Helaine Blumenfeld sculpture - Salisbury Cathedral

American born Helaine Blumenfeld (now an honorary OBE) has 20 new sculptures both in and around the outside Salisbury Cathedral, on display until 8th September. Official website and press releases here.

I'd only photographed (but not blipped) the ones outside up to now and with dodgy weather and new Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 lens, popped on inside this incredible, majestic cathedral.

And so did hundreds of others - the height of the tourist season and spitty rain and blowy winds - tourists aren't stupid - and so getting wideangle shots (that weren't upwards) and not getting people in them, was always going to be tricky.

I did the shots that I've done before but particularly wanted to feature one of the sculptures, as they are ephemeral and being an international audience, after all, want to share with you lovely lot. I'm afraid I didn't take to noting what this particular one is called - and one has to pay a tidy sum for an illustrated souvenir brochure - as well as the requisite donation for entry. A good cause as it certainly is but it is a spiritual, religious building and I am a poor unemployed local, not a wealthy tourist.

Nothing fancy about taking this particular one - stopped down by one stop to f4, to get slightly better quality and with a bit more depth of field, to help cover the depth of the sculpture, whilst still isolating it slightly from the background.

I loved the swirly reflections and patterns - like an ordnance survey map, full of contour lines. People nearby reflected took on new shapes and forms and I did get quite a few shots zoomed in - but intentionally having only taken in this 17-50mm, this lens lacked the pulling power to get in close. Oddly, these sculptures seemed to demand their own space and for one not to get so close that they swamped one and overwhelmed. So, do look in LARGEat all those swirly patterns.

I'm quite happy with the outcome of this, heightened slightly by edited added contrast, though of course, the speaker on the pillar is a distraction. Removing it (didn't take my toolkit!) was not an option!

Thanks to all who got my Golden Cross of yesterday up into the Spotlight - appreciated.

Am more unsettled than of late and it was back to the Doc's earlier. One day I might see their blinkered by-the-book and budget orientated opinions - or they could just see mine!! Ha! No chance!