Wednesday, February 24, 2010

prayers and processions - a hospital chaplain


Another from the Prayers and Processions series:

Jeff Klein's eyes open slightly, and he whispers that it's okay to come in.

Strings of lights wave across a monitor - a record of his heartbeat - and lines of oxygen thread through his nose to aid his breathing. His wife Kathy rests against his bed rails to the left, and her downward gaze is filled with concern.

The Rev. Jill Kundtz gently smiles at both, steps up to the right and gathers her hand. Their arms drape over him like a curtain. Kundtz is the hospital chaplain for Chesapeake Regional Medical Center. “I want to make sure that patients have support, whether it be physical support, emotional support or spiritual support,” said Kundtz. “Essentially I journey with my patients.”

Kundtz is a Christian, but she supports anyone, regardless of their faith. “We don't put God in a box.”

Klein, 52, who was admitted earlier due to chest pains, is grateful for her prayers.

“You feel like God is all around you, it's almost like you're immersed in his presence,” said the Great Bridge resident. “You feel like God is next to you, you feel his touch.”

Friday, February 19, 2010

swimmer portrait


here's a portrait of a local swimming sensation - the assignment was a bit of a challenge since he just has his street clothes, no uniform and coudn't get into the pool for the shoot. luckily i had the inspiration of

www.maxbittle.com/blog

and went with this. on a side note, bittle is one of the photographers on

www.aphotoaday.org

and if you've haven't heard of it, you should hop on and become part of the community.

Monday, February 15, 2010

prayers and processions - a muslim prayer

another from the prayers and processions series.



Sulaiman Banwal, 24, opens the door to his bedroom and slips on his white prayer cap. He unfurls a prayer rug and bends bedside to the floor. He's wearing in a black perahan tunban, the traditional garb of Afghan men. He faces a wall draped with inspirational Islamic sayings.

The silence is broken by the rustle of his clothing as he bows prostrate. Somewhere in the distance is Mecca.

“Praying is a responsibility for every Muslim,” said Banwal, who, despite living 7,000 miles from home, still prays five times a day. He is a Fulbright Scholar from Kabul, Afghanistan. He attends Old Dominion University and is earning a master's degree in civil engineering.

He believes that praying to Allah helps him with his daily life. “In our religion you never lose hope, because losing hope means you're not believing in God anymore."

Banwal uses a computer program through the Web site www.islamicfinder.org that sounds automatic calls to prayer. “Whenever I'm becoming hopeless or stressed -- when I hear this it calms me down.”

"You feel like home, you don't feel alone,” he said of the call to prayer. “You're never alone, because God is with you.”

Saturday, February 13, 2010

snow feature





from the other day

Sunday, February 07, 2010

gymnastics meet


covered a gymnastics meet yesterday and i have to admit i had no idea what i was doing. there were all these numbers and judges yelling at me to get out of the way - it seemed everywhere i went i was in the way. got lucky to get this frame.

the pic is a reaction shot after a girl nailed her landing off the balance beam.

Friday, February 05, 2010

Prayers and Processions - the hora


from a Jewish wedding for my faith and it's expression series - this one from a Jewish wedding.

Monday, February 01, 2010

snow


it felt like old times in connecticut as a pretty big storm passed through norfolk over the weekend. here's a snow feature from a storm that passed through.