Close to Godliness

A couple of weeks ago a girl from my office asks if I can take a group photograph of villagers in Norton sub Hamdon as part of the jubilee weekend celebrations.
I remembered that I took a great picture in 2000 from the top of the church looking down on villagers in the churchyard. So that's what we decided. After two weeks of phone calls, emails and notes in the local newsletter the big day came.
As always outdoor photography is at the mercy of the elements and today it was heaving it down, I feared the worse. Who was going to turn up in a churchyard to get drenched.

The good folk of Norton

At about 1030 I pulled up outside the church, grabbed my bag and legged it into the church where I met Debbie, the organiser. I was to climb 145ish knackering steps and she would be my ears on the ground. I was wheezing like a smoker at the top, squeezed through the open door and onto the tower roof.

I had two d700 bodies, one 24mm lens, one standard and an 80-210 lenses and needed to know what to use. The trick was changing the lenses and keeping everything dry. Luckily Malcolm one of the church bell ringers was looking after me with a giant umbrella- which kept turning inside out..

When I was younger heights never used to bother me but now, nearing 50, I have a healthy respect for them. I had to force myself and gradually lean over through the castellations to view the ground below.

I felt sick, I was drenched and was having a hard time seeing to focus. The light was very dark and dirty, I updated to 1600 and opened the lens to 5.6 with a shutter speed of about 250th.

At first there was only a couple of people down below and no-one could hear me because of the wind and rain. But by the time the bells chimed 11am the village had done me proud and gathered below with an array of colourful umbrellas. With somestrange hand signals and a lot of shouting, most of the crowd lowered the brollies and looked skyward. I rattled off my frames and job was done.

It was a wonderful morning and once again I realised what a blessed life I lead.

The quality of the picture could be better but the elements put pay to that and next time I would use my mobile to talk to Debbie on the ground but all in all it was a job well done.

 

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Location:West Coker,United Kingdom