Lichfield Cathedral and Stowe Pool

Lichfield Cathedral #2

Lichfield cathedral, and its reflection, at dawn, though mist over Stowe Pool, Staffordshire

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The story behind this image

The blue light of pre-dawn permeates the mist as I set up my camera and tripod at the eastern end of of Stowe Pool in Lichfield, Staffordshire.

I'm here very early in the morning to photograph Lichfield cathedral, having seen a similar image during a tour of the cathedral the previous day (but without the mist), and been amazed that such a beautiful scene could be found in the middle of quite a busy city.

So with the morning rush hour traffic starting to build on the road behind me I give some thought as to how best to photograph this scene.

I want to maximise the ethereal nature of the view in front of me, so first of all I choose a composition that removes everything from the frame except the cathedral and its reflection.

Then, in order to soften and increase the density of the mist, I set up a very long exposure using my newly aquired Lee Filters Little Stopper ND filter, which turns what would have been a one second exposure into over a minute's worth and gives me my desired effect.

I continue to shoot for few minutes more, but as the sun rises the and the air warms the mist dissipates and the cool blue light changes to a more neutral shade, so it's time to head back to our holiday flat and my still sleeping wife, ready to face the more normal activities that the day brings.

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Image data

Filename - lichfield cathedral 02.jpg

Camera - Canon 6D

Lens - 24-105mm zoom @105mm

Exposure - 76secs @ f16, ISO100

Location - Lichfield, Staffordshire

This image - 640x800px JPEG

Conversion - Adobe Lightroom

Comments - 6 stop ND filter used to extend exposure time.