Top 10 Shot List for Missions Photographers

MISSIONS PHOTOGRAPHY SERIES~PART 2 

It's not about you. The direction that you aim your camera really speaks volumes to your purpose and focus. Ministry is always others-focused and so your photography should be as well. Have you ever looked through someone's web album only to see a lot of arms-length self-portraits, or pictures of the group making silly faces, or the group in front of the tourist locations? There will probably be a few food pictures thrown-in and even some local animals but have you ever wondered, what did they do? Who did they reach? This is typical of personal pictures, which we all do and I am not condoning it. But with missions photography you need to be a more purposeful and respectful story-teller. The point of missions is reaching others, tell their story not yours. But remember, to tell the story in a way that brings honor to God and not exploit the misfortunes of others. 

These women find refuge and hope after life on the streets of Bucharest @ Jubilee-Romania

Preparation: Before any trip, I will do some internet searching about the location. I will learn its history, statistics, and culture. I will see what images have been made from that location. I suggest creating an inspiration board of the images you hope to capture. Mine are often in my head but I have scoped out the digital landscape so to speak and have already started thinking about the approach I want to take with my story, the images I hope to capture and what I might expect once I get there.  I am not doing this to copy what someone else has done but to prepare myself to take it further, to show what hasn't been shown before. I then take these things to the Lord in prayer to get His perspective. I also make a shot list. If I am shooting for an organization I will always ask what their expectations are because the images I envision may be different from what they are expecting. I learn as much about the culture as I can, by doing so sharpens my awareness once I get there. There will always be surprises but far fewer with preparation.

Top Ten Shot List for your visual narrative.

CAPTURE PLACES AND CULTURE TO SET THE SCENE. 

The Orthodox Church is a dominant
force in Romania.  Shots like this can give
your story cultural context.

10. Wide shots that include the landscape, architecture, and the physical locations that you do ministry. 

9. Wide to medium shots of the surrounding areas where the people live and work. 

8. Medium to close-up shots of the culture: dress, food, customs, religious icons. I always look for a symbol of the country such as the flag for immediate identification. 

THINK ABOUT HOW YOU ARE GOING TO TELL YOUR STORY AND WHO YOUR MAIN AUDIENCE WILL BE 

7.  Multi-media: If you are able to shoot video consider getting "b" role of the roads you travels, transportation, crowds of people moving to help move your presentation, if not, shoot photo sequences (time-lapse photography) of movement. Also capture audio of local sounds and interviews. I like to pick-up some of the local music if possible.
CAPTURE WHAT IS HAPPENING AND HOW IT IS DONE IN A VARIETY OF MEDIUM AND CLOSE-UP SHOTS AS WELL AS A VARIETY OF ANGLES.
6.  Capture everyday activities of the team and the people you serve. Worship, eating, meeting, daily life....

Look for different angles to tell the story. This window view
gives you a more complete picture of this after-school program
in Campina Romania.

5. Capture all ministry-related activity. Speaking, praying, building, caring etc...

Gene,  the clown captures a young girls attention
at a church in Moura Noua, Romania.

4. Group shot: look for a location with great light that gives your team context. Think about this early-on in the trip so you are not shooting everyone on the hotel stairs the very last morning.
CAPTURE THE MAIN SUBJECTS.

3. Team Members: Capture candids of each person active in ministry and with the locals. Make sure you have someone capture you in action! 

Kathy Walker with Bible-Missions engages the children
and receives some smiles at this Romanian orphanage. 

2. In-Country Hosts:  Candids of your local co-laborors, career missionaries, or NGOs in action are always appreciated. NOTE 1: Be sure to leave a copy of your images with these people. NOTE 2: be careful if you are working in a sensitive country, in which case, you will need to conceal their identities instead.

1. The people you are serving. Capture their response to the gospel. Get close-ups and emotion. Get faces. NOTE 1: capture these images in a way that honors them. More on that in another blog post. NOTE 2: again be careful if you are working in a sensitive country, in which case you will need to conceal these peoples identity. It can be done, but you will need to be creative. I recommend doing so in-camera and not with photoshop.

Close-ups and reactions answer the bigger questions
of why you came as well as the possibilities of
transformation and hope.

Shoot a lot but edit mercilessly later. You do not want to show all your images, only the strongest ones that tell the story. Be careful what you post online. While social media is a world-wide phenomenon, once the images are out there (believe me, they will be found) you have no control how it is used by others. Some people will be pleased to see their images while others not so much. Be very careful what you write and post as you are shaping people perceptions about that location and people group.
    Now if you are shooting for a missionary group or organization focus on individual stories that highlight the nature of their outreach. Spending a significant amount of time with the subject will help you understand and tell the story the right way. The story of the "one" will always have the greatest impact.


Next week I will discuss what I call relationship-first photography.

Don't forget to get the detail shots. In Romania appropriate physical touch
is so important in reaching those that are forgotten.

The Lord is my light... Psalm 27:1