Fourteenth century door, Southwell

click photo to enlarge
In medieval Gothic architecture an arch that is convex below and convex above and sweeps up to a sharp, tapered point is very characteristic of the fourteenth century. Such a form became fashionable at that time and appeared in window tracery, tomb canopies, blind tracery, door surrounds, wooden doors and much else. It is called the "ogee" arch and such an arch is described as "ogival". Another term used to describe this "S" shaped moulding is "cyma recta".

We visited Southwell Minster in Nottinghamshire recently. It is a relatively small major church, cathedral-like, and is mainly of the twelfth century (Norman period) and thirteenth century (Early English period). As we entered the building through the north porch I stopped to admire the wooden doors through which we were about to pass. They were so clearly fourteenth century, very sculptural, and so well lit that I had to photograph them. The sinuous moulding that decorated the surface had ogee forms at the top and bottom of each cell indicating its date. However, that pattern, very like a net pulled taut, also suggested the fourteenth century. It too has a specific name: architectural historians call it reticulated (meaning net-like) tracery. Within each shape I could make out the worn forms of quatrefoils, four-leafed shapes also much used in Gothic architecture.

It was clear that the door had survived because of the shelter from the weather that the large, vaulted porch provided. However, the wear of everyday use over a period of seven hundred years was evident in the worn mouldings, splits, knocks and gouges. Sometimes on such doors the metal-work is also original, frequently worn very thin through long use. Many of the large headed nails looked as though they dated from the time of the door's construction. But, the door handle, though rusted and marked, hadn't the wear of centuries and it is probably a Victorian replacement.

photograph and text © Tony Boughen

Camera: Olympus E-M10
Mode: Aperture Priority
Focal Length: 12mm (24mm - 35mm equiv.)
F No: f5.6
Shutter Speed: 1/15 sec
ISO:2000
Exposure Compensation: -0.33 EV
Image Stabilisation: On

A few of my best photographs

click photo to enlarge
For a number of years I've had a link in the sidebar of the blog to a "Best of PhotoReflect". This showed some of what I consider to be my better efforts with a camera. However, the external service I used for that purpose kept introducing changes and "improvements" in a way that has caused me to ditch them.

So, to give anyone who wants a flavour of what the blog is about, at least as far as the photographs go, I've put together a page of ten colour shots and a page of ten black and whites. These can be reached through the side bar links as usual. I say they are my ten best in each category, but that isn't strictly true. Why? Because those lists are going to be different each time I compile them. I'd like to think any future changes will be due to me becoming a better photographer and producing images that I rate more highly than earlier ones. But that isn't going to be the case, or it will apply only in the odd instance. The fact is, once I get past the first couple of shots in each category the rest that I add depend pretty much on how I feel at the time.

I will change these lists periodically, though not too often. Incidentally the borders of the photographs differ. That's because I'm an inveterate fiddler and change my presentation now and again. I haven't linked any of the photographs to their blog posts. I may do that at some point in the future.

Today's photograph isn't one that I count among my very best. In fact its a reject, one I prepared for posting then cast aside after I changed my mind. It shows a bier and a tomb in the church of St Andrew at Rippingale, Lincolnshire. The wheeled bier, probably Victorian, is still used to transport the coffin into the church and, after the service, to the grave in the churchyard. It stands in front of a wall tomb-chest that has a lady on top. She is surmounted by an ogee canopy with damaged cusps, fleurons and plentiful ballflower ornament. All the indications - dress, ornament etc - are that it dates from the the period 1300 to 1350.

photograph and text © Tony Boughen

Camera: Canon
Mode: Aperture Priority
Focal Length: 32mm
F No: f7.1
Shutter Speed: 1/30 sec
ISO: 3200
Exposure Compensation: -0.33 EV
Image Stabilisation: On