10-27-09 An Act of Devotion

Gothic architecture was revolutionary in the 12th century because it allowed for very tall structures with relatively thin walls. And thin walls meant plenty of windows and lots of light. Compared to previous styles, Gothic architecture was light and airy but to inhabitants of the 21st century, these places are dark.

And the darkness makes this photo what it is, since the main lighting is the soft light reflecting up into the faces of the two men attending to the votive candles. In the medieval mindset, light warded off evil, so even a single candle made a dark place safer and more holy.

Canon 5D 1/60s f/1.2 ISO500 50mm

03-14-09 Votive Candles - Zagreb Cathedral

This photo was taken the same day the other Votive Candle post was taken. This time I was experimenting with the amazing Canon 1.2 50mm lens I travel with. This lens is excellent for poorly lit interiors, such as a cathedral. It is also very good at creating a very narrow depth of field, as in this photo. I'm not sure that this is a good photo, given that there isn't a real good focal point. But some people have told me they like it.

Also, I use this photo to illustrate what photographers call bokeh, which is the term used to describe the brighter, out-of-focus points in a photo. Some lenses have good bokeh and many don't. Needless to say, the Canon 50mm 1.2 gives great bokeh.

Canon 5D f/2.8 Canon 50mm 1.2L 50mm 1/250 ISO 400

03-08-09 Votive Candles - Zagreb, Croatia

My wife and I arrived in Zagreb via train from Budapest and had most of the day to explore before a flight took us to Dubrovnik. Except for a wonderful lunch we ate at an outdoor restuarant, we kept moving almost the whole time. We saw the Church of St. Mark, with its beautiful tiled roof, the Croatia Museum of Native Art, among many other things.

At one point in our walking tour we passed through the Stone Gate (Kamanita Vrata) which the tour book said was "the oldest city gate." Just inside the gate there is a chapel with votive candles. I still remember feeling the warmth and smelling the strong odor of authentic tallow candles before i saw them. A breeze was blowing through the arcade, stirring the flames of the candles. I would have stayed longer but my wife thinks that my photography in a place like this is an intrusion into people's spiritual lives. Maybe it is. But I am always drawn to photograph votive candles.

Canon 5D f/10 1/500 ISO 400 Canon 24-105 4.0L (105mm) Photographed: June 1, 2007