Wednesday, May 10, 2006
abandoned chapel, Cwm yr Esgyr
About a mile from the Pembroke coastal path is a small valley running East/West for about a mile and a half, just to the West of Cardigan. I discovered it in March and found this abandoned chapel along the path. Half a mile away, on the other side of the valley is a chapel that is still in use (yes, still!). When I asked why there were two in the first place, so close and serving so few people, I was told that they were for different denominations. There is another unrelated story concerning this photo, which I shall recount later.
Permalink / posted by and copyright of John Ellis : 4:55 PM
Comments:
And this is definitely a picture about stories. Even without your introduction I think I would have wanted to know more. I'm somebody not usually interested in history but this photo provokes in me all sorts of questions about the people who used, and then stopped using, the building.
I realise that it is all probably quite mundane, but it is that human quality that appeals here. Nothing grand. Just people doing their stuff.
Very effective use of colour too.
I'll second the effective use of color, but I think I'm more intrigued by all the different textures in this photo. From the delicate texture of the ferns, to the peeling paint and mouldering wood floors and finally to the more regular grid work on the upper door, there's a lot here for the eye to work on. In particular, the contrast between the structure of the grid (is that a screen?) on the upper door and the softened, organic textures of the wood and paint evokes a sense of the fragility of all human contstruction.
I'd be tempted to tackle this in b&w in order to focus on all those textures.
Talk about leading the viewer into the picture. I have this urge to get right in there and explore. I want to see what’s round the corner, to smell the air, the dust, to look up at the ceiling. This is the kind of place that would be a delight as a child (or the like minded) and the photograph passes on the message very well indeed. Criticisms……I don’t know….what looks like dappled class in the door seems a touch out of place or time or, perhaps, unsympathetic but I should blame the repair man for that.
This sort of photo fascinates me because of the mysteries, the stories and the intrigue it raises within me. Abandoned, yet there is still a stool there. Why was it left there? Who was the last person to use it? Why was it abandoned? Like Jonjo, the way the picture has been presented, makes me want to go through the door and explore more. The colours are unpretentious which, I feel, adds to the picture and I like the inclusion of the foliage.
Everything leads me through the door but I end up standing in front of the window rather than at the stool. The window's brightness needs calming to my eyes and a little work on bringing out the detail behind it. I'm intrigued as to what lies to the left of the window. The foilage down the right hand side nicely frames the entrance but doesn't stop me wanting to explore further to the left when I'm in the room. I got lost in this photograph for a long time so it's a winner for me.
leading into an abandoned chapel. like how the indoor view is framed by the ferns and wall. the open door is like an invitation to enter and let the imaginations flow.
the chosen pov works well with the window and stool(?) inddor. also makes me curious what on the not viewable left and right...
Maybe some of the interior another time. Thanks for your analysis and comment. The chapel culture came relatively late to Wales and was a slightly dead hand, killing some of the more anarchic hedonism of the people. In fact, a combination of coal and chapel overlaid a totally different complexion to the country.
A few specifics. Matt, I spent about two days wondering whether to post b/w or colour. I think those ferns and the brown come down on the side of colour. But the b/w looks good.
The glass in that door? The communities that built these chapels weren't rich. The pattern of the exterior was broadly similar in town or country; the interior would have been dependent on local skills and money. My reading is that this was probably plain glass that got broken and was replaced with that chiselled/frosted glass.
Guy, the window is covered in dust, which is why you can't see much detail. When printed the exposure is OK. Indeed, a fair amount is lost in richness of detail and colour by reducing for the net. Michael - there is a table and stool.
The other story features me I'm afraid. Our local photographic society (established Sep 05, membership 34) was invited to Newquay (membership 29 - return match later this year), some 15 miles up the coast, for tea and stickies, to show photos and run a competition of 10 photos from each society. The admin details were slightly confusing but I fronted up with one photo because I haven't yet taken up mounting prints (and got a fellow member to do this one for me), which I entered for the competition. The judge, an architect and amateur photographer, was organised by Newquay. As he ran through our entries he got to this one and spoke a few lines of poetry in Welsh. The picture reminded him of something he had seen of another community and here he saw religion flying out of the window. He placed this first because it told a story, since when I fear that some of our membership are a bit miffed!
Good on the judge - he ACTUALLY looked at the picture and saw more than just 'rules'. Many judges don't do that.
I find the invitation to enter very strong and the snippets of information in the image intriguing. It is an image with mystery. The floorboards lead the eye in and to the stool.
I like the story about the judge. For me that emphasises the fact that images communicate with the audience in different ways and that there are no absolutes just opinions. You ask a judge for his opinion, it is neither wrong nor right, it is his opinion. The best judges are entertaining but give a good insight into why they hold the opinion they do. The worst for me are those who keep wanting to crop bits off, talk about the image before you, not the one you would have taken! (you=judge)
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I realise that it is all probably quite mundane, but it is that human quality that appeals here. Nothing grand. Just people doing their stuff.
Very effective use of colour too.
I'd be tempted to tackle this in b&w in order to focus on all those textures.
the chosen pov works well with the window and stool(?) inddor. also makes me curious what on the not viewable left and right...
A few specifics. Matt, I spent about two days wondering whether to post b/w or colour. I think those ferns and the brown come down on the side of colour. But the b/w looks good.
The glass in that door? The communities that built these chapels weren't rich. The pattern of the exterior was broadly similar in town or country; the interior would have been dependent on local skills and money. My reading is that this was probably plain glass that got broken and was replaced with that chiselled/frosted glass.
Guy, the window is covered in dust, which is why you can't see much detail. When printed the exposure is OK. Indeed, a fair amount is lost in richness of detail and colour by reducing for the net. Michael - there is a table and stool.
The other story features me I'm afraid. Our local photographic society (established Sep 05, membership 34) was invited to Newquay (membership 29 - return match later this year), some 15 miles up the coast, for tea and stickies, to show photos and run a competition of 10 photos from each society. The admin details were slightly confusing but I fronted up with one photo because I haven't yet taken up mounting prints (and got a fellow member to do this one for me), which I entered for the competition. The judge, an architect and amateur photographer, was organised by Newquay. As he ran through our entries he got to this one and spoke a few lines of poetry in Welsh. The picture reminded him of something he had seen of another community and here he saw religion flying out of the window. He placed this first because it told a story, since when I fear that some of our membership are a bit miffed!
I like the story about the judge. For me that emphasises the fact that images communicate with the audience in different ways and that there are no absolutes just opinions. You ask a judge for his opinion, it is neither wrong nor right, it is his opinion. The best judges are entertaining but give a good insight into why they hold the opinion they do. The worst for me are those who keep wanting to crop bits off, talk about the image before you, not the one you would have taken! (you=judge)