{
  "id": 3950308,
  "title": "Behind Peter Marlow's serene cathedral photographs lay months of calls to vergers, scrawled exposure notes & a stack of drying Polaroids on the dashboard",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/behind-peter-marlows-serene-cathedral-photographs-lay-months-of-calls",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-28T11:30:51.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Digital Camera World",
    "slug": "digital-camera-world",
    "url": "https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/photography/galleries-and-exhibitions/behind-peter-marlows-serene-cathedral-photographs-lay-months-of-calls-to-vergers-scrawled-exposure-notes-and-a-stack-of-drying-polaroids-on-the-dashboard"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Peter Marlow's large-format cathedral photographs, captured between 2010 and 2012, belie the extensive effort that went into each shot. The Southwark Cathedral exhibition, titled \"The English Cathedral,\" reveals that these serene images were the result of months of efforts, including numerous calls to vergers, scrawled exposure notes, and a stack of drying Polaroids on the dashboard of Marlow's car. The exhibition showcases planning notes alongside the finished prints, illustrating the meticulous planning that went into each photograph. Marlow's archive highlights the challenges of working with natural light, negotiating access, and coordinating with staff to turn off electric lights. He relied on Fujifilm FP-100 instant film for testing compositions and exposures before committing to the large-format shot. Marlow used a Sinar F1 monorail camera with a 115mm lens, shooting at small apertures to ensure maximum depth of field, which resulted in long exposure times ranging from one to five minutes. Despite using top-of-the-line equipment, Marlow emphasized the importance of a consistent method across all 42 cathedrals, focusing on an eastward orientation towards the nave and altar, shooting during dawn light, and never leaving a single spotlight on. This disciplined approach is what ultimately ties the disparate buildings together, creating a cohesive body of work. The exhibition, \"Peter Marlow: The English Cathedral,\" runs until August 31 at Southwark Cathedral, free to view during general opening hours.",
  "summary": "A new exhibition at London's Southwark Cathedral reveals the unglamorous planning that made Peter Marlow's celebrated large-format cathedral photographs possible",
  "key_points": [
    "Peter Marlow photographed 42 cathedrals between 2010 and 2012",
    "He used Fujifilm FP-100 instant film for testing compositions",
    "Marlow's disciplined approach created cohesive body of work"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}