WHEN WE WAIT by the PORTUGAL BAPTISM PHOTOGRAPHER

When the family and guests gather at the door of the Church of Nossa Senhora do Rosário in Lisbon, for the baptism ceremony
• Pode ler este artigo em Português.
Arriving at the christening ceremony
An event is so much more than joining a group of people for some purpose. It can be the launch of a commercial product, some governmental measure about a public inauguration, or, as far as this photographer is concerned, a baptism where the family member joins together to, symbolically, bring to the catholic community a new member.
But, by the observation I have done as long as I am in the profession of christening photographer, it is not only the moment of the ritual that gathers all those people. I only need to see, and photograph how it is my duty, the arrival of the guests to the local when the ceremony will take place.
The christening photographer must translate this into photos
The joy of the gathering of those who, for some time, had not been seen, the gestures of affection, the small talk about other subjects but, especially, about that child ready to be baptized, and the orderly walk to the baptismal font, when the priest in charge, will give the order. The christening photographer must translate all these notices into photos.
I must say that I have great satisfaction with being a witness to these behaviors. Knowing that the result of my work will show, many years after, that baptized child, all those that were with her, surrounding the holy water fountain, and celebrated her around the table meal, with kisses and a lot of laps.
I know all about this because I was there and I am sure that, with my work as a baptism and wedding photographer, they will have that satisfaction. Me too, satisfies me, a lot.


