St. John's Lutheran Church

One of the early decisions I made about the Church Project was to shoot it in black and white. Depicting these fine old buildings in black and white tones is the appropriate choice. I think it took me 30 seconds to figure that one out.


But. Color has always been an undeniably important part of church architecture. Many people couldn't read in the Middle Ages, but they could follow the stories illustrated in stained glass windows. For me, personally, stained glass windows always make churches special places.


For those and other reasons, it's likely that there will be a small number of color photographs in the final selection. In any group of photos, the photographer wants to establish a rhythm and flow. My current thinking is I'll use a handful of color photos to help create that in the Church Project.


St. John's Lutheran Church is in the background of this photo. It's just outside St. Donatus, Iowa, which is southeast of Dubuque. The lighting on this evening was dramatic and fast.  It was a matter of slam the brakes, get the camera on the tripod, compose, focus, and shoot. The rainbow faded away soon after I made this photo.

Ghost Town Church

I can be a fickle when it comes to my photographs. I can really like a particular photo for two or three weeks and then I start to like it less and less. Not so with this photo of an abandoned church. It's in a ghost town called Halfa in northern Iowa. It has remained on my list of favorites since I first worked on it. It has good tonality, good composition, and an interesting subject.

This church is obviously abandoned and it poses an important question when I think of it as part of the Church Project. I wanted to show these churches as important parts of their community. In this church's case, the community is no longer there. Should churches no longer in use be included?

No doubt I'll continue to ponder that question. For now Ghost Town Church remains a part of the project. Despite not being cared for, it retains a dignified air that I admire. The people who worshiped here made this church a sacred place. That did not change when they left.