Fasting always puts under a microscope what has been moving around in my mind for the past several months. I’ve pulled the brakes on so many things in my life only to devote more of myself to what really matters. And yet, at some point, we just have to let go of what we try so hard to protect and realize that we are all in the best of Hands, and everything will be just fine. Just fine.

Because the revelers themselves were so hauntingly peaceful (I was always compelled to whisper when I thanked them), their serenity is seen in their photos. What’s not seen, however, is the throngs of people around them, as you can get a glimpse of in the skyline photo below. How was it done? Simple. Strapped with my two cameras, one loaded with slide film and the other with black-and-white film, I approached my beloved subjects in one of two ways:  straight-on and tight, or low and wide. Sometimes I could shoot over the shoulder of another photographer to be at eye-level with my subject, and unfortunately the dozens of people behind them. In those cases, I’d shoot tight where they, and no one else, filled the frame. Usually, however, I couldn’t squeeze anywhere into the pack of puffy-coated paparazzi, so I would creep beneath the lowest lens, plant myself in front of everyone, scusatemi, and shoot upwards towards my subject. This was my preferred position. By shooting from below, I could cut out from my view the people behind my subjects and use the sky, or better yet, exquisite architecture as my background. Where in reality, the scene was of me squatting with the knees and the weight of ten or twenty photographers on my back and the subject surrounded by crowds of people, the images on the slides were of pristine doll-like figures, their longing gazes and beautiful Venice behind them. This is the Martedi Grasso that I know and love and miss. Until next time… I’ll be sure to pack my knee pads.

‎”Let us ask the Lord to help us see through the superficial glitter of this season, and to discover behind it the child in the stable in Bethlehem, so as to find true joy and true light… Let us strip away our fixation on what is material, on what can be measured and grasped. Let us allow ourselves to be made simple by the God who reveals Himself to the simple of heart…”

So in honor of this message of remembrance, I’ve selected a few images of Nazareth, the Biblical town I was fortunate enough to visit a number of times while living an hour away in Haifa. Among the places shown are:
The Basilica of the Annunciation – built over the grotto where, according to the Roman Catholic tradition, the angel Gabriel announced to Virgin Mary that she would conceive and become of the mother of Jesus,
A Woman Clothed with the Sun – the sculpture in the Basilica of the Annunciation created by American sculptor Charles L. Madden, inspired by the quote, “The grandeur of God… will flame out, like shining from shook foil.”
The Church of St. Joseph – built on the carpentry shop of Joseph,
The Synagogue Church – where Jesus preached (Luke 4:16) and
Mary’s well - where, according to other traditions, the Annunciation took place.

Enjoy this visit to Nazareth and Merry Christmas!

Why It Works
Compliment, don’t compete – Even though the colors of the outfits below were beautifully coordinated with each other, turning the images black and white supports the design of the cards and helps punctuate the text. The red-and-white stamp and the green bow would have gotten lost among the bright hues of the original photos. Generally, if a photo’s “frame” (in this case, the card design) doesn’t compliment the colors in the image, try converting the photo to black and white. The same goes for the reverse:  if choosing colors for design is more of a pain than a pleasure, you can never go wrong with a simple white mat and a black or neutral frame for displaying a colorful photo on your wall.

Lighten up – Holiday cards can be dense:  greetings, photos, updates, design, and so much cheer. One way to let them breathe is by taking off the stuffy holiday sweaters, especially the ones with the reindeer and the candy canes and the snowflakes and the mistletoe. It’s Christmas, we get it. Now we want to look at your face, but your sweater won’t let us. Returning to the point above, your clothes should compliment you, not compete with you for attention. And they don’t necessarily have to be winter clothes. Even Kyle and Shay Payne’s family portraits taken in the middle of the hottest summer Oklahoma has ever seen work just fine in a Christmas card. And it doesn’t hurt that their kids are just.so.adorable.