Vestment, Abbey of Melk, Austria, 2003 by Phil Douglis

Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Four: Finding meaning in details > Vestment, Abbey of Melk, Austria, 2003

previous | next


25-APR-2003

Vestment, Abbey of Melk, Austria, 2003

The wealth and power of the medieval church is symbolized by this ancient vestment woven from golden threads. Instead of showing the entire vestment, I moved in to stress its elegant design and construction, revealing detail that makes it become a more universal symbol of authority. If I had chosen instead to photograph the entire vestment, I would have just produced a literal, descriptive picture of a museum exhibit.

Canon PowerShot G2
1/15s f/2.0 at 7.5mm hide exif

Full EXIF Info
Date/Time	25-Apr-2003 12:17:21
Make	Canon
Model	PowerShot G2
Flash Used	No
Focal Length	7.5 mm
Exposure Time	1/15 sec
Aperture	f/2
ISO Equivalent
Exposure Bias
White Balance	(-1)
Metering Mode	matrix (5)
JPEG Quality	(6)
Exposure Program	shutter priority (2)
Focus Distance	65.540 m

other sizes: small medium large original auto

previous | next

Phil Douglis		27-Feb-2005 02:47
Good question, Dandan. You are right. Not all abstraction uses detail. In fact many abstractions remove detail. Likewise, not all images featuring details are abstractions, either. If I took a shot of you eating an ice cream cone, and there was a spot of ice cream on the end of your nose, it would be charming detail right? And no abstraction in sight! Hope this clears it up.

Guest		17-Jan-2005 16:54
Phil, what is the difference between a detailed photograph and an abstracted photograph? I know not all the abstraction are detailed, but are all detailed photographs are abstracted?

Phil Douglis		03-Jan-2005 03:08
Hi, Nut. This image takes context to understand. And that context comes from the words in my caption. I told you that the "wealth and power of the medieval church is symbolized by this ancient vestment woven by golden threads." Keep that sentence in mind, you can study the intricate design of this vestment at very close range, and it becomes overwhelming. You eyes are filled with golden thread, which told you symbolizes wealth and power. Authority, Nut, is something that comes with power. Authority is what makes rules, runs businesses, and runs institutions, such as this church. That's why I said this is a symbol of authority. Do you see the connection now between wealth, power, gold, and authority?

nut		02-Jan-2005 13:11
Why you said this one is a symbol of authority? I don't feel that.

Guest		01-Dec-2004 15:11
i agree with Capa and with you. close-up photography is highly rewarding!

Phil Douglis		30-Nov-2004 23:46
Well observed, Clara. The key to finding significant detail is your camera position. Many photographers fail to get close enough and get too much in the frame. To seek an essence, you must eliminate all detail that is extraneous, and reveal only detail that best conveys the meaning you seek. It's an abstracting process, Clara, a process of distillation. Robert Capa, the great photojournalist, said it best. He said "If your pictures aren't good enough, you're probably not close enough!"

Guest		24-Nov-2004 17:39
you are right, this detail captures the essence of the robe, the power attributed to it. this way the image is so much powerful too.

Anna Yu		17-Jan-2004 17:20
I think that a flash would have flattened out the image and removed the 3d effect. Beautiful work btw. /Anna

Phil Douglis		11-Oct-2003 02:36
Vanessa, I never use a flash. And never will. I am an available light fanatic. I love the look of natural light in my pictures. (Read the introduction to my Pbase gallery entitled "Light" at:http://www.pbase.com/pnd1/light. It will tell you why!) If you would like to discuss available light photography with me at length, I would be delighted to do so. Send me an email at pnd1@cox.net, and pepper me with your questions! Phil

Vanessa		08-Oct-2003 22:02
Phil, Just wondering how often you use flash in your photography.....

Type your message and click Add Comment

It is best to login or register first but you may post as a guest. Enter an optional name and contact email address. Name
Name Email
help	private comment

Type your message and click Add Comment

It is best to login or register first but you may post as a guest. Enter an optional name and contact email address. Name
Name Email
help	private comment