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