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It Never Hurts to Ask October 5, 2009

Posted by Emily in : Church, New York, Photography , trackback

Hours before we left New York, one of my secret readers (aka lurker) decided to comment telling me that her parents were serving a mission in Palmyra.

She wanted to know if I could take a picture of them.

You know what?  It never hurts to ask!  Two phone calls and 30 minutes later, I met and photographed them.

Then, I got a crazy idea.  I almost didn’t ask because it is so crazy.

But . . .

It never hurts to ask, right?

I asked this girl’s parents if they had access to the roof of the Historic Book of Mormon Print Shop.  I wanted to take a picture of the four large churches on the corner from a high vantage point.

They asked someone, who asked someone, who allowed permission and gave detailed instructions on how to get up on the roof and what to expect when up there.

After climbing the fire escape, walking from one rooftop to another, (praying I wouldn’t fall through the roofs!), and shimmying my way up to the pitch of my building, I took one deep breath (mostly so I wouldn’t freak out and fall off the building) and held it so the camera wouldn’t have any camera shake.  (I was told my tripod could not make the trip to the roof and after getting to the top, I agreed.)

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This is what the four churches look like from the roof of my building.  It was worth the adventure on the roof for this image.  :)

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I really, really, really tried not to look down, but I did.

After my rooftop adventure, I got down and photographed the churches up close.

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This is the Presbyterian Church

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I think this one is Catholic . . . but please don’t quote me on that.

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I have no idea which denomination this church is.  I can tell you it’s not the Methodist or Presbyterian.  Does that help any?

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All of these churches are so old.  The newest one was renovated in 1850.  Most of these were built in the 1700′s.

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This last picture is just for fun.  I had a great time shooting buildings during my last few hours in New York, and the Phelps General Store was one of them.

Apparently, this building is haunted.

I did not go inside.  :)

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Comments»

1. Lara - October 5, 2009

Hi Emily! I saw your comment on Melanie J.’s blog, and I thought I recognized you from the itty bitty picture!

What gorgeous photos! My mom mentioned you did beautiful photography, but WOW! I’m impressed at your daring to go up on the roof…definitely well worth it!

Glad to find you in blogworld!

Lara (Preston) Neves

2. Jan - October 5, 2009

I loved getting to see the pictures you got from the roof. How cool! It looks like it was worth risking life and limb to get them. :) My parents were happy to meet you–my mom gushed about how nice you are.

“It never hurts to ask” has become one of my new mantras since my experience with you. You really never know what will happen unless you try…

3. Keith Kinghorn - October 5, 2009

Emily
Glad that the picture from the top of the building turned out good–we were happy to be able to see it. Our daughter Jan also emailed us the other pictures you took inside the Grandin Building that day.

Just a small correction to your blog–The oldest of the four Palmyra churches was constructed starting in 1832, and the Catholic church is not one of the four. None of them were here when the Prophet Joseph and his family lived in Palmyra.

Elder Kinghorn

4. Erica - October 5, 2009

Amazing pics! Soooo glad you get to stay together during residency.!

5. Kelley - October 5, 2009

You are truly a talented photographer, Emily. Truly.

6. cheryl - October 5, 2009

I’m so jealous! I did a little tour here today in Little India and was thinking how I would love to get inside some of the shophouses and buildings or on the roofs to get a better perspective. It most definitely does not hurt to ask. Beautiful photos!!