Picture of the Moment - Sistine Chapel

You're not supposed to take photographs in the Sistine Chapel, a highlight of our travels through the Mediterranean. But I felt compelled to snap one surreptitious picture that included a family member (no flash of course), hopefully while maintaining respect for the place and its ultimate purpose. I saw a lot of impressive ceilings in Europe, many painted, but the Sistine Chapel does stand far above the rest.

I can still hear the ushers almost chanting "Shhhhh, silencio. Shhhhh, silence."

While the angle is skewed, I quite like this picture. It conveys the sense of scale and awe, too big to take in on my 18-mm lens setting. The angle does convey a sense of dynamism--it's how I was looking at the ceiling in the moment. My father's upturned head reflects what all visitors do, crane their necks and slowly turn to take it all in.