On Wed, 02 Apr 2003 06:21:22 GMT, Gary Eickmeier <geickmei@tampabay.rr.com> wrote:

>Neuman - Ruether wrote:

>> I agree with the second part, but the first?!?!?! ;-)

>> W - O - W ! ! ! Atheist that I am, I would NEVER propose

>> putting ANY gear on the ALTAR!!! (Or under it, taped onto

>> it, or whatever!) Even I find this really offensive! I'm

>> amazed that any officiant would accept this! Kinda like

>> asking if you can float a mic in the holy water basin

>> to catch the kid's baptismal gurgles... Or, how 'bout

>> hanging a camera on the cross, for a better view yet...?

>> Or, what a nifty view a tiny camcorder would get if clamped

>> onto the Torah while it is carried around the temple during

>> a Bar/Bat Mitzvah... Or...... ;-) Professional expedience

>> must give way to good taste at SOME point...! ;-)

>I sure hope this is your contribution to April Fool's!

>Gary Eickmeier

No... Guess I still have more respect for the ceremony

(and its "furnishings"), than some...;-) In this area,

I have shot Quaker weddings, Ba'hai, Indian, Unitarian,

Jewish, Catholic (and most other Christian variants,

including strict Lutheran [as in, "We Lutherans do not

believe wedding ceremonies are photo 'ops' - there

will be NO photography during the ceremony!", though

I had permission to stand still with a video camera

off to the side...;-]), etc. ceremonies, plus various

combinations of the above and others (my favorites were

a Catholic-Jewish-military ceremony, a Ba'hai-Christian,

and a Quaker wedding...), in locations ranging from very

formal environments to the ends of docks, in cow-pastures,

at waterfalls overlooks, in peoples' back yards, etc.

But in all of these, I respect the environment created,

and treat the ceremony (and its parts and symbols)

with respect...