Submitter's name:	John Palmer
Title:	Salisbury Cathedral
Gear used:	OM-4Ti + Zuiko 100/2 + tripod + cable release + friend's attic window
Diaphragm:	f/5.6
Shutter speed:	1 sec cathedral, approx 5 secs foreground (see notes)
Film used:	Agfa HDC 200 ASA colour neg
Technical information:	I did a series of bracketed test shots to get the exposure about right for the floodlit cathedral. But I forgot to remove the sacrificial UV filter from the lens and got stray refelections everywhere. So I went back to do it again, knowing that 1/2 or 1 sec at f/5.6 would be about right. First shot - and the shutter stayed open for ages - I had the body set on auto by mistake! But I like the way the foreground buildings show up - if the spire is correctly exposed, the foreground is way too dark. So this is an amateurish attempt to knit the two negs together using Photoshop. Must get rid of that streetlamp next.
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Comments:

Comment left by: Wayne Harridge (wayne.harridge@compaq.com)

Great exposure balancing act. Interesting how the light on the cathedral is cool while the foreground is very warm.

Comment left by: Barry Bean (bbbean@beancotton.com)

I like it. Very symbolic with the cathedral bathed in while light and the surrounding buildings in red.

Comment left by: Siddiq (siddim01@student.ucr.edu)

very nice as well; what's that vertical band of light in the middle? also, the reddish ambient light is caused by the Na street lamps, yes?

Comment left by: Wiliam Wagenaar (wiliam2@wish.net)

I think you did a great job knitting the two pictures together. Indeed, get rid of the streetlamp, but then I wouldn't hesitate to print and fram it to hang on a wall.

Comment left by: The author (no e-mail specified)

Any symbolism is purely accidental! You are right about the orange cast in the foreground Acer - lots of sodium streetlighting. The surprise to me is how "cold" the floodlighting on the cathedral is - and it is so powerful that even from half a mile away it overwhelms everyting else. I think the foreground is a bit too light, must tone it down a little (easy, it's a separate Photoshop layer). The vertical band is the streetlamp I want to paint out. The council might not be too pleased is it in the middle of the main road past the city.

Comment left by: Norm (no e-mail specified)

All these English churches are making me homesick! The red light at the top of the spire is an aircraft warning? The different colour casts between foreground and cathedral make an interesting juxtaposition. Your photoshopping doesn't look too amateurish from where I'm sitting.

Comment left by: John-the-author (no e-mail specified)

Yes Norm, the red light is to stop aircraft flying into the spire. The cathedral dominates the city skyline - no buildings are allowed above a certain height here (about 40 feet I think). The city sits in a valley and which ever way you approach at night you come over a hill, so when you see the red light you know you are nearly home. Not making you even more homesick, am I??!!

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