Over Columbus Day weekend, I was hired to photograph a major event happening in the timeline of the Episcopal Church here in Boston: St. Paul’s Cathedral – a looming and omnipresent structure in downtown Boston – was celebrating its 100th Anniversary. I am not an Episcopalian (or any religion, for that matter) but I was really excited and honored to be photographing this event. I love the diversity of my job, how everyday and every client is different – and this was no exception!
The day began with a choir rehearsal in the Sanctuary while people gathered outside to register. The church had invited everyone who had ever been baptized, confirmed, married, or ordained at the church and hundreds showed up from around the Boston area. We coordinated a group photo on the steps of the cathedral – which turned out to be much less complicated than I was expecting – and then filed into the church for a service. Speaker after speaker took to the pulpit telling their story of how St. Paul’s had influenced and changed their lives. The traditional choir sang powerful hymns, the gospel choir belted out a handful of songs, and people laughed and prayed and celebrated. Two hours later, energized from hearing about the amazing history of this church, the attendees gathered in the common room downstairs for cake, dancing, more music and more laughs.
Event photography for me is always about telling the story of the day. To me, the story of St. Paul’s Cathedral is one of togetherness, diversity, appreciation, respect, and service. I learned so much about how this cathedral and its congregation have grown and adapted in the last 100 years to be a more welcoming and affirming place. The congregation is committed to service and justice and that was evident in the stories from everyone who spoke. So I tried to make photos that showed the community, the openness, and the happiness that I saw there. Here is just a sample of the photos from that day, but I hope you see what I see – a genuine celebration of an historic Boston institution.
If you enjoy this Boston event photography by Boston event photographer Leise Jones, please contact me to discuss how I can make beautiful photos of your event.