Indoor photography

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Photographs of Monumental Inscriptions

Indoor Mouments

Monuments inside churches present a different set of problems. The main problem is one of sufficient light to take the photograph at all. Many vicars require that you obtain permission to take photographs inside a church, especially in some of the larger churches and cathedrals. Some churches do not allow flash photography.

However, without the benefit of artificial lighting, it is still possible to take good photographs. In an ideal world you need two things:

A fast film of 200 or even 400ASA speed;
Something to rest the camera on, as the shutter speed will be around half or even a whole second! The camera needs to be rested on a church pew... or anything solid such as a pillar, or, if you must hold the camera by hand, wedge yourself hard against something solid, hold you breath and squeeze the button very carefully so that the camera doesn't move at all!

This photograph of a wall mounted monumental inscription was taken with available light (there wasn't much in there!) with 200ASA film.

I held the camera very steadily, braced myself against a nearby pew, held my breath and squeezed off the shutter. The exposure was 1 second.

Here lyeth John Odingsell of Eppersone Esq. & Eliz. his deare wife, sister to Sr. William Sutton of Averham K whom God blest Wth. eleven children of whom are liveing 4 sons & 2 daughters. He died the 10th of May 1655 in the 79 yeare of his age.

The shield is gold with a red central stripe, and a small red star at the top left.

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