The Catholic Cathedral

Westminster Cathedral, not  Abbey, is the Catholic Church's main and biggest in London. Actually in Victoria, rather than Westminster (rather misleading that one), it is where my devout RC best friend Des goes to, if and when he needs to 'drop in' when in central London.

I had moaned, groaned and decried that (apart from Southwark cathedral) all the other big central London churches charge a huge entrance fee and in the case of St Paul's not even allow photography, at all!

I don't know whether he thought he was being helpful, or kind of hoped that I might snap his favourite RC 'venue' but he assured me that it was free to go into Westminster Cathedral, though donations an obvious one plus £3 for a photography permit (which is what I was charged by Southwark Cathedral, many years ago, for the same).

Now - WC (for short, and not an abbreviation for the public toilets) - is actually quite fancy in style, kitted out in a Byzantine style. It's quite big and quite dark but pretty impressive and there were NO OTHER PHOTOGRAPHERS!

I went to the enquiries desk and said about the permit but also said that I had been sent by a good friend and for his birthday, I was going to photograph the place and then edit them and then put them on a disc etc (which is absolutely true, by the way). Des, if you're reading this, you don't usually read beyond the second line of my Blips so try and forget what you just read!

In any case, there is no permit, just a donation at some point, but even that was not obligatory.

Now, when you are amongst others who are snap happy, it is easy to snap away, albeit a bit more carefully than them. Have to admit, at times (OK, all the time) I felt quite awkward as everybody else in there were there for what churches and religious buildings are actually there for - praying and such stuff.

I was lugging around also my full heavy rucksack and the tripod in its bag, as I was en route for Waterloo station and then, home. I didn't dare rest these against anything or leave them for a moment. I never had intended to use the tripod, by the way, most big churches etc don't allow them anyway, and as I said, I felt awkward enough as it was to ask. The heavy clacking from the full-frame camera mirror when taking the shots didn't make me feel any calmer, either! Oh, for a silent camera, when in a silent building...

So, basically, this is the Altar and if I had posted it on a Wednesday, it would have been entirely suited for Wideangle Wednesday 'interiors'.

Lens is that one which has served me so well, this past London lot, handheld Nikkor D 17-35mm f2.8, here at f4.5 and allowing a relatively really low 640 iso, which is great for a dark building but also allowing easier and better quality editing.

Basically, I must have spent close on an hour editing this at home, on the 24" monitor and PS5. I really doubt if I'm ever going to go back to that Cathedral and I knew the potential lay deep in the RAW file. You couldn't see any shadow detail at all in the accompanying  jpeg. Shows just what can be done, with a bit of perserverance and time spent and why all serious photographers shoot RAW (don't argue, now!) 

It's gonna have to go LARGE, folks!

HUGE and MEGA thanks for ALL the comment, stars and the many many Hearts on all the London Blips. Notwithstanding yesterday's mono, which really did touch many of you. You know that if Andrea Schuh casts a Fave, you must have done something right!

I now need to get essentials in and boring stuff and I'll be back with you all, you lovely lot, later!

ps, the tower of this cathedral can be seen poking up on extreme left hand side in the Blip of Buckingham Palace,
 www.blipfoto.com/entry/2037568958562831789,