[Leica] A few left

[ricc at mindspring.com (Ric Carter)]

On May 5, 2007, at 3:39 AM, Jeff S. Matsler wrote:

> Photos like these always intrigue me.  My experience in worship has  
> definitely been more like that in Ken C's parish shots  than like  
> these and Walt's.
>

I have little experience with this flavor also. I must admit, though,  
to some envious feelings for their emotional involvement in worship.



> I have a feeling I would feel odd with a camera "observing" such a  
> service. Perhaps not though.  Maybe the PJ in you just kicks in and  
> starts shooting, like at any other event?

I never got comfortable, but did get around to taking photos in spite  
of it. I found that was one of the things about working for a  
newspaper--I had to take pictures--comfortable or not.


>   I would probably want to visit enough to get comfortable with the  
> worship leaders before shooting.  What was your style on these?

I was there by invitation, and one of the ministers was a local, so  
that helped me. They knew I was shooting for the local paper. Several  
of them would have recognized me.

> Do you use long lenses (I'm guessing not if you're shooting RF)?

I don't remember, but probably not. I would have been using OMs--no  
RFs at the time (I'm a newbie). I didn't have any speed--some cheap  
135/2.8 maybe--but most are probably with 50/1.8 Zuiko though I may  
have had a 1.4 by then. The light sucked bigtime.


> If not, what's the rule of engagement you follow in an event as  
> spiritual as this?  I'm curious, because I'd love to do some of  
> this if the opportunity arose.

I don't know the rules either;^) I guess here I'd be serious, polite,  
as invisible as possible. I tend to lurk and then move smoothly and  
quickly into a situation to shoot and then slide back out of the way  
before I become part of the action.

I love an opportunity to shoot another.


>
> I have no issues photographing Friday night high school football in  
> Texas - and that's a religious experience for the "congregation" on  
> par with any Christian worship service I've ever seen or heard  
> about.  After that, I'm ready for anything the charismatic /  
> Pentecostals can work up.  ;-)

During the same period, I was shooting usually 2 games each Friday  
night, Sometimes 3 is the games were clustered right. Then it was  
back to the darkroom to process and print 6-10 games worth for the  
Saturday morning edition. Ever run 2 rolls back-to-back on the same  
steel reel? Usually had two Kindermann tanks going at the same time-- 
one for pushed P3200 and one for HP5 standard. With all that rolling  
agitation and bubble banging, it was one noisy affair.

Showers didn't begin to get the chemical smells off at 2-3am when I  
got home. AHH--the good old days;^)

ric



>
> Jeff M