09-NOV-2011
Sunrise, Cairo, Egypt, 2011
I juxtapose a symbol of the Islamic faith – a minaret – against a symbol of contemporary Egypt’s economy – a distant building blanketed in both morning mist and construction cranes. This juxtaposition poses a symbolic question. During my brief Egyptian visit, the country was preparing to vote for a parliament that will draft a new constitution for this troubled land, the most populous in the area. What kind of government will best serve Egypt and the Middle East – religious or secular? A new day dawns as an “Arab Spring” morphs into an “Arab Fall.”
18-NOV-2011
Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Jerusalem, Israel, 2011
This church, which has attracted pilgrims since the 4th century, is the holiest Christian site in the world. It stands over the spot that is believed to encompass both the site of Christ’s crucifixion and tomb. Biblical sources describe both, and early Christian communities worshiped at the site during the first century. The Romans built a Temple to Aphrodite over this site in the second century, and Constantine The Great, the first Christian Roman emperor, built the first church here in 326 AD, which was in turn destroyed by Muslim invaders in 1009. The Crusaders recaptured and began to rebuild the church a hundred years later, and the present structure -- a mix of Byzantine, medieval, Crusader, and modern elements – slowly emerged.
I made this image of what is believed to be the site of Christ’s tomb. It is encased in large Greek Orthodox shrine, added in 1810. The shrine stands in the middle of a rotunda, below a recently built dome decorated with a 12-pointed star. My 24mm wideangle lens, low vantage point, and vertical frame draw the eye from the shrine up to the pure white hole in the center of the dome.
18-NOV-2011
Jewish cemetery, Mount of Olives, Jerusalem, Israel, 2011
Long before Christianity or Islam existed, Jerusalem was already holy ground to Jews. The Mount of Olives has been used as a Jewish cemetery for 3,000 years, and holds approximately 150,000 graves. I made this image of five of those graves. The stones left on these graves continue a tradition that goes back to Biblical times, when gravestones were not used, and mounds of stones marked gravesites. Today, visitors to these graves have left small stones, showing that someone has visited these gravesites, and thereby perpetuated their existence.
18-NOV-2011
Reverence, Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Jerusalem, Israel, 2011
The light falling on this woman’s orange scarf as she entered the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem was striking. She seemed aglow, somber, and reverent as she approached the crowd of worshippers gathered around a large stone that is said to have once supported the body of Christ.
10-NOV-2011
Muhammad Ali Mosque, Cairo, Egypt, 2011
Situated high on the summit of Saladin’s citadel, this Ottoman mosque dominates the skyline of the city. Built in the mid-19th century, this mosque features two pulpits. This one, dimly seen behind the ornate light fixture, is the largest in Egypt. I spot-metered on the bulbs to stress the beauty of the light fixtures, causing the pulpit to fade softly into the darkness.
18-NOV-2011
The Wailing Wall, Jerusalem, Israel, 2011
The Wailing Wall is one of the most sacred sites in Judaism. The site for Jewish prayer and pilgrimages for centuries, it is believed to have been part of Jerusalem’s Second Temple, first dedicated in 516 BC, and expanded by Herod the Great starting in 19 BC. Its name stems from the Jewish practice of coming to the site to mourn and bemoan the Roman destruction of this temple, along with the rest of Jerusalem, in the first century. Today, a huge plaza stands before it, holding up to 400,000 people. It is used for massive prayer and military ceremonies. I made this image during a light rain with a long telephoto lens. I was standing in the large plaza, and waited until a single worshipper walked into my frame between my camera and the Wailing Wall itself. He appears to already be at prayer. The four men holding on to the wall itself are reverently touching it in various ways as they pray. We can see many papers stuffed between the cracks – written wishes from previous worshippers. The wishes are periodically collected, and taken to the Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives, where they are buried.
25-NOV-2011
Street corner, Valletta, Malta, 2011
In 1569, Grand Master Pinto del Monte, in order to embellish the then new city of Valletta, issued an edict directing owners of buildings at street corners to ornament them. Many of them erected statues of saints, said to ward off evil. I photographed this saint from the side – it is illuminated at night by a garland of light bulbs. The surrounding buildings reflect the five hundred year old history of this city.
13-NOV-2011
Morning prayer, Petra, Jordan, 2011
Five Muslims pray near Petra’s historic Treasury, carved out of sandstone two thousand years ago. The brilliant red/orange rock incongruously dwarfs the worshippers. They are totally immersed in prayer, and do not notice the scale incongruity that looms overhead. This photograph was very difficult to make – there were so many tourists swarming around the Treasury that I had to wait several minutes for a clear shot of these worshippers. Fortunately, my opportunity eventually came – just seconds before the prayer ended.
13-SEP-2011
Tomb decoration, Cuenca, Ecuador, 2011
Intense religious expression is characteristic of not only Ecuador, but also all of South America. I passed by many stores in Cuenca selling tomb decorations – this figure of Christ, accompanied by a bouquet of roses, was hanging on the front door of one of them. The robed figure holds a blossom in one hand, and invites the public into the store with the other. The primary colors of red and yellow frame the figure, making it seem to levitate. And advertisements pasted on the wall in the background add a practical, yet incongruous, touch.
23-DEC-2010
Service, St. Francis Church, Recife, Brazil, 2010
I used a long lens to focus on the responses of these worshippers during a mid-day service. I liked the flow of hands gripping the back of the bench as it moves through the image. I also liked contrast in the age of the people in this image – faith is faith, regardless of age or gender.
26-DEC-2010
Family, Cathedral, Belem, Brazil, 2010
I used a wideangle lens turned vertically to bring together this family, sitting on the floor in the back of the Belem Cathedral during a mid-day post Christmas service. The body language of the mother and her daughter, her sleeping son, and even the man praying by the chapel gate at right, describe the process of prayer, externally, internally, and even subconsciously.
26-DEC-2010
Altar, Cathedral, Belem, Brazil, 2010
The Cathedral of Belem normally features two interactive sculptures, however at Christmas, it becomes a nativity scene with the addition of the third sculpture in a basket. I photographed in the Cathedral on the day after Christmas, and was able to walk up to the altar to make this image following a mid-day service. The three sculptures reflect wide variations in style and material, yet they interact here quite effectively.
26-DEC-2010
Reverence, Cathedral, Belem, Brazil, 2010
As worshippers left Belem’s Cathedral, following a post-Christmas Day service, many of them touched a vandalized iconographic sculpture mounted on one of the building’s great bronze doors. The reverent hand of this worshipper incongruously reaches toward the damaged hand of the statue.
22-OCT-2009
Blessing, Old Court Church, Bucharest, Romania, 2009
This church, dating to 1545, is the oldest in Bucharest. Worshippers here participate in Orthodox Catholic rituals amidst gilded trappings that reach back into Romanian history. The eye goes to the hand of the priest as it extends his blessing – it full of both energy and mystery. Photography in Eastern European churches is often prohibited. Yet here in Bucharest’s oldest church, it was permitted. It is customary to make a donation to the church in return.
16-OCT-2009
Painting, St. Vladimir Cathedral, Kiev, Ukraine, 2009
It is hard to make an expressive photograph of a painting. After all, it is another person’s art we are picturing. However I saw an opportunity to express a sense of mystery by photographing this painting near the altar of St. Vladimir Cathedral. The gilded frame was reflecting light, and I used my spot metering mode on it. This held detail in the frame, and made the painting darker. The figure’s face in the painting seems withdrawn and skeptical, largely because of my diagonal composition. He could be a revered priest, or perhaps even a Czar, since he wears a crown. It is the kind of image that makes us wonder, and wonderment is very much expressive of faith.
24-OCT-2009
Entrance, Suleymaniye Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey, 2009
Istanbul’s most important mosque, Suleymaniye is the burial place of Suleyman The Magnificent, a ruler who extended the Ottoman Empire to its maximum extent by his death in 1566. While much of the mosque was closed for renovation, the pilgrims still crowded its entrance. I made this image from just inside the door, using a 20mm wideangle focal length. The key to the image is the expression of the woman at center, who holds her throat in a gesture of awe and respect.
19-OCT-2009
Priest, Lavra Monastery, Kiev, Ukraine, 2009
The operative word for this expression of faith is tranquility. This is holiest place for Orthodox Catholic Ukrainians, and the dappled light on the façade of the church with its bearded priest standing within the shadows of its doorway implies contemplation.
In a cruelly incongruous irony, a few moments after I made this image expressing respect for a religious tradition, my friend and colleague Tim May had his expensive Nikon lens smashed by a Ukranian Orthodox Catholic priest who violently took exception to having his picture taken. There were no signs of photo prohibition posted in the area. It was simply a random attack from a very unexpected quarter. It is sobering reminder that as photographers we may be perceived as threats and treated accordingly. We should try to exercise our rights a photographers in a respectful and unobtrusive manner, yet always remain aware that whenever a camera is our hands, unfortunate things can sometimes happen.
17-OCT-2009
The door, St. Michaels Monastery, Kiev, Ukraine, 2009
Three vividly colored painted saintly figures incongruously seem to be sternly watching a visitor exiting one of the doors to the monastery, while she takes no note of them. I liked the concept of bringing the past and present together in this way – the figures with the halos around their heads are painted larger than life in scale, and all of them have their eyes riveted on the area in front of the door.
08-APR-2009
Symbol in the light, San Xavier del Bac Mission, Tucson, Arizona, 2009
San Xavier del Bac Mission is considered the finest example of mission architecture in the United States. Located nine miles south of Tucson, on the San Xavier Indian Reservation, it spiritual home to their people since 1797. It is currently difficult to do justice to its striking Moorish and Byzantine architecture with a photograph, since it is undergoing extensive restoration, and much of the exterior is under scaffold. To express the feeling of this magical place, I concentrated instead on its interior, which is covered with richly colored murals and life sized carvings of religious figures. The timing of our visit coincided with the flow of light through a mission window, projecting a softly shadowed cross on the opposite wall of the church. I moved my position so that the silhouetted hand of one of the carvings seems to be gesturing towards the symbol of its faith.
08-APR-2009
The East Chapel, San Xavier del Bac Mission, Tucson, Arizona, 2009
One of the most impressive sights in this two hundred and twelve year old Franciscan mission church is a fully costumed Madonna figure under a canopy on a wall of the Church’s East Chapel. Its clothes are frequently laundered and changed and its 18th century crown of silver cleaned and polished. I watched as the light from a window on the opposing wall bathed the figure of the Madonna in dramatic light, and made many images of it as my subject. Yet as the light continued to slowly climb, leaving the figure in the shadows and illuminating a small portion of the painted canopy above it, it gave me an opportunity to take a more abstract and less literal approach. In this photograph, the splash of light symbolizes the mystical nature of spirituality itself, and the figure, now absorbed within the mysterious shadows, becomes part of the context instead of the subject.
11-APR-2009
Holy Saturday, Tumacacori National Monument, Arizona, 2009
We visited the Franciscan mission church of San Jose de Tumacacori on the day before Easter – Holy Saturday, when Christians commemorate the day that Christ’s body lay in the tomb. The old church, constructed between 1800 and 1823, was abandoned during the Mexican War of 1848. Its tiny cemetery is still intact. The largest grave was decorated with a double offering of flowers, no doubt an Easter tribute to the dead. The light had gone out of the sky as we walked among the silent graves. We had no idea who was buried here. Indians? Franciscans? In what centuries did they live and die? I did not seek answers -- only an image that expressed faith. To do so, I contrast the vivid colors of the Easter flowers to the stark, barren crosses that surround them, and to the two hundred year old scarred wall rising behind them. I moved behind a tree, probably bent centuries ago by an Indian, to anchor the scene within a foreground layer. The living tree seems to embrace the dead within its crooked trunk.
18-MAR-2009
Trinity Church Cemetery, New York City, New York, 2009
This cemetery is the only active cemetery remaining in the borough of Manhattan. Located on Broadway at the head of Wall Street, the cemetery holds the graves of Alexander Hamilton, William Bradford, Robert Fulton and Captain James Lawrence. I photographed the cemetery in the muted light and colors of a tapestry, building the image around its largest monument and contrasting Trinity Church to the windows of the office buildings that stand just across Broadway.
09-NOV-2008
Beyond the doors, Great Mosque, Kairouan, Tunisia, 2008
We were not allowed to enter this mosque, but I did have the opportunity to photograph this man at prayer through a pair of open doors. His kneeling posture, upraised hands, and Arabic garments work beautifully with the ornate rugs and delicate colors. The opening between the doors thrusts the viewer into the picture, as well. This room was very dark, but the very fast f2.0 lens of my Leica D-Lux 4 exposes the image perfectly at the stable shutter speed of 1/125th of a second.
18-MAR-2008
At rest, Jama Mosque, Old Delhi, India, 2008
Hundreds of Islamic worshippers rest in the shade of the arcades surrounding the huge mosque, which was built by Emperor Shah Jahan in 1656. I use a 300mm telephoto focal length to isolate and juxtapose two of them, one upright, the other not. There is a palpable sense of rest and reflection in the expressions and body language of these men, an important aspect of spiritual life among Muslims.
18-MAR-2008
Islamic dreamer, Old Delhi, India, 2008
The marble floors of the Jama Mosque make a hard bed, but Islamic faithful have been praying and sleeping on them for more than 650 years. Its billowing etched design suggests the gates of heaven itself. I used a 28mm wideangle lens and an overhead vantage point to link the body language of the prostrate man to the etching on the marble floor.
18-MAR-2008
The Might of Islam Mosque, Old Delhi, India, 2008
The ruin of India’s first mosque, built in 1193, actually evokes the more than a thousand years of varying spiritual beliefs. The mosque is a patchwork of Hindu tributes and Islamic domes and arches. Here I’ve juxtaposed a portion of an Islamic arch with part of the famous fourth-century Hindu “Iron Pillar.” Built in honor of the Hindu god Vishnu, it is a tribute to ancient Indian metallurgy. Today, it provides a roosting spot for a feathered visitor. With this one image, I attempt to symbolize the blend of historic faiths and beliefs that make India what it has become.
18-MAR-2008
Dome, Might of Islam Mosque, Old Delhi, India, 2008
Looking straight up into the ancient dome of India’s first Islamic mosque, one can readily imagine a metaphorical representation of heaven, with the sun positioned at its apex, it’s rays comprised of rings of golden bricks. This dome has been in place for over 800 years. The hall of the mosque is dark, and the ceiling appears dark and murky to the eye. By overexposing the image and using cloudy white balance to warm the image, I’ve caused changed the murkiness to golden red.
19-MAR-2008
Baha’i House of Worship, Delhi, India, 2008
Delhi’s most innovative modern structure, the Baha’i House of Worship was completed in 1986. Built of white marble, it resembles an unfurling 27-petal lotus, and is often referred to as The Lotus Temple. Followers of all faiths are invited to attend the daily service in its auditorium, which seats 1,300 people. Our tour bus stopped for a “photo-op” and we were given just five minutes to make a picture. I juxtaposed the top of the structure against its iron fence, which to me seemed to resemble a series of leaves, each bent in prayer and meditation. I am creating, in effect, a symbolic congregation for the temple.
19-MAR-2008
Shiva, Delhi, India, 2008
This huge statue of the Hindu god Shiva stands just outside of Delhi. I only show part of it, and relate it to the sky rather than its earthly surroundings. A group of small clouds drift away from its head, while a bird darts from the prongs of Shiva’s trident. I leave the face deep in shadow. By interpreting the statue in this way, I leave much to the imagination of the viewer and given the nature of the subject, that is the really the point of the picture.
29-MAR-2008
Pilgrim, Varanasi, India, 2008
Bearing a red flag, a bearded religious pilgrim completes an arduous trip on foot here in Varanasi. There is an intense atmosphere of spiritual devotion in this city, which sits on the banks of India's most sacred river, the Ganges. The city is the religious center of the world for Hindus. In this image, religious devotion seems to fall naturally into place with everyday life. Nobody gives the pilgrim a second look as he walks past. Meanwhile, the pilgrim appears as if he is momentarily waiting for us to join him on his walk.
21-MAR-2008
Sacred cow, City Palace, Jaipur, India, 2008
Cows hold an honored place in Hindu society, and roam freely in India's towns and cities, including just outside the gates of the palace where Jaipur's Maharajas still live. I made dozens of images featuring sacred cows while in India, but this was one of the few images I made of them that has spiritual significance. The white line on the pavement leads this cow towards us, while the cyclists and pedestrians walk away. Cows provide milk, dairy products, till the field, and provide fuel and fertilizer. Hindus consider them caretakers and maternal figures. They see the cow as a symbol of unselfish giving, and will not kill them. This cow is left alone to walk its own path, the path of the Sacred Cow. This image illuminates that path – glowing in the late afternoon light, this cow stands its ground, oblivious to all that is going on around it.
22-MAR-2008
Man of many colors, Jaipur, India, 2008
Most of India’s holidays are expressions of religious faith. Holi is one of them, celebrating the triumph of good over evil. It is an exuberant one day “festival of colors,” featuring uninhibited exchanges of vividly colored powders and water. There is also considerable intoxication. This man seems to have had his share of both. I had only an instant to make this shot from a moving tour bus. He sits in deep shade, lending a somber touch to an otherwise happy event.
22-MAR-2008
Meditation, Hindu Temple, Delhi, India, 2008
I watched carefully as a series of white clouds drifted over a Hindu temple topped by a statue of the meditating Garuda, the vehicle of Vishnu, and destroyer of evil. I waited for the big cloud with the tail to fill the right hand side of my frame and then made this photograph. To me, the big white cloud with the small tail symbolically represented an idea worthy of meditation and thought.
25-MAR-2008
At prayer, Abhaneri, India, 2008
A Muslim at prayer in Abhaneri, a small village in Southeastern Rajastahn. India is home to the third largest Muslim population in the world (after Indonesia and Pakistan). Yet only 13 per cent of India's population is Muslim. More than 80 percent of Indians are Hindus. Expressions of faith are part and parcel of daily life. This man is praying on the steps of an ancient reservoir built to provide a constant water supply to the village. His white costume and the sun-baked wall of the reservoir behind him starkly contrast to the wood-framed shadowed door at right. After making this image, I thought he may have chosen to pray in the hot sun because it made him feel that much closer to Allah.
28-MAR-2008
Temples, Khajuraho, India, 2008
In the 10th Century, the remote village of Khajuraho was the center of the thriving civilization of the Chandelas. In the 19th century, British archeologists excavated a group of temples here. One of them, flying a red flag, is still an active Hindu temple. The opposing diagonals of the flag and its staff add a dynamic jolt of energy to the ornate carvings that cover the ancient temples. A blend of past and present, this image underscores the continuity of Hindu beliefs.
26-MAR-2008
Tomb keeper, Fatehpur Sikri, India, 2008
The great mosque of the abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri contains the tomb of Salim Chishti, a Sufi mystic. The keeper of the tomb was welcoming and very patient. In 1568, Chishti correctly predicted that the childless emperor Akbar the Great would become a father. Childless women still come to Chishti's tomb in search of a miracle, leaving small cotton threads on the screens that surround it. I did not see any women leaving threads here, but I was able to make this environmental portrait of the tomb keeper – a man who spiritually seemed very much at peace with himself. By photographing him in the half-light of the doorway, I show less of him, and thereby try to say more.
19-MAR-2008
Pilgrims on the Delhi-Jaipur Road, India, 2008
India’s flag bearing religious devotees walk long distances to pursue their Hindu faith.
These men will walk all the way to Jaipur. I made this image from the cab of a tour bus, also headed to Jaipur. I built the image around the dual curves of the guard railing and the outer white line of the road. Along with the curving line of red reflectors, which pick up and repeat the red flags, and the big black arrows on their yellow signs, those energetic curves seem to propel these pilgrims towards their goal.
29-MAR-2008
Three in one, Varanasi, India, 2008
Three women share a rickshaw -- they carry balloons from a Hindu celebration. I liked the way the light illuminated them. It is almost as if they are glowing with spiritual satisfaction. They are young women, and as I made this image, they passed directly blow an advertising sign heralding a “new generation.” I took this coincidence to symbolize the continuity of faith, something that is passed from generation to generation.
29-MAR-2008
Spiritual promotion, Varanasi, India, 2008
I made this image from the back of a moving rickshaw, instinctively responding to a splash of vibrant yellow amid the faded browns and grays of an ancient city. Later, as I studied the image, I noticed that I had included a man in a scarf standing diagonally below the sign. His head tilts to the right, almost as if he is pondering a message emanating from the sign that soars above him. I don’t read Hindi, but I assume the man in the poster is a spiritual person, given the beard, hairstyle, and none too subtle pink halo around his head. Red and yellow are primary colors and in this case they dominate the jumbled Varanasi street scene. The image tells us that there are many ways to sell spirituality. Some succeed. Others do not. Will the man at lower right get the message the poster is sending his way? I leave such questions and answers to my viewers.
29-MAR-2008
Religious posters, Varanasi, India, 2008
There are thousands of deities in the Hindu pantheon and each of them generates dozens of tales. Some of those Gods and stories are depicted on posters sold on the streets of Varanasi. I used a wideangle lens to stress the quantity and diversity of subject matter here. The vendor quietly waits in semi-darkness, a subordinate figure to the colorful street display of Hindu iconography.
30-MAR-2008
Cremation ghat, Varanasi, India, 2008
Sanctified by a belief in the god Shiva's presence and the sacred Ganges, the 90 or so ghats (stairways) along the river define the life and identity of Varanasi. The ghats are lined with temples and shrines that repeat the endless cycle of Hindu religious practice. It is said that Shiva whispers into the ears of the dying. Because of this, many Hindus come to Varanasi to breathe their last. Here, at Manikarnika Cremation Ghat, funeral pyres burn by day and night, their flames reflecting on the Ganges. The ashes of the dead are later cast into the river. Out of respect for the dead, cremation photography is forbidden. However I was allowed to make this photo from a boat -- using a telephoto lens from a specified distance. I used burst shooting, ISO 400, and image stabilization to be able to make this shot at 1/25th of second, spot metering on the fires. The ghat itself is dimly seen – my emphasis is on the distant fires and their reflections in the river. It is the shimmering reflections of the pyres that give this image its spiritual dimension.
30-MAR-2008
Sacred light ceremony, Varanasi, India, 2008
As darkness falls on the Ganges, India's most sacred river, Hindu priests, known as pundits, perform the aarti ceremony on its banks. Torches are waved before the deities in a spirit of humility and gratitude -- a Hindu form of communal prayer. I made this image with a telephoto lens, shooting at night from a boat in the Ganges. The coil of smoke that snakes into the overhead darkness has a spiritual quality to it – it begins with man and ends as vapor in the overhead darkness. Other tourists were firing flashes at the scene, but I used whatever light was at the scene to tell the story in a natural way. A dimly seen audience watches in silence as the chanting of the priest echoes over Varanasi’s sacred Dasashvamedha Ghat. Incongruously contrasting to this holy moment are such secular details as a sign for a coffee house featuring “Chinise” food, and a brilliantly illuminated window displaying clothing for sale. Such is the nature of India. Faith and commerce exist side by side.
30-MAR-2008
Purified, Varanasi, India, 2008
A morning bath in the Ganges is a purification ritual for Hindus. This image offers us a brief glimpse into the spontaneous pleasure of faith itself. Purification makes this soap covered man feel good, and we share his happiness. I made this incongruous image from a boat in the Ganges, using a long 420mm telephoto focal length. He never noticed me – he smiles because he is happy with himself and with his faith.
30-MAR-2008
Dasashvamedha Ghat, Varanasi, India, 2008
This ghat, a series of steps leading to the Ganges, is Varanasi's holiest spot. Bathers throng the steps in the morning, priests perform ritual prayers here for pilgrims, and the aarti prayer ceremony is held here every evening. It is also a docking place for the small boats that carry visitors down the Ganges. The mural like image, made from a boat, is a festival of color and detail, encouraging study and thought. It offers a cross section of religious and secular life. Although there are well over 100 people in this picture, my own eye keeps coming back to the woman who stands alone in the center of the frame. She holds her sari over her head and seems to be at prayer.
30-MAR-2008
Saadhu, Varanasi, India, 2008
This colorful Saadhu, a Hindu holy man, meditates on a Varanasi street corner. I found it interesting that he has chosen this spot -- directly above a sign advertising the Baba Silk Factory. "Baba" is what Indians call such men as this. He sits behind a pot, encouraging us to wonder if he is sits here in prayer, in search of donations, or both? The canopied design of the building seems as if it was made for him.
30-MAR-2008
Morning prayers on the Ganges, Varanasi, India, 2008
Devout Hindus wash and pray on the ghats of Varanasi every morning. The Ganges is life, purity, and a goddess to the Hindus of India. It is said that anyone who touches these purifying waters is cleansed of all sins. This image blends devotion with chaos. It speaks to the intensity of faith itself. The praying woman does not see the whirl of activity around her. Although there are eight people in this picture, I abstract six of them to focus attention on the contrast between the activities of the two women who can be seen in their entirety. The colors of the costumes and the image itself are timeless – the early morning light gives the scene the palette of an oil painting.
02-APR-2008
Catholic church, Kerala, India, 2008
The Christian population of Kerala, a southwestern Indian state on the Arabian Sea, originated with the visit of St. Thomas in 52 AD. Two thirds of the Christians in Kerala today are Roman Catholics, a contribution of the Portuguese who ruled here in the 1500s. A third are known as Syrian Christians because of the Syrian Liturgy, which they continue to use in their services. In this incongruous image, we see the upper portion of the church steeple rising through the electrical wires, the palms, and their coconuts. A statue of Christ waves its arms, as a light fixture forms a cross behind it. The primitive charm of this scene conveys a sense of warmth, and Kerala’s Christians seem to embrace their faith accordingly.
02-APR-2008
Pundit, Moncombu, India, 2008
Hindu priests are known as pundits. This one is preparing an offering amid streams of incense in a small Southern India village. The pundit is partially visible, appearing as a final layer behind a golden flagstaff and ornate fencing. By only partially showing him, I express a priest’s low-key role in Hindu worship. He seems to function as an expediter, helping more than leading or inspiring.
02-APR-2008
Prayers, Syrian Church, Thambukulam, Kerala, India, 2008
Because of trade winds on the Arabian Sea, Kerala began trading with the outside world a thousand years ago. Muslim merchants came in the 8th century. Vasco de Gama arrived in 1498, and the Portuguese, Dutch and English controlled its pepper trade for centuries. Such business eventually brought Christianity to India, and this church, which follows Syrian Liturgy, is one of many that can be found in Kerala. The deep religious faith of its worshippers can be seen in this image of three women at prayer. There is great contrast here between the woman who stands and prays with her hands to her face, and those who remain seated, their prayers written on their faces.
02-APR-2008
Workshop, Thambukulam, Kerala, India, 2008
Kerala’s craftsmen make religious effigies for churches around the world. I found this carving of the Virgin Mary in the back of a studio. The torn canvas, broken beams, and blue light streaming through the makeshift studio stand in sharp contrast to the sublime surface of the religious icon. This contrast can symbolize the persistence of faith in a world that at times seems to be falling apart.
02-APR-2008
Angel, Thambukalam, Kerala, India, 2008
A statue of an angel protecting a child stands over the sign of the craft studio where I made the preceding image. Using a wideangle lens, I moved my vantage point until the finger of the angel touched the wire overhead. I create an incongruous metaphor for the role of religious faith in a technologically oriented world. I converted the image to black and white to make the storm cloud overhead seem more threatening. The strong diagonal thrusts of the wires and the adjacent structure energize the image. The wires may carry electricity, telephone or Internet messages, yet they are symbolically monitored and perhaps even protected here by an icon of a faith that is 2,000 years old.
04-APR-2008
Chapel, Santa Cruz Cathedral, Cochin, India, 2008
The morning sun passes through a decorative screen of an outdoor chapel, imprinting a kneeling man and an iconic statue of the Virgin Mary with splashes of light and shadow.
The screen is also reflected in the glass surrounding the statue. Nature and iconography combine here to express humility and faith. Santa Cruz Cathedral was built in 1887, during the British rule of India.
04-APR-2008
Worshipper, Santa Cruz Cathedral, Cochin, India, 2008
This man is praying just outside of the church at the outdoor chapel shown in the preceding image. The play of early morning light on his face makes it seem as if it is carved in ebony. The stretched tendons in his hands and neck convey the intensity of his prayers. I made this image with a long 420mm telephoto focal length. The worshipper never noticed me. I include a softly focused church window as context.
03-APR-2008
Motorized aphorisms, Cochin, India, 2008
An aphorism painted on the side of a truck expresses an aspect of faith. The words are enhanced by the masses of optimistic colors and floral designs that cover the metal. I don’t show the truck itself – rather I show only that part that contains the message I want to convey.
04-APR-2008
Prayer to the sea, Cochin, India, 2008
The young women in this picture had been standing in the surf. Soaked to the hips, they emerged from the sea and climbed on to the seawall. Suddenly one of them clasped her hands together, looked into the sky, and began to pray. The pale horizon of the Arabian Sea stretches those prayers towards infinity. The contrast between the body language of the women is quite expressive as well. One of them places her hands on her hips, waiting patiently for the other woman to finish her prayer. It does not matter if those prayers are Hindu, Muslim, Christian or Jewish – the people of Cochin have tolerated all of them over the centuries. In the end, the expression of faith remains a private matter – to each his own. And that is the ultimate point of this image.