This is one of the spiral staircases in the Monastery of Melk in Austria. I used a 14mm ultra wide angle lens to exaggerate the lines and also to include as much of the striking graphic design as possible. My settings were 1/60, f/4.5, and 400 ISO. Had tripods been allowed, I would have used f/22, although a 14mm lens has phenomenal depth of field. Still, when the lens is placed so close to foreground elements -- in this case about 6 to 8 inches away -- that reduces the amount of DOF. The bottom right section was a bit soft in the original image, so I used the clone tool to replace the soft architectural detail with sharp portions just a foot or two higher in the frame. Unfortunately, this monastery no longer allows photography inside the stunning cathedral and the library where this staircase is located. I have no understanding of the thinking of the people who decide this.
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