Jan 6 Tip: Photographing Spiritual Experience

From the NY Times: Photographing Spiritual Experience

(The January 6 Compassionate Living Tip from Interfaith Paths to Peace)

http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/06/photographing-spiritual-experience/?hp

When the Lens blog made its debut in 2009, the newspaper industry was in free fall, the outlets for serious photojournalism rapidly disappearing. “There was a need to help promote photographers and photography in whatever way possible,” said James Estrin, the blog’s co-founder. “We wanted to write about the photographers; photos don’t happen by themselves.”

Wanting more than an online gallery, he helped turn Lens into a showcase for photographers pursuing projects from the serious to the silly.

Today we bring my friend Jim out from behind the curtain to feature his photography. Having worked many, many 12-hour days with him, I can say firsthand that James Estrin’s photos definitely don’t happen by themselves. Beginning Jan. 7, a collection of his work documenting human spirituality will be exhibited in a solo show at the 92nd Street Y on Lexington Avenue in Manhattan. It is a subject to which he has repeatedly returned since he started at The Times in 1987, and encompasses everything from photos at churches and synagogues to prison sweat lodges and childbirth suites.

While some of the worst atrocities in history have been committed by people warring over religion, Jim hunts for the commonalities among faiths.

Still, photographing spirituality is a tricky business.