There are some beautiful wooden doors at Ely Cathedral:
The photo above was taken on the Octagon Tower tour so I was at eye level. From the main floor of the cathedral though you would be forgiven for looking up and not realizing it was a door:
Even with one open, from the floor it’s not overly obvious. Standing next to it though, it’s obvious:
Getting good photos in a church can be tough. Often flash is not allowed so you have to use the lighting available in a creative way. It was a sunny day when I was visiting, so that was a plus. The first and third photos in this post have been cropped and sharpened. Particularly for the first photo, I thought the available light highlighted the photograph in interesting ways. The middle photo is an HDR image. I bracketed the shots and then combined them in Photoshop. In this case, I was looking to add as much detail to the image as possible.
The tour of the tower was really interesting, but to me the highlight was these doors. Having the opportunity to see them close-up really allowed me to see what beautiful works of art they are. What do you think of my edits? Do you also enjoy seeing works of art from different angles? Feel free to leave a comment below.
Cheers!
What beautiful painted doors, I would never have realised they were doors. So much character . The light in photo 1 is lovely…
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Thanks so much, it was so nice to be able to see them up close as well.
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You managed to get some very good photos, Amy. Well done. 🙂
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Thank you 🙂
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A door at that level mixed in with that wonderful artwork? Now, that is a find for sure this Thursday or any day. Congrats.
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Yes, this tour was a really good one!
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I would have had no idea that was a door. I think your photos are astounding . I definitely struggle with the lighting issue in churches.
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I had been in this Cathedral a few times and had no idea. Lighting is always an issue inside and even when it is allowed I tend not to use flash just because I tend not to like the results.
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Those doors are amazing!
janet
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Thanks Janet 🙂
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The colors in the stained glass are interesting; mauve, purple, blue. The wooden doors feature the same colors and not overly vibrant. I like this and it is interesting to see.
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Yes, whatever type of paint they used for the doors sort of has this glow to it that is not unlike the effect of stained glass.
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beautiful artwork with level mixed……
Wedding info: https://weddingstoriy.wordpress.com/2017/11/03/keep-your-wedding-day-drama-free/
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I would never have thought that those were doors! I am so glad you took that last photo! What a find! Thanks for sharing!
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Yes, it was a nice find for me too 🙂
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I do like the lighting in that first photo! Excellent shot!
Did they explain the function/purpose of the doors? Definitely not obvious doors
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I laughed at myself a bit when I read your comment because I have to admit it didn’t even occur to me to ask why they are doors. Thank you for your thoughtful look at this post, I wish I had an answer.
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Hahaha I guess doors can just be doors because doors. They are excellent doors whether they have a function or not!
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True, but wish I’d thought to ask :)…
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yes, Amy, I agree, the not-seeming-to-be-doors doors are really intriguing. In that first photo the colors are really engaging. Thanks!
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Thank you 🙂
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i love your artsy doors – and feel grateful to have seen this inside look –
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They were really beautiful up close.
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well the real gift here (to me at least) is that third photo with the bolts and the two 28s- felt like I was there…
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Interesting; those oak trees he mentions are beautiful by the way. Really, the tower is something else. I’ll be honest, I’m not a huge fan of the Lady Chapel. To me that should be a warm and inviting space, and I find that one to be large and impersonal.
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Gorgeous! Bracketing your shots of the interior is a great idea. I’m always disappointed with my interior shots in churches.
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Yes, typically it’s low lighting which makes it hard. Bracketing is fine if you can be still enough, or find a pew to help you out 🙂
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Wonderful church photos. I know the problem of using flash. Same problem in Finland also. I have shot more than 400 church photos on Finnish countryside. Thank You for this interesting post.
Have a good day!
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That’s a lot of photos, but they do make for good subjects.
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Those doors are absolutely stunning!
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I know you are familiar with this area, so if you are ever in Ely, I would say this particular tower tour is worth your time. They do hurry you a bit, so be prepared in advance with an idea of what photos you might want to take.
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So beautifully captured! 🙂
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Thank you 🙂
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Your photos are incredible!
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Thank you very much 🙂
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