Shining Star - Notre Dame de Paris at Night
by Mark Tisdale
Title
Shining Star - Notre Dame de Paris at Night
Artist
Mark Tisdale
Medium
Photograph - Photo Art
Description
The architecture of medieval cathedrals was meant to draw the eyes upwards - i.e. towards the heavens! This explains the tall facades and bell towers and the great vertical lines you see in so much of the Gothic architecture of the period. What I can't imagine is how surprised the people who designed these buildings would be to see them today illuminated in the dark of night. As you can see, the warm glow of the lights hitting Notre Dame de Paris at night was incredibly striking! there was so much light it almost felt like a star had landed on this little Parisian island in the middle of the Seine.
As I was standing there, I noticed how that light barely reached the group of young ladies standing nearby, and there was something about that combination of light and shadows that really struck me. I also particularly appreciated how none of them were actively engaged with the church, they were in their own little world in orbit of this big star.
I was in Paris a month after Christmas but clearly 'Christmas' trees as such are more of a general piece of winter decoration there, and I quite liked the festive winter holiday feeling.
Notre Dame de Paris is a UNESCO designated World Heritage Site.
This photo has been very lightly textured to create this final unique appearance.
Uploaded
August 27th, 2012
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