Snow at Christmas? There was a time when this seemed a possibility. Nowaday, well not so sure. Evidence of a warming world? A bit too anecdotal – maybe but that is the thing with global warming. It creeps up on you slowly at least on a human sense of time. That is unless you live in a low lying country and every year you notice the tides getting a little higher.
I am not an art critic. I have a working knowledge of western art history. However, I do know quite a bit about the history of Leicestershire. (Note: Over the years I have thought I knew a lot about a particular subject. Again and again I have been disabused as to the depth of my knowledge. So I now know that whatever I might know there is far more to know and that I will be on the this journey for the rest of my life – you might think this somewhat apt!)
The other day whilst out capturing images for our latest art/photographic project my friend David and I visited the parish church at Lutterworth. As soon as you walk into the Nave you are meet with some very rare surviving medieval religious painting.
Then over the north door there was a second set of paintings:
“There are at least two paintings that date from the later middle ages and may be influenced by Wyclif’s teachings – John Wyclif served as rector from 1375 until his death in 1384.
Above the north door is a C14th painting of three figures in fine clothes, engaged in hunting with falcons. The image as a whole had probably been painted on top of an older scene – a priest and cardinal from this were restored and can be seen embedded in the lower right-hand corner of the present image.
Over the main chancel arch is a C15th image of Christ reigning in glory over the general resurrection. Christ is at the top, seated on a rainbow, surrounded by angels. In the bottom half are at least 29 men and women, some skeletal, rising from their graves. It is unusual since it does not also show the judgement of the dead.” Hornbeck 2014
The church itself is of some religious significance as John Wycliffe, a significant voice in the early stirrings of the English reformation, was once the vicar until his death. Wycliffe’s best known contribution to the reformation was to translate the Bible into vernacular middle English. However, after his death he was declared a heretic; his body was dug up and burnt. The ashes were the ‘drowned‘ in the local river.
Fortunately for Wycliffe history has been kinder. Wherever you look in Lutterworth you find references to Wycliffe. Perhaps at the end of days he will be one of the people rising out of the grave, as depicted in the great painting in his church, whilst his accusers will be cast down into hell. Of the many things I don’t know that is perhaps the most profound.
Hornbeck II, J., P. (2014). Wall Paintings in Wyclif’s Church: Evidence of a Reformer’s Legacy?. Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society Vol 88, Leicester: Leicestershire Archaeological & Historical Society. pp. 47-54.
https://doi.org/10.5284/1108203
We embarked on our latest ecclesiastical to Gloucester the other day. The purpose of the journey was to visit the Cathedral which is fine example of just what England as a country lost with its split from Rome. Up and down the country monastic institutions were dismantled and all we’re left with now are stones and hardcore that couldn’t be flogged off. The magnificent Abbey church at Gloucester was saved because it became the seat of a bishop under Henry VIII’s reforms.
It is, of course, the last resting place of significant royalty: Edward 2nd and Robert, Duke of Normandy (eldest son of William the Conqueror) . Neither of these rulers were blessed with much wisdom – hence their resting place in Gloucester rather than Westminster Abbey (Edward) or Caen (next to Robert’s father).
The last time I visited the cathedral circa 20 years ago it had been a lovely sunny day. As a result of this the whole building was bathed in beautiful light. Visiting on a gloomy winter’s day changed the lighting completely. All I can say is thank the lord for modern cameras and post production software. It was a challenge.
Of course the cathedral today is probably better known to millions around the world as being the location for scenes from the Harry Potter movies.
The final potter connection is just outside the cathedral close. Here you’ll find a small museum dedicated to Beatrix Potter’s book The Tailor of Gloucester.
So the cathedral is a great place to visit it you find yourself in the area. However, I suspect next year might find things a bit restricted as the new Harry Potter TV series is being filmed. Assuming they use the same locations then they will be reusing the Cloisters as a substitute for Hogwarts. I’m sure as I write this the final touches are being made to the contract that will allow the coffers of the cathedral to be substantially topped up by that lovely Warner Brother’s coin.
The start of wonderful relationship? I don’t know but I am certainly infatuated. Have the stars aligned – Black Friday, early Christmas present or months of planning? Probably a bit of all of them. I’ve splashed the cash and bought myself a new camera – a Sony A7CR. Today I feel like I have come home to a form factor that suits me best.
Of course there are many things I still need to set up as well as learn about the characteristics of camera which will no doubt change my view of the camera. The one thing I can say for definite is that, for me, the shorter Zeiss Batis lens fit the camera perfectly. I have watched several YouTube videos about the latest Leica Q3 43. Most of the reviewers seem to have an insane devotion to this camera, as well as its sister the Q3. Now I have no idea whether this is warranted but I am starting to have same feelings about the CR and the Batis 40mm. Of course this could be dismissed as an old man’s folly and it may well prove to be that. I hope not but I cannot discount the possibility.
One final thought. I have been able to build up my entire Batis collection as well as the new camera body for less than the cost of the Q3. Does this matter? At one level clearly the answer is no. A photographer uses the best tools available to them and cost shouldn’t matter. But cost does matter to most of us. It has taken me four years to build up my lens collection and now it feels like the CR was the last piece in a puzzle I didn’t even know I was trying to work my way through.
Oh I do hope I feel so positive in six months time.
I have been sorting out some very old digital images and this one has always been my favourite. It is an image I made somewhere near the start of my digital image journey back in 2003. I used to think I was quite knowledgeable about digital images, and to a degree that was true. However, with the benefit of 23 years of extra knowledge I have come to see that I didn’t know as much as I thought.
Of course I couldn’t resist the challenge of making a 2024 version. and these are the two attempts.
I was able to throw all that accumulated knowledge as well as computer technology undreamt of back in 2003 at the image. Whether the resultant images are better is a matter of taste. What is not beyond doubt is that today we have so many more opportunities to make images than we did in 2003. Whether we take advantage of those opportunities is really down to us.
Who needs the latest and greatest camera gear to make decent photographs? These images were captured in on this day in 2012. The camera I used was a Sony NEX 5N with it standard kit lens.
Anyone who knows me will smile at this. They know that I suffer from gear acquisition syndrome (GAS) and that is true up to a point. Of course I have remastered these images using the latest versions of Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. This has enabled me to bring out details that I couldn’t back in 2012. But the digital images were captured back in 2012. Using a camera which by then was out of date and had been replaced/updated by Sony.
Will I stop buying new photographic equipment? I doubt it. But I have almost reached the end of this journey. Both camera gear and computer technology chase ever decreasing improvements in performance. An example of this is latest iPhone. Yes it is a bit better than previous year’s iPhone but not really by that much. Hence the drive for Apple Intelligence which of course you have to have the latest chips to use.
Is this the wisdom of age? Possiblyish…
One of the problems with Street Photography, when compared to videography, is that you don’t capture the noise and sounds of the place. You don’t capture the smells either but neither does videography so I thought I wouldn’t mention it. But now I have, which sort of makes the last sentence redundant. As most people don’t expect photographs to smell of what they capture then this downside is ignored. Of course some people claim that when seeing a photograph they can almost smell the place. I think this is meant as a compliment. The same compliment is passed about the sounds.
Whether you too are able to experience the sensation of ‘being there” from these images I captured yesterday whilst walking around central Leicester is only something you’ll know.
What I don’t think you’ll really get is the sounds of the last image, the entrance into the Market Place from Cheapside.
Whilst I was crouching down to get the low angle, please don’t try and imagine this, all I could hear was a Police Community Service Officer having a argument on her phone with someone. It was probably some petty disagreement, I don’t think it was work related. Whatever the cause of this conversation her loud Leicester voice serenaded the passing people. I doubt few were there long enough to listen. Oh the joys of street photography.
There was a time when cold mornings would see me out and about with my camera. No more. I’m just getting too old for all of that. Instead I remastered an old photo taken on this day in 2013 using an iPhone 5s. My recollection of the day is that it wasn’t as cold as today. Not bad for Whitby in late autumn.
I really must gets some new boots. This morning started with me wondering around in the mist and damp by the river. It hasn’t rained for several days yet the grass is soaking wet from the dew – hence the soggy feet.
After I got back, had a shower we were off again. This time having a nice coffee and cake. Then some shopping.
Thankfully the mist and fog cleared away and we were left in a wonderfully bright late autumn day. Given the gray days we’ve endured just recently it was nice to get some sun on our faces. Not quite A day in the Life but it was a typical day for me.
A new month and yet another new lens. Amazon made an offer I just couldn’t refuse. This time a second lens for my ‘traveling’ set up.
It doesn’t quite have the punch of my 25 mm Zeiss lens but it is a lot smaller. Ideal for traveling when I don’t need the Zeiss look. If you know what the Zeiss look is you’ll understand.
As with all my new camera gear the first place I try things out is in the local park. The light was terrible but the lens held up well. I’m looking forward to trying this out i anger later this week.
Changing the Subject.
The other day I revisited images that I captured back in 2013. It is a fascinating experience to remaster images. This time around I was able to throw Adobe AI at the image creation. Did it make any difference?
Of course, it isn’t just AI that I was able to add to the editing process. I also have 11 years of experience and maturing tastes. (In case you are not sure which one is which the first image is the one I created in October this year.)
The thing that brings these two separate instances together is that they were both captured using my ‘traveling setup’. Today it is a 25 mm and 40 mm compact Sony lenses. In 2013 it was a Canon G1 x (I’m not sure which version). Both setups can capture great images.
Just to complete the story here is an example of the 40 mm being used as my ‘traveling setup’.
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