Tag Archives: Oxford

Project Development

Posted on by

Christ Church Cathedral – The Catherine Window Pt.2

Christ Church - St. Catherine Window - The Angel 'Victory' (low res)

Dominic Price (2019) The Catherine Window – The Angel ‘Victory’ [Edward Burne-Jones, 1878 – Christ Church Cathedral]

After a brief respite to focus upon the Peer Review Presentation, I refocused upon the Christ Church Cathedral archive.  While this light is the most striking of the three from The Catherine Window, the removal of the support bars, which cover some notable fine detail, was always going to increase the post-production time.

Typically I anticipate an hour of editing time for the removal of each individual support bar, but in this case it took over six hours to remove the four bars!

Before progressing further with the remaining two lights it seems sensible to revisit the cathedral in order to compare this image (and those of the three tracery light angels), since the lighting on the day was far from ideal and for the first time ever I also had to endure internal artificial illumination.  It concerns me in particular that the skin tones for this angel are notably different to those of the tracery lights, when logic would suggest that the skin tones should be fairly constant within a single window.

To produce this image, 15 photographs were taken at 241 mm using the Canon EF 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens, at an aperture of f/8.0 and exposure times ranging from 1/10 s to 1/125 s.  As with all images photographed for my research project, it was taken using the Canon EOS 1Dx Mark II.

The photograph was taken perfectly head on, but at a slight angle (vertically) which necessitated a small amount of  distortion correction.  This is always applied as the final stage of editing, but for the purpose of the animated GIF below, I corrected and cropped one of the original images as well as the image prior to the removal of the support bars.

The Catherine Windows - Victory GIF.gif

Dominic Price (2019) The Catherine Window – The Angel ‘Victory’: animate GIF illustrating the editing process.

Project Development

Posted on by

Christ Church Cathedral – The Jonah Window

I have not warmed very much to the van Linge windows I have witnessed thus far (New College Chapel and University College Chapel), but this window is fantastic – incredible detail and such vibrant colours for a work of art that is almost 400 years old.  The fact that it does exist is something of a miracle: Christ Church Cathedral once housed a magnificent collection of windows by Van Linge, but almost all of them were destroyed not long after installation in the fury of Puritan iconoclasm during the English Civil War.  Damage to this window is evident – the only calmes should be vertical and horizontal, but the web of other leadwork represents repairs to the panes of glass.

This edit is only partially complete as there is much cleaning still to do: once again this window seems to be home to many spiders and their webs feature heavily in the topmost light.  It is a window that I would much like to complete editing, but then the same is true of most of those within the cathedral.  Perhaps I can interest them in a the production of a publication as there is currently no guide to the windows (indeed, possibly no guide to the cathedral) once I have completed my Research Project.

Christ Church - Jonah and the City of Nineveh (low res)

Dominic Price (2019) Jonah and the City of Nineveh [Abraham van Linge, 1630 – Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford]

Project Development

Posted on by

Man vs. Machine – the merits of HDR software

In light of the nature of this research project, it may seem strange that today was the first time that I have ever tested HDR Exposure Merging within an image editing program.  The test piece is a stained glass window I had recently photographed at Christ Church Cathedral and the images here show a small segment of that panel.  The completed image of this panel (detailed HERE) required just over four hours of editing so I am interested to see what software can achieve in just a matter a moments:

Dominic Price (2019) Panel from Vyner Memorial Window depicting Timothy & Eunice [Edward Burne-Jones, 1871 – Christ Church Cathedral]

DCP_9772 (ec)

Edited by hand

DCP_9771_68_65_62_Detail (HDR crop).jpg

Software-based HDR editing

It is interesting to note that I have opted for slightly greater saturation of colours and higher contrast (no surprise there) – however, this is an image that I have yet to moderate against the original.  The one area in which the software falls down (arguably) is in its handling of the clames, with the lead being represented more three-dimensionally, whereas I have endeavoured to represent the image two dimensionally with the lead being rendered black.

The results are mightily impressive and for occasions when I require a quick, yet imposing solution for social media (or indeed for inclusion as a small part of a printed publication), this could provide a pleasingly simple solution.  Of course, the digital removal of support bars can only be done by hand and that will add one or more hours per bar to the process!

Project Development

Posted on by

Hidden and Vanishing History

One of my earliest chapel visits for this research was back in May 2018.  At the time I did not go to the trouble of editing the series of 60+ images, since I was displeased with the composition, with the background being so easily visible even at f/2.0.  When given permission to take the photographs, I was advised that I would be the first person to photograph the windows.  In a perfect world I would have returned for photo shoot at a later date, armed with a large sheet to mask the exterior.  However, just two weeks after my visit the chapel was demolished… I was the first, last and only person to photograph the windows.

I have now edited the images, but although there is a striking elegance and simplicity to the six lights, I have no plans to print these because of the detraction of the cars.  This is not beyond the possibilities of image editing, but it would be many tens of hours of work – time that I simple do not have at the moment.

St Hilda's - Window 01 (low res)

Dominic Price (2018) The Crucifixion, St Hilda’s College Chapel, Oxford

St Hilda's - Window 02 (low res)

Dominic Price (2018) The Temptation of Man, St Hilda’s College Chapel, Oxford

When the extensive building works are complete, there will be a new chapel at St. Hilda’s College, located within the new Boundary Building.  I will make a point of enquiring about stained glass within the new building – these may be being rehoused, or perhaps something new is being commissioned?

Somerville PNG (low res)

Dominic Price (2018) Learning & Truth [Reginald Bell, 1935 – Somerville College Chapel, Oxford]

This notion of vanishing history is one that has been a backbone to my work.  The demolition of chapels is not (currently) commonplace in Oxford, yet for buildings whose intention is always to welcome people, there is a pervading sense of vanishing history albeit to a lesser degree, with some chapels being more hidden than was once the case, thanks to declining congregations.

Focussing specifically on my research, the stained glass within places of worship can cause problems:  On my planning visit to Somerville College Chapel (also in May 2018) I was confronted by an unexpected juxtaposition of huge window depicting Christ, within a nondenominational chapel.  Further information about the window can be found in my original post HERE.  At the time I was advised that some groups using the location had objected to the depiction of Christ and as a result the possibility of concealing it behind curtains was being considered.

I was minded of this just last week when carrying out a tentative visit to a very local chapel that has been undergoing restoration and improvement works for the past six months.  The home of the Summertown United Reformed Church is an attractive chapel that features a stained glass east window clearly visible from my house.  For a Presbyterian church, the inclusion of stained glass is unusual, so it was of little surprise on entering the building to discover that the east window is covered by an enormous curtain.  The Minister commented that the windows had caused objections and upset in the past.

I am yet to see the window as my unplanned visit coincided with a snagging meeting between the Minister, architect and the foreman.  However, I am intrigued as to what would have caused offence and also wonder why this chapel, purpose-built in 1893 would have featured a stained glass window in the first place.  Sadly, such history may have been lost to time.

Project Development

Posted on by

Exeter College Chapel

University vacation can simplify access to the college chapels.  With the weather conditions looking perfect this morning (bright but with uniform cloud cover) and groundwork already in place for a visit at a ‘mutually convenient time’, it took no more than a brief email to the Head Porter for me to be granted access to Exeter College Chapel.  Pleasingly I had the chapel to myself for the two hours before its 11am opening to the tourists and was given the keys to the organ loft which my preliminary had visit suggested.

Access to the organ loft was via narrow stone spiral staircase and the organ loft could have been more appropriately termed an organ shelf: there was room for little more than an organist to sit at the organ.  Notwithstanding, thanks to some clever tripod usage I was able to take several series of photographs both of the stained glass and the chapel itself.

Exeter College - The Crucifixion (low res)

Dominic Price (2019) The Crucifixion [Clayton & Bell, 1859 – Exeter College Chapel]

The enormous height of the lancet windows was such that I opted to photograph the facing window within the apse in two parts, requiring 28 photographs to be taken.  With the lighting conditions just right, it seemed sensible to grab some additional lights at higher resolution, so I turned my focus to the tracery lights just below the vaulted ceiling.

With Easter soon upon us I also decided to capture a batch of one panel of the east window depicting The Crucifixion for me to use as an Easter card.  This necessitated a batch of 15 photographs,  taken at 400 mm using the Canon EF 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens, at an aperture of f/8.0 and exposure times ranging from 1.6 s to 1/10 s: significantly longer exposures than those required when photographing the Cathedral’s windows in the brilliant sunshine.

I will return to edit the full height lights at a later date.  These I am likely to leave with saddle bars intact as the window comprises two lancet lights of thirteen saddle bars each.

DCP_0113 (black) ce lr

Dominic Price (2019) Tracery lights of the East Window [Clayton & Bell, 1859 – Exeter College Chapel]

DCP_0113 (black) ce lr - flowerMy original intention with the tracery lights was to concern myself only with the small rose (not least because this lends itself so well to posting on Instagram).  However, invisible to the casual observer and only evident during editing is the smallest stained glass light I have ever seen, located just below the base of the rose.  As a result, this led me to crop the image to include this tiny blue flower – something I may well review as it leaves the composition looking very unbalanced.

Happy Easter!

Posted on by

Stained Glass Resurrection

Project Development

Posted on by

Nuffield College Chapel

Some six weeks after my initial request to photograph Nuffield College Chapel (HERE), I was granted supervised access, which was somewhat restrictive where possible visiting times and dates were concerned.  However, today was that opportunity, but for the first time I was having to conduct the work without a planning visit.  As a result, I opted to travel with a larger than normal selection of lenses to cover every possible situation.

Dominic Price (2019) Nuffield College Chapel – the liturgical west end, featuring the three lights ‘Symbols of the Stigmata’ by Patrick Reytiens (1961) and the interior design and furnishings of John Piper.

The small chapel lies within a former attic space and was designed in the 1950s by one of the College architects, Thomas Barnes.  Its location dictate the orientation of the chapel and resulted in the liturgical east end (the chancel, containing the alter) being located at the south end.  The entire décor including the design of the pews was the work of English painter and print-maker John Piper.  Having worked alongside stained glass artist Patrick Reyntiens on large commissions including Eton College Chapel and Coventry Cathedral, Piper recommended Reyntiens’ work which resulted in the commissioning of five windows (eleven lights).

There were some wonderful benefits to photography in this space – not least the fact that the windows were immediately accessible at a height that would guarantee no need for post-production correction of perspective.  There were also some difficulties: the lack of space proved awkward on occasion when aligning shots; in some circumstances, the appropriate camera height resulted in the roof immediately outside the window becoming visible in shot.

Dominic Price (2019) 2 light liturgical south chancel. Unedited iPhone image [Patrick Reyntiens, 1961 – Nuffield College Chapel, Oxford]

However, the most demanding problem was the visibility of buildings and foliage through the windows.  This could be resolved in part by shooting at a smaller aperture, but that was not going to compensate for the huge difference created between a background that was partially pale yellow limestone and the bright white sky: either some complicated post-production work will be required, or this would help decide which lights were going to feature.

Project Development

Posted on by

Nuffield College Chapel – West Window

The windows of Nuffield College Chapel present a new difficulty in post-production as a result of the background clutter that influences the appearance of each light.  Following much experimentation it proved impossible to illuminate this during the photography stage and proved significantly more demanding to reduce in post-production.  In a follow-up visit it will be interesting to see whether I have managed to achieve any level of accuracy in terms of colour, saturation and lightness.

The largest of the windows lies at the liturgical east chancel (but is actually the North Window).  It depicts the five wounds of Christ and is titled Symbols of the Stigmata.

615 DCP_1715 ce

Dominic Price (2019) Symbols of the Stigmata [Patrick Reyntiens, 1961 – Nuffield College Chapel]

Initially, I photographed each of the three lights individually, using an 85mm lens and an aperture of f/1.8, but it transpired that the uniformity of the image was greater when photographed as a whole from a greater distance and at a smaller aperture.  To produce this image, 16 photographs were taken at 248 mm using the Canon EF 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens, at an aperture of f/8.0 and exposure times ranging from 1/2 s to 1/80 s.  As with all images photographed for my research project, it was taken using the Canon EOS 1Dx Mark II.

615 North 2

Dominic Price (2019) Untitled – Liturgical North Nave [Patrick Reyntiens, 1961 – Nuffield College Chapel]

Not insignificant amounts of the top of these two lights were bleached out by the bright white clouds in the photographs, but the deep blue of this window enabled a slightly more straightforward edit in post-production.  Each of the two lights was photographed separately, so to achieve the composite view of the window above, it was necessary to take 29 photographs using the Canon EF 85 mm f/1.2L II USM lens, at an aperture of f/1.8 and exposure times ranging from 1/2 s to 1/100 s.

Project Development

Posted on by

St. Edward’s School Chapel – update

At the time of publishing, I had only limited knowledge of the window of St. Edward’s School Chapel, but am now in the position of being able add some key facts in an update to the original post HERE.

St. Edwards - William Weatherley - RE-EDITED(low res)

Dominic Price (2018) William Weatherley Memorial Window [Christopher Well, 1933 St. Edward’s School Chapel]

The east window over the altar in the Memorial Chapel was presented by W.H. Weatherley in 1933 in memory of his son William Robert Weatherley (F, 1922-7), a former Head of School, who died at the age of 22; it was designed by Christopher Well.  Hunter, N. (2013) St. Edward’s 150 Years. London: Third Millennium

Project Development

Posted on by

Chapel interiors

In listening to friends, colleagues and others, on their review of my work, I have decided to renege upon my original plans to present the stained glass window images in isolation.  The location is such an integral part to their story that it makes far better sense to contextualise them within their environment.  To that end the publication will have a two-page spread for each location that will include an east end view (or similar).

This revision will also make easier the decision to include those chapels not adjourned with stained glass.  They can feature as individual pages that also include an east end view.

having finalised the two page spread for my book, there was the need to revisit some sites in order to capture an interior shot of each chapel.

Bookpng

Price, D.C. (2019) The Stained Glass & Chapels of Oxford – mock-up

On a hot day, I was pleased to be travelling without my camera bag or big lenses, using the Canon EF 17-40mm  f/4.0 L USM lens for each shot (although it remained necessary to use a tripod).  In order to present photographs that are true to my mission, I took a batch of ten exposure bracketed images of each interior and then used multiple exposure blending in order to create a dynamic range sufficient that the stained glass remains visible while the interiors are appropriately bright.

615 DCP_2490 HDR2 ce

Dominic Price (2019) The Chapel, St Edmund Hall

615 DCP_2532 HDR 3 ce

Dominic Price (2019) The Chapel, Wycliffe Hall

615 DCP_2503 HDR ce

Dominic Price (2019) The Chapel, Somerville

615 DCP_2434 HDR1 ce2

Dominic Price (2019) The ‘new’ College Chapel, Exeter College

615 DCP_2423 HDR1 ce2

Dominic Price (2019) The Chapel of John the Baptist, St John’s College