"A Study in Light No. 2" - Tracey Capone Photography

Light gives of itself freely, filling all available space. It does not seek anything in return; it asks not whether you are friend or foe. It gives of itself and is not thereby diminished.                  ~Michael Strassfeld

As a photographer, I am, and need to be, obsessed with light. To get the very best photo, I need to assess the overall condition of the room, is it too light, too dark?  How much of the available light is on my subject and, if not enough, how can I compensate for that?

Of course, the beauty of the modern day camera, specifically the digital SLR (single-lens reflex), is that it has a built in light meter to help guide me. That said, if you’re a photographer like me, who tends to keep her camera set on Manual most of the time, there are still exposure adjustments that need to be made to compensate for lighting concerns and allow for more creative shots.

Today’s Photo(s) of the Day is a diptych taken at Westminster Abbey in London (perhaps you’ve heard of it? I think there was some sort of wedding there this past April). If you have every been inside The Abbey,  or any English Gothic cathedral for that matter, you know that the lighting situation, for a number of reasons, is dim at best.

"A Study in Light No. 1" - Tracey Capone Photography

Despite the lighting conditions, I wanted to spotlight the beautiful vaulted ceiling, the buttresses, and the amazing pointed arches inherent to English Gothic architecture. Luckily, lighting my way were these amazing, and believe me, very large chandeliers that ran from the back of the nave all the way to the front and in various locations throughout.

I loved how the light from the chandeliers played off the vaulted ceiling and how all of the various patterns and angles worked together to form such beautiful abstracts.

If you ever have the opportunity to visit London (which I highly recommend as England as a whole is one of my favorite places to visit) take a trip down to the Thames and, just over Westminster Bridge, and not far behind Parliament,  you will find Westminster Abbey.  You’ll walk over the tombs and memorials of literary and political greats such as Chaucer, the Bronte sisters and Oliver Cromwell and stand where the coronations of Kings and Queens have taken place ( I’ll admit, this second time visiting the Abbey, I was quite obsessed with standing where my crush Colin Firth had stood while filming “A King’s Speech” Can you blame me??)

Enjoy!

*tracey*

"A Study in Light" Diptych- Tracey Capone Photography