Wednesday, April 07, 2010

Speaking of Looking Pious

My friend Paul Jouin is an aspiring photographer who has a photo blog of Orthodox services and events. He took pictures of our Paschal services this year. You can see that and all of his other work on his blog Eastern Orthodoxy Beheld.

Here is a picture he took of yours truly at the kliros looking sober and pious. Its amazing what some lighting and a black robe will do for my image. However, those who know what it is I am "chanting" will recognize that it is the prokeimenon section of the Epistle Book and I was merely looking up and preparing the Epistle reading for the Liturgy later that night while someone else was praying.  Even so, it makes a nice image. Maybe I can Photoshop the Horologion onto the chanter's stand... yup, quick fake look good shortcut to avoid having to work at actual piety...   that would be about my speed.


12 comments:

Anastasia Theodoridis said...

Nope, the photo isn't big enough for us to be able to read the print or recognize what it is. Quick, edit out that part of the post before anyone else reads it, and your image will be intact!

:-)

Anonymous said...

Did you photoshop away the tears from your cheeks?

margaret said...

A glimpse into life with Elder Ephraim...

Steve Robinson said...

Anastasia and Anon, LOL! I embiggened the picture and Photoshopped out the tears (which were from my feet hurting) and the light surrounding me (which was the altar server standing too close to me with a candle) so I would appear falsely humble as well. :)

Anonymous said...

Hmmmm....Equating with 'sobriety,' or 'piety' a bearded guy reading in some nifty chiaroscuro lighting. Sounds like another good article for the Monkabee zine on Cultivating Piety. You could also include an article on that all-important Monkabee subject of Orthodox Hair Theology...a classic with the earliest of Church Fathers (tongue in cheek).

Anonymous said...

The photos are beautiful! I'm always impressed by The Orthodox Church at worship. It does "look" spiritual and other-worldly compared to iconoclastic protestantism. Was that Bill Gould in some of the pictures on that photo blog?!?

mike said...

I recommend him this site: http://orthphoto.net/

Anonymous said...

The great thing about being Anonymous is sub-titling pictures without fear of retribution:

"Subdeacon Steven searches in vain for the 'Big Print' Edition"...

Heh. Seriously what great pictures. Obviously a small mission parish, but I got the warm fuzzies just looking at those pics. And your buddy is a pretty good photographer.

Warmest Pascha wishes to you, Steve, and to you all.

Christ is Risen!

Steve Robinson said...

oruaseht, yes that is Bill Gould. He and I are part of the founding members of the Mission. I have to admit that when I went a "megachurch wannabe" Church for a friend's funeral and the "pulpit area" was set up with concert stage rigging and lighting and a movie screen it was almost depressing... no, it was depressing. The sense of "sacred space through beauty" was totally absent, and it was almost like the pastors knew it and were trying to make up for the lack through the strength of their personalities.... there's a blog post in there somewhere.

Anon 6:42pm, :) Actually the St. Tikhon's Apostol is big print, thank God. I think I'm due for tri-focals to be able to chant from Kallistos Ware's Triodion and Festal Menaion.

Allan, yup, coming soon to a news stand near you...

Anonymous said...

I find that in my tradition, there are generally two camps. 1 is trying to be the mega-church big thing, and 2 is trying to be somewhat more "catholic" in liturgy/eucharist/patristics. I find myself trying to create what Orthodoxy already is... (it's not really working. I feel a Chrismation comin' on!) ;)

Say hi to Bill for me - I miss listening to the "Dynamic Duo!" I've listened to all the OLIC podcasts and always had great discussions about them with my wife. Keep up the good work!

Ian Climacus said...

Stunning photos.

And the one of you is wondrous, while I laugh merrily at the humorous comments before mine.

Anonymous said...

Great shots! I enjoyed looking at the album. And that one of you could win an award. It should be on the front of some Orthodox Journal.