Grossmünster – Zurich, Switzerland

Yesterday’s post mentioned that the Münsterbrücke bridge featured two churches on either side. On the east side, we have the Fraumünster, which I talked about yesterday. On the west side, we have Grossmünster with its impressive double tower.

Construction of Grossmünster started in 1100 and was inaugurated around 1220. The twin towers were erected in the late 15th century, but the wooden steeples were destroyed in a 1763 fire. The current neo-Gothic tops were completed in 1787.

Today, I have another originally unintended framing lesson. In yesterday’s post, I talked about how shifts in location can noticeably impact a photograph’s story. This time, I will show you the effects of focal length.

I shot the top photo at a moderately wide 27mm equivalent focal length. Notice how the light post is as tall as the Church towers. That’s because a wide angle dramatically increases the size of items that are close by. However, it also increased the distance to the background, making them smaller.

In my second photo, shot at a 37mm equivalent, the size of the lamp post and church tower has dramatically changed. I also shifted my location slightly to the right and back a few yards. Remarkably, both lamp posts are the same. The change in focal length and perspective had an outsized effect that surprised me. Notice also how the apparent distance between the lamp post and the church has compressed.

The two pedestrians with umbrellas are a crucial element in the first picture. I have a photo without them, and it doesn’t work nearly as well. That’s because the couple, sidewalk, and church all work together, with the lamp post playing a supporting role. In the second photo, the church is obviously the subject.

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