A dramatic black and white infrared photograph captures a towering view of Norwich Cathedral’s spire from within the cathedral cloisters. The image is full of strong architectural lines, shadows, and texture, giving a sense of both grandeur and stillness.
In the foreground, a row of pointed stone arches runs along the lower right edge – the cloister walk, where vaulted openings frame dark doorways and decorative stonework. The stone is mottled with age, each block showing subtle tonal shifts, the weathered surface showing the passing of over 900 years.
Beyond the cloisters, the massive cathedral walls rise upward, stacked with Romanesque and Gothic features – tall arched windows, carved columns, and intricate detailing. The spire itself dominates the centre of the image, stretching skyward like a needle, flanked by smaller turrets and topped with a cross. Its vertical lines pull the viewer’s eye toward the heavens.
The sky is jet black – a signature of infrared imagery – with only a few white clouds brushing the edges of the frame like candy floss. The contrast makes the stonework appear luminous and ancient, like a dream of something sacred carved into light and shadow.
A majestic, symmetrical view of the west façade of Norwich Cathedral, captured in striking infrared tones. The scene feels otherworldly – the stone of the cathedral appears pale, almost ghostly silver, standing in stark contrast against a deep black sky. Fluffy clouds drift across the top half of the image like soft white brushstrokes, lending a dreamlike atmosphere.
At the center the cathedral’s towering spire pierces the sky with needle-like precision. Beneath it, tall, slender arched windows dominate the façade like an organ of light and shadow, their latticework crisply defined. Two arched doorways flank a grand central entrance, around which statues of saints and historical figures stand in carved niches, solemn and still.
To the left and right, flanking buildings curve inward gently, framing the cathedral and adding to the sense of depth. The trees and grass – altered by the infrared filter capture – glow with a faint pale blush, their foliage appearing almost frosted. The cobbled pathway leading to the entrance is dark and clean, guiding the viewer’s eye into the gothic structure’s embrace.
A tranquil urban river scene stretches out beneath a dramatic, high-contrast sky. This is a view from Fye Bridge in Norwich, looking upriver toward the historic heart of the city – but it’s been captured using infrared, giving everything a dreamlike, ethereal glow.
The river flows straight through the centre of the image like a black mirror, gently reflecting the sky and buildings around it. The water is dark and glassy, disturbed only by scattered aquatic plants floating on the surface. On either side, tall brick buildings line the riverbank – townhouses and flats, with steep-pitched roofs and quiet charm. Iron railings and jetties hug the water’s edge, and a few small boats rest quietly in the shade.
But it’s the trees that steal the show – under infrared light, their foliage turns a soft, snowy white, as though the scene has been dusted with frost or fairy lights. These luminous trees rise up between the buildings and dominate the centre of the frame, glowing like clouds rooted to the earth. More trees can be seen in the background, forming a soft veil around distant rooftops and steeples.
Above, the sky is velvety black, punctuated by puffs and streaks of brilliant white cloud, some with trailing textures like brush strokes. A faint lens flare hangs like a ghostly halo near the centre top, adding to the surreal feel.
A tall, painted giraffe sculpture rises dramatically into a dark, cloud scudded sky – but this isn’t a real giraffe, and the sky isn’t quite what it seems. Captured in infrared, the sky appears deep charcoal-black, with bright white clouds swirling around the edges like smoke. The image feels like a dream – uncanny and theatrical.
The giraffe itself is part of the 2025 Go Go Safari art trail, and its long neck is painted in a bold, graffiti style: black brick outlines overlaid with peachy-orange paint splashes, drips, and tags. Its head, turned slightly to the left, is gleaming pale – nearly white – and stylised, with tall ears and a calm, abstract expression.
Beneath the giraffe’s lofty head, ghost-pale trees fringe the lower edge of the scene, glowing softly in the infrared light like snow-covered lace. And to the far right, poking up behind the trees, the sharply pointed spire of Norwich Cathedral appears again – tall and elegant. But it does rather look like it’s photo bombing the giraffe, which is somewhat surreal !
The perspective is steep, shot from ground level looking almost vertically upward – making the giraffe feel towering, surreal, and much larger than the hundreds of years old Cathedral spire behind it !.
Soft of Sight Photography 