ALTAR, CATHEDRAL OF ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST

Milwaukee's Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist has an unusual floor plan.  Rather than having a traditional arrangement featuring a sanctuary at the front of the nave, St. John's features a sanctuary near the center of the nave, with seating both in front and behind the sanctuary, which features a white marble altar beneath a very contemporary crucifix suspended from the ceiling.

On my most recent visit I focused on the altar, which was being nicely lit by a brilliant late morning sun streaming through the side windows.

Here, first, is a wider shot of the altar along with the crucifix above.

Here is another photo taken from behind the sanctuary looking toward the back of the nave.

My favorite shot, though, was one taken from the front entrance side of the nave that managed to catch the sunlight streaming through the side windows.

By underexposing the shot, I was able to isolate it nearly completely from the background, creating a nice chiaroscuro effect.

John