Sunday 12 July 2009

Looking up

Seeing something above, originally uploaded by Lancaster Today.

Father Stewart indulges in earthly pleasures whilst Bella wonders if there is anything up there.

Fr. Stewart, originally uploaded by Lancaster Today.

Father Stewart hears my confession: "Bless me father for I have sinned. It has been 25 years since my last confession. Since then I've taken some awful photos and had lewd thoughts. Many lewd thoughts."

"My son," he intoned with deadly seriousness "ditch the camera. It's the work of the devil."

Lancaster Cathredral 3, originally uploaded by Lancaster Today.

Silhouette of superstition or something serious? Lancaster Cathedral stretches upwards - even Bella couldn't climb this high.

Notes: Sundays remain synonymous with worship within some communities in Lancaster. So when Alan and Alison mentioned yesterday that a friend who is a Catholic priest had stayed over, a theme for today's post began to take shape. Seeing him for the first time chilling out on the doorstep an hour or so later, sleepy-eyed and unpriestlike - if priests have a 'look' - it was clear that Stewart was a candidate for a photo-shoot. Hasn't he got a fab face? Thanks Stewart - hope the sermon went well and that we'll meet again soon.
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14 comments:

  1. Julie12 July 2009 at 10:44

    Very good photo, Eamon. You have managed to capture a personality that is at odds with his calling.

    Good clarity. Good composition. He certainly seemed at ease with you.

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  2. eamon@ewmphotography12 July 2009 at 11:17

    Thanks Julie. Yes, the personality of the priest is an interesting topic in its own right. When I used the word unpriestlike - and who cares if the spell checker adds a squiggly line! - it was to consider the perceptions and expectations we have of priestly figures. My own have changed over the years, maybe because I rarely meet priests, and only then in social situations. But yes, Stewart definitely seems the sort to shakes prejudices one might hold - in a good way for me, I might add.

    For the public record, I should also add that the little confessional blurb on the caption didn't actually happen. I'm sure that's clear to everyone, but it has just struck me that it might just be read as real quotation and thereby inscribe a personality onto Stewart that isn't (necessarily) there. Let's see if Stewart has something to say about this. I'm pretty sure that he will see this post at some stage.

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  3. Leif Hagen12 July 2009 at 13:26

    Personable priestly portrait photos! Perfect!

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  4. eamon@ewmphotography12 July 2009 at 15:25

    You got me there Leif - I've run out of P words to respond in kind.

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  5. The Prodigal Tourist12 July 2009 at 16:01

    Never work with animals, they always upstage you!

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  6. Lachezar12 July 2009 at 21:51

    This a great post, one of the most fun and interesting I've seen in a while in this community! And great photography too! Cheers@

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  7. eamon@ewmphotography12 July 2009 at 22:06

    Thank you Lachezar - very kind of you to say so. Now I've got to find something interesting for tomorrow :(

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  8. Kris McCracken13 July 2009 at 04:39

    I do like the mix of the personal with the grand (the steeple at the end)!

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  9. Olivier13 July 2009 at 09:47

    deux beaux portraits, bon choix du b&w

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  10. eamon@ewmphotography13 July 2009 at 10:05

    Thanks Kris

    Merci, Olivier.

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  11. Stefan Jansson13 July 2009 at 10:09

    Ha ha. I would never confess to taking lousy photos! I'd delete them on the spot. Nice portrait.

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  12. eamon@ewmphotography13 July 2009 at 10:50

    Hey Steffe - but you've had lots of lewd thoughts, right? Do you delete those too? :)

    I'm enjoying your blog very much btw - one of the most interesting I've come across.

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  13. Sean13 July 2009 at 14:10

    The whole post is nice.. .the pictures and commentary. Great lighting and pictures!

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  14. eamon@ewmphotography13 July 2009 at 16:19

    Thanks Sean, and glad to be aboard ATW.

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Thanks for the comment in advance. All thoughts are appreciated ~ Eamon.

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