After the earthquakes, Christchurch has changed as a city.
Immediately after the February 22nd quake, access to the CBD was really non-existence. Now that the city has been opened up, it is an incredible place for photography. At this moment, there is some re-building, but as yet, not on a massive scale. This means that for the moment, it is a city of fences and vacant lots….. and also new art, as artists are commissioned to add something to the ’empty’ spaces, and walls.
Post Quake, Christchurch is like an empty canvass with limitless opportunities: there are new blank walls, there are open wide spaces all needing something to fill the vacuum, and so the artists around town got busy! I hope to capture more….
I was in Barcelona, and was fascinated by Anton Gaudi’s great architectural work: The Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) Cathedral. The challenge of still photography when it comes to building or other artwork, is to express the beauty and mind of the other artist. But how in this case? How do I capture the essence of Guadi’s artistic expression. Of course in my case, I only had two lenses with me, and had limited time, and limited access, not to mention the presence of
Gaudi’s Sacraga Familia
hundreds of tourists……It took me two days of thinking, and reflecting and finally, after many shots, I was satisfied with only one! (see the above shot, using a super wide angle lens. The picture shows the crucifix which is above the altar – the altar is not depicted in the shot).
The Cathedral is still not yet completed after about 3 centuries of construction. Gaudi must have been both mad and a visionary to attempt this project. He was a holy man, attending Mass daily near the end of his life. If there is anything to be said about the shot I am happy with, I would say that it showed me what Gaudi was attempting to say. The Cathedral is a statement of a world that has been redeemed – a new Eden, the new Jerusalem that is to come. A world that is tarnished by sin is now renewed by the sacrifice of Christ…… and in the very Cathedral where the sacrifice of Christ is made present through the Sacrifice of the Mass, the new Eden takes root……
Questions have been asked as to who this mysterious photographer is!
Suffice to say that I have been doing photography (including teaching others) since I was a teenager, developing films and printing in my own darkroom (thank God for Digital Photography!). This website is to share with you my view of the world – mainly through New Zealand pictures.
I am based in Christchurch, New Zealand. As I do not earn a real income from photography to support my living, I cannot call myself a “professional”, rather a “serious enthusiast” . Occasionally someone asks for my photos to be released for use and offer to pay a small price. That means I do have another “day job”, but my camera is with me most of the time. Just about every moment when I am awake, I ‘see’ the world through the possibility of composing a shot! January – March, there is less photographic activity as I chase Salmon!
Some of my work appear in the Christchurch Press (advertising), and in Taupo. 2 of my photos appeared in NZ Geographic’s Southern Exposure (click on “People”) and until recently, my photos are published in one of the NZ fortnight publications.
