Knowing that I’d often-times be busy focusing on people’s faces come Alison & Neville’s wedding day in late-August, and that no end of personal interaction would be unfolding in front of my lens come the big day, I felt it would be a good idea to spend some time in advance of the date at the church they are to marry in so I could do as much justice possible, visually, to its architectural splendour.
St. Peter’s Church in Parkstone, Poole, is located a stone’s throw from the main street that intersects the picturesque Ashley Cross area.
In common with all but the most modern of purpose built churches, the interior of St. Peter's presents an evocatively low light scenario from a photographic standpoint but I'm especially pleased with how well the Canon 5D MkII manages in low light conditions, especially in its ability to render subtle tonal gradations in areas furthest away from window light. I suppose after all it was purposefully engineered for the wedding photography sector!
Something that struck me as quite profound was the apparent scale of the interior of St. Peter's Church in relation to the apparent scale of the exterior. This is something I have found with other churches of a similar architectural pedigree. It really does appear a great deal larger on the inside than on the outside.
I discussed this scalar phenomenon with some friends, hypothesising myself that a church when viewed from the outside is most often seen against the sky and the sheer scale of the sky might suggest, in comparison, that the church itself is smaller; once on the inside the actual scale becomes apparent. Another posited that high ceilings always suggest greater space in a room and the effect would be greatly amplified in a church setting. A third, with a background in civil engineering, suggested that churches built with flying buttresses on the outside allowed for maximum utilisation of space on the inside. Whatever the case, St. Peter's does have an awe inspiring interior.
Something I especially appreciated about the church was that despite its all encompassing grandeur it was also imbued with a sense of intimacy through its use of spaces to allow for smaller scale, perhaps more personal reflection.
The magnificence of the organ at the altar end of the church perhaps has to be seen with the eye to be fully appreciated but I have tried to do it some visual justice here.
Even the most utilitarian of corners of the church has a highly evocative air about it.
My thanks to the Reverend Roger Bayldon who has proved exceptionally helpful, engaging and friendly to boot in affording me access to the church and pointing out to me some of its most interesting and important features, as well as guiding me towards the best possible vantage points for photographic coverage of the marriage ceremony on Alison & Neville’s wedding day. Reverend Bayldon will be conducting the ceremony. My thanks also to Mrs. Cook for the lovely cup of coffee and chocolate biscuits that fuelled me through a hour and a half of exploring the interior of the church!
Contact Bournemouth wedding photographer Phillip Allen : phill@misterphill.com : 07870 696248
by Phillip Allen
show hide 4 comments
Amber Hughes - Gah! What a beautiful church! I could spend all day photographing someplace like that. You really did it justice!
Hilary - Wow! That is one terrific church! This is gorgeous.
Amy French - Beautiful shots of a gorgeous church. Love the tones!
Phillip Allen - Thanks all :~) It is indeed a beautiful church and I felt a great deal of connection in photographing it.