First stop today is Coventry at 0900 to see the Cathedral – old ruin and the new. New cathedral only really visible from air. We have twenty minutes to shoot. Go up steps between old and new cathedral. Statue of St. Michael subduing Lucifer on wall on right. Old cathedral (ruined by bombing in WWII) very striking. Main tower still standing. Morning sun behind cross on altar to your left, difficult but dramatic. All open to the elements of course. Luckily, the sky now shows patches of blue, so that helps with the tower shot.
Continue up hill between the cathedrals, past Holy Trinity Church and towards a shopping centre. Bear left and there is a statue of Lady Godiva on her horse. Difficult to get a decent angle without ugly shopping centre background. Decide to zoom in with 80/200 lens and 3/4 view as best bet. Dark statue will require lightening a little, as I don’t want to burn out the sky (I’m shooting raw so that shouldn’t be a problem). Have to run back to make time limit.
On to York. Weather deteriorates and in fact it rains pretty much for rest of day, sometimes heavily. On with the wet weather gear.
York Minster is darkish inside so ISO high. Zi8 video seems fine. Back in town, lots of people, some interesting, others not so: getting right combination in composition can be tricky. Have to be careful with rain getting into lens (I ruined a lens in Pisa by shooting in the rain).
The Shambles (narrow streets) are still picturesque in spite of rain. Telephoto useful to compress street, makes it “busier”. Shop window shots easier as poor daylight means weaker reflections. Both the famous Betty’s Cafes are crowded, but Helen shoots inside anyway in the shop and bigger cafe without problem (talking to friends). Rain comes down and we head for the hotel!
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