San Xavier

While in Tucson, I spent some time shooting the San Xavier Mission. This is the oldest Mission in Arizona. Here are three shots. As I arrived the first night, the moon was just coming up and I waited for it to be behind the cross. Please share your thoughts on the shots.



Low angle. 3 rows from the back.


From the parking lot - 30 sec. exposure f16.

I have messed around with free transform on this, but it just kept looking wrong so I left it as shot. There is a very bright flood light behind the tree on the right.

Marshall,

I like the pictures. I had a question about the distribution of light. It's this factor in the fantastic church interior that gives the dimension to this grand so rich scene.

For now just the last 2 photographs: have you tried the the shadow highlight filter in CS2/CS3? I reworked picture number 2 and discovered that the realism can be enhanced significantly. Worth a try.

Asher

Ahser,
Nope, have not used it. But I will read up on it and learn what it does.

Thank you.

Asher,

You are referencing - Image/Adjustment/Shadow/Highlight --- Right?

Then yes, I have used it and thought you might be talking about something else. In that regard, what thoughts did you have about using that tool on the third picture?

I thought about going back into it and Burning on the flood highlights that appear on the right and on the pillar top to the right of the tall cactus. I think that the eye travels to those two bright spots too easily. What do you think?

I just worked on the second picture. The layering of the different components and the beauty of the roof needs careful work.

I haven't looked it detail at the 3rd picture.

I'll see if I closed the image or not! If not I'll post it tin the am and look at the 3rd one. The latter, as you point out needs the light gradients to be somewhat preserved or the mood will be lost.

Asher

Marshall,

I don't usually follow this forum and I just came upon your photos. I find them unusally interesting. The sky in number one draws my attention. Have you tried increasing the contrast of the sky? I don't know if that would be an improvement or not. In number 2 you have really made good use of the chairs; to me it suggests the presense of the congregation. I might be inclined to crop a bit off the top where the rotunda is only partially captured. And I really like "from the parking lot," the colors are really nice.

-Nat

Nat,

Thanks for taking the time to comment!
#1 is actually double processed to bring out some added light and detail in the foreground and the sky. I shoot in RAW, so I changed the exposure settings and layered two images then brushed in the highlights. I have played with this shot a good bit and quite honestly do not remember the outcome of contrast changes. I'll go back and play with it.

#2 - Sitting way in the back like this just begged for the low angle shot and I liked seeing the rows of pews. You are right about cropping the ceiling and I will see how that works.

#3 - I took several shots from this angle and I still think that the two hot spots draw the eye too much. I have not played with burning them darker yet, that is on the list of things to do.
I am glad that you liked the shots, it was fun taking them. I pass by there once a month in my travels and will stop to capture the scenes again.

Marshall

These are great! I always enjoy religious imagery, even though (especially?) because I am not religious myself. There's something really unique in thinking about how powerful the symbology is for other people. The first one is well composed, just the sort of shot I would take if I had the patience, but with a much better result than any of mine. It looks like a shot from the opening of a movie! I really like the display of opulence in the second one, contrasted with the pews. The pews look wooden and old to me, in direct contrast to the rest of the Mission. The third picture is by and far my favorite, though. I really like the color of the sky, and the rest of the colors are great as well. You mentioned that you weren't happy with the way the eyes are drawn in the photo, so I thought might tell you how I looked at it. The first thing I saw was the sky, in about the 3 o'clock position. From there my eyes went counter-clockwise around the image, first to 12, then to 9, then to 6, and then back to the 3 o'clock, and then to the tower in the center.

Dave,

Thank you very much for your words. This mission is one of the originals in Arizona when the Spanish monks came up from Mexico. This was built in the early 1800s. Many hours of work have been done to preserve the interior and exterior. The white pillar, to the left, in the third shot shows some of the scaffolding of current work being done. I have actually been able to sell versions of the first shot, which to me was very exciting.
Thanks again for the kind words.
Marshall

Very nice shots. I know that mission well -- I lived in Tucson for 15 years. Most of the photos of it are clichee, touristy sort of things. Yours are fresh.

Thank you Doug. I really had fun being able to get inside, it is really spectacular as you know. I got lucky with the timing of the moon rising behind the cross on the hill. The cloudy night really helped lend effects to the shot.
Marshall