Exercise: The User's View.

Exercise. The User's View.

For this exercise I returned to my list and picked out four likely venues.  Two churches, the community hall and the Pier Cafe.  Because of the public nature of two of them I chose to use my Canon G1-X.

The first location was St Andrews Church in Deal which is the fishmongers’ church and was build mid 19th century.  As soon as I entered could see problems with the lighting.  Although the altar end of the church was will lit the body of the church was in total darkness.  Workmen were working on the side windows and had blocked off all available light.  Despite this I attempted to show the church from the position of one at prayer.  I took pictures only from the one position because I did not wish to disturb the peace of the man shown in the left of shot.    I have managed to dodge in a little detail in the window and in the two paintings which were pretty burned out. 

 Canon G1-X.  26mm. f4.5. 1/20sec.

I walked on to St Georges Church, which is Deal’s Civic Church and dates back to the early 17th century, that I know from past visits has better lighting.  Because the church was empty I had more freedom of movement and took advantage of this by showing the space from both both sides of the lectern.  St Georges is well lit but from a variety of sources.  There are large windows down each side that filter the light through stained glass and two colours of mood lighting; green for the lower part and mauve for the upper.  What I show here is not some dreadful colour caste.  When one is there the eye soon adapts to this odd lighting and it becomes quite soothing, but when viewed in a photograph the eye and brain can’t make the necessary adaptations.  The church is a good example of bad usage.  What was once a well illuminated open space was ruined by the Victorians who put in the light blocking balcony that runs round the whole church cutting off most of the natural available light and which is never used.  In recent times the old pews have been discarded and replaced by modern chairs.  

The first view is, again, taken from the position of a person at prayer and shot from a low position. 

Canon G1-X. 15.1mm. f3.5. 1/10sec.

The second is taken from the celebrants position looking down at where the congregation would sit.  I was surprised by the commanding position given by such a modest elevation. 

Canon G1-X. 15.1mm. f3.5. 1/13sec. (Hand held)

As I went to leave I was struck by the beauty of the stained glass in the side entrance.  I had to share it.

Canon G1-X. 15.1mm. f3.5. 1/80sec.

My next port of call was The Pier Cafe.  What I wanted was maximum DoF so that everything from the menu on my table through to the serving area would be in focus.  I chose the camera’s smallest stop of f16 which, even at ISO800, gave an exposure time of 1/8 sec.  The slow shutter speed forced me to put the camera on the table and I propped it up to the angle I required with the available cutlery.  The view is lower than the one I wanted but to set up even a mini tripod would have been intrusive.  I tried a number of versions of this shot.  Some with the waitress and some without.  I chose this because it includes her, and with the slow shutter speed, puts in a bit of action. 

Canon G1-X. 15.1mm. f16. 1/8sec.

I called in to our local community centre and took a number of shots of the two reception volunteers, one being my wife. 

The first one shows the view a member of the public would get on entering the foyer.  When I looked at this shot the place looks rather unfriendly and a bit intimidating with its high counter top and two receptionist.  Anyone approaching the desk has either to address both receptionist, or rather rudely ignore one.

   

In the second shot the situation changed dramatically.  Gone is the barrier of the high counter and the visiter is effectively speaking to only one person.  Far more friendly.

When I next work at the centre I will bear this exercise in mind.