Working Church Photo

Photographer’s Note

IS YORK MINSTER A CHURCH OR A TOURIST ATTRACTION?

York Minster is first and foremost a "working church" with a vibrant and high quality choral tradition, and services which meet the needs of regular worshippers and the wide variety of other groups which come for carol services, ordinations, memorial services, weddings and celebrations. On average there are 35 services a week. People come for private prayer, to find a quiet spot for thought, to speak to a priest, for confession, for comfort and for help. It is a place of pilgrimage and prayer, where God can be encountered.

York Minster is also one of the most visited buildings in Britain. It is the largest Gothic structure north of the Alps, and is renowned for its exceptional collection of medieval stained glass, the quality of its carved stonework, the lightness and beauty of its interior, and its place in the nation’s history. It is a jewel in the crown of England’s heritage. The money you pay will help ensure that future generations can continue to worship in and visit this glorious building.

Since as long ago as the 18th century, people have paid to be shown around the Minster and to have access to its treasures. This was part of the job of the vergers, indeed they relied upon it to supplement their wages, and they gave people access to the Minster as a tourist attraction for 'tips' which they set themselves. This practice was abolished in the mid-19th century when fixed charges for entry to the Chapter House and Tower were set, which later extended to the Lady Chapel and Crypt as well. The fees were abolished in 1927 when a decision was taken to fund-raise specifically for large projects, notably the windows, but this was much debated at the time because of the impact it would have on income for general maintenance. Charges for specific areas were periodically re-introduced as the enormous costs of maintenance cut into reserves, and this is the situation we find ourselves in again.

The Minster’s routine of worship, looking after its visitors, and maintaining the buildings requires a large and able staff and considerable sums of money. It employs about 150 people and depend on the goodwill of over 400 volunteers to do this. It receives no funding from the Government to help. Over the past 5 years they (the Minster) have reduced their workforce to the minimum and rigorously examined every part of their work in terms of its importance and efficiency. In spite of this their income has declined and essential work has had to be put on hold.

- York Minster official web site

mulder, jjbach, john_c, jinju, wilkinsonsg, AmiBe, nwoehnl, Tue, zenitlady, dsidwell, singuanti, pamastro has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

maciekda (19587) 2005-05-19 16:54

very nice photo Robert, the compo is really good with the frame completely filled with that church. this blurred guy adds some life to the scene, which would be static without him.. good stuff

mulder (232) 2005-05-19 17:00

Great picture, and very interesting note. Did you do the selective desaturation in PS? It is really awesome.

Kevin

avigur_11 (21271) 2005-05-19 17:01

Wonderful image, Robi. There is a great contrast between the bike rider and the background by means of color, sharpness, mood and motion. Partial desatiration is a great idea for this special composition.

hampshiregirl (493) 2005-05-19 17:07 [Comment]

Show Comment

jjbach (9101) 2005-05-19 17:29

What a picture !!! Bravo, magnificent frame, depth, sharpness and very effective use of slow shutter speed. I'm impressed. Excellent PP work, Robert.

Regards John

john_c (24635) 2005-05-19 17:49

A unique and very effective rendering of the church, Robert. The blurred figure adds both a measure of mystique as well as colour and is very tastefully done. The lines, shadows, and clarity of the composition make this a rather memorable shot.

sikor102 (1544) 2005-05-19 17:51

Zielony akcencik na tle monumentalnej, a zarazem koronkowej architektury. Wspania³y kadr. Bardziej czarno-bia³y, ni¿ kolorowy. Super.

Lithium (596) 2005-05-19 18:28

Nice use of slow shutter speed. Your photoshop work is quite impressive as well. Overall it's a very fine dynamic capture. Great work!

jinju (14265) 2005-05-20 0:12

Good note, but I want to know more about the photo. What strikes me, and probably others is the splash of color and motion that the cyclist adds to the very austere, dark, black and white (?) church. Its a great contrast.

Kenny10pin (19301) 2005-05-20 0:12

the building behind the copper is well taken, I like the tones of colour here and the clarity too, well done

Cos (1562) 2005-05-20 3:48

Hi Robi
This is a very striking picture. The light and depth of contrast in the Minster are striking, as is the angle of the shot. It would be great if you could give us some tech details, as I'm sure it wasn't easily handling the cyclist due to the motion blur!
Regards, Sarah

wilkinsonsg (8646) 2005-05-20 9:34

Very well done! - the PP really adds to the shot - which with the heavy weight of the cathedral in the background and the blurred image of the cyclist forms an outstanding composition - again, well done :)

AmiBe (6042) 2005-05-20 10:25

Hi Robert,
nice picture, there are so many details !
I like the man, too. Good low speed effect !
Well done

nwoehnl (118) 2005-05-20 14:42

There are times when I tend to find the partial desaturation effect a bit cheesy, but here is an occasion where I honestly think it was really well chosen, Robi. The sepia-toned detail of the magnificent old cathedral would already make a great photo by itself, but to have the signal-yellow blurred biker go by in front adds a surprising extra that elevates the compo greatly. Great job.

Tue (25608) 2005-05-20 16:49

Hi Robert,
Great picture, I like the only colour comes from the blurry person! The details of the church are also very good! Very well done! :-D
Groetjes,
Lars

zenitlady (219) 2005-05-20 22:42

Modernity forces itself upon the ancient buildings and drags us kicking and screaming into the future! Without it, however, we would not grow. This photo says all of this to me. Wonderful pp and great composition and colouring! Well done, Robert! Excellent note, too!

dsidwell (9745) 2005-05-21 12:49

What a superb use of both motion blur and selective desaturation, Robert! The tones and textures of the church are amazing, and your blurry passerby seems to encapsulate the idea of the church's spurious role. Very artistic and communicative photo. Certaily one of your best!

alvaraalto (5229) 2005-05-21 18:21

Hi Robi,
A great expressionistic picture. It could be a picture of the cover of a book. I think a thriller. When I write such a book I will remember this shot of you.
Groet Rob

singuanti (15240) 2005-05-22 23:28

Hi Robert. A well seen shot for sure. Excellent use of a slower shutter speed to capture the bicyclist a blur. I think you did well in post-processing too. The note is excellent and interesting. Thanks for the effort you put in that report. Well done Robert.

mumek (17468) 2005-05-24 16:43

Good afternoon Robert!
I think that the biker is adding a life to this picture.The jacket of the biker is contrasting very well with the facade of the church.The architectural details are excellent with good sharpness. But the most what I like is the very good, informative note about the York Minster.Thank you.
regards ziggy

pamastro (7213) 2005-05-25 1:20

This is a really cool shot. the partial desaturation looks excellent. It captures the architectural lines beautifully and helps create this massive feel of this large church as it fills the frame. The cyclist is particularly electric against this backdrop with the motion blur and the color. It all turns into a very impressive photo with energy and great detail. Very well captured, Robert.

eleparc (24059) 2005-06-15 2:27

it reminds me of a photo i posted some time ago about the ghosts of the vatican... It could be titled the ghost of the York Minster.;-) haha! very nice shot indeed with a very effective contrast between the century old church and this blurred cycler.. welle done!
Eric

Ebbe (9571) 2005-07-10 15:22

Great work! I like the low key and the hard cropped church wall. The passing biker in neon is well placed and well blurred. Wow!

Isabelle (9014) 2007-04-09 20:52

how the heck i did not comment on this one? how the heck i haven´t added it to my 100+ favs?

Photo Information

Copyright: Robert Janovski (robiuk) (10763)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2005-05-10
Categories: Daily Life, Architecture
Camera: Minolta Dimage 7Hi, Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L USM, Microdrive CF+ 2.2GB, Hoya UV(0), pitch: 0.75
Exposure: f/6.7, 1/20 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
More Photo Info: view
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): My 100+ [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2005-05-19 16:35