Blog Archives
White-hot
Those thick adobe walls protect the interior from the white-hot heat of a Texas summer.
Mission San José
San Antonio, Texas
photographed 9.6.2015
Beyond the gate: the entire world
These missions were walled communities. To keep people in, or out? Or both?
But at any rate, the entire world lies beyond the gates.
Mission San José
San Antonio, Texas
photographed 9.6.2015
Wooden Stairs
Back in August, I read this this post, by David Scott Moyer, about his visit to Spanish mission churches in northern Mexico. There were a lot of wonderful images, but the one that somehow caught my attention was one of wooden stairs in a bell tower. I thought about those stairs and that image for several days after I first saw it; the idea that each step was made from a single piece of wood intrigued me.
And, then, not much later, I was at a Spanish mission in San Antonio, Texas, and spotted a set of similar stairs. I don’t think I’d have even noticed them at all if I hadn’t seen David’s post – the power of blogging, I guess.
(I still like David’s photo better. In case you were wondering. My shot was a bit constrained by a gate blocking access.)
Mission San José
San Antonio, Texas
photographed 9.6.2015
Progression
I had to stand in a little line to get this shot – there were two people ahead of me. Normally, I wouldn’t have waited, but I decided the progression of those arches, the dome above, and the pair of plants was worth the few seconds’ wait. And, because I tried to be a good student in my class with Sam Abell, I remembered to microcompose that last arch all the way at the end.
Mission San José
San Antonio, Texas
photographed 9.6.2015
Before the mystery
It was very hot on the day we visited the missions and the cool shadows inside the church were a welcome change. We were there on Sunday, and mass was about to start (because even after all these centuries, the mission is still an active parish). So instead of going into the sanctuary, which would have been intrusive, I composed-and-waited (lessons provided by Sam Abell earlier this year) until the foyer was empty of people but full of objects and shadows and light. I think it was worth the wait.
Mission San José
San Antonio, Texas
photographed 9.6.2015
One Day | One Image 