Time flies, but not for La Sagrada Família

I really can't believe (nor apologise enough) for getting to May without having posted anything in 2011. How time has flown by. I can't really tell you where the time has gone and don't know what I've been up to, but a quick review of my photo folders tells me that there has been some photography going on, at least.

During the Bank Holiday Limbo week, Lou and I went to Barcelona, a city neither of us had visited before except for on business (Lou went there for a conference last year).

With most cities Lou and I visit, we tend to take more than a modicum of photos, but this place, La Sagrada Família, got a large chunk of our snapping. You only need to walk around the cathedral to see the detail and appreciate the work which has already gone into creating it.

And it's not finished. Not even close.

The two main facades viewable at the moment are the Nativity and Passion facades. The main entrance is still hidden behind tarpaulin sheets and scaffolding. The cathedral itself won't be complete until 2040. That's 29 years away. I'll be 62. That's scary.

However, it also depends on the number of visitors to the cathedral who pay around €15 to get in and wander around - it could be sooner or it could be later.

All I know is that when it's finished, it will be an incredible sight to behold.

Inside, as the picture above shows, it is unlike any other cathedral I've ever visited. The columns split out at the top and bottom to make them look like trunks of trees, the windows in some areas represent honeycombs and there are many tips of the cap to nature in Gaudí's design.

As a photographer, I often walk into these places thinking "hmmmm, ISO 400 or 800?", but I just tilted my head backwards and gawped at the majesty of the place.

I guess today's photography thought from me is to look around before pointing the camera. Take in the craftsmanship, enormity, detail and splendour of one of Europe's most amazing works of art.

Also, try not to pose in front of the altar and have your picture taken doing a peace sign. Tacky tourists.

[Click here for more pictures from Barcelona on Flickr]