PHOTOGRAPHY
[ BUILDING A CHURCH PHOTOGRAPHY TEAM 101 - PART 2 ]
Blue Amber
HOW TO BEGIN. THE FIRST STEPS...
and how this team will help move that purpose
1.
forward. If a person has a creative eye and
Last Month, we talked about the “Why?” behind equipment that they have been using to pursue
starting your church photography team. This that passion, then most likely they have a calling
month, we will dive into the “How?”. in it. God gives each one of us gifts, talents,
and passions to help us pursue our calling.
A DSLR camera- to capture indoor/
outdoor/action/still photos
2.
Laptop- to edit photos while you are at
church to get them uploaded as quickly
as possible
3.
Adobe Lightroom- the best program to
Every church has a group of amazing And we can use that calling to help equip our edit and export photos in low and high res,
volunteers, and within that circle is what is churches with the resources they need to help import Metadata, and save photos.
called a “Creative Crowd.” And within that reach people for the body of Christ. Identify a crowd, is your foundation for your volunteer professional photographer within that group TRAIN.
photography team. to install as a leader to help grow the team’s Being a part of the photography team is not
knowledge of equipment, editing, and how to only a way to use the gifts that God gave you
capture stories in photos. to serve the church and Him with, but it’s also a
I am a part of an incredible church, Elevation
Church,
based
out
of
Charlotte,
North
tremendous opportunity to connect with other
Carolina. And at each of our 17 locations, we EQUIP. creatives and learn skills from them to help
have a volunteer photography team. Each I know how amazing the new iPhone 8’s make you a better photographer. Allow your
team is equipped with a Coordinator, a Team portrait mode is. I’ve seen it. It’s incredible. And photo team leaders to use their knowledge to
Leader, and a various number of talented it makes us feel like amazing photographers pour into their team with training nights and
photographers who bring in their equipment when we use it. However, it’s not quite the fun outings that inspire their teams to come
each day to capture and document everything equipment that’s going to give us the same together and be closer, but also to learn new
that is happening, from setting up to prayer quality of images as a DSLR will when we are ways to shoot, edit, and create. Bring in other
huddles to the worship on stage and everything shooting indoors, or in low light conditions. And professionals to give the team inspiration, and
backstage. We document from A to Z, show up know that when choosing your team, the ones feed them! Gratitude is never silent. You have
2 hours before the experience (service) and stay who have invested in their equipment are pretty volunteers who are not only donating their
an hour after to edit and upload our images. serious about their art and have the knowledge time, but also their expensive equipment and
We do give this time to dedicate to serving to help train people and provide endless talent. Honoring people is what we want our
Jesus, our church, and others and help provide creative ideas. For that reason, photography photography team to do for others, and what
images of what God is doing in and through us members must bring each time they serve: we want to do for them as well.
at our church so our staff and coordinators can
use these on their social media streams and
our website to help show others how God is
moving and changing lives.
In the world of Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat,
and Facebook, we have an huge opportunity to
do just that, and do it well through our volunteer
photographers. Here are three ways to get you
started in building your church photography
team…
IDENTIFY.
Throughout the year, hold a class for those
people who are interested in joining your
photography team. Have them sign up to show
them where the heart and vision of the church is
November 2017
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