Catedral Primada de América, a photo from Distrito Nacional, East

Photographer's Note

I am back from my holidays on that beautiful country of the Caribean called Dominican Republic, where I had the privilege to know our TE colleague Emile. The decision of choosing this shot for opening my new travelogue is more sentimental than anything else: it is the first shot I made when I was with Emile, who already posted a photo that he shot at the same time, while he was just on my left.

Like on most of my stay, I didn't feel much inspired to shoot on that day, which is both sad and strange, because the town of Santo Domingo and the country in general is very scenic and the light is magnificent. I returned to the city another day, hoping to get some interesting photos, but all monuments and museums were closed that day, so I couldn't get any shots of the interiors.

The cathedral was built on the early 16th century and besides being the oldest of the New World, it is the only Gothic construction in America (at least if we omit the much later "out of time" constructions like the New York cathedral). It is in the heart of the oldest part of the town (Zona Colonial), which was classified as World Heritage by Unesco in 1990.

Location (latitude, longitude): 18.473,-69.884

Update 5-Jun-2008: I posted a view of the entrance of the cathedral from outside the walls that surround it.

Benedict, Docarmo, japiey, Floydian, feather, jwmunro, rigoletto, Emile, lucasgalodoido, gaze, xuaxo, jmcl, sufi, danos, maloutim, Atousa, andante, edytungkal, ruisc_pt, JCG trouve(nt) cette note utile

Critiques | Translate

Benedict (7076) 2007-08-30 21:47

hey jose,
welcome back! bet you missed us!
i specially like the columns of roof arches of this gothic cathedral. well composed, well lit!
benedict

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aadilj (18102) 2007-08-30 22:21

The mammoth and lovely architecture is captured exremely beautifully here in all its grandeur and glory. i simply love your pov and light management. Good composition

Greg1949 (9011) 2007-08-30 22:25

Jose, fantastic shot, the detail is just fantastic. The cathedral is obviously beautiful and you have done a great job capturing it.

Greg

UnTrained (0) 2007-08-30 23:00

Olá José,
instead of showing us beach captures from the warm sun and happy people we get an empty church ;-)
It is a very interesting architecture with the columns and arches made of this bright stones. The dark wood from the benches works as a good contrast. The light management here is well done. I hope you enjoyed that time even without too much captures.
Lieben Gruss, Ulf

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Docarmo (9767) 2007-08-30 23:02

Oi José,
Bem-vindo de volta ao TE!
Linda foto, com excelente impressão de profundidade. Ótimos links também, fazendo do todo uma excelente composição.
Obrigada por partilhar conosco.
Maria do Carmo

Andro (4) 2007-08-31 0:38 [Comment]

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japiey (10163) 2007-08-31 1:04

Hi Jose.

Nice to see you again after some days..
A FASCINATING SHOT TO MAKE US REALLY HAPPY AGAIN..
The architecture has the quality and you have done it proud with this composition.

Salutes, dear friend.
Wishes from India.

jean paul
(soon)

fanch (0) 2007-08-31 3:54

Salut Jose , content de te retrouver !

Superbe netteté et couleurs magnifiques . Le détail des ventilateurs montre que l'on est dans un pays chaud ... et grace à tes vacances je m'attend à voir encore beaucoup de photos sympathiques !

Amitiés ,

Floydian (30970) 2007-08-31 6:22

Hi Jose,
I saw this church before from Emile a few days ago. It's a really impressive building and also you managed the light very well.
Great textures with pattens on the ceiling creating a perfect depth...very good.
Regards, Henk

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sacavem (18620) 2007-08-31 7:01

Olá Jose,

Great architecture shot. Amazing details and attractive composition, very impressive and spectacular POV. Excellent lights and clarity.

Um abraço,
Filipe

feather (51130) 2007-08-31 7:08

Welcome back from your trip Jose.
Before I read your note I thought I recognised this place and now I see I saw it in Emile's gallery.
Impressive feat to hand-hold 1/3 sec (didn't you think to put up the ISO?) The architecture is also impressive with the high vaulted ceiling and the pillars. Well done
Kath

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batalay (41261) 2007-08-31 8:45

Hello José,

Welcome back! This is a wonderful shot of the interior of the 1th century church, which must make it one of the newest in the Americas. I also looked at Emile's photo, and indeed it is the same view. He has either used a very wide angle lens, or you have transformed the perspective to make the columns relatively parallel to the frame (which I prefer. I had done the same thing in Bargello Gate, (compare with the version ws). In any event, I do prefer your version.

You must have had a rejuvenating time in the Dominican Republic. If you come to the New World again, please make it a point to get together. We live only an hour from Washington, DC, in a very historic part of the country that produced a total of eight Presidents of the United States, including the four of the first five -- Washington, Jefferson, Madison and Monroe.

Warm regards, good friend.

Bulent

jwmunro (286) 2007-08-31 8:49

Hello Jose and welcome back -

This is a well executed image with wonderful detail in the roof. The cropping of the image is well done as there is a sense of symmetry about the center isle.

There is a minor problem, IMO, with the image and that is the shallow DOF. I know a wide open aperture would equate to faster shutter and easier to hand hold. With digital pushing the ISO is an alternative. By pushing the ISO to 200 the DOF could have been 4.5-5.6 at the same shutter speed and ISO 320 = 5.6-6.3 with the same shutter. All of these would have given a greater DOF with a better chance of the altar being sharper. The trade off though is the noise and dealing with that in PP. But, that was your decision to make. Anyway well presented.

Thank you for sharing.

John

Emile (20352) 2007-08-31 9:31

Hola Jose.
Tu foto de la catedral esta fantastica, los detalles de los arcos y la definicion hasta lo profundo del altar al fondo esta excelente, en ese momento debi tomarte otra foto para ponerla en WS de mi foto ya que estabas ahi mismo a mi derecha. Gracias por venir a Santo Domingo y darme la oportunidad de concerte a ti y tu familia.
Se te olvido clonar el cubo al pie del altar.
Un fuerte abrazo y espero que tu esposa y tu simpatico hijo esten bien.

Bluejeans (64251) 2007-08-31 11:42

Ola Jose que bela igreja o tecto tem uma bela contrução , gostei da sensação de profundidade como se tivessemos a entrar , gostei da luz e do contraste , parabens!!!
Um abraço Gonçalo
Bom fim de semana

leo61 (0) 2007-08-31 11:46

Hi Jose!
A great indoor-church-shot!!!Good POV and good symetry.Good lightmanagement and amazing sharpness with fine details.
Regards,leo

lucasgalodoido (26944) 2007-08-31 16:07

Olá José!
Boa foto para o seu "retorno"! Uma construção magnífica mesmo, com bons detalhes na foto e boa iluminação, parece até que estamos sentados numa das cadeiras!
Parabéns e Abraço!

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robertosalguero (292) 2007-08-31 18:38

Good shot Jose! This cathedral look amazing inside and perhaps also outside. Light management is great for an indoor shot and details are excellent. I wonder how long it took the completion of the building. Good work Jose!

Roberto

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zeca (19762) 2007-08-31 21:25

Olá José!
Gostei das texturas e da arquitetura, também da iluminação e do POV, naturalmente. Só acho que a nitidez deixou um pouco a desejar aqui.
De qualquer forma a foto é bem interessante.
Abraço,
Zeca

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vincz (19113) 2007-09-01 1:24

Welcome back Jose! I saw Emile's image a couple of days ago, did not know you were with him. Great light management, the roof architecture is so interesting nd we can detail it so well on your picture.

rigoletto (34279) 2007-09-01 6:25

Welcome back from your holidays Dear José :)
Really interesting to read that you were not much inspired by the environ, but this really happens sometimes.
This is really a great architecture, and i am much impressed by large interiors, especially those of Gothic cathedrals. The light is good, square format increases the feeling of symmetry.
A figure would do good though and hope it were a bit sharper...
TFS and waiting for further posts from that not much known country.
Cheers,
Deniz

xuaxo (6854) 2007-09-02 14:26

Olá José,
Não esperava esta imagem de Santo Domingo (se bem que é preferível em relação às imagens de palmeiras na praia que são iguais em qualquer ilha dessas).
Comparando com a do Emile, gosto mais do teu enquadramento e das tuas cores (qual tem as cores mais próximas da realidade?). A dele tem melhor nitidez.
Um abraço, F.

jmcl (14535) 2007-09-02 19:28

Hi Jose,

Wonderful to see you back .. Beautiful space .. wonderfully composed .. wonderful tone .. did you hand hold this? (it looks a little fuzzy .. we need one of those 510s) Very nice image .. impressive place ..
take care,

John

fkokol (1636) 2007-09-04 15:19

What a great architecture. Wonderful composition with great sharpness and colours. great DOF also. greetings,

figen

sufi (9588) 2007-09-05 23:27

Merhaba José, my friend...
It's a wonderful point of view and great perspective, indeed... The light and the tones of the pastel are perfect... Also perfect details and clarity... The ceiling of the Catedral Primada de América is weonderful... Great architecture too...
TFS...
Stay well and Abraço..
Salim.

danos (110407) 2007-09-06 4:54

Ola Jose,
welcome back from your vacations from the Dominican Republic.I hope to pass your holidays excellent and to see beautiful photos from this Caribbean country.Great the interior of this cathedral,With impressive light and colours.1/3 seconds without tripod? marvellous.Well done Jose.

Regards,Danos

maloutim (13617) 2007-09-07 12:39

Bonjour José!
Très beau point de vue de l'intérieur de cette cathédrale gothique! Très bonnes netteté, couleurs et luminosité!
TE est merveilleux, n'est-ce-pas? On peut connaître quelqu'un avant d'aller où que ce soit dans le monde!
Contente de savoir que tu as passé de bonnes vacances dans cette belle île tropicale!
Moi, j'ai visité la voisine Porto Rico en 2005, avec beaucoup de plaisir également.
Amitiés!
Marie Louise.

Atousa (7131) 2007-09-08 23:10

Salam Jose,
Very nice POV and architecture.I like the colors and its solitude.
Best wishes,
AtousA

mikeo (12129) 2007-09-10 13:10

Hi Jose,

Magnificent composition!
Great perspective!
Beautiful colours!
Superb effect of the arches!

Well done Jose,
Greetings
A.

paura (25802) 2007-09-11 17:23

Olá José,
Eu ví outra foto dessa linda catedral postada por um colega do TE mas não pude me furtar de comentar sua fotografia. Ajustes tecnicos estão adequados, apesar de eu, em seu lugar, provavelmente teria optado em um f/stop bem mais elevado e a utilização de um tripé. Mas você conseguiu um bom resultado para f/3.5 e 1/3 segundos. De qualquer forma, trata-se de uma das mais belas igrejas que já ví e você conseguiu fotografá-la com maestria.

Abraços

Paulo

jaywalker (16105) 2007-09-12 11:18

Hi Jose, Captervating, the depth is excellent & wonderful balance, this interier shot is beautiful, the detail in the roof is stunning, you have managed the light very well & the overall composition is perfect, TFS kind regards Wilson.

Graal (103040) 2007-09-15 0:08

Hi Jose,
very nice interior of cathedral. I like the symetric composition and beautiful architecture. Good work and informations.
Gr., Aleksander

edytungkal (4551) 2007-11-18 17:29

Hello Jose,
Every Chatedrals in the world have beautiful architectures, i,m lucky to see one of these on your well composed and balance picture, nice details captured.
Thanks alot and for the story too :-)

daniel

ruisc_pt (11544) 2008-03-08 7:19

OLá José.
Em especial para mim estas obras de arte deixam-me estupefacto como naquela altura e à distância de muito meses foi possível erguer "coisas" como estas com um rigor impressionante e uma qualidade irrepreensível.
Esta tua imagem é uma prova bem conseguida deste testemunho.
Simplesmente fantástico
Um ab
Rui

JCG (35153) 2008-06-12 5:05

Hi José,

After having seen outside, I could not pass beside the interior !!! Indeed this cathedral is superb, I like much this row of arcades which gives a depth to the image. I like much the management of the light which emphasizes architecture well. Beautiful work José.

Warm regards,

Jean-Charles