A christening is over quickly, but it is remembered for a lifetime. In the Orthodox tradition the sacrament has its own order, and knowing it in advance makes parents calmer and helps the photographer not miss what matters.
Gothenburg has several Orthodox parishes of different traditions, each with its own customs. Below is the general order of the sacrament and what I pay attention to when I photograph a christening.
Rules for photo and video differ from church to church. Where the photographer may stand, whether they may come close to the font, whether certain moments may be photographed — better to find out before the day.
The photographer does not enter the altar and does not disturb the service. I work without flash and position myself so that the priest never has to adapt to the camera.
You will need a new christening gown, a cross and a towel. Godparents usually buy them, and the gown is kept afterwards with the baby’s keepsakes.
A godparent must be Orthodox. A married couple cannot be godparents to the same child, and one godparent of the same sex as the child is enough. Find out in advance which name the child will be baptised with: if the name is not in the church calendar, choose one that sounds similar.
The central moment of the sacrament is the threefold immersion in the font. It takes a few seconds, so I choose my spot in advance: where both the baby’s face and the priest’s hands are visible.
Candles and the dim church give warm, living light. A flash would ruin it, so I shoot in available light only.
After the font the godparents receive the baby in a towel and put on the cross and the white gown. Then the priest performs the chrismation.
These are the most touching shots: wet hair, a puzzled look, the hands of the godmother drying the baby.
The priest, the godparents and the baby walk around the font three times while relatives hold lit candles. Then comes the tonsure: a few locks of hair are cut, and many families keep them in an envelope as a keepsake.
These moments are easy to miss if you do not know the order, so I stay close in advance.
At the end of the sacrament boys are carried into the altar and girls are brought to the icons. The photographer does not enter the altar, so I capture this moment from the side.
After the service, if the priest allows, we take a family portrait with the godparents by the iconostasis — the photo that later stands framed at the grandparents’.
Send me the date, the church and whether you want the celebration photographed afterwards. Christenings usually fall on weekends, so it is best to book early.