A Prayer? A Healing? Or Just a Very Loud Sermon?

The man on crutches was presumably  going up for prayer--or to be healed?  The minister had the amplifier turned up to ear-splitting volume.  In the background, sitting, another man had a microphone--as well as an electric guitar hooked up to the amplifier.  The river was just behind this scene--but it did not seem to offer a safe place for baptisms of the old Baptist variety.  Perhaps sprinkling sufficed here.  I didn't inquire.

As I walked on past this scene of prayer (and healing?), in part to get away from the very loud sounds coming from the amplifier, a woman who had been sitting in the car (looking bored) with the man on crutches called out to me to ask me whom I represented--whom I was taking pictures for.  I said no one and asked her if she had a computer, but she said no.  I said that that was a shame because I wanted to put the pictures on the web.

Finally, just before I left the area, I asked if I could take her picture.  This shot was made about 7:14 p.m., after all the others.

--Lannie

--Lannie

This shot of the man and woman in the car was made earlier (about 7:03 p.m.)--before I went up on the bridge to take photos, as I recall.  I asked for permission.  I got back about ten minutes later and shot the picture of the man on crutches and the black preacher at about 7:13 p.m., and then finally the picture of the woman sitting in the car with the door open about 7:14.  I mention all this because I was shooting with two cameras and could not at first piece together the sequence of events before I remembered that I had taken shots before I went up on the bridge--and then others of this scene after I came down from the bridge--where I had gone to take pictures up and down the Yadkin River.

What is striking to me are the two images of the woman.  She seemed to be bored or simply enduring the noise as I passed by on my way up to the bridge.  After I came back down and started shooting again, getting the picture of the  minister and the man on crutches, she asked whom I represented.

Finally, when I asked permission to take her picture, her facial expression changed immediately.

I wish now that I had stayed long enough to get their personal story, but the sun was dropping rapidly.

--Lannie

I love this photo and the posted back-story. While I have been enjoying the beauty of the Yadkin pics, this one is the successful one of the day, in my opinion. This light is beautiful and the pics create enough mystery to make me want the rest of the story. Again, another great capture of the rural South. WOW!!!

Hi Lannie,

An excellent story, told both in prose and in images.

I found that this series is uplifting in that there remains many people that reach out to assist others and bring some joy to those that are in need .

Best Regards my friend, Mike

Thank you, Amy.  Yes, the rural South--I was born and partly raised down South, but it is at times a foreign country.

Mike, thanks as always.

--Lannie

nice, active picture.  best, jamie

Thanks, Jamie.

--Lannie