I do believe that permission for photography inside a church is needed if done so during a Mass. Otherwise one can do so without disturbing any worshipper, if any. John
--- On Fri, 6/11/09, Frederick Noronha <[email protected]> wrote: From: Frederick Noronha <[email protected]> Subject: [SALIGAONET] Debate about photography at Saligao church To: [email protected] Date: Friday, 6 November, 2009, 16:30 A post from the GX mailing list... I do not know what are the other issues involved here, if any, but just passing on the same. Btw, are there any restrictions or conditions on photography of the church? This is the first time I'm hearing of it. FN ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Rajan <[email protected]> Date: 2009/11/6 Subject: [GoenchimXapotam] Shame on Saligao's parish priest To: [email protected] I had a nasty verbal altercation this evening with, as it turned out, the parish priest of the Mae de Deus church in Saligao. Background: I was at the Mae de Deus church at daybreak a couple of days back and again during the twilight hours yesterday, for what turned out to be fulfilling sessions of photography. I have several captures of the church taken in the years past (see, for example, http://www.parrikar.com/#/Goa/Religion/2). Armed with the newly released Canon Tilt-Shift 17mm lens, ideal for architectural photography due to its Shift capability, I was eager to re-do some of Goa's special sights. During my shoot yesterday, I inadvertently set the camera ISO to 800 (which is not that big an issue with my dSLR body given its superb high-ISO performance). But I wanted to reprise the scene with ISO 100, which is why I was again in Saligao this evening. Earlier at daybreak this morning, I had scored an atmospheric shot of the Panjim church. Since I got there early enough, I sauntered to the front door and watched the evening mass for a while. While fiddling with my tripod there, I discovered to my dismay, that it had jammed, and so knew right away that my photo session was shot (pardon the pun). As I made my way back, this small fellow intercepted me and said rather brusquely, "You can't take photographs here." I asked him the reason. He said the committee has decided not to allow photos within the compound. I immediately switched to Konkani and pointed out that tens of tourists stop by inside the compound every evening with their cameras. He was unmoved. I said I had been documenting the major churches and temples in Goa and that this new lens was especially suited to photography of this church, that if he could let all these tourists wield their cameras, I see no reason why he cannot let me, a Goan, do it as well. As I pressed him on this, he whipped out a new one - he said I will have to make an application. He had a companion with him and I had my driver Babu around. I said I will do all the necessary paperwork but that I had to take my shots since the light was fast fading and I wanted to capture the cobalt blue of the sky which lasts perhaps 3-4 mins just before the onset of darkness. I knew I could not do any photography since I was saddled with an impaired tripod but the xapoter in me had been aroused in accordance with Parrikar's Rule #2, which is: If someone tells you that you cannot do something, it is your bounden duty to do exactly that something and then wave it in the guy's face. (Parrikar's Rule #1 had already been satisfied - Open your mouth and let the xapotam flow, but only AFTER you have taken the shot you want.) Mind you, at this point in my xapotam innings, I still had no idea who this tiny oaf was. I asked again why he was not consistent in enforcing the rules. To that he pulled out yet another rabbit - he said small cameras are allowed but that a professional photographer with my kind of equipment is not allowed until I had prior permission and had paid the stipulated fees. He claimed that I would make money by photographing the church. The tiresome clown was impervious to all reason and good sense, and he was making up rules as he went along. After this, I kicked it up a notch and said I was going to shoot anyway, and dared him to stop me if he could. He shot back with, "I will file a suit." Take it to to the Supreme Court right away, said moi, and that I will pay for the court fee paper. Our decibel level was now high enough that it had drawn a small audience. At this point one fellow softly asked me to "calm down" and that the dude I was speaking to was the parish priest, the big banana himself, the keeper of the Faith (Parrikar's Rule #3: If you want to keep the Faith, stay away from the priest). I then told him that he was no man of God, with his kind of attitude and conduct. As he left the scene, a gaggle of his chelas descended and said that I had "insulted the parish priest." I stood my ground and told them he had no business speaking on behalf of God. They made menacing grunts but it never got close to anything more than verbal fisticuffs. It soon petered out and we repaired to our car for the drive back home. I have had no problems at any of the churches. Some of the fathers have been very gracious and kind to me. Not this git. The only other comparable situation I have found myself in was at the Ravalnath temple in Moolgaon, with a temple official. Shame on the charlatan who serves as the parish priest of Saligao. Aside: What exactly is wrong with making money from honest effort? To stick it to him a little more, I plan to make large prints of the Saligao church when I get back to California and put them up for sale online. Stay tuned. Regards, r ------------------------------------ *************************************************************************** DISCLAIMER *************************************************************************** The opinion expressed in the above post is solely that of its author. Yahoogroups, Goenchim Xapotam (GX) group owner, GX group moderator(s) and GX group members are not responsible for the contents of this post. *************************************************************************** --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ This message comes via the Google Groups "Saligao-Net" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/saligao-net?hl=en Please post regularly to keep the e-village active! -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
