bapteme, marriage ...). Thank you for sharing your souvenirs from your trips. So glad to see you from time to time, friend,

Branko

mafegan (4505) 2009-09-16 16:39

Hello Elena
Very different to see you posting a scene from the interior of a church. Much ornate detail to be seen. I personally would have prefered for the talking woman in white not to be included - I find her a distraction from the heads of all the other people sitting in the pews. However I can see you had little time before you had to move on. Very interesting and tfs, Marlene

siamesa (13239) 2009-09-17 1:19

Hi Elena

Besides the difficulties that you had to take these photos, this one is marvelous. We can see the rich inside of this church. Very well done. Congratulations.
Regards
Maria

AiresSantos (42924) 2009-09-18 1:48

Ola Elena
Fine colours and light management in this beautiful picture of the Tyska kyrkan.
Amazing architecture, nice details
Well framed and done
have a nice weekend
Aires

mortijo (12412) 2009-09-18 2:29

Hi Elena,
I like both of them, with perhaps a slight preference for the one in the workshop - probably because of the windows. You managed the light quite well and for being handheld the sharpness of the shot is outstanding.
Greeting from Luxemburg
John.

john1 (2403) 2009-09-18 3:41

Hello Elena,

Great architecture view of the church, excellent details. Very nice lighting (dificult in the church, no flash).
Wonderfull colors and sharpness.
Thanks for sharing.
John

barrufeto_77 (25935) 2009-09-18 10:29

Hi Elena.

I really love churches and this is a good one. The atmosphere, the colours...all great.

Maybe I'd cloned the head on the right-hand side (at the bottom) but It's not really important.

Rgs, Oscar

AKITA (5583) 2009-09-18 19:34

dear Elena,
a beautiful shot in the room of church.
the light makes mysterious shadows on the white wall, it and the stained glass show me very strange ambience.
shining objects and tall arch ceiling look making quiet religious air,
the voice of fore talking lady sounds rather loud in this silent space, it is interesting in this shot.
(sound in silence, not sound of silence...)
thank you for your excellent shot,
Akihisa

bukitgolfb301 (4999) 2009-09-19 13:53

Hello my dear Elena

What an another super artificial shot!
Perfect framework, very sharp in depth, nice composition and color/light management are splendid!
You describe the atmosphere there with truly reality.
Marvelous one!
Congratulation on your masterpiece!
Thanks for sharing and best regards,
Have a good Sunday !

Takero

asajernigan (14284) 2009-09-21 3:50

Elena,
This is a great shot of the inside of this beautiful church. The lighting and colors are great as is the photo's sharpness.
TFS,
Asa

saxo042 (16298) 2009-09-21 8:36

Hi Elena,
This is a very well managed church interior, I must have missed it earlier... The composition is very good with clear lines leading the eye and the balnce between the parts is also very good. Even some small red details...
Kind regards
Gunnar

mottois (286) 2009-10-03 0:33

Hello Fanni,
A good shot, not easy without any flash and any tripod.
Welcome to the RAW picures the best solution for wide range of luminosity.
I like also these peolple,, in the middle, they look like students studiing thier lessons...
Best regards
Jean-Pierre

maloutim (4049) 2009-11-03 12:28

Bonsoir Elena!
Je suis bien contente que tu aies posté cette belle photo de "Tyska Kyrkan". Nous y avons jeté un coup d'oeil, la dernière fois que nous étions à Stockholm, mais je n'avais pas pris la peine de prendre de photos! Ta photo est superbe, car si je me souviens bien l'église est un peu sombre! Je n'aurais sûrement pas pu prendre une telle photo sans flash avec mon appareil!
Tout est bien net: la chaire, les vitraux, les chandeliers, les boiseries dorées... et il se dégage de ta photo une atmosphère de paix et de recueillement!
Merci du partage et mes meilleures amitiés!
Marie Louise.