Father Bagan

WOW !  Impressive color, light and clarity here.  Terrific image, congrats rek.

I agree with Richard, the lighting in this capture is excellent. Good capture.

An interesting series, but this one stands out above the others for me.  Not only does the light warm the headstone giving it a totally different hue, but also we are allowed to view the background comparisons which further accentuates the properties of the illuminated headstone. 

It looks like Father Bagan has been blessed with some divine light.

   Someone commented "a morbid interest in death" on another image in this series. I don't see anything morbid about photographing headstones. They are there to be seen and remembered and talked about and yes even photographed. And on a more general note, I think the "taboo" subject of death should be more openly discussed. Perhaps then we could accept it more readily and concentrate more on celebrating life rather than despairing over death, and if a photograph is the catalyst of this more open discussion, then all the better.

Great Series Stephen!

Best Regards

Alf

Richard, Gail, and Alf, thanks for the comments.  As I frequently say, I was fortunate to be in the right place as the light was changing, and that made all the difference.  Alf, photographs of cemeteries and gravestones seems to me as natural as photographs of birth and babies -- they're just opposite end points of the life process.  An interest in death would be morbid only if death itself is to be considered morbid, and I just don't think of it and I don't treat it that way.

I agree.....remarkable lighting and a beautifully illuminated tombstone!  Assuming he was a 'Father' as in a religious context, I'm surprised it isn't a bigger memorial.  Do we know what the OSB means?  Interesting about your comments on life and death.  Today on the way home from work I saw on a church sign the following quote, "We will all die, but few of us will truly live".  There is a lot of truth in that, and I hope to live fully so I'll have no regrets when I die. 

I returned to add something.  What do you think this would look like as a square-ish crop, taking some off the left side?  Just a thought...

Christal, "OSB" is the Order of Saint Benedict, and St. Martin's University in Lacey, WA, is a Benedictine school.  The school where I worked in the Philippines was also administered by a Benedictine Order of nuns.  

I think a square crop would work, but only if some were taken from the left and the right so that the tombstone remained on the right side (just for aesthetics). However, I tend to prefer this horizontal aspect because it seems a bit more dynamic than the square.  Light is streaming in from left to right, and the horizontal format allows that to happen to a greater extent than a square format would (IMO!).  A square format would also slice through two background tombstones rather than just the one that I've cut on the right (but even here I've been able to preserve more than half of it).

I also returned to add:  I expect to have regrets when I die, but I hope I'm able to forgive myself regarding them.

A heavenly light shining on the father - must be commensurate with his earthly deeds. Very good!

Very nice light and mood. Best regards, Marco

Stephen,

  Excellent image with beautiful colors & lighting.  Take care, Patsy

Stephen,

Perhaps (as you say) you were fortunate to be there at the right time... still you really took an excellent spiritual photograph.  Compliments,

Tony, Marco, Patsy, and Bachir, thanks for your comments -- they are appreciated.

Both images you submit for rating are very well done and beautiful, Stephen! For me, this one is more interesting than this with better rating. Best wishes.

Phil and Evgeni, thanks for your comments.  I just got lucky with the light.