Gothic, a photo from Hampshire, England

Photographer's Note

This may look like something out of a Hammer Horror film, and Dracula is probably rising from his tomb. But this is in fact Royal Garrison Church, a partial ruin in Old Portsmouth, left standing as a memorial to the damage suffered by the town during the Blitz. Although the nave was badly damaged in a 1941 fire-bomb raid, the chancel remains roofed and furnished.

The church was founded in about 1212 by Peter des Roches, Bishop of Winchester, as part of a complex of buildings serving as a hostel for pilgrims and a hospital for the sick and elderly. It consisted of an aisled hall (now the ruined nave) and a chapel behind a wall in the east end (the surviving chancel). Medieval hospitals placed the beds in bays in the aisles within sight of the chapel. In 1540, after the Reformation, the building was used as an ammunition store, and it started to decay.

In 1559 the great Elizabethan project to build up the defences at Portsmouth began. The medieval hospital became part of the governor’s house, where two significant events in the history of the site took place. These were the marriage of Charles II to Catherine of Braganza in 1662 and the grand receptions held in June 1814 to celebrate the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Leipzig and his subsequent abdication. The receptions were attended by the Prince Regent, the Emperor of Russia, the King of Prussia and his general, Field-Marshal Blücher, the great ally of Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington.

In the 19th century the architect GE Street was responsible for a 10-year refurbishment and repair programme of the church, including a new south porch and vestry, new flooring, and specially designed furnishings and memorial windows. This was completed by 1871, and the church took on a 13th-century appearance that it had not presented for many centuries.

In 1933 the church came into the care of the Office of Works, but the firebomb raid in 1941 destroyed the nave. The nave ruins now stand divided from the intact chancel by a modern screen wall.

I think I prefer the less prosaic Gothic Horror "reading"! By the way, I got quite wet!

Royaldevon, annjackman, holmertz, bukitgolfb301, No_One, tatadalou, tyro, janjan1897, marabu61, Gigidusud, abmdsudi, jhm, CLODO, COSTANTINO, kordinator, Didi, delpeoples, JanArie, Tigerlily heeft deze opmerking als nuttig gemarkeerd

Critiques | Translate

Royaldevon (86392) 2015-01-31 3:14

Hello Will,

This is amazing!
Have you done this without any photo-shopping?
If so, I applaud you!
It is so dramatic: the ruined church, the dark night split by the jagged lightning, the illumination of the interior wall, the ghostly backlit turret! Oh, I could go on and on!
This b&w photograph just leapt off the monitor ... it really is ghostly!!

I think this will create lots of interest!

Have a great w/e and thanks for this,
Bev :-)

annjackman (23019) 2015-01-31 3:26

Hi Will,
You must have taken your time getting this one and as you say you got wet. The fork lightening has lit up parts of this old church beautifully. Superb b/w photography of a subject that makes me shiver!
Kind Regards, Ann

kasianowak (17676) 2015-01-31 3:28

Hi Will
What can I say - breathtaking! The lightening seen through the window of the old church, especially where it creates background for the tower in the distance is just perfect.
I would love to see the colour version of this image too.
Have a nice weekend
Kasia

howladersourav (341) 2015-01-31 3:48

Hi Will
What a jaw-dropping frame! I salute.
Thank you very much for sharing.
regards
sourav

holmertz (103564) 2015-01-31 4:15

Hello Will,
this is spectacular. Hollywood could not have done it better. Whatever PP you may have done on this you did it well.
Regards,
Gert

bukitgolfb301 (54014) 2015-01-31 4:19

Hi dear Will

Great and perfect momet you did catch in the best timing. Very very impressive and eye-catching image.
B&W color touch adds more and more mysterious atmosphere, the best choice as usual!

All the best and have a good Sat.! Takero

mesutilgim (0) 2015-01-31 4:21

Hello dear Will,
Just amazing ! B&W was a perfect choice. Great effect.
TFS and have a nice weekend
MESUT ILGIM

suhasb (112) 2015-01-31 6:13

Dear Will Perrett,

How could you manage this to capture. the light condition seems to be complicated. the shutter speed you used is not too high. yet the thunders are crystal clear.the ruins are too. stunning capture sir. a crystal clear snap with a story. will i ever be able to capture such a drama? i doubt it.

thank you sir

regards, suhas

SnapRJW (31631) 2015-01-31 6:40

OK... Is this what it purports to be? I don't actually care, whatever or however the result is convincing and suitably creepy. I was watching Rocky Horror Picture Show yesterday ... my kind of Gothic ;)

Warm regards

Rosemary

Sergiom (117241) 2015-01-31 6:49

Bonjour Will,

WOW! Tu étais au bon endroit au bon moment. Quelle chance d'avoir pu saisir cet éclair avec autant de talent et juste au bon endroit soit au centre du clocher.

Bon samedi

Serge

adores (46979) 2015-01-31 8:59

Hi Will!
This is a fantastic capture, a very unique moment! I just love the composition and the way you show the lightnings on the tower in background, through the window. It was really worth the effort, it's a great shot, especially in b&w!

No_One (4) 2015-01-31 9:36

Hi Will
Spectacular. I know some powerful words are bandied about too easily at times, but this to me really is spectacular. As a fan of black and white, lighting and gothic horror, this has so much that appeals to my sense, truly an inspiring image. I have tied before to get photos of lightning, never with any success, so this is a photo to be so incredibly proud of. Every element of this picture is brilliant. Thanks for sharing such inspirational photography.
Cheers
Noel

tatadalou (7459) 2015-01-31 10:19

Hi Will,
The lightning that pierces the ruin of this old church makes your shot dramattic, even horrifying. Excellent job !
Regards,
Delphine

Energysavingelk (7888) 2015-01-31 12:54

Hi Will,

this capture gives no chance for any improvement! Have a good whiskey for getting soaked, you deserve it. Simply outstanding!

Châpeau from Rhineland
Sven

tyro (30513) 2015-01-31 14:47

Hello Will,

You have written a very interesting note about this historic building and shown us a photograph which is, to say the very least, quite remarkable!

If your exif data are correct, this was taken around 11 a.m. on an early December morning seven years ago and it's difficult to imagine that it was quite as dark as it looks here. And an exposure of 1/160 second at f/22 with an ISO of 400 also suggests that it wasn't particularly dim. You see, being of a somewhat suspicious bent, my first feeling on seeing this was that the sky with its vivid lines of lightning might not actually have been taken on the same occasion as the image of the church. If that was indeed the case then I have to applaud you for doing some absolutely wonderful and very expert work in Photoshop to make it (at least to me) impossible to discern. If, on the other hand, this actually was the single image as taken then I must applaud you just as wholeheartedly for your immaculate timing of this shot!

So, either way around, it's a brilliant photograph with fine composition, stunning light, tones and contrasts and excellent details and sharpness.

Brilliant!

Kind Regards,

John.

siudzi (34141) 2015-01-31 23:32

Hello Will,
Wow! What a fantastic moment you have captured! Truly impressive and unique presentation with b&w that is supporting perfectly the dramatic look of the scene. Like it a lot!
Best,
Gosia

janjan1897 (2301) 2015-02-01 4:15

Hello Will,
Brilliant capture ! The lightning strike almost looks as if it stayed there for a while and waited for you to frame it perfectly. Or well, you had to be as fast as lightning to capture this incredible moment ! The architecture of the church is a great addition to the beauty of the lightning. I really like the texture of the sky as well. Great photo, really nicely done.
Regards,
Jean

marabu61 (11587) 2015-02-01 11:21

Hello Well
Wow, perfectly timed shot to capture this dramatic scene. The old church in itself would make for a wonderful subject, but with the amazing bolt of lightning this becomes a true and timeless masterpiece.
Have a great week
Daniel

Gigidusud (21679) 2015-02-01 12:31

Hello Will,
Wow! This picture look like to an horror film! Incredible capture of lightning that blast the church. Excellent B&W version, beautiful view from the window. Splendid photo and an interesting note too. I like a lot! Me, I will have ran away!
Thanks for sharing.
Gigi

PiotrF (55892) 2015-02-01 12:55

Hello Will,
I'm impressed. Excellent personnel. The right time to take a picture. This is a great picture.
Regards
Piotr

Nicou (193814) 2015-02-02 8:41

Hello

Grandisoe compo et vue quelle iamge et cpatage quel éclair et ce rendu sur la pierre les trouées ces ouverture et l'effet de la lumirèe au travers sueprbe.
Bravo et amitié
Nicou

abmdsudi (95869) 2015-02-03 2:13

Hi Will
This is an unusual but excellently seen viewpoint and makes for a striking photo. Gothic is the word going through my brain, using the contrast & lightning of the sky you have achieved a grand detail with skilled handling and control of the light. An element of mystic feeling attaches itself to your setting and a mix of Hitchcock! Strange image and great seeing the imaginations at work. My congrats :)
Best regards

jhm (211738) 2015-02-03 4:02

Hello Will,

You took the picture with a little bit risk of the thunder and lightning or is this a show effect
An excellent perspective and depth picture.
You took a very well picture with a good subject.
An excellent composition and presentation too.
Very well done, TFS.

Have a nice day,
John.

harold (2377) 2015-02-03 8:28

Bonjour will , superbe image, j aime bien ce cadrage et la foudre qui tonne juste a ce moment sur le clochė donne Un resulta surprennent .vraiment du beau travail

lousat (139926) 2015-02-04 5:25

Hi Will,absolutely fantastic! I dont't know how mant times you tried to catch the thunderlights before to go,but the result is a great spectacle. I remind my attempts to do the same some years ago,i catch the thunderlight at 48th attmpt...ehehehe...have a nice day and thanks,Luciano

CLODO (45118) 2015-02-05 0:30

Hi Will

Amazing zombie picture, taken at the peak moment of the lighting. Hats off for the post processing in order to get matter in the deep shadows.
Cheers
CLODO

COSTANTINO (117700) 2015-02-05 8:49

Hello dear friend
shot different from the usuals which looks
like something out of a Horror film
your description is aboslutely correct
that Dracula is probably rising from his
tomb but reading carefully your useful
notes someone can understand what
kind of photo we have
great and perfect moment under
inspiration
regards
Costantino

williewhistler (16606) 2015-02-05 11:24

Hello Will,
somehow I nearly missed this one,really well conceived and thoughtfully presented,with bags of impact and no small amount of intrigue it`s a cracking shot.
Cheers Les.

Charrua (284) 2015-02-05 20:06

Hi Will
I like this photo very much. I don’t know whether it was a lucky click or the superposition of two shots taken at different moments, but it produces a staggering effect suitable for a film of Alfred Hitchcock.
Ruben

GyurMaster (25012) 2015-02-06 9:09

Dear Will,
Did you hear when my jaw dropped? Amazing picture, I think it is needless to say anything else. :)
Best Regards,
György

kordinator (8738) 2015-02-06 9:54

Hello Will
Nice black and white view a partial ruin in Old Portsmouth of the Royal Garrison Church.
Interesting photos with great moment caught with lightning.
Nice DDescripption church history in an informative text.
Excellent work with a very mystical atmosphere.
Indeed gothic horror.
Kind regards
Saša

Didi (61589) 2015-02-17 8:03

Hi Will
Do you have a special camera to capture lightning? in the 1/60 s it's impossible
Well done for this awesome pictures
Bats are missing :)
Best regards

vjmite (6660) 2015-02-22 3:35

Hi Will,

You certainly nailed this one: timing, exposure, sharpness, composition, point of view are all outstanding. The black and white treatment suits it perfectly. One of the best lightning photos I'v ever seen. It was worth getting wet!

Vince

delpeoples (60342) 2015-03-22 1:41

Gidday dear Will

Ahh I love this. What a compelling photo. That elusive bolt of lightning captured with perfect timing and composition. I love the B&W treatment, further enhancing the spooky Gothic atmosphere created by the ancient ruin, the ghoulish play of light and shade and of course the lightning bolt. Stunning piece of photography, and very brave being out in a storm like that!

Cheers
Lisa

JanArie (657) 2015-05-20 12:21

Hi Will, what an impressive and great photo.
Superb result for getting wet :-)

Regards, Jan-Arie

Tigerlily (3381) 2015-08-22 13:55

Wow.. I have never seen this one before, Will. Superb! Very spooky, great atmosphere, excellent capture.
Regards,
Jasmine

federico (6109) 2016-01-28 17:19

hello, Will I don't know how could I miss this photo till now! wonderfull, the ray, the church, the light, surely it took a lot of work to get this image, waiting for the proper ray, it was day I guess,
my best regards
Fred