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Saint John the Divine Cathedral

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Saint John the Divine Alter During Christmas Season <br><br> I took this photo of the alter during the Christmas season of 2011. I shot this with a wide angle lens (16 mm) about 12 inches off the ground. This photo was spliced together from two HDR versions, a top part and lower part of the alter. Both versions were in HDR from three exposures (-2,0,2) ranging from 1.3 seconds to 20 seconds. The correctly exposed photo had stained glass widows that were substantially underexposed and clipped. The widows looked great in the underexposed version, but other areas were too dark. The HDR version did a nice job of sampling the best parts from the under and overexposed photos. I did additional work in Photoshop elements to bring out detail from the three versions.
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Saint John the Divine Alter During Christmas Season

I took this photo of the alter during the Christmas season of 2011. I shot this with a wide angle lens (16 mm) about 12 inches off the ground. This photo was spliced together from two HDR versions, a top part and lower part of the alter. Both versions were in HDR from three exposures (-2,0,2) ranging from 1.3 seconds to 20 seconds. The correctly exposed photo had stained glass widows that were substantially underexposed and clipped. The widows looked great in the underexposed version, but other areas were too dark. The HDR version did a nice job of sampling the best parts from the under and overexposed photos. I did additional work in Photoshop elements to bring out detail from the three versions.

Saint John the DivineSt. John the DivinechurchcathedralphotoKent Beckernot my day job photographystained glasswindowEpiscopalNew York

  • Cathedral of Saint John the Divine <br><br> Saint John the Divine is located in Morningside Heights near Columbia University in Manhattan. In 1887 the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York called for a cathedral to rival Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. The cathedral was designed in 1888 and construction began in 1892. After start of the construction, the original Byzantine-Romanesque design was changed to Gothic design. A noted Gothic Revival architect was hired to design the nave and convert what had been built to a Gothic design. The result is a number of architectural styles with a Gothic nave, a Romanesque crossing under the dome, chapels in French, English, and Spanish Gothic styles as well as Norman and Byzantine, according to Wikipedia. <br><br> To raise money for the nave in 1925, Franklin D. Roosevelt headed the New York campaign committee to raise $10 million. From Wikipedia, “The Cathedral was opened end-to-end for the first time on November 30, 1941, a week before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Construction was halted because the bishop believed the church's funds would better be spent on works of charity, and because the United States' subsequent involvement with the Second World War greatly limited available manpower. “After a large fire on December 18, 2001, it was closed for repairs and reopened in November 2008. It remains unfinished, with construction and restoration a continuing process.” Hence the nickname “Saint John the unfinished.” <br><br> The Cathedral is 601 feet (186 meters) in length, and the nave ceiling reaches 124 feet (37.7 m) high. It is the longest Gothic nave in the United States, at 230 feet (70 m). <br><br> Robert Joffrey, choreographer and the founder of Joffrey Ballet (now located in Chicago) is buried at the cathedral. <br><br> For more detail on the church's history, see <a href="http://www.nyc-architecture.com/HAR/HAR002.htm">NYC Architecture</a> or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathedral_of_Saint_John_the_Divine">Wikipedia.</a> <br><br> Saint John is a photography friendly place, with tripods allowed in the cathedral. To use a tripod, simply check in with the guard station outside on the right side. I have been to the church on five occasions and have found the staff very friendly and helpful, a great place to visit. This photo was taken in the early afternoon on an overcast day with the sun peeking through clouds. The building is a combination of an HDR version and a correctly exposed version.
  • Cathedral of Saint John the Divine Rose Window by Charles Connick <br><br> This is the West Rose window above the front entrance. According to information from the church, Charles Connick designed the Great Rose Window at the top in 1933. It depicts Christ in Glory, surrounded by angels, beatitudes, the four evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), the prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, and Ezekiel), Divine Love, Seraphim, and Divine Wisdom: Cherubim. <br><br> The Lower Rose window is also by Connick in 1933. "The seven points of the star are derived from the Revelation of St. John. In the center is Our Lords Monogram, IHS, the first three letters of Jesus in Greek, surrounded by seven fountains, seven vines, seven pairs of doves and seven stars." <br><br> Charles Connick (1875–1945) was a prominent artist best known for his work in stained glass in the Gothic Revival style. He was born in Crawford Country, Pennsylvania and developed an interest in drawing at an early age. He left high school when his father became disabled to become an illustrator on the staff of the Pittsburgh Press. At the age of 19, he learned the art of stained glass as an apprentice in the shop of Rudy Brothers in Pittsburgh, where he stayed through 1899. He worked for a number of stained glass companies in Pittsburgh and New York. He went to England and France to study ancient and modern stained glass, including those in the Chartres Cathedral. His first major work was First Baptist Church in Pittsburgh in 1912. Connick settled in Boston opening a stained glass studio in Back Bay in 1913; the Charles J. Connick Associates Studio continued to operate after his death until 1986. He produced many notable windows in such churches as Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Saint John the Divine, the Princeton University Chapel, and Saint Vincent Ferrer. According to Wikipedia, the Charles J. Connick Associates Studio produced some 15,000 windows in more than 5,000 churches and public buildings. <br><br> According to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Connick">Wikipedia, </a> “Connick preferred to use clear "antique" glass, similar to that of the Middle Ages and praised this type of glass as "colored radiance, with the lustre, intensity, and baffling vibrant quality of dancing lights." He employed a technique of "staggered" solder-joints in his leading and bars, which English stained-glass historian Peter Cormack says gives the windows their "syncopated or 'swinging' character." His style incorporated a strong interest in symbolism as well. Connick expressed the opinion that stained glass's first job was to serve the architectural effect and he believed that his greatest contribution to glasswork was "rescuing it from the abysmal depth of opalescent picture windows" of the sort popularized by Louis Comfort Tiffany and John La Farge. Although firmly committed to a regenerated handicraft tradition, Connick welcomed innovation and experimentation in design and technique among his co-workers at his studio.” <br><br> According to the <a href="http://www.cjconnick.org/">Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation website</a> “Using pure, intense color and strong linear design, this guild of artists led the modern revitalization of medieval stained glass craftsmanship in the United States. Their work reflected a strong interest in symbolism in design and color, and stressed the importance of the relationship between the window’s design and its surrounding architecture. As if with one mind and one pair of hands, the craftsmen in the Connick Studio worked collectively on their windows like the 12th- and 13th- century artisans whose craft inspired them.” <br><br> The Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation was formed after the studio closed in 1986. According to the <a href="http://www.cjconnick.org/">foundation website</a> “The mission of the Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation, Ltd. is to promote the true understanding of the glorious medium of color and light and to preserve and perpetuate the Connick tradition of stained glass.” <br><br> Here is an interesting <a href="http://video.mit.edu/watch/charles-j-connick-and-mit-10153/">video from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> on Connick. In December 2008, the foundation donated materials to the MIT’s Rotch Library of Architecture and Planning to form the Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation Collection. <br><br> This shot is captured with a focal length of 16mm. This is an HDR combining three exposures (-2, 0, 2) ranging in duration from 2 seconds to 30 seconds at f8, 100 ISO.
  • Cathedral of Saint John the Divine Rose Window by Charles Connick <br><br> Similar to the previous photo, this is a tighter shot of the West Rose window above the front entrance. According to information from the church, Charles Connick designed the Great Rose Window at the top in 1933. It depicts Christ in Glory, surrounded by angels, beatitudes, the four evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), the prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, and Ezekiel), Divine Love, Seraphim, and Divine Wisdom: Cherubim. <br><br> Charles Connick (1875–1945) was a prominent artist best known for his work in stained glass in the Gothic Revival style. He was born in Crawford Country, Pennsylvania and developed an interest in drawing at an early age. He left high school when his father became disabled to become an illustrator on the staff of the Pittsburgh Press. At the age of 19, he learned the art of stained glass as an apprentice in the shop of Rudy Brothers in Pittsburgh, where he stayed through 1899. He worked for a number of stained glass companies in Pittsburgh and New York. He went to England and France to study ancient and modern stained glass, including those in the Chartres Cathedral. His first major work was First Baptist Church in Pittsburgh in 1912. Connick settled in Boston opening a stained glass studio in Back Bay in 1913; the Charles J. Connick Associates Studio continued to operate after his death until 1986. He produced many notable windows in such churches as Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Saint John the Divine, the Princeton University Chapel, and Saint Vincent Ferrer. According to Wikipedia, the Charles J. Connick Associates Studio produced some 15,000 windows in more than 5,000 churches and public buildings. <br><br> According to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Connick">Wikipedia, </a> “Connick preferred to use clear "antique" glass, similar to that of the Middle Ages and praised this type of glass as "colored radiance, with the lustre, intensity, and baffling vibrant quality of dancing lights." He employed a technique of "staggered" solder-joints in his leading and bars, which English stained-glass historian Peter Cormack says gives the windows their "syncopated or 'swinging' character." His style incorporated a strong interest in symbolism as well. Connick expressed the opinion that stained glass's first job was to serve the architectural effect and he believed that his greatest contribution to glasswork was "rescuing it from the abysmal depth of opalescent picture windows" of the sort popularized by Louis Comfort Tiffany and John La Farge. Although firmly committed to a regenerated handicraft tradition, Connick welcomed innovation and experimentation in design and technique among his co-workers at his studio.” <br><br> According to the <a href="http://www.cjconnick.org/">Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation website</a> “Using pure, intense color and strong linear design, this guild of artists led the modern revitalization of medieval stained glass craftsmanship in the United States. Their work reflected a strong interest in symbolism in design and color, and stressed the importance of the relationship between the window’s design and its surrounding architecture. As if with one mind and one pair of hands, the craftsmen in the Connick Studio worked collectively on their windows like the 12th- and 13th- century artisans whose craft inspired them.” <br><br> The Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation was formed after the studio closed in 1986. According to the <a href="http://www.cjconnick.org/">foundation website</a> “The mission of the Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation, Ltd. is to promote the true understanding of the glorious medium of color and light and to preserve and perpetuate the Connick tradition of stained glass.” <br><br> Here is an interesting <a href="http://video.mit.edu/watch/charles-j-connick-and-mit-10153/">video from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> on Connick. In December 2008, the foundation donated materials to the MIT’s Rotch Library of Architecture and Planning to form the Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation Collection. <br><br> This was captured with a focal length of 27mm. This is an HDR combining three exposures (-2, 0, 2) ranging in duration from 2 seconds to 30 seconds at f8, 100 ISO.
  • Saint John the Divine Alter During Christmas Season <br><br> I took this photo of the alter during the Christmas season of 2011. I shot this with a wide angle lens (16 mm) about 12 inches off the ground. This photo was spliced together from two HDR versions, a top part and lower part of the alter. Both versions were in HDR from three exposures (-2,0,2) ranging from 1.3 seconds to 20 seconds. The correctly exposed photo had stained glass widows that were substantially underexposed and clipped. The widows looked great in the underexposed version, but other areas were too dark. The HDR version did a nice job of sampling the best parts from the under and overexposed photos. I did additional work in Photoshop elements to bring out detail from the three versions.
  • Saint John the Divine Medical Bay Stained Glass Window by Reynolds, Francise, and Rhonstock (1936) and National AIDS Memorial <br><br> From material from the church: "The rosette shows the triumphant Christ on a foliated cross, with angels on either side. The lancets depict the healing miracles of Christ along with the history of medicine." I couldn't find much information on Reynolds, Francise, and Rhonstock except that Joseph G. Reynolds worked with Connick before founding the firm in 1923.
  • Saint John the Divine Poet’s Corner<br /> <br /> This is the Poet’s Corner at Saint John the Divine, dedicated to American literature.
  • Saint John the Divine Great Rose Window by Charles Connick (1933) <br><br> According to material from the church, Charles Connick designed the Great Rose Window in 1933. "Christ is surrounded by angels, beatitudes, the four evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), the prophets (Isiah, Jeremiah, Daniel and Ezekiel), Divine Love, Seraphim and Divine Wisdom: Cherubim." <br><br> This is one of the first photos I took with a long telephoto lens, a Canon 70-200 f4 USM. My work up to that point was with much wider angle lenses, 10-22mm or 17-55mm, which provides a nice overall view of a window. However, I wanted a much closer perspective, tight enough to see the artist's detail of the work. Considering the 1.6X crop factor, this was shot at 290mm. <br><br> Charles Connick (1875–1945) was a prominent artist best known for his work in stained glass in the Gothic Revival style. He was born in Crawford Country, Pennsylvania and developed an interest in drawing at an early age. He left high school when his father became disabled to become an illustrator on the staff of the Pittsburgh Press. At the age of 19, he learned the art of stained glass as an apprentice in the shop of Rudy Brothers in Pittsburgh, where he stayed through 1899. He worked for a number of stained glass companies in Pittsburgh and New York. He went to England and France to study ancient and modern stained glass, including those in the Chartres Cathedral. His first major work was First Baptist Church in Pittsburgh in 1912. Connick settled in Boston opening a stained glass studio in Back Bay in 1913; the Charles J. Connick Associates Studio continued to operate after his death until 1986. He produced many notable windows in such churches as Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Saint John the Divine, the Princeton University Chapel, and Saint Vincent Ferrer. According to Wikipedia, the Charles J. Connick Associates Studio produced some 15,000 windows in more than 5,000 churches and public buildings. <br><br> According to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Connick">Wikipedia, </a> “Connick preferred to use clear "antique" glass, similar to that of the Middle Ages and praised this type of glass as "colored radiance, with the lustre, intensity, and baffling vibrant quality of dancing lights." He employed a technique of "staggered" solder-joints in his leading and bars, which English stained-glass historian Peter Cormack says gives the windows their "syncopated or 'swinging' character." His style incorporated a strong interest in symbolism as well. Connick expressed the opinion that stained glass's first job was to serve the architectural effect and he believed that his greatest contribution to glasswork was "rescuing it from the abysmal depth of opalescent picture windows" of the sort popularized by Louis Comfort Tiffany and John La Farge. Although firmly committed to a regenerated handicraft tradition, Connick welcomed innovation and experimentation in design and technique among his co-workers at his studio.” <br><br> According to the <a href="http://www.cjconnick.org/">Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation website</a> “Using pure, intense color and strong linear design, this guild of artists led the modern revitalization of medieval stained glass craftsmanship in the United States. Their work reflected a strong interest in symbolism in design and color, and stressed the importance of the relationship between the window’s design and its surrounding architecture. As if with one mind and one pair of hands, the craftsmen in the Connick Studio worked collectively on their windows like the 12th- and 13th- century artisans whose craft inspired them.” <br><br> The Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation was formed after the studio closed in 1986. According to the <a href="http://www.cjconnick.org/">foundation website</a> “The mission of the Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation, Ltd. is to promote the true understanding of the glorious medium of color and light and to preserve and perpetuate the Connick tradition of stained glass.” <br><br> Here is an interesting <a href="http://video.mit.edu/watch/charles-j-connick-and-mit-10153/">video from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> on Connick. In December 2008, the foundation donated materials to the MIT’s Rotch Library of Architecture and Planning to form the Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation Collection.
  • Saint John the Divine Great Rose Window by Charles Connick (1933) <br><br> According to material from the church, Charles Connick designed the Great Rose Window in 1933. "Christ is surrounded by angels, beatitudes, the four evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John), the prophets (Isiah, Jeremiah, Daniel and Ezekiel), Divine Love, Seraphim and Divine Wisdom: Cherubim." <br><br> This is one of the first photos I took with a long telephoto lens, a Canon 70-200 f4 USM. My work up to that point was with much wider angle lenses, 10-22mm or 17-55mm, which provides a nice overall view of a window. However, I wanted a much closer perspective, tight enough to see the artist's detail of the work. Considering the 1.6X crop factor, this was shot at 112mm. <br><br> Charles Connick (1875–1945) was a prominent artist best known for his work in stained glass in the Gothic Revival style. He was born in Crawford Country, Pennsylvania and developed an interest in drawing at an early age. He left high school when his father became disabled to become an illustrator on the staff of the Pittsburgh Press. At the age of 19, he learned the art of stained glass as an apprentice in the shop of Rudy Brothers in Pittsburgh, where he stayed through 1899. He worked for a number of stained glass companies in Pittsburgh and New York. He went to England and France to study ancient and modern stained glass, including those in the Chartres Cathedral. His first major work was First Baptist Church in Pittsburgh in 1912. Connick settled in Boston opening a stained glass studio in Back Bay in 1913; the Charles J. Connick Associates Studio continued to operate after his death until 1986. He produced many notable windows in such churches as Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Saint John the Divine, the Princeton University Chapel, and Saint Vincent Ferrer. According to Wikipedia, the Charles J. Connick Associates Studio produced some 15,000 windows in more than 5,000 churches and public buildings. <br><br> According to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Connick">Wikipedia, </a> “Connick preferred to use clear "antique" glass, similar to that of the Middle Ages and praised this type of glass as "colored radiance, with the lustre, intensity, and baffling vibrant quality of dancing lights." He employed a technique of "staggered" solder-joints in his leading and bars, which English stained-glass historian Peter Cormack says gives the windows their "syncopated or 'swinging' character." His style incorporated a strong interest in symbolism as well. Connick expressed the opinion that stained glass's first job was to serve the architectural effect and he believed that his greatest contribution to glasswork was "rescuing it from the abysmal depth of opalescent picture windows" of the sort popularized by Louis Comfort Tiffany and John La Farge. Although firmly committed to a regenerated handicraft tradition, Connick welcomed innovation and experimentation in design and technique among his co-workers at his studio.” <br><br> According to the <a href="http://www.cjconnick.org/">Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation website</a> “Using pure, intense color and strong linear design, this guild of artists led the modern revitalization of medieval stained glass craftsmanship in the United States. Their work reflected a strong interest in symbolism in design and color, and stressed the importance of the relationship between the window’s design and its surrounding architecture. As if with one mind and one pair of hands, the craftsmen in the Connick Studio worked collectively on their windows like the 12th- and 13th- century artisans whose craft inspired them.” <br><br> The Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation was formed after the studio closed in 1986. According to the <a href="http://www.cjconnick.org/">foundation website</a> “The mission of the Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation, Ltd. is to promote the true understanding of the glorious medium of color and light and to preserve and perpetuate the Connick tradition of stained glass.” <br><br> Here is an interesting <a href="http://video.mit.edu/watch/charles-j-connick-and-mit-10153/">video from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> on Connick. In December 2008, the foundation donated materials to the MIT’s Rotch Library of Architecture and Planning to form the Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation Collection.
  • Saint John the Divine Lesser Rose Window by Charles Connick (1933) <br><br> According to material from the church, Charles Connick designed the Great Rose Window in 1933. "The seven points of the star are derived from the Revelation of St. John. Int the center is Our Lords Monogram, IHS, the first three letters of Jesus in Greek, surrounded by seven fountains, seven vines, seven pairs of doves, and seven stars." <br><br> This is one of the first photos I took with a long telephoto lens, a Canon 70-200 f4 USM. My work up to that point was with much wider angle lenses, 10-22mm or 17-55mm, which provides a nice overall view of a window. However, I wanted a much closer perspective, tight enough to see the artist's detail of the work. Considering the 1.6X crop factor, this was shot at 300mm. <br><br> Charles Connick (1875–1945) was a prominent artist best known for his work in stained glass in the Gothic Revival style. He was born in Crawford Country, Pennsylvania and developed an interest in drawing at an early age. He left high school when his father became disabled to become an illustrator on the staff of the Pittsburgh Press. At the age of 19, he learned the art of stained glass as an apprentice in the shop of Rudy Brothers in Pittsburgh, where he stayed through 1899. He worked for a number of stained glass companies in Pittsburgh and New York. He went to England and France to study ancient and modern stained glass, including those in the Chartres Cathedral. His first major work was First Baptist Church in Pittsburgh in 1912. Connick settled in Boston opening a stained glass studio in Back Bay in 1913; the Charles J. Connick Associates Studio continued to operate after his death until 1986. He produced many notable windows in such churches as Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Saint John the Divine, the Princeton University Chapel, and Saint Vincent Ferrer. According to Wikipedia, the Charles J. Connick Associates Studio produced some 15,000 windows in more than 5,000 churches and public buildings. <br><br> According to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Connick">Wikipedia, </a> “Connick preferred to use clear "antique" glass, similar to that of the Middle Ages and praised this type of glass as "colored radiance, with the lustre, intensity, and baffling vibrant quality of dancing lights." He employed a technique of "staggered" solder-joints in his leading and bars, which English stained-glass historian Peter Cormack says gives the windows their "syncopated or 'swinging' character." His style incorporated a strong interest in symbolism as well. Connick expressed the opinion that stained glass's first job was to serve the architectural effect and he believed that his greatest contribution to glasswork was "rescuing it from the abysmal depth of opalescent picture windows" of the sort popularized by Louis Comfort Tiffany and John La Farge. Although firmly committed to a regenerated handicraft tradition, Connick welcomed innovation and experimentation in design and technique among his co-workers at his studio.” <br><br> According to the <a href="http://www.cjconnick.org/">Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation website</a> “Using pure, intense color and strong linear design, this guild of artists led the modern revitalization of medieval stained glass craftsmanship in the United States. Their work reflected a strong interest in symbolism in design and color, and stressed the importance of the relationship between the window’s design and its surrounding architecture. As if with one mind and one pair of hands, the craftsmen in the Connick Studio worked collectively on their windows like the 12th- and 13th- century artisans whose craft inspired them.” <br><br> The Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation was formed after the studio closed in 1986. According to the <a href="http://www.cjconnick.org/">foundation website</a> “The mission of the Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation, Ltd. is to promote the true understanding of the glorious medium of color and light and to preserve and perpetuate the Connick tradition of stained glass.” <br><br> Here is an interesting <a href="http://video.mit.edu/watch/charles-j-connick-and-mit-10153/">video from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> on Connick. In December 2008, the foundation donated materials to the MIT’s Rotch Library of Architecture and Planning to form the Charles J. Connick Stained Glass Foundation Collection.
  • Saint John the Divine Medical Bay Stained Glass Window by Reynolds, Francise, and Rhonstock (1936)<br /> <br /> From material from the church: "The rosette shows the triumphant Christ on a foliated cross, with angels on either side. The lancets depict the healing miracles of Christ along with the history of medicine." I couldn't find much information on Reynolds, Francise, and Rhonstock except that Joseph G. Reynolds worked with Connick before founding the firm in 1923.
  • Saint John the Divine Armed Forces Bay Stained Glass Window by Ernest Lakeman<br /> <br /> The lancets show scenes from famous battles.
  • Saint John the Divine American History Bay Stained Glass Window by Ernest Lakeman<br /> <br /> The lancets depict figures and events of significance in American history.
  • Saint John the Divine Armed Forces Bay Stained Glass Window by Ernest Lakeman<br /> <br /> The lancets show scenes from famous battles.
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