Our home church, Second Presbyterian Church, has many beautiful spaces. This post is to share a selection of pictures taken last week.

Kate and I took some amazing pictures at our home Church last week-Second Presbyterian Church in The Central West End, St. Louis Missouri. One of the most challenging shoots was this picture taken from a 14 inch balcony, seven storeys above the main space. (Note from Kate: Pat hates to be up high!) I climbed a ladder straight upward through, around, and under intricate, spaces filled with twisting ductwork, enormous steel girders, and wooden scaffolding dating back to late 1900. There was a mere 1 foot of moving space either side of me as I ascended to the balcony. (Note from Kate: Pat is extremely claustrophobic!)  After a twenty minute ascent I arrived a hefty stretch away from the 3- by 4-foot door opening to the balcony. I stretched my body like a monkey trying to swing to a tree 50 feet away and lunged through the door opening. Wow! A 3foot railing immediately stopped my momentum and from that point I had to scoot my way out. With two cameras hanging off my neck and shoulder, I quickly figured out I wasn’t going to be able to use a monopod because there was barely enough room to scoot sideways.

Once on the balcony, I realized I was sweating like I’d been in 100 degree temperature for an hour! I quickly found my composure and began to click away. In order to get this shot, I scooted for 15 minutes, on the balcony, ducking under each securing rail that attached to the wall (holding the balcony to the wall). Finally I arrived at the “sweet spot.” Self talk kept my paranoid sense of doom from seeping in. Click, click, click……

I thought of a bride on her wedding day……..This shot would be an unforgettable moment!!!

1 hour later, I was safely back on the deck, not believing I had just been standing and photographing from a 14 inch balcony, seven storeys up!