Saturday, June 21, 2008

Spanish Missions In San Antonio

Of the five Missions in San Antonio, San Juan and Espada are the furthest from downtown but well worth a visit.

Three infrared views of Mission Espada's tiny chapel:






This photo is from early 2005, and I shot it for an online contest whose theme was "Abandoned Buildings/ Ruins".
One jackass in the group gave it a 1 out of 10 score because they didn't see an abandoned building. Maybe if more of it were left? I think that person got banned soon after complaining about the moderator striking their vote for stupidity. I remember the internet being more angry and fun back then.

These are from Mission San Juan, also infrared:




The skies were highly variable during this short visit. Brightly-lit tall cumulus on one side and dark waves of menace on the other, so I brought my monopod and IR filters and shot mostly infrared to get a more cohesive series.

It was hot and dusty but fun.

You can sense the ghosts of SA's origins all around you at the Missions. Sometimes it's friendly and full of hope, other times you can feel the pain and suffering endured by the missionaries and especially the local Native Americans who sought refuge from raiding Comanches within the walls of these historic compounds.


In other news--the women and girls of the polygamist sect that are here in SA are often spotted at Sam's Club and WalMarts around town. We saw a half-dozen inhaling ice cream, pizza and big sodas at Sam's, enjoying the processed and fattening foods the men of their cult probably don't allow them to have inside the compound in El Dorado, for spiritual reasons.
The long dress chicks were having a jolly time, and I felt a little proud of them.

3 comments:

Dave said...

So these shots aren't Bland & White, but IR? They make for a really cool and interesting look. Hell, that could make my back yard look interesting!

laanba said...

How far out are these missions from downtown San Antonio? I'd love to visit them one day, but I doubt I will have time during my conventions.

Keith Alan K said...

20-25 minute drive including traffic lights from downtown hotel zone, but two other Missions are much closer.