MINNESOTA STATE CAPITOL UNDER CONSTRUCTION

On our recent trip to the Twin Cities I paid another visit to the Minnesota State Capitol and discovered that it was undergoing extensive renovation, and much of the interior, including the central dome and rotunda, was closed to visitors.  Even so, I tried to take advantage of what was available.

One of the first things that strikes the visitor (who bothers to look up) is that the corridor ceilings are decoratively painted.

My guess is that these rosemaling patterns reflect the state's strong immigrant Norwegian influence.

Here's another detail shot of a more complex ceiling feature.

I was able to visit the Senate chamber and took this ceiling detail shot.

And the the House chamber where I got this wider angle shot.

Later I found myself on a staircase leading to the lower level (hoping to get a glimpse of the rotunda) in the construction zone and spotted a wrought iron railing that had been covered in what I took to be construction dust.

For the record, I shot this at f/4 for 1/25th second at an ISO of 3200.  This was at a significantly higher level than I could have shot with my prior camera.

Nothing great, though I did like this semi-abstract shot of a skylight above one of the side corridors.

The most interesting shots were of the stone pillars lining one of the main stairways.

The first shot has, I think, a majestic feel.  The second, with its seeming jumble of lines, has more of a surreal feel.  This second shot, particularly, also has an HDR (high dynamic range) feel, though this was an unblended, single shot.

John