St Davids Cathedral – capturing the light
There are many reasons why I enjoy being in a church or cathedral. Making photographs which capture the light inside these special places is just one reason – it gives me a great deal of pleasure.
Regular readers of this blog will know that I can spend many an hour waiting for the right light. There are also occasions when little or no waiting is required and a sixth sense just tells me I should be inside even when the sun is shining outside. Photographing St Davids Cathedral on the first afternoon of my visit to Pembrokeshire turned out to be one such occasion.
I had driven the best part of 300 miles that day and had arranged to meet Andy Beel FRPS and the three other photographers in our group at 4pm. The light was good and St Davids Cathedral was only a short walk from our small hotel where we would be spending the next few days.
Bathed in the late afternoon light the Cathedral and grounds looked lovely but as soon as we arrived I instinctively knew that I should be inside and not outside. I just had a feeling that the lighting conditions could be working their magic and so it was.
The combination of the strong low sunlight and the shadows that were being cast only lasted about half an hour but it was more than enough time for me to capture the five images that make up this post.
During the course of the week we did return to St Davids Cathedral at different times of the day, but the light was never quite as good as that brief encounter on the first afternoon. I am sure my fellow workshop participants captured some good shots outside, but I don’t regret my decision to have acted differently and I hope they have forgiven me for disappearing so quickly after our first meeting.
I will be posting more entries and photographs of this Cathedral in the near future.
alan frost photography 
10 Responses to “St Davids Cathedral – capturing the light”
Stunning, especially that first image.
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Thanks Vicki
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Absolutely beautiful. Some of your “best churches”.
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Thank you very much.
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Looking at these images, I’m sure you made the right decision. There’s a wonderful quality to the light. I particularly like that little detail you picked out in the second image.
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Thanks very much Andy. I was certainly fortunate with the light and hopefully made the most of it.
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Wonderful compositions, indeed, great lighting. Love the extended shadow, texture, shape definition and mood!
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Thank you. You have mentioned all the qualities I was trying and like to capture. Your reaction pleases me greatly.
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I just loved the whole panel with the sympathetic natural light – congratulations on your ARPS
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Thanks Diana. I am of course delighted.
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