Sometimes it's good to take a look at the older cathedrals and realize the amount of stone and effort that went into constructing the massive churches of the Romanesque era before the discovery of the architectural techniques which allowed the lightness of the Gothic churches. The pillars and walls here in Durham, built in the 11th Century, are so massive when compared to the delicacy of the Exeter Cathedral, built almost 400 years later. The bulk is relieved slightly by carved design visible on the left pillars, but the overall sense is one of pure weight.
Bede was an English monk and scholar who lived in the 8th Century. He wrote or translated over 40 books, and his greatest work was The Ecclesiastical History of the English People
which I read in the original Latin long ago at the University of Minnesota. Bede is known as the Father of English History, which is quite a distinction since the English have more history than any other people I'm aware of. (Except perhaps the Irish.)
HIC SUNT IN FOSSA BEDAE VENERABILIS OSSA is the inscription on the stone which covers his tomb. A clever bit of Latin (that even rhymes) which translates simply as “In this grave are the bones of the Venerable Bede.” The clever bit, though, is using the word, “fossa” which literally means “something that's been dug,” for grave. Caesar used the same word to mean ditch. The usual Latin for grave is sepulcrum. But, of course, that doesn't rhyme.
Durham Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage site of the United Kingdom. Click the link to see our other posts about UNESCO World Heritage sites in the UK.
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I’m interested in the DSLR camera you use and the lenses for your stunningly beautiful photographs.
Do you carry a tripod with you on your travels?
Do you use filters?
I’m taking a 3-week trip to Berlin, Prague and Budapest in early November and want to bring back some memorable photographs and memories.
Jon
Thanks, Jon. I use a couple of cameras. For most of the photos on the site, I used a Nikon D7000. Since February of this year, I’ve mostly been using a Nikon D800E with a 24-70 f 2.8 lens. I also have a 14-24 wide angle that I use infrequently. The only filter I ever use is a polarizing filter I use outside, especially on hazy days or when there’s water involved. I also use a small Canon Powershot S100, which is a great camera, and a lot easier to carry around than the big DSLRs. It takes great photos, shoots in raw format, and can be used in total manual mode. I do carry a tripod, but don’t use it as much as I should. It’s heavy. Good luck.