I’ve long been an admired of stained glass.  From the days of seeking amusement during the ritualistic Sunday Church Services when I was a boarder at school to exploring buildings at home and abroad.  There is something deeply mystical about the way the light catches the glass amplifying the art. But too much stained glass in a building can be a little overwhelming – bordering on extravagant sometimes.  I’m a girl with simple tastes.

At the back of the Church in Makara there is a single stained glass window.  A memorial to a kiwi soldier who died in Gallipoli in 1915. I could hardly take my eyes off it as it brought rich colour and art to what is otherwise quite a plain church.  The fact that St George is the patron saint of England and a military saint made the memorial even more poignant memorial for a New Zealander fighting for peace half a world away.

There is something compelling about the notion of a venerable person – someone who has high ideals and values makes selfless acts for others. I decided to make this the focus of my creative photograph – I wanted to capture the depth of meaning and richness of colour so honed in on a portion of the window.