Back To The Cathedral Of Learning

I usually have a difficult time photographing in the winter because (I hate to admit it) I really just don’t particularly like being out in the cold. Add to that the fact that I often photograph with a group of ‘photographic friends’ and, as it turns out, they also aren’t fans of the outdoors in winter and you can see where this is going. I told myself that this winter I was going to get out into the snow to make photos. The problem, however, is that it hasn’t snowed here yet except for the slightest dusting, which is actually pretty unusual for a Pittsburgh winter. With no snow one has all the ‘comfort negatives’ and none of the ‘photographic positives’ for going outside to shoot in January. For that reason, my local group of ‘photo friends’ has been shooting at the local botanic garden and the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning quite a bit for the last month or two. And so last weekend it was a return to the Cathedral.

I have previously posted several image of the grand Gothic architecture in the Cathedral and it really never ceases to amaze (if you’d like to now more about the Cathedral of Learning just click the link in the prior paragraph). I have actually photographed this particular staircase before, but never saw it quite this way, with the staircase light echoing the light by its entrance. That’s the beauty of going back to locations several times…..you get to see things in different ways. I also made several long exposures of this scene while walking slowly down the stairs in order to make a ‘cameo’ ghost-like appearance in the image, but I haven’t processed any of those just yet.

Photographing at the Cathedral rarely disappoints. It’s an inspiring location and a great place to photograph when it’s just to darn cold outside!

Cathedral Of Learning Staircase © Howard Grill

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