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These are two "outtakes" from my (soon to be) 13 part NZ series. Both are fisheye shots of ceilings. They won't be everyone's cup of tea, but I'm pleased with them so thought I'd share. Click a pic to see it larger.

This one is at the beautifully preserved Canterbury Provincial Council Chambers in Christchurch.




There's an interesting story to this second one taken at Christ Church Cathedral. Basically you take the shot by lying flat on your back on the floor with the camera literally sitting on your face and pointing straight up. At the cathedral they have a volunteer whose job seems to be to ensure people don't interrupt the church service and to solicit donations if you want to take pics. So there I was lying on the floor taking the shot. When I finished he came up to me and said something along the lines of "in all my years here watching people take photos I've never seen anyone lie on the floor and take a photo of part of the ceiling". I explained I was using the fisheye lens and showed him the image on the back of the camera. He looked up at the ceiling then back at the image, shook his head and said "I've never really noticed what the ceiling looks like until now"

Love the symmetry of the first one - very cool indeed. In the second one, the wooden beams dominate and I don't think it's as strong an image. Nice story, too

Peter, I quite like #2, but I think it would be stronger in portrait orientation, with the current RHS at the bottom.

#1 isn't as interesting for me, I like being able to see more of the room as in #2.

Cheers

Nice weird angle

If only I had a fish eye lens too.

macka wrote:Peter, I quite like #2, but I think it would be stronger in portrait orientation, with the current RHS at the bottom.

Thanks Kris - don't know why that didn't occur to me. Much better.

More beautiful work from the house of Stubbsy. I am particularly impressed with the 2nd version of #2.

I would never be game to try a shot like that simply because I am sure I wouldn't survive the experience of the church roof caving in on me as I stepped inside

Peter,

#2 is much better in portrait and I prefer it to #1.

stubbsy wrote:Thanks Kris - don't know why that didn't occur to me. Much better.

Much better indeed. Very nice. Bring on Part 13!

I really love the ceilings of these magnificent buildings, the design and workmanship are awesome. I recall, lying on the floor, in Dublin Castle, wishing I had a fish eye. Great shots as usual, Stubbsy.

Bob

I also love the fish eye lens photo portrait style. I guess because that's the way you would normally view it, i.e walking down the aisle of the church rather than from side on. It bothers me that the "volunteer" had never noticed the ceiling before though. Surely that's the most beautiful part of a cathedral. They are designed to lift your eyes upwards.