Underground churches - pack an angel filter

If you've done a European tour, chances are you've visited and photographed Cathedral No 73 like I did. The problem was that No 73 looked remarkably similar to the previous 72. If your travels have taken you through Egypt, Turkey and the middle-east you probably shot Temple No 114 as well.

My exuberant Colombian guide Julio César Rivera led me into an underground Catholic Church in a disused salt mine in Colombia. I thought 'This might be a bit different'. And it was! 

Nikon D700. Church: 20mm, 1s@f2.8 3200ISO Belly Dancer: 50mm 1/500s@f1.8 400ISO

The altar, statues and seats were set in amongst the salt caverns. Concealed lights created an eery vibrance and tantalising shadows. Pools of still water created reflections to confuse one's perception of distance. I needed to watch where I stepped. Memories of my Catholic upbringing came flooding back to me. I stepped carefully past the stations of the cross, stopping at Station Seven and checking for hidden notes. 

The one thought that resonated was that salt mines would have been dark and dangerous places to work. I would have wanted my guardian angel looking over my shoulder.

By coincidence I knew a beautiful, young guardian angel back in Australia and 'spirited' said angel into the church and onto the steps of the altar via Photoshop. It only took a minute or two. Angels travel pretty quick these days.

From a photographic perspective nothing in this world is boring only thinking makes it so.

Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to photograph an angel!

Check out my next Photography Workshop. Eccentrics welcome. Angels admitted free.

Footnote:
Not sure why songs today don't have meaningful lyrics. Back in my teenage years we all understood the deep and meaningful lyrics. Take for example Roy Orbison's 'Blue Angel'

Sha la la, dooby way

Dum dum dum, yeh um

Sha la la, dooby way

Dum dum dum, yeh um