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No Church Today ...

Regular visitors to my photostream will know that I usually participate in the Sunday Challenge, but for a variety of reasons I've missed the last three.

This week the challenge related to Dutch angle photography, a technique used to create or convey dramatic effects or portray a psychological uneasiness or tension in the subject being filmed.

It's accomplished by simply tilting the camera so the horizon or subject is at an angle to the bottom of the frame of the shot and is something I often found myself doing before I even knew what it was called.

Therefore, you'd think this would have been an easy week, but I'm afraid once again I didn't manage to get out with the camera. So, to avoid missing out again I've dipped into the archives and pulled out a previously unpublished shot, which I've then processed somewhat to add to the feeling of tension I was trying to convey.

For those that are interested in these things the chuch in question is located in Harrogate and used to be called St. Mary's. According to Wikipedia the first church erected on the site had its foundation stone laid on 4 September, 1822 and was consecrated in 1825, but declared unsafe in 1903.

The replacement church was built at the current site in 1916 to designs by the architect Walter Tapper and constructed in the 14th century English gothic style.

Sadly, in 2007 closed as a parish church because of maintenance problems. More recently though it was revived by Mark Carey as a fresh expression of church, still within the Church of England, but now serving the whole of Harrogate and renamed as Kairos Church.

Got to say though that when I was there recently the broken windows and boarded up doors made it look anything other than welcoming and I was left wondering if perhaps the project had failed.

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64 comments

Sami Serola (inactiv… said:

Excellent processing! =)
8 years ago ( translate )

autofantasia replied to Sami Serola (inactiv…:

Much appreciated Sami as is the fave! :)
8 years ago

PhLB - Luc Boonen said:

I like the way you kept the light low
8 years ago

autofantasia replied to PhLB - Luc Boonen:

Ha, yes ... the power of Photoshop! ;)
8 years ago

Dida From Augsburg said:

Great motif and light!
8 years ago

autofantasia replied to Dida From Augsburg:

Really appreciate the kind words Dida and the star! :)
8 years ago

Jan said:

Extraordinary shot. Love it.
I too take many Dutch angle shots and know not why
8 years ago

autofantasia replied to Jan:

Thanks Jan ... glad you like it. Strange isn't it that we both are drawn to using the same technique and yet I never knew what it was until recently! :)
8 years ago

Clickity Click said:

You've captured a great atmosphere here Paul ... the tilt really does in this image, lend itself to the mystery of the building ... those red eyes (?) also gives off a bit of an ominous feeling. Hopefully, the church can be resurrected. :) Well done and nice to see you back posting. We missed you!
8 years ago

autofantasia replied to Clickity Click:

You're far too kind Chris, but it's nice to be missed and I'm glad you like what I came up with even if I had to dip into the archives to come up with it! :)

As for those 'eyes' ... no idea what they are or how they got there. It's as though someone or something was watching me through the broken window! ;)
8 years ago

Don Sutherland said:

Great capture.
8 years ago ( translate )

Shuttering Yukon said:

hot digitty! this is my kinda photo.. complete with eyes!
8 years ago

Pam J said:

This is gothicly(my word !!) perfect !

Remembering "The Omen" when the cross fell off the roof.......
8 years ago

Chrissy said:

ich mag es sehr. es ist fast, als wäre es ein Detail aus meinem Bild für die TSC.
8 years ago ( translate )

Jaap van 't Veen said:

Beautiful architectural details.
Congrats on Explore.
8 years ago ( translate )