Everywhere the glint of gold

schmoo

The whole time in this place, I had this quote by Howard Carter running through my head because it was so true:

"... Presently, as my eyes grew accustomed to the light, details of the room within emerged slowly from the mist, strange animals, statues, and gold - everywhere the glint of gold."

Unfortunately my photos didn't capture all of the details that I saw. The ceiling was too high, I was pretty dissatisfied with my compositions, I was overwhelmed with the beauty of the place: the details, the carvings, the artwork, the once-lavish setting falling into decay behind closed doors. It makes no sense to me, but here it is.

A beautiful summer morning:


Standing under the dome:


(Actually, here is a better photo of the ceiling architecture, even though it's a silly one)

Three doors


Abstract:


The watchers:


Enter:


Ceiling mosaics (hand held!)


Feedback and criticism welcome, especially as shooting interiors of churches has always been particularly challenging to me. :scratch

saurora

What a beautiful old church!!! So opulent. Schmoo, I think you did a great job singling out the grand details. I'm not good at this type of work, but your shots are very appealing to me. I especially like the abstract shot of the pews, the entry through the door and the last shot of the mosaics. This is not an abandoned church, is it? Hopefully not!

edit: I just went to your gallery and see you were in the basement. Obviously this isn't a working church. Great shots...love the crosses through the doors and the decaying steps. Good, good stuff...where do you find it all?

ShutterMuse

I'm sorry you didn't capture it the way you wanted to, but you did a wonderful job... a truely beautiful place, and I think you did it justice.

schmoo

Thanks, ladies. Yes unfortunately the place is shut down, which is always so sad, I think, especially as in the poorest, toughest neighborhoods it's the churches that keep the community together. This neighborhood was particularly rough... when I was taking photos outside I had my husband take this photo under the guise of covering me, and I had one friend behind me and one hanging out to my left. It was like having a troop of guards but it's better to be safe than sorry considering the amount of photo equipment we had on us.

And to see one that was one this amazingly elaborate... it's even sadder and more confusing to me. I have never even been in an active church that was decorated quite in this manner. I'm not a good theologist, so is anyone able to tell me what flavor of religion this place was?

Awais Yaqub

These are great shots looks like ancient church ! spme eye catching work done by craftsmen

I was taking photos outside I had my husband

Schmoo i thought you are a man

Llywellyn

Schmoo, I'm already such a fan of your work. I love the close-up of the pews and the broken window with the birds above. The close-up of the stairs in the gallery is also fantastic. And I quite like the silly version of the ceiling architecture.

It's hard to believe such an elaborate place has fallen into disuse.

Skippy

schmooo wrote:

The whole time in this place, I had this quote by Howard Carter running through my head because it was so true:


Unfortunately my photos didn't capture all of the details that I saw. The ceiling was too high, I was pretty dissatisfied with my compositions, I was overwhelmed with the beauty of the place: the details, the carvings, the artwork, the once-lavish setting falling into decay behind closed doors. It makes no sense to me, but here it is.
A beautiful summer morning:
Standing under the dome:
(Actually, here is a better photo of the ceiling architecture, even though it's a silly one)
Three doors
Abstract:
The watchers:
Enter:
Ceiling mosaics (hand held!)
Feedback and criticism welcome, especially as shooting interiors of churches has always been particularly challenging to me.

Hey there Schmooo,
Here you are again exploring another wonderful place

The church looks in pretty good condition as you look down the isles.
Nice to see it hasn't been totally vandalised.

Those Mosaic Tile Images are quite the masterpieces aren't they.
The colours are just beautiful.

You know, just looking at your pictures, and they do not look cold.
They look warm, maybe the people have abandoned the Church,
and I thought of these words as I looked over your images.
"Knock And the Doors Shall Be Opened, Seek And You Shall Find"
He's still there

Beautiful post.......... Skippy
.

ShutterMuse

schmooo wrote:

Thanks, ladies. Yes unfortunately the place is shut down, which is always so sad, I think, especially as in the poorest, toughest neighborhoods it's the churches that keep the community together. This neighborhood was particularly rough... when I was taking photos outside I had my husband take this photo under the guise of covering me, and I had one friend behind me and one hanging out to my left. It was like having a troop of guards but it's better to be safe than sorry considering the amount of photo equipment we had on us.

And to see one that was one this amazingly elaborate... it's even sadder and more confusing to me. I have never even been in an active church that was decorated quite in this manner. I'm not a good theologist, so is anyone able to tell me what flavor of religion this place was?

Cool shot and nice to have your 'posse' along to keep you safe. Guess that's why I shot more nature stuff when I get out... I often shoot alone and I know I wouldn't feel safe shooting inner city abadoned sites alone. Although I look at your galleries and drool. One I know I'm not nearly as good as you... and two just to see some of those places first hand.... yeah I little envious, but still love your work.

I'm not much of a theologian, my guess would be catholic from the saints painted in the dome ceiling... but I've been wrong before and will undoubtedly be wrong again. The translation for "Consummatum est" (latin) is "it is finished"

schmoo

Awais Yaqub wrote:

Schmoo i thought you are a man

(I've been using that emoticon a lot lately!)

Sorry no! I hope that doesn't change anything around here

schmoo

Fans?!?

Definitely not a pasttime I recommend doing alone. I do have a couple of good friends that do, but they go full well knowing the risks, especially in bad neighborhoods. So far they have been OK....

I spent a lot of time looking up at that mosaic on the dome. Right down to the guy named 'Miles' squeezed in between the saints. The joke was "Who the heck is Miles?" We figured he was the artist who placed himself in the work.

Thank you Skippy! I really like your perception of it, so I choose to view it your way. I hope that one day this place will be used again.