Shaft of Light Through Stained Glass

On pourrait croire à un trucage, mais il n'en est rien. Prise en plein après midi à Dourdan, dans l'église St Germain, l'effet de lumière au travers des vitraux était extraodinaire. En déplaçant un peu mon appareil, je pouvais aussi avoir un joli effet de flou sur le vitrail derrière.

Shot in the middle of the afternoon in St Germain church in Dourdan, the shaft of light coming through the stained glass windows was extraordinary. You’d think this shaft of light had been faked, but it hadn’t. By moving my camera slightly, I could also get a nice blur effect on the stained glass behind.

A Shaft of Light in Dourdan Church

Sunlight on a pillar in Dourdan church Stained glass light falling on a pillar of the church
Light falling on a pillar of the church

The Old Watering Can in a Shaft of Light

Sunlight on a pillar in Dourdan church Stained glass light falling on a pillar of the church
Next to the church, in a farmyard, I spotted this dented metal watering can and these plastic buckets. Once more the lighting was perfect, thanks to the lovely November sun, in a shot taken almost exactly 15 years ago to the day.

Satellite Sunrise

Sunlight on a pillar in Dourdan church Stained glass light falling on a pillar of the church
This isn’t a sunrise over a rooftop, but a satellite dish reflecting off a wall.

More Pictures of Dourdan from the Same Day

Sunlight on a pillar in Dourdan church Stained glass light falling on a pillar of the church
Sunlight on a pillar in Dourdan church Stained glass light falling on a pillar of the church

About Dourdan

Dourdan is a historic town in the Essonne département, south-west of Paris. It is known for its medieval castle, and it wins visitors over with its rich heritage and peaceful feel. Built in the 13th century under Philip Augustus, the castle has four towers, an imposing keep and remarkably well-preserved ramparts, as the town’s official website explains. The castle museum tells the story of local history and everyday life in times gone by. It is a good town for anyone who likes to hunt for a shaft of light with a camera.

The town is also home to Saint-Germain-d’Auxerre church, a handsome building whose origins go back to the Middle Ages. Its weekly market draws locals and visitors alike, in a friendly atmosphere. Surrounded by forests and green countryside, Dourdan offers plenty of walks and hikes, especially in the Dourdan forest. Easy to reach from Paris, it is a great spot to discover the history, culture and charm of an Île-de-France town that has kept to a human scale, and to catch a shaft of light or two.

Sources for this section include Dourdan Town Council, Destination Essonne and the French Wikipedia entry on Dourdan.

Yann Gourvennec
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Yann Gourvennec
Yann Gourvennec

I'm a photographer and watercolourist. I have practiced photography since childhood and digital photography since 1995. I turned it into my main occupation in 2021. I own a photo studio in Paris, France.
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Je suis photographe et aquarelliste. Je pratique la photographie depuis l'enfance et la photographie numérique depuis 1995. J'en ai fait mon activité principale en 2021. Je possède un studio photo dans le 15e arrondissement de Paris

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