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The Baptism of Persephone

The Baptism of Persephone at Grace Episcopal Church, Carthage, Missouri. Copyright © 2019 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

I’ve often said that working for the Church I am privileged to be present at key moments in people’s lives. Unexpectedly that happened at this weekend’s Easter Vigil service.

Officially, I was attending to get some pictures of the Easter Vigil (one of my favorite services) and of the 150th anniversary celebrations that followed. I was secretly hoping to capture another great Easter Vigil candlelight picture, working against me would be an early service with the sun streaming in through the windows.

On arrival, I Checked in with the rector and discovered the order of service would be different. Yay! Candles later, maybe it would be dark. Pre-warned on the non-standard running order, I studied the order of service to work out what was happening when. That was when I discovered there would also be baptisms. Being attached to the diocese and not a church, I don’t get to attend many baptisms, but I do know the drill.

What I wasn’t prepared for was a church so filled with incense smoke so thick you could hardly see from one end to the other. I love chiaroscuro images and I saw a chance to produce a picture in a similar style if I risked shooting into the light. I have to admit it took an awfully long time in post to get the pictures I wanted, but it was well worth the effort. I would like to think they also have a little bit of a renaissance feel to them.

A full album of my pictures from the evening can be seen here.   

The Baptism of Persephone at Grace Episcopal Church, Carthage, Missouri. Copyright © 2019 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.

Copyright © 2019 Gary Allman, all rights reserved. For The Diocese of West Missouri

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