Mt Bethel UMC to Update Web Images
I was given access to a perspective not often seen and rarely photographed last week. I was hired by Mt Bethel United Methodist Church in Marietta, Georgia, to cover a full day of services and create the images they will use to update their upcoming new website.
Mt Bethel is a very large church, with two campuses holding four different services on Sunday mornings. My task was to create images that can be used in banners, billboards, programs, the website, and any printed or online material they may need, that convey the size of their ministry, as well as the excitement they project while spreading the word of the Lord on Sunday mornings.
Having photographed over 800 weddings in my career as a professional photographer, I’m well aware of the rules of etiquette when working within the confines of the church – you NEVER approach the altar, certainly never attempt to photograph from behind the minister, and never use flash during the service itself. Your job as a wedding photographer is to document from the back of the church or balcony if possible, and not interfere with or impede the ceremony in any way. This job would be slightly different.
At the beginning of each of the four services, an announcement was made by the minister that a professional photographer had been hired from Tampa to assist Mt Bethel with the imagery they use in spreading the good work they do every Sunday, and to simply ignore the man with the camera that appeared to be lurking in the background. 🙂 This would give me and my camera full and unfettered access to “a perspective not often seen.” I limited my need to be on the altar to the first few minutes of each service, then quickly left the sightline of the congregation to find other opportunities to work with.
My “handlers,” assigned by the church, were a wonderful Mother/Daughter team (Johnna and Mary Louise), that had been assigned to keep me on schedule and shuttle me from one service to the next. I couldn’t have asked for a better set of assistants (or “Key Grips”) for the day. There wasn’t anything they couldn’t do and I’m eternally grateful for all their hard work.
I’m also very appreciative to Dr. Jody Ray, who, as Senior Pastor for Mt Bethel UMC, made my job very easy by granting me the perspective I felt I needed to create the images I know will help them in their mission. He was very patient with me and a great subject for my lens.
Below, are just a few of my favorite images from the course of the day. As with most images, there’s a story behind each one, but I’ll let the photos do the talking.
