temporary storage Old South Church, Boston, Massachusetts

Hello Dennis, I am not used of this point of view from you but I like it. Very original in the perspective.

Great tones.

All the best!

... thanks for the quick comment. I was testing out the new 17mm tilt shift lens this weekend, both at Trinity Church and here in Old South Church. In this, I was doing the vertical shift with a horizontal tilt to keep both the close elements and the distance in focus. You can see how the distance part of the left side of the shot is out of focus but the right side is in focus). It was fun doing this and it came out wonderfully in black and white. I can tell you, this is an amazing lens. As much as I loved the old 24mm ts, this lens is far superior. I'll be posting more shots of this test sequence (and most of them will be my more "normal" shots).

 

Thanks again.

Another test with the 17mm tilt-shift from Canon. This test was

primarily to use the shift to correct the vertical perspective and the

tilt to keep focus from the closeup on the end of the pew to the

distant windows. You can see that the left side background is out of

focus while on the right hand side there is continuous focus from

foreground to background. Thanks for your comments.

...I always had difficulty with the tilt function of the 24TS until I started to use the live view, then I could really see what was going on. Looks like this is going to be a fun lens to use. Great B&W conversion too. Cheers, RickDB

Thank you very much Dennis for the information, I will be looking for your new work with this lens and congrats for this new aquisition!

... I've had very little use for the function in the past, but the incredible spread that you get with this lens means that I will be trying it more from now on. This is actually cropped about 15% on the left and top because of some junk in the background that I didn't care for. I know you're anxious to get the lens. Good luck and make sure you keep me posted on what you're up to. I was a little worried about spending this kind of money on a lens, but right now feel it was worth every penny. Can't wait for the next France trip.

I like this one precisely for its more personal interpretation and perspective. At first, it almost has an industrial feel, the forward pew feeling almost like a piece of machinery, steel-like in feel. I like the way the focus works and I like the way my eye is led through the photo. The linear quality of the row of pews is offset by the overall character of the room and the interesting semi-circular design with alternating dark and light bricks or squares. The human activity in the background, though not a focal point, commands a lot of attention and provides story and life, which I really like a lot.

... I like the technical aspect, to be sure, but the thing that pleases me the most in retrospect (if two days can be called retrospect :) is the arch with the alternating colors of voussoirs that makes a kind of halo over the pew. It was something that I tried to set up, of course, but just as a small matter of detail, but it turns out to be the defining element for me. Strange. You, of course, would always gravitate to the human in the picture, so it does not surprise that you like this shot because of the focus down to the musicians on the altar (they were rehearsing for a wedding). For me, I actually considered removing them! I'm such an idiot sometimes. Of course, the people make the shot because they complete it. That is the difference between photography as an art form and photography as a form of documentation, which is what I consider my task. Normally I would have waited until they had cleared!

 

It is an odd dichotomy, Fred. I love shooting people, but somehow they do not enter into the equation when I'm shooting churches. Only on the rare occasion is the person a subject of the shot in a church.

 

Excellent image

 

I like how you've emphasized the architectural details here. The service in the right corner recede so well. I've been in this church, and I've been so struck by the beauty that I forget what's going on. Great work. (And great use of your new toy).

Strange, for some reason this feels more like a fire station than a church. Somehow a triumph of rationality over spirituality and practicality over mysticism.