The insides of cathedrals are near the top of my “most difficult to photograph” list. The absence of light creates an environment that requires special photography gear and advanced technical skills. Additionally, to truly appreciate the historical magnificence one must have a 360 degree view – something that no SLR camera can capture. I’ve been to a handful of the top cathedrals on the planet and I have very little photographic gems to show for it.
Last December I was exploring Paris and had the opportunity to spend some time inside the magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral. The 12th century Gothic architecture inside the cathedral is simply amazing to the eyes. It is no wonder that this remains one of the most popular tourist spots in a competitive Parisian landscape.
Armed with professional camera equipment I severely struggled to capture the scene inside. Frustrated with my failure I began to focus my camera lens on the intricate and colorful stained glass lining the inside walls. Wow – this change in strategy yielded some truly spectacular pictures. For all my complaints about the darkness inside the cathedral, I found the brightness in these stained glass pictures to pop more than anything else I took in Paris the whole weekend!
