A window to our past and future

I've been working on this shot for several years now. It's taken from inside an old church in Cades Cove, Smokey Mounts NP. The first time I took this shot I didn't have a tripod (DUH) but took the shot anyway just to get in planning mode. It of course was a complete disaster. This is about the third try (The second try with a tripod did not turn out very well either. ) The only lighting in the church is from the windows and front door. It was full daylight outside. The glass was back lighted. This is the best so far. Next time I shoot it I plan on using my 35mm, f/1.8G lens, which I did not have for this shot. EXIF Data: D90, 18-105mm VR (turned off for tripod use), cable release, Focal Length 48mm, Focus Distance 18 ft., F/stop 22, ISO 400, Shutter Speed 1/5 sec., no filters, Auto White Balance, Adobe RGB, Three shot Photomatix HDR, PP in Aperture 3.

I think it's a beautiful shot, Joseph. It would be nice to have a little more light on the book (Bible), and the 35mm is worth a try. But as it stands, I can't think of anything to be done differently. Really nice job.

Best Regards

Joseph I like the shot, I also think the 35 is worth trying. Thanks for posting the picture.

ohkphoto said:

I think it's a beautiful shot, Joseph. It would be nice to have a little more light on the book (Bible), and the 35mm is worth a try. But as it stands, I can't think of anything to be done differently. Really nice job.

Best Regards

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HDR + Church window, where have I seen something similar?

I love Cades Cove..it is about 1 hour from where I live...it holds so much beauty and history....The Church u shot this pic at is amazing but the cemetery off to the right of the church makes me so sad (it really shows how hard it was back then especially for the children).....
I love this pic.... u do such amazing work...keep it up...
(My hubby and I maybe going there this weekend to get some new pics of the kids..... We have been talking about it for a few weeks now)

Amanda

Yibel, Helene has done a similar shot and posted it here not that long ago. However, I've been working on this shot for three years, long before I joined Nikonites, so it's not a copy of her work. Also this is the first publication of this one so I know Helene did not copy this one. lol...I like to think it's more a matter of great minds thinking alike.

I like to thing it's more a matter of great minds thinking alike

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Ha-ha, Joseph. I'm ashamed that I haven't gone back to photograph that church window. As a matter of fact, your photo has inspired me to do just that. I'm always impressed by not just your work, but by your perseverance to get the shot you want.

I love that Bill remembered my shot . . . probably due partly to the fact that we were both there and I ignored the "keep out" sign and just climbed over the rope LOL (whereas he was a gentleman and did not climb over the rope!)

Ropes don't belong in churches. I actually heard Helene did sort of a running leap, cleared the rope with a comfortable margin!

Helene, I do remember your shot and it was a good one. Well worth going back and doing it again. I am a plan type of photographer. I look for good photo opportunities but it's rare that the shooting environment is what I want, wrong time of the day, wrong cloud cover, wrong time of the year, etc. If it's a shot that I think is worth the effort then I plan to go back when the environment is different and more to my liking. I will be going back to shoot this one again. This time with my 35mm prime. Also I like the little girl in the window. I should be able to do a little staging and see if I can get a volunteer to pose. I also like the fall colors in the shot and will make it that time of year, last two weeks in October. I like your idea of adding light on the book. A spot light only on the book might add snap to an otherwise dull interior. Problem is there is no power in the building. Something to think about. There are several other shots in Cades Cove I have in various planning stages so I will be shooting them as well.

Amanda, I wish I lived that close. From Atlanta I'm about four hours away...yuck.

Joseph

Thanks for the shot, it is a great image and very thought provoking. I like the image, but it has also given me a few ideas about using an old church window like this to frame other images of my family. We have some really old windows in the UK (even older then me!!!!!!), and they could help produce a few good images.

Thanks again for the image, and also for the inspiration.

Naja, I've seen some of the windows in the UK. They would inspire anyone. Thanks for the kind comments.

Helene, your idea of lighting up the Bible has given me an idea. This picture was taken on 10/19/10 at 2:40 pm. If I go back on or about the date but about two hours earlier the sun light coming coming in through the window should be falling across the Bible. That should add more pop to the interior. A good idea you had, thanks. I also did a revision of the current shot and lightened up the Bible with a dodge. That adds a little more brightness and I think improves the shot. Now I can't wait for next October to reshoot it.

Thanks everyone for your kind comments and Ideas. I've got some ideas to do a reshoot next October for the fall color again. I've got several other shots in the area I want to reshoot as well so the trip will be worth it.