York Minster Photo

Photographer’s Note

I was visiting York during the long bank holiday during the celibration of the Queen's Golden Jubilee in June, 2002. While my sister, who has studied British history, was debating the demise of Richard III at his museum in York (she thinks that he had a bum rap) my wife and I walked around York's excellent pedestrian path. I believe that normally the chimes (bells) of this magnificent cathedral are played infrequently. During this special weekend they were being played all the time. Looking at this masterpiece and listening to the beautiful bells at the same time was really something wonderful and magical.

I made the unwilling compromise to take only my Yashica 35mm point and shoot film camera with no tripod. This is a fine camera for what it is. It has a sharp Zeiss lens and some decent manual overides, but it has a fixed 35mm lens. I still managed to get quite a few good photos on this trip. I made this compromise once to preserve domestic tranquility. Once and once only. Next time I am taking the works! I converted this to black and white because I feel that unless the right lighting is available, that B&W suits this landmark better.

InasiaJones, marjan, pgorod, jwmunro, delic, sowhat, gary91, leo61, jean11-3, feather, emjleclercq, Kevin64, rtome, Dyerco has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

InasiaJones (20703) 2007-04-04 7:39

Hi Stan,

Impressive photo of this majestuous cathedral. The dark grey tones and dramatic shadows brings a lot of characters and drama to the structure.

Clouds create a perfect decor and background for this brilliant shot. Leaves come to create a natural frame and contributes to the medieval atmosphere.

Well done!

André

ben4321 (9807) 2007-04-04 7:40

A good decision to convet to black and white Stan, it's definitely added to the impact here. I like the high contrast, and the way the leaves are silhouetted against the dramatic sky.
Perhaps you could have composed it so that there was a bit more space to the left of the building, but overall this is an excellent shot.
Good work.

Cheers,
Ben

[2]

marjan (6093) 2007-04-04 7:48

hi Stan, excelent shot. B&W is fantastic mode for this motive.
Good shot in bad conditions.
Marjan

pgorod (1122) 2007-04-04 8:16

Clever of you to chose this POV under the tree to fill up the compo with those leaves.

That, and a good sky - you should always carry one of those with you, wherever you go photograph :-) - makes an excellent catch of the monument.

danyy (69447) 2007-04-04 8:50

Bonjour Stan,
une merveilleuse réalisation qui ne manque pas de qualité techniques ni artistiques.
Du cadrage à l'exposition, des qulités de l'appareil à celles du photographe, tout y est.
Exceleente contre plongée nette et bien exposée.
Best regards.
Daniel.

jwmunro (6255) 2007-04-04 10:15

Hello Stan -

You are right that B&W suits this image. Being a Gothic church B&W enhances the stark but elaborate nature of the structure. Using the tree as a framing device and sun blocking device was a good choice. With the leaves going black, the sky with fish scaled middle clouds, and the B&W conversion this image has that Gothic Jane Eyre/Wuthering Heights feel to it. Well done!

Thank you for sharing.

John

[2]

delic (6735) 2007-04-04 10:42

Hello Stan,
Indeed, B&W went very well here. Reflects the full majesty of the landmark. Composition is first-rate, esp. the frame of leaves on top.
Best wishes,
Hakan

sowhat (981) 2007-04-04 12:58

Impressive, very "sculptural" image, with dramatic lights and shadows. Good POV and the frame is filled-in very well.
Excellent!
Ioana

gary91 (15321) 2007-04-04 17:09

Hello Stan,
The b&w for this subject is definitely much better than any other processing. You get such a nice contrast and detail on this picture... I love the deep blacks and the overall atmosphere given by this impressive building. Very nice composition.
Have a nice evening.
Best regards, Christian

leo61 (43734) 2007-04-04 23:55

Hi Stan!
Good B&W composition with great contrast and fine details at the facade.Nice perspective ,good composition with the silhouettes of the leafs on top and nice little clouds.
Regards,Leo

Greg1949 (8519) 2007-04-05 4:32

Stan,

You have obviously found a bunch of interested folk here on TE with this picture. It is really well done I have to admit, almost like something out of one of the really good horror movies of the '50s and '60s. I think it is the POV that makes it seem so, loke waiting for the hunchback to appear near one og the gargoyles or something. The focus is dead on, very crisp, and the clouds and the structure blend so well as to almost melt into each other but as I say that I also must add that the detail is great. I am not a huge fan of B&W but this really works well.

Greg

mesutilgim (37282) 2007-04-05 8:19

Hi Stan,
Very impressice shot, from a quite unusual pov.
Very nice job. I take it as a special eastern gift for me !
TFS
MESUT ILGIM

jean11-3 (2799) 2007-04-05 11:43

Hi Stan, the b/w suits this shot really well,I know what you mean about getting the right lighting.
You did well achieving this shot;having tried myself, in York, it is not easy to get the right POV.I like the way the frame is filled with the Minster.
The details look good in b/w.
Reagrds Jean.

feather (50144) 2007-04-06 10:26

Of course I had to come to this one; not only is it in the UK but in my county too. The Minster is so huge that it is not easy to find a POV to do it justice (also there's always some scaffolding somewhere)The close, low viewpoint works really well to emphasise its size. Thw quality is good considering your limitations and B&W is perfect for the subject. That kind of sky doesn't happen every day over here so a bit of me hankers to see what it would have been like in colour.
Kath
PS Are you the friend who is coming over here with John in autumn?
K

ak47apache (215) 2007-04-10 0:23

hi stan,

incredible POV and greate contrast. allmost apocaliptical sky...great!

well done, TFS!

all the best, dany

rgarrigus (0) 2007-04-10 15:48

Stan,

Great shot and POV of the Minster. I love B&W on architectural shots and I especially like the effect in the clouds. The only small critique I'd offer would be to have included a tiny bit more separation between the leaves of the tree and the building.

Great shot

emjleclercq (14506) 2007-04-11 16:56

Nice point of view of this impressive gothic church. The choice of turning to B&W seems to me a good one, since it goes well with the black silhouette of the leaves at the top of the picture and the very contrasted clouded sky. It enhances also the sculptures of the tower.

All the best,

Emmanuel

Kevin64 (138) 2007-04-20 14:22

This has a wonderful old feel to it. Almost ancient. The clarity and insightful POV is envious also :) Is the site really this magestic in real life?

rtome (638) 2007-05-03 3:23

Hi Stan.
This shot of the York cathedral does great justice to the magestic character of this landmark. Your choice of B&W works nicely as well as the foliage shading the top of you shot. A nice natural frame which keeps our eyes in "the Minster".

Regards,
Rob

Dyerco (9302) 2008-04-22 23:48

Hi Stan
I agree whole heartedly that B&W works so much better with the castles and churches of England. Great POV with nice framing by the tree and the detail is spot on.
Phil