For her personal photo project while doing the eWorkshop I taught last spring, Lynne Hayes chose to focus on a Songkarn Festival held at he local Buddhist temple in Tampa, Florida. What she did best while working on the project was to get close to the people and the worshipers who visited the temple. She captures their contemplation and their religious reverence, but more importantly she captures the human spirit behind the religious rituals. In her images she shows the human spirit that seeks comfort or gratification in a divine being. The worshipers are first and foremost human beings. But they are human beings seeking something beyond their physical constrains. There is peacefulness and a deep respect in the way Lynne captured the spirit at the Buddhist temple. For more of her work please look up Lynne’s blog Six Degrees Photography.
In Flow with Otto 
Amazing photos. I love the colors, the people, and the whole feel of it all.
I am glad you like the photos. 🙂
These photos are intimate yet they are not intrusive. Wonderful colour palette.
That it’s a good way to describe the photos. Thank you, Mary.
There is something special about orange. I am also a bit interested in doing a religious project, capturing people visiting the Swedish church. It is something interesting about religion and capturing the rituals in photos. Tell her that I liked her project!
Hopefully she will pick up your comments herself. Photographing religion and rituals is always interesting subjects. Good luck with Swedish church-project.
Beautiful photos, they really capture the energy and beauty of the place and people.
Thank you – on behalf of Lynne.
Very much a feeling of peace and serenity in these images. Lovely.
I am glad you liked the photos, Gunta.
congratulations to you and to Lynn!
Thanks very much.
Nice!
🙂
I can feel the love and the respect on each and every photos. Beautiful work!
Good to know. Thank you, Anyes.
Excellent work. I’m always amazed how it is possible to be near other people, watching and taking photo of their activities and do not disturb them. Specially when something so personal as religion is involved. Lynne has been very good in this!
robert
PS: and of course you are a good teacher!
Thank you, Robert, for both of us.
Thank you for stopping by my site. I hope you found something interesting to read. I love your site and following you now. Have a great day.
Thank you for returning the visit. And, yes, I enjoyed your blog.
I’ve been impressed by all your students’ work, Otto, but these really touched me.
Nice to hear. Thank you.
Peacefulness and respect – you said it Otto. Really nice work!
Thanks, Paula.
The spirit shines through in these photos so beautifully photographed.
Thank you, Angeline – on behalf of Lynne.
Jaja, de orangea munkarna, det spirituella och ack så svårfångade livet som levs i östern…det liv som vi ibland eftertraktar och ibland skyr…men det är alltid fascinerande och tacksamt att avbilda, i ord och bild:)
Du är otrolig, som jag tidigare har påpekat…ditt driv och ditt engagemang får mig att fundera…borde jag, eller kanske ändå inte??
Ja, du vet vad jag menar och i morgon så har jag kommit på andra tankar…och tur är väl det:)
Jag måste bara få berätta och ge dig en eloge…
På min Vernissage förra lördagen träffade jag en av dina web-elever…du förstår säkert vem jag menar!?…och där kom idel rosor och lovord, vilket gläder mig å bådas vägnar.
Mrs X är mycket duktig och otroligt ambitiös och jag tror att ni har haft ett gott utbyte av varandra…eller hur?
Ha det gott var du än är…vagabond, orolig själ…eller kort och gott livsresenär…
“Wherever i lay my Hat…that´s my home”
Indeed – and I wear many hats – om enn ikke bokstavelig talt. Ja, jeg vet hvem Mrs. X er og det var veldig gøy å jobbe med henne. Og så synes jeg det er gøy å høre at jeg klarer å rokke litt på deg og dine holdninger. Selv om du kommer på andre tanker i morgen. Men det må du selvsagt få lov til… Ellers takk for vakre ord. De betyr mye for meg.
Bellissime queste fotografie, piene di carisma, di serenità, di tranquillità. Esprimono tantissimo. La prima però è qualche cosa di sublime, quella bambina è stupenda!!! Complimenti alla fotografa e complimenti a te, grande maestro 🙂
Un caro saluto, Patrizia
Grazie, Patriza – per entrambi noi.
These are really wonderful images, Otto.
Thank you for sharing them here.
Have a great weekend!
And thank you for taking the time to comment, Lisa. May you have a great weekend, too.
What a nice surprise to see these on your blog.. I have to thank you for teaching and pushing us to do our best.. This was a fun project and I thank you and all of your readers for the kind words. It truly is appreciated!!
Lynne
🙂
You deserve all the nice words, Lynne!
Very nice works !! I love the face of the young girl she captured.. You are right the pictures spiritual of people and the monk life at the temple.
Thanks for the feedback. 🙂
Good, well I’m a professional photographer who’s focus and specialized in all kinds of photography..
These are gorgeous. How do you run your photo workshops? I would love to take one and would like to learn more about what your courses teach. You can send me a direct email with the info:
thirdeyemom@yahoo.com. I’ve never taken any courses at all and I would really like to. That is my fall goal! 🙂
Thanks for the nice words. I have sent you an email with some information about the workshops.
Thanks for the email! I will look into it this week. Would love to do one sometime soon. Wish I could do a travel one someday too. I had forgotten you were headed to Cuba!!!
Lynne did a great job with this. I was in the same eWorkshop and looked forward to see the photos from this project that she would post each week.
Thanks for the nice comment, Christopher.
Jeg har ikke vært innom på en stund, men så har jeg ikke blogget så mye selv heller.i det site. Det ser ut dor at jeg har gått glipp av en mengde bra saker – ikke minst disse stemningsfulle bildene med en helt spesiell fargetone.
Kjekt å ha deg tilbake igjen, Rune. Regner med at du har brukt tiden til å ta masse fine bilder. 🙂
Det er så artig å se hvilke bilder du har satt sammen for å presentere de enkelte deltakernes personlige prosjekt,- siden jeg har sett alle innsendingene fra den flotte e-workshopen i våres…
Og bildene til Lynne er så talende og så vakre i farger…
Ha det godt, Otto:)
Det er godt å høre at det er spennende. Takk for de fine ordene, Monica – og ha det riktig godt selv.
Beautiful series, and the first shot is just brilliant…and it is great how Lynne captured the spirit and feel of this culture at festival in Tampa, wonderful work.
Thank for the thoughtful comment, Randall.
Lovely captures…
Thank you!
These are beautiful images celebrating spirituality. It is wonderful the first image is of someone so young who seems like such an old soul.
That’s very true, isn’t it. Thank you, Michelle.
Beautiful, quiet images – a wonderful sense of serene atmosphere.
Thank you for the comment, Louis.
I always like Lynne’s photos. She knows how to make colors work, and her photos always have deeper meanings in them. Helen
She does know how to make colours work. Thank you for the nice comment, Helen.
Lovely photos. I have tried to photograph religious activities for my job and have found that it’s a difficult blend of getting in close to people for the shot and giving them enough space not to interfere with their spirituality. Good job Lynne!
You are very right. What is really difficult with this kind of photography is approaching people with respect when they do their religious activities and still get close enough. Thanks for the comment, Linda.
I like the look into this world.
It looks interesting, doesn’t it!
After seeing the types of shots that Steve McCurry has produced at Buddhist monasteries throughout Southeast Asia, I’ve often wanted to do the same.
Lynne has done a superb job here.
I agree with you, she did a great job. Thanks for commenting, Allan.
Beautiful.
Thanks, Elen.
I have struggled with keeping up lately, Otto, and I’m so glad I found the time tonight to look back at what I’ve missed. I absolutely love these photos and the emphasis on “spiritual seekers.” I consider myself a spiritual seeker, and I really respond to these photos. They are simply beautiful.
Nice to hear that the photos resonate with you. Thanks, Debra.
Lynne has a beautiful, respectful devotion to her craft.
I am glad you like her work, John.