Both sets of photos focus on the light and the way it interacts with its surroundings. In the sunset triptych there are light rays created by the clouds that diffuse and refract the sunlight acting as nature’s stained glass. The sun acts as a rim light on the clouds to really emphasize the shape of the clouds similar to the gloss of solder between stained glass. The sunlight reflects off the water in a trail creating a strong line leading the viewer’s eye right to the clouds obstructing the sun. All of this works together to create a very ethereal feel across the three photos. The left, center, and right weighted photos make the whole layout feel very balanced, the darker tones in the center image act as a hub to branch off from. The church photos feature similar soft lights and reflections. The stained windows act to enhance the light coming into the church but combined with the hard lines created by the architecture of the church make everything feel clinical. The soft natural light is the only thing softening these pictures. Despite the lack of artificial light in the church, the windows and surfaces in which the light bounces off of tint the light in an unnatural way, again adding to the clinical feel. The light offers similar feelings in both sets of images, but like religion, the church is a manmade construct that cannot compare to nature’s beauty.
