As I travel, I make an effort to visit places of worship. The architecture is usually stunning, many having withstood the ravages of time and wars. I love to spend a little time inside, away from the hectic, noisy world on the outside. A few moments of quiet solitude in a stunningly beautiful, usually cavernous space. Almost all places of worship are very welcoming, but surprisingly, a few are not. If you are not of their faith, you are not welcome. Very hard for me to understand.
“We have just enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another.” ___Jonathan Swift
St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Tarpon Springs, Florida
As my eyes adjust to my darker surroundings, I am quite taken by the craftsmanship; yes, but it’s the colors that amaze. Those subtle, soft hues reflected through the stained glass windows and ambient light.
Why do two colors, put one next to the other, sing? Can one really explain this? no. Just as one can never learn how to paint.
___Pablo Picasso
Nakhoda Masjid, Kolkata, India
The spiritual peace that one feels in the masjid is but one of the many blessings of visiting a House of Allah.
___Yasir Qadhi
Jama Masjid, New Delhi, India
Religion is a candle inside a multicolored lantern. Everyone looks through a particular color, but the candle is always there.
___Mohammed Naguib
Small Methodist Chapel, Port au Prince, Haiti
I think people often come to the synagogue, mosque, the church looking for God, and what we give them is religion. ___Gene Robinson
Magen David Synagogue, Kolkata, India
When I admire the wonders of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in the worship of the creator. ___Mahatma Gandhi
Shree Jain Swetamber Dadajika Temple, Kolkata, India
Give me the money that has been spent in war and I will clothe every man, woman, and child in an attire of which kings and queens will be proud. I will build a schoolhouse in every valley over the whole earth. I will crown every hillside with a place of worship consecrated to peace.”
___Charles Sumner
Buddhist Temple, near Laung Prabang, Laos
Not thinking about anything is Zen. Once you know this, walking, sitting, or lying down, everything you do is Zen. ___Bodhidharma
Wow, wonderful color and angles…and then the lighting makes these perfect. Great shots and a great write-up, I very much enjoyed looking through this and feeling inspired.
Being compared to McCurry is quite a compliment. Thank you. No the images are not HDR. I shoot in RAW which gives me the latitude to push the process a little, which I did here to make the subtle colors more bold. Thanks for commenting and thanks too for visiting.
Thank you for sharing these amazing photos, I actually grew up attending the Cathedral you shot in Tarpon Springs, and your picture brought tears to my eyes…you captured the ethereal beauty of my church, very powerful and beautiful photos!
Tina Schell
16 Sep 2013Very beautiful post Ron, really nicely done!
fotograffer
17 Sep 2013Thanks Tina. Your comment is much appreciated.
adinparadise
16 Sep 2013Stunning photos, Ron. The colours you’ve captured in these quiet places are wonderful.
That Charles Summer quote is so very true, isn’t it?
fotograffer
17 Sep 2013Thanks Sylvia. Re: the Sumner quote, I just don’t understand why our leaders don’t get it.
adinparadise
17 Sep 2013Me neither. 🙁
Gwen.
16 Sep 2013Wow, the Ta Prohm Temple photo is really outstanding!
fotograffer
17 Sep 2013Thanks so much Gwen.
Amar Naik
16 Sep 2013lovely colors in the click.
http://amarnaik.wordpress.com/2013/09/13/wordpress-weekly-photo-challenge-inside/
Anna Marie
16 Sep 2013These are lovely photos – you have captured the peacefulness and beauty of each of these spiritual places.
fotograffer
17 Sep 2013Thank you, Anna Marie, for your kind words.
Angeline M
16 Sep 2013Wonderful photos and quotes. Really beautiful.
fotograffer
17 Sep 2013You are very kind. Thank you Angeline.
ilargia64
17 Sep 2013Beautiful!
fotograffer
17 Sep 2013Thank you so much.
Swati Singh
17 Sep 2013These pics have everything-color, contrast. Very nice.
fotograffer
17 Sep 2013Swati, thank you for your kind comment. It is very much appreciated.
mflahertyphoto
17 Sep 2013Great shots, especially that last one of Ta Prohm. I loved all the quotes too, especially the one by Charles Sumner.
fotograffer
18 Sep 2013The Sumner quote is particularly timely. Thanks for your kind comment and for visiting.
silvana1989
17 Sep 2013Oh God, those picture are amazing!!
fotograffer
18 Sep 2013Thank you so much Silvana, you are awesome.
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fine2bewith
19 Sep 2013This is really mind-blowing.Thanks a lot for this.
fotograffer
19 Sep 2013Thanks so much and thank you for visiting.
dalo2013
19 Sep 2013Wow, wonderful color and angles…and then the lighting makes these perfect. Great shots and a great write-up, I very much enjoyed looking through this and feeling inspired.
fotograffer
20 Sep 2013Thanks so much, Ranall, for your kind thoughts.
drawandshoot
20 Sep 2013Beautiful in many ways.
fotograffer
20 Sep 2013Thank you Karen.
Vibha (www.pixelvoyages.com)
20 Sep 2013This post reminds me of Steve McCurry’s posts. Lovely pics. Are the ones of the mosques in India in HDR?
fotograffer
20 Sep 2013Being compared to McCurry is quite a compliment. Thank you. No the images are not HDR. I shoot in RAW which gives me the latitude to push the process a little, which I did here to make the subtle colors more bold. Thanks for commenting and thanks too for visiting.
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janxxgeist
25 Sep 2013Breathtaking photos!
fotograffer
27 Sep 2013Thank you so much and thanks for visiting.
janxxgeist
29 Sep 2013My pleasure … thanks for sharing 🙂
Touch2Touch
29 Sep 2013The photographs are absolutely sensational. Saturated with color, and saturated with meaning. Congratulations!
Irene
6 Nov 2014Thank you for sharing these amazing photos, I actually grew up attending the Cathedral you shot in Tarpon Springs, and your picture brought tears to my eyes…you captured the ethereal beauty of my church, very powerful and beautiful photos!
fotograffer
10 Nov 2014Thank you for your comment Irene. The church is very beautiful indeed. I was so surprised when I stepped in.