Blog

On Assignment for NBC News

NBC News reached out to me recently and asked me to cover a church service in Atlanta.  This was a great assignment where I had to be patient and hunt for the images.  The congregation was very thin at the beginning of the service, but eventually filled in.  By the way, I live for hunting images.  I love when the image isn't there waiting for you.

I've recently been focusing on my portrait work more and more as I shoot assignments.  Portraits in this kind of situation are tough, because I sometimes only have a few minutes with a subject.

I had to quickly walk around and find different places to set up the portrait shot.  I settled on one before the service and kept my eye out for where I would shoot the second portrait. I spent about two minutes with Pastor Billy Honor before the service and then another two minutes following the service.

On this particular assignment, I was covering a black church's reaction to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump becoming President-elect Donald Trump.  The first shot is of church member Octavia Jones reacting as Pastor Billy Honor was preaching that  "IT'S TIME FOR HEAVEN TO START RAISING HELL. YOU HAVE TO BE DILIGENT AND KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN. I WANT YOU TO SPEAK UP. LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD."

It was at this moment that worshiper Octavia Jones jumped out of her seat and spread her arms in front of this beautiful stain glass window and began to shout.

Octavia Jones reacts as pastor Billy Honor preaches during a church service at Pulse Church, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016, in Atlanta. Branden Camp / for NBC News

Billy Honor, pastor of Pulse Church, poses for a portrait following a worship service at his church, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016, in Atlanta.Branden Camp / for NBC News

Pulse Church congregants holds hands during a service, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016, in Atlanta. Branden Camp / for NBC News

I was struck immediately by a man wearing a "Black Lives Matter" shirt in a church.  No religion, no politics, right?  Here we had religion and politics clashing together.

D'Andre Mayberry enters Pulse church before a church service, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016, in Atlanta. Branden Camp / for NBC News

A woman prays during a church service at Pulse Church, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016, in Atlanta. Branden Camp / for NBC News

Congregants listen as pastor Billy Honor preaches during a church service at Pulse Church, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016, in Atlanta. Branden Camp / for NBC News

Billy Honor, pastor of Pulse Church, poses for a portrait before a worship service at his church, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2016, in Atlanta.Branden Camp / for NBC News

Most Segregated Hour

This is a powerful story about two churches, one white and one black, coming together to work through race issues.   Associated Press writer Rachel Zoll and I worked on this story together in Macon, Georgia.

The Rev. James W. Goolsby, Jr., senior pastor of the First Baptist Church, left, and the Rev. Scott Dickison, senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Christ, right, pose for a photo at Dickison's church in Macon, Ga., on Monday, July 11, 2016. Ther…
Paul Bronson, left, joins hands with District Attorney David Cooke during a Black Lives Matter prayer vigil at First Baptist Church, with a predominantly African-American congregation, in Macon, Ga., on Monday, July 11, 2016. Pastors of both First B…
The Rev. James W. Goolsby, Jr., pastor of the First Baptist Church, left, and the Rev. Scott Dickison, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Christ, walk together in Macon, Ga., on Monday, July 11, 2016. In September 2016, they plan to lead joint di…
The Rev. Scott Dickison teaches from a book of sermons by Martin Luther King Jr. during a Sunday School class at the First Baptist Church of Christ, a predominantly white congregation, in Macon, Ga., on Sunday, July 10, 2016. This class was held day…
Paul Bronson prays during a Black Lives Matter prayer vigil at First Baptist Church, a predominantly African-American congregation, in Macon, Ga., on Monday, July 11, 2016. The pastors of both First Baptist Churches in Macon are trying to bridge the…
Parishioner Bea Warbington-Ross sings during a worship service at First Baptist Church, a predominantly African-American congregation, in Macon, Ga., on Sunday, July 10, 2016. The retired human resources specialist says, "There’s no reason for Sunda…
A parishioner at First Baptist Church, a predominantly African-American congregation, leaves after a worship service in Macon, Ga., on Sunday, July 10, 2016. There are two First Baptist Churches in Macon, one black and one white. (AP Photo/Bran…
Marty Price, 11, attends a Black Lives Matter prayer vigil on the steps of the First Baptist Church, a predominantly African-American congregation, in Macon, Ga., on Monday, July 11, 2016. The pastors of both First Baptist Churches in Macon are tryi…
The Rev. James W. Goolsby, Jr. poses for a portrait at the First Baptist Church, a predominantly African-American congregation, in Macon, Ga., on Monday, July 11, 2016. The 59-year-old Atlanta native and graduate of Morehouse College and Mercer’s Mc…
In this Monday, July 11, 2016 photo, the Rev. Scott Dickison poses for a portrait at the First Baptist Church of Christ, a predominantly white congregation, in Macon, Ga. The 33-year-old North Carolina native and Harvard Divinity School graduate bec…
Members of the community join hands during a Black Lives Matter prayer vigil in front of the First Baptist Church, a predominantly African-American congregation, in Macon, Ga., on Monday, July 11, 2016. The pastors of both First Baptist Churches in …
Parishioners clap during a worship service at the First Baptist Church, a predominantly African-American congregation, in Macon, Ga., on Sunday, July 10, 2016. There are two First Baptist Churches in Macon _ one black and one white. (AP Photo/Brande…
The Rev. Scott Dickison teaches from a book of sermons by Martin Luther King Jr. during a Sunday School class at the First Baptist Church of Christ, a predominantly white congregation, in Macon, Ga., on Sunday, July 10, 2016 - days after the fatal p…