Story of an image - Number 3

Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Familia, or The Sagrada Familia. Surely the most famous unfinished catholic cathedral in the world, and the jewel of Barcelona.

It has to be one of the most photographed (inside and out) places in Spain. Of course I had to add this to my portfolio, how could I not?

Designed by the famous Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, work commenced on this hugely impressive church in 1882. Amazingly it is anticipated that the building won't be completed until 2026—the centenary of Gaudí's death. Its outside is instantly identifiable because it genuinely looks like nothing else on Earth. Thankfully its interior is as spectacular as its exterior.

I had visited the Catalan capitol before, but never made it to the Sagrada Familia. On a long journey between Andorra and Alicante in 2011 I decided to make a detour just to photograph Gaudí's masterpiece.

The reality matches the expectation. It truly does take the breath away. After being wowed by the intricacy of the facades and towers, I moved inside to be delighted by the space, the light, and the beautiful unique architecture. The pillars blending into the rosette-covered ceiling really is something to see. That had to be my shot! But how?

Holding the camera up would not give me a truly vertical perspective, and would ruin the image for me. There was only one solution: camera on the floor and use of the self-timer!

There was only 1 spot that would do. I'd already attached my wide-angle lens and set it to 10mm, its widest view. I found my place, set the timer and put the camera on its back on the floor. Of course the place is teeming with tourists, so I had to shepherd them around the camera while it did its job. I got some strange looks!

What you see above is the result. One of my favourite shots because it does capture the grandeur of the place.

Settings were 0.3 seconds at ISO100 with aperture at f11.

Thank you for reading

http://www.sagradafamilia.org/en/

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