The historic miraculous staircase inside the Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The historic miraculous staircase inside the Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
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Awards
Chatter Award
Featured
Contest Finalist in Black and White In HDR Photo Contest
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
All Star
Magnificent Capture
Superior Skill
Genius
Virtuoso
Exceptional Contrast
Great Find
Top Ranks
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Sebastiaan
July 02, 2014
Very difficult to choose the right award for this beautiful capture, very nice contrast and working with lines, well done!!!
roccochiara
April 19, 2015
eccezionale davvero!!!
l'abbiamo visitata!
..umanamente impossibile...
complimenti per la foto!
!!!
l'abbiamo visitata!
..umanamente impossibile...
complimenti per la foto!
!!!
farlow
July 14, 2015
Beautifully done. This is not an easy place to shoot--great use of light. I admire your effort. Congratulations.
RCrook
October 06, 2015
I am from Santa Fe and this is one of my favourite places on this planet. You photographed it with reverence, thank you.
chaddunn
May 07, 2017
I've been here before and the stair case is amazing in this picture and in person
SixxLoveCrue
May 07, 2017
I love going to see this staircase! I am from NM and so proud of what we have to offer!
dwatts
May 09, 2017
I'm also from NM and you're right, we have so much to offer photographically! Not just SF, but the entire state has so much to offer!
dwatts
May 09, 2017
Nice capture! I was there in the fall 2016, but there were so many people I couldn't get a good shot of the stairs! It was built without the use of nails or screws!
HeartofIllinoisan
June 09, 2017
I love how you captured a "mystical" quality to the staircase. Great use of light and shadows.
joybello
June 21, 2017
Beautiful lighting, well composed shot! I too use Photomatix pro. I really like the advice you give in the feedback. I think you're totally right. It doesn't depend so much on the equipment, but the photographer to get the right shot.
joybello
June 21, 2017
My last comment didn't sound right. I'm getting tired. I meant the education of the photographer makes more difference than the equipment.
mcampi
January 15, 2020
Wonderful and tough shot to capture.. Congrats on capturing this interesting subject.
MaryAnne306
June 22, 2020
Magnificent capture with marvelous B&W tones. Congratulations on your awards. Now I'd love to see this staircase!
markkrause
January 08, 2022
Could be a 'Stairway to Heaven'. Wonderful capture in this choice of B&W.
OnTheGoPhotographer
July 15, 2022
This is the famous staircase inside the Loretta Chapel in Santa Fe Mexico. There is some beautiful story connected to the staircase. It had to be amazing to see it. It is definitely on my bucket list of things to see in my lifetime.
OnTheGoPhotographer
July 15, 2022
I just watched a series on NETFLIX called The UnXplained with William Shatner. It talked all about this Chapel and this famous staircase.
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Behind The Lens
Location
This is the miraculous staircase in the Loretto Chapel located in Santa Fe, New Mexico.Time
It was late morning in the spring. Normally crowded, I found a very short opportunity with no one in the photo.Lighting
This was a mixture of natural light from the windows and incandescent light.Equipment
This was shot with a Nikon D5000 and a Nikon 18-200 VR lens on a Manfrotto 190 Pro tripod, using only the available light.Inspiration
This staircase was built using no nails and no center support, yet works perfectly. Architects have come from all over the world to marvel at its design and workmanship. The original design had no rails which were added later by the nuns. I have always loved the layout of this staircase and with a trip to Santa Fe, I was able to capture this.Editing
I shot this as a 3-exposure HDR, and assembled the RAW files with Photomatix Pro. The color version has some outstanding tonal qualities that I thought would translate well to black and white. Using MacPhun's Tonality Pro, I arrived at this final version.In my camera bag
Nikon D7000, Sigma 18-250 Macro, Tamron 10-24, Yongnuo flash, Nikon battery pack for the D7000, Nikon ME-1 microphone, gray card, knee pads, extra batteries, extra SD cards, circular polarizing filters, neutral density filters, Manfrotto 190B CF 4-section tripod.Feedback
I have been shooting professionally for over 35 years, and I still see the same mistakes being made by beginners: Don't get caught up in the equipment game. You don't need the most expensive camera equipment that money can buy. Instead, get a decent camera and spend that extra money on photo classes and photo workshops. This alone will make you a better photographer, not a $6,000 Nikon or Canon camera. My education made me the photographer I am today, not my equipment. As an example, a professional photographer will still take better photos with an entry level camera that a beginner/amateur will take with a Nikon D5 or Canon 1D. Shoot a lot and accept constructive criticism. And above all else, learn the rules, and then learn how to successfully break them. Happy shooting!