Canterbury Cathedral Nave

I can feel what you are trying to do (I think;-)) but it does not catch it.

Thanks for following my signpost to this pic, Jason. Visitors are always welcome and admission is free, although any donations are gratefully received... Indeed, the penitent man shall pass in his quest for the holy grail, but here I had my eye on those pools of sunshine reflecting off the floor and chairs. Kneeling down would have restricted my view of those luminous spots, while including more of the shadowy ceiling. Now if a cow had been in attendance for Morning Matins that day, you can rest assured I'd have been on my knees in a flash, poking my lens up at its masticating chops. Sadly, the closest a cow will get to this building now is the local McDonalds in the nearby High Street, and by then it will be a little too late to offer prayers...

Aww damn (oops darn), Jason beat me to the punch on this. I've been looking at it on and off since you posted the link on my pic and I've found it quite an absorbing image. However, the gnawing question for me was why. Then I began to see that the appeal came, not directly from photographic principles, but from my past theological training. "Mysterium tremendum et fascinans" is a term that Rudolf Otto used to describe the qualities of a sacred space. Even without Latin, I think you can understand the concept at work. Here, the power of light from the windows progressing into the shroud of darkness surrounding the rood screen at the end of the nave do a marvellous thing as the eye goes from right to left. For though there is a corporeal darkness to the left, it is in fact where the greatest of the mysteries take place in the sanctum sanctorum of the cathedral. People may differ on the value of the blur but I think its a powerful element of the expression here as it, again, enhances the element of mysterium tremendum far better than a stodgy picture of perfect perspective and sharpness.

 

An image like this really causes a lot of deep feeling to well up again. God, once upon a time I walked around in here convinced of my calling to be a priest and I loved the place so much. No priesthood anymore, but I do still love the old cathedral so. Thank you for sharing this one Trevor.

Your comment on the cows was hugely entertaining. Not sure what thought you had in mind when using the vaseline on the filter effect, but the result is very good. My interpretation is that I can literally see the presence of the holy spirit in this sacred place.