Notes from Patmos- 08.21.24
Reflection for the week
Q. Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?
A. I will, with God’s help.
This is from the Baptismal examination and covenant in the Book of Common Prayer (p.305). It asks the candidate to embody certain virtue while in the presence of others. This week’s theological reflection is inspired by a fashion photographer who was active in the late 20th century, Rodney Smith. Rodney was the child of a high powered CEO father who worked in the fashion industry in Manhattan, both for fashion houses and magazines such as, Vouge. Rodney never cared for the world of fashion and sought to get as far away from those things as possible. One of his notable university degrees was from Yale- receiving a Masters in Divine Theology. However, ordained ministry wasn’t in the cards for Rodney, who was fortunate enough to apply for and receive a photojournalist fellowship that took him far away to the Holy Land, where he documented the struggles of the clashes of faith. The first part of Rodney’s career, as a photographer, was filled with serious assignments, photo journaling major events, and issues. Rodney drew attention and acclaim for his work and was approached with a project of a different sort. He was asked to travel the world and photograph the worlds top 15 CEO’s for Barron’s magazine. Rodney did something unheard of- he spent days with each one, and capturing their humanity with a bit of whimsy. For example, he had one CEO climb on the roof of the high rise and hold an umbrella in the rain… for others he would place them in ironic, yet lovable scenes. The risk he took was very well received and people loved the more human perspective Rodney delivered. Afterwards, he was hounded by the fashion industry to work. Rodney had worked hard to get away from that world, thinking it immoral and dehumanizing, but he decided he would give it a go. His work with fashion brands and magazines was ground-breaking. He captured his subjects in tasteful, elegant ways. Many times, making sure there was a light-hearted or whimsical element. His work in the fashion world changed fashion photography forever,- being highly valued and sought after as art, in and of itself.
When I began to study portrait photography and ran across Rodney Smith, he quickly became my favorite photographer. I really admired the way he could work in industries that weren’t at all interested in the Christian moral system, yet was still well received, and given it's highest honors. If you have time, google Rodney Smith. You will find a wonderful body of work that is not only beautiful and thoughtful, but also, work that shows the dignity of human beings. A man who looked at fashion and business through the lens of faith, and brought dignity and grace to places that had been arguably devoid of those things.
As part of a class, I chose Rodney to try and emulate, and found a lot of joy and grace in copying his style. The image at the top is from my latest part of that project.
The reflection for the week- When we go through the world, many times we are rushed and busy, or we have our defenses up. In those things, we can lose Christian perspective in that we fail to see others as being truly human and having dignity. For example: how many times are we served at checkouts, retail centers, restaurants, or medical offices and don’t even say hi to or acknowledge the person on the other side of the counter? I can’t tell you how many times I have not even given that person a second thought- I purposely guarded myself and in doing so, treated them in a cold or inhuman way (not mean- but not interested). Rodney Smith tried really hard to find ways to show the more light hearted or human elements of these powerful people, showing them to be human, just like you and me. This week’s challenge is to try and bring out those things in others- ask about them, compliment them, acknowledge them. Take a moment to bring grace and joy and dignity to those encounters and exchanges. In doing these things, you will not only make others feel seen and appreciated, but it will also change your perspective on the world and make it a bit more human and a bit more dignified.