For Photographers
A few fellow photographers have reached out for advice for shooting the Mass. While I do not profess to be an expert, here are some things I have learned.
What advice would you give someone just starting church photography?
Be familiar with the order of the Liturgy you’re shooting. I cannot stress this enough. I didn't realize how many gaps there were in my knowledge of the Mass until I started church photography, and I credit church photography for really solidifying my familiarity with the order of the Mass. Regardless of the Rite, regardless of the Form, you have to know the order of the Liturgy. If it's a special Liturgy with additional things like Confirmations or a procession, talk to the priest or MC beforehand about the order and pick up a booklet if they're available. Always be thinking about what’s coming next and where you want to be.
Talk to the priest and find out where you are and are not allowed to be; the last thing you want to do is be in a place that is distracting to him or anyone else in the sanctuary. Can you come all the way up to the front pew? Would he rather you stay as close to the back as you can?
If you want to shoot from the choir loft, communicate with the choir director and/or organist beforehand to make sure you won’t be getting in anyone’s way while doing so. The music director of the Oratory is a good friend of mine and the choir is used to me barging in by now (thank you, choir!). They never have a problem with my visits to the loft, but I still check in before Mass if I plan to be up there. It’s common courtesy and makes it easier for me and the musicians to do our jobs with as few disruptions as possible.
Map out the church before Mass starts and figure out what places will and will not work for photography. I almost never shoot from the Gospel side because the Oratory’s eagle lectern, while beautiful, almost completely obstructs my view. Give extra consideration to what places work well for important moments of the Mass, such as the elevations and the Ecce.
Is having a photographer in the church is distracting to the people?
It seems that people are used to me walking around with a camera since it happens fairly often - and I’m also not the only photographer at the Oratory - and nobody’s ever said anything to me about it.
Be as respectful as you would be in the pew while also realizing that the same level of respect will look different when you’re in a different role. When I’m moving around the nave, I keep my eyes down or straight ahead and don’t look at or engage with anyone in the pews. I try to time major movements through the nave during the people’s transitions from one position to another. For example: if I’m kneeling in the center aisle for the elevations, I wait to get up and move until everyone stands for the Pater Noster (Our Father).
Once people realize what you’re doing, they probably won’t think much about it for the rest of Mass. If all else fails, you will be there with the permission of the priest and can fall back on that.
How do I still pray when I'm photographing the Mass?
I have yet to find a satisfactory solution for this. The prayer-work balance isn’t new to me. I also struggled unsuccessfully to find it when doing church music regularly, though I do find it easier to balance photography and prayer than music and prayer.
Of course, all we do should be offered to God. My work as a photographer is very much a prayer, and I entrust my work to St. Veronica and my Guardian Angel before every Mass I shoot. Even so, I photograph a lot of major feasts and solemnities throughout the year and sometimes it’s hard for me not to come away from a Mass feeling like I didn’t really honor the day properly.
When I have a minute, I catch up with the Propers in my Missal. This often happens during the homily. (Sorry, Canon!) I try to follow the gestures of the Mass (bowing my head at the Name of Jesus, kneeling during the Creed at the Incarnatus, etc.) while I’m shooting, and I often let those gestures take priority over "getting the shot." I usually photograph the Ecce and then return to my pew to prepare for a few minutes before going to the end of the Communion line.
During my church music days, I picked up the practice of going to an additional Mass that I wasn't "working." I feel less distracted in my role of photographer and don't do this as frequently now, but occasionally I go to the Low Mass just to attend because I'm photographing the High Mass.
Can you give me technical advice?
Yes and no. Photography is such a case-by-case and person-to-person art, but if you have questions specific to your situation, feel free to contact me!
There's not much of a point in sharing my detailed specifications since they change all the time. The beauty of a space with as much natural light as the Oratory gets is...the natural light. It's a dream to work with and happens fairly infrequently, so it's always a treat.
The downside is that it's a warm-toned space and photographs very yellow and orange when it's cloudy or dark outside. It's even more challenging when it's a feast day and the ministers are also in yellow or gold...and the antependium is gold...and the flowers on the white marble altar are also white...you get the idea. I came into church photography in 2023 as a complete amateur with no formal training, and the Oratory, because of its quirks, has taught me to shoot and edit better than anything else could have.
Some general technical principles (for photographers of any genre):
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Decide what format you want to shoot. If you are generally happy with how your photos look straight off the camera or have little to no interest/ability/time/etc. to edit, JPEG would probably work just fine. If you're shooting in an especially challenging space and think you'll need to do a lot of editing to get the end product you want (or just like to do a lot of editing regardless of the space), look into shooting RAW.
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If you have fickle/extreme lighting or colors, strongly consider shooting fully manual. The only automatic thing I use is autofocus. Everything else, from shutter speed to white balance, is done manually on the fly. If you go this route, shoot RAW; it will allow for more flexibility in editing if your noodling in the "exposure triangle" doesn't produce quite what you want! Ask me how I know...
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If you're self-conscious about making noise and you have a mirrorless camera, use the electronic shutter. It took a while for the congregation to get used to not hearing me after I switched from a DSLR to mirrorless and for the first several liturgies, people asked if I'd taken any photos at all!
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Consider investing in lenses before upgrading your camera body. If you have the means to get both at the same time, go for it! If it's a choice between new glass and a new camera , consider this scenario: You only have a 50mm lens and want a range up to 200mm. You spend your entire budget on a new camera body before you buy a lens that can get you to 200mm. Now you have a new camera...and you're still stuck with a range of 50mm. This example is a bit extreme, but hopefully it makes the point well enough.
Obviously this depends on exactly what you need and for what purpose, but many people (myself included) get excited about the prospect of buying a new camera when it's the lens that often does most of the heavy lifting. Shopping for your kit is a good exercise in prudence. ;)
If you've gotten this far, thanks for reading all my rambling. I love talking about the more technical side of photography, so feel free to reach out if you have any questions (though I cannot guarantee I'll have answers) or just want to talk photography!