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New Apostolic Church
Photography in divine service
◼ Photography ↑
“Photography is a wonderful discovery, a science that stimulates the most intelligent minds, an art that hones the sharpest of spirits—and one whose implementation lies within the grasp of even the most feebleminded. What cannot be taught is the proper feel for it,” wrote Nadar (1820-1910), whose real name was Gaspard Félix Toumachon, a French author, caricaturist, and photographer.
As a photographer I must see to it that I am never in the way, that I do my work as unobtrusively as possible—and that I do so quietly, without crawling, running, jumping, crashing about, or climbing ... And yet I must be confident, in control, and make sure I have the necessary overview.
◼ Arrival ↑
“Late you come, but still you come!” wrote Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (1759–1805), the German poet and dramatist, in his drama Wallenstein—but he was probably not talking about the photographer.
I arrive at the scene fifteen minutes before the start of my own timetable. This gives me one last opportunity to look around in peace, unpack my camera, reserve my seat, greet people I know without any stress, and pray.
With sufficient time before the start of the divine service I can calmly photograph quite a number of subjects that I will no longer need to worry about during or after the divine service.
If I am going to take photos of the officiant from my seat during the divine service, I will let my immediate neighbours (in front of, behind, and beside my seat) know of my plans already before the start of the divine service. In my experience, no one ever refuses such a polite request made in advance. If I fail to consult my neighbours about such plans beforehand, I risk some possibly (justified?) looks of incomprehension.
◼ The photographer’s seat and travel path ↑
Sitting down, remaining seated, or sitting out an event are no guarantees of good photos. Movement and the related change of perspective form the basis for diverse and varied subjects. But—a photographer is not allowed to (and hopefully does not want to) walk around constantly either. This disturbs the divine service experience and unnecessarily interrupts devotion and sanctification. Taking a seat helps bring about the necessary calm.
Crucial factors for a good seat
- It should be in a central position and thus be only a short trip away from the essential subjects during the divine service. This will help avoid unnecessary walking around. The following aspects hold priority: proximity to the altar, choir, orchestra, soloists—and not in the direct view of a video camera—proximity to the exit and to the stairs leading to the gallery/next level (this is secondary in the assessment).
- It should be easily accessible, in other words a corner seat. This prevents disturbance to others in attendance but does not prevent the photographer himself from doing his job.
- Use a “Reserved” sign, which allows the photographer to move for a moment without losing his place for the rest of the divine service.
In the event there is left or right-sided block seating, I usually choose my seat on the side opposite the choir, on a corner seat inside or outside of the block, in the second or third row. Seats in the first row are often already reserved for others, and besides, the perspective angle from the second or third row is smaller, which means that the altar I am photographing will show less falling lines than it would from the first row. It also depends a little on the height difference between my seat and the altar.
A seat near the central aisle allows me to take pictures even during the divine service with out walking around or getting up. In small divine service quarters, a seat near the middle aisle can also be a disadvantage, however, because those in attendance are seated in close proximity to one another and the photographer does not have all that much room to move.
◼ Test shots and white balance ↑
In order to be completely sure I have chosen the right camera settings, a few test shots are called for. I take these test shots shortly before I actually start taking any real photos. The lighting conditions on the evening before may not provide any reference for Sunday morning or any other point in time. If coloured church windows create strong opposing lighting, or if reflections caused by artificial lighting lead to peculiar lighting conditions, I can adjust for these in real time.
Any date and time indicators that might be showing on the photos should be deactivated by this point, at the latest. These have no place on good photos, and disturb the message and subject of the photo.
Light sources have a distinct influence on the colours in the photos. These light sources include lamps, any flash elements used, and even sunlight. At noon and in the afternoon, sunlight has a blue-green character, but it beams a yellow-red in the evening. Incandescent lamps shine in yellow-orange coloured tones, and fluorescent tubes give off a bluish hue. In digital photography a white balance can be helpful depending on the circumstances. For this purpose, digital cameras are equipped with either an Automatic White Balance (AWB) or a manual white balance. The latter is recommended if there are too many light sources and the automatic white balance does not yield satisfactory results.
For a manual white balance, I need a white sheet of paper or, even better, an eighteen per cent grey card. This white reference is photographed, filling the picture as completely as possible, in the environment where I want to take all the other photos, and then set as a reference image in the camera. The instruction manual of any camera explains the few steps required to perform a proper white balance. A white balance can be performed in about five seconds. The important thing to remember is that you will need to perform another white balance the moment you leave this space (which may simply entail entering a different room, going outside, or moving from sunlight into shadow). A new space means new lighting.
◼ Image format: jpg or raw ↑
The question may not be as old as photography itself, but it has certainly been discussed quite exhaustively: what advantages and disadvantages do these two image formats offer? Following is a brief comparison—and an overall assessment.
Required storage space/file size:
jpg: depending on subject/camera model, up to 20 MB per image file
raw: depending on subject/camera model, up to 50 MB per image file
Effort required for image processing:
jpg: finished photo, low effort, many automatic functions
raw: unfinished photo, greater effort, special knowledge required
Speed with sequential shots/continuous shooting:
jpg: higher/faster than withraw; dependent on camera model and memory card
raw: lower/slower than with jpg; dependent on camera model and memory card
If the images are to be published exclusively on the Internet, taking photos using the jpg mode is recommended due to the time savings in photo processing and the lower storage requirements. If white balance, colour interpolation, and further image adjustments are still to be possible during image processing, raw files are necessary.
When taking photos under difficult or changing lighting conditions, or if the photos are also to be used in print, photographing in raw mode will offer additional security. The development of raw files does, however, require some expertise. If you do not need any extra security during development—because you did everything right beforehand—raw files are not necessary for exclusive online use.
I mainly shoot in jpg mode. If I have to take good pictures under difficult lighting conditions (for example, at a wedding: a white wedding dress in the beaming sunshine), then I select the jpg + raw mode as a safety cushion. If the jpg images do not turn out well, I can still process individual photos in raw mode.
◼ Taking photos in the altar area ↑
“The altar is a holy place consecrated by God. In the New Apostolic Church it has a double function: it is the place where the word is proclaimed, as well as the place where Holy Communion is prepared. The fact that holy acts are only performed there at certain times of the day or on specific days of the week, in the context of a divine service, takes away nothing of its holiness. For this reason, the altar should remain as untouched as possible when other church events occur in the divine service space (musical and choral events, biblical illustrations, etc.).” So writes the New Apostolic Church in its description of the altar on the website http://nak.org.
Bearing this in mind—above and beyond the general sanctification and devotion of those attending the service—I always have special respect for the holiness of the altar and the area immediately around the altar when taking photos. This means:
- before and after the divine service—and other church events—I avoid using the rear of the altar space to take group shots or posed photos, for example. Group pictures can also be taken from the side or in front of the altar. In order to photograph large groups in the nave of the church, it is a better idea to take the photo from a gallery, staircase, or chair. In general, the group itself should remain outside of the space behind the altar, however.
- during the divine service I avoid setting foot in the immediate altar area. Some clear and familiar indicators: the divine service begins with a Trinitarian introduction (“In the name of God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit”). This is followed by the opening prayer, and the service concludes with the final benediction after the closing prayer (“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.”).
- after the divine service I avoid setting foot in the space behind the altar to take photos of people saying goodbye, offering congratulations, etc.
- As far as locally possible, I always photograph holy acts and ordinations from a position outside of the altar space.
◼ Acts ↑
Taking photos during the divine service most often amounts to an interruption to devotion and sanctification. This applies especially when photographing during sacramental acts (Holy Baptism, Holy Sealing), acts of blessing (confirmation, wedding blessing, wedding anniversary blessings, etc.), as well as ordinations and retirements. There is a distinction between the following:
- the introductory address of the act,
- the act itself, as well as
- the closing address/congratulations.
The prerequisite for taking photographs at the aforementioned opportunities is early consultation ahead of the event—not just the evening before, or the day of, the act itself—with:
- the officiant or the one performing the act, and
- those involved in the act.
Only if I have the express agreement of both of these parties will it be possible for me to take some unobtrusive photographs during the address before the act and during the address/congratulations following the act.
In exceptional cases it may be that the couple/the parents/the person in question explicitly ask for a photo of the act itself. This might be the case, for example, with a baptism at the moment when the officiant wets the forehead with water. Or, in the case of a wedding, it may be the moment when the hands of the couple are joined and the officiant places his hands upon them. In these exceptional cases it is possible (after consultation ahead of time, and having received agreement from all parties involved) to take one to two photos of the act itself. Recommendation: take the photo without a flash and do it right at the end of the act, in other words, shortly before the Amen is spoken.
When taking photos of acts, walking around is to be avoided as much as the involvement of other photographers. The photographer is already standing at the right place before the start of the act. The camera is already turned on and properly set. All it takes after that is a single click.
◼ Do’s and Don’ts ↑
Under the conditions of the liturgy, photography can be intimidating, raise questions, and cause uncertainty. However, with proper planning, some preparatory discussions, and sufficient knowledge, photography in a divine service can be a simple and essential part of the Church’s public relations work, and create valuable memories of special moments.
Talk first, then take photos. Consultation ahead of time with editors, ushers, those involved in the act, camera personnel, and possibly the officiant, are necessary to ensure the work goes smoothly and without any trouble.
One photographer will suffice. In large halls, a second photographer can be deployed as a backup—or in addition—to the main photographer. He will then be assigned a firmly agreed upon working area.
Be in control. Attire is appropriate to the occasion. The photographer is quiet and unobtrusive. Walking routes and seating are discussed and chosen well in advance. Disturbing elements (flashes, shutter beeps, noisy shoe soles, and the like) are to be deliberately avoided.
Pay attention to personality rights. The Right to One’s Own Image and the privacy of the persons depicted must be strictly respected. Photography can publicise things that are private.
The photo selection decides. No person depicted is to be brought into disrepute on account of photography. Feelings and intimate spheres must not be violated—this applies to the moment the photograph is taken, but also especially afterward, when the photos are selected.
Altar/altar space. The altar is a consecrated, holy place. During the divine service, the photographer is not to set foot into the space immediately surrounding the altar. The Trinitarian introduction and Trinitarian closing benediction mark the start and end of the divine service, respectively. Group and family photos are generally taken outside of the altar space, not behind the altar, nor on the altar steps.
Sacramental acts. Photography before and after the sacramental act is possible with prior consultation—and given the proper distance. A prior conversation with the officiant and those involved in the act is a matter of course. Photos can only be taken during the sacramental act in exceptional cases, and only with a corresponding mandate.
Acts of blessing. Taking photographs before, during, and after acts of blessing is possible, given the proper distance. A conversation with the officiant and those involved in the act ahead of time is a matter of course.
Prayer. Prayer is part of the very personal relationship between the believer and God. Photo graphing individuals while they are praying is not permitted. Taking photos of a congregation in prayer is possible in certain cases, as long as no individual is emphasised.