Photograph ChurchesWriten by Eric Hartwell
Never overlook the beauty of churches when looking for images to create. There are such a wide variety of styles, designs and forms. From the old and ancient to the modern, there is always something to admire.
And it doesnt matter where in the world you are and what religion you follow. There is always a place of worship nearby. Some are large and some very small. Most will give you a warm welcome and photographic joy.
By asking permission to photograph, you can get a greater range of images for you collection. And theres plenty to take photographs of. Ornamental designs, gold decorations, stark stonework, religious paraphernalia it all there. Take a tripod to get those slower shutter speeds and avoid camera shake.
With luck, of more importantly, judgement, you can seek out the churches that are adorned with magnificent stained glass windows. These often tell a story or depict a scene from religious text and are vibrant with colour and detail. Photograph these from inside the building to get fantastic backlighting.
Churches often have spectacular architecture and design. You will often need to stand well back to appreciate the scale of the designs and using a wideangle lens will help include the whole building in the frame.
Churchyards themselves can be a great source of material. Many churches will have a cemetery in the grounds and by looking around you can get pictures of ornamental gravestones and interesting inscriptions. Dont overlook the vegetation in churchyards as many such areas are regularly and professionally tendered.
Eric Hartwell runs the photography resource site http://www.theshutter.co.uk and the associated discussion forums as well as the regular weblog at http://thephotographysite.blogspot.com.