W/NW People going in/out of doorways

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Jake Mongey said:
Wow these are simply incredible. The last one is a really intimate moment shared with the viewer. May I ask how you were able to get those shots as if it was just your personal involvement with the church or coming in externally as a photojournalist?
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These photos are from South Apopka, a historic Negro community in FL. I am white and from Apopka or "the other side of the RR tracks". Over ten years ago, I simply got out of the car in South Apopka, introduced myself, and began photographing. I have many friends there and am recognizable simply because I am white and everyone else is black. My series "South Apopka - a community portrait" has been exhibited both in Havana and numerous places in the US, including the gallery at the Center for the Study of Southern Culture in Mississippi. Another series "South Apopka - Religion" is a digital slide show with music and has been exhibited via screen and is also on line at my website or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPovtNljiK8

The late Bishop Freddie Pringle, Sr. of the Holy Ghost Headquarters of Jesus, is shown here helping a wayward woman through the doorway to Jesus. I first met Bishop Pringle when working on my Religion series. I drove by the church on a Sunday and heard the music from the drums and electric piano which has elements of blues, rock & roll, and gospel. The background music for the above digital slide show was recorded in this church with Bishop Pringle singing lead vocal. I went back the next Sunday and introduced myself explaining what I was doing. The Bishop then introduced me to the congregation who welcomed me. I attended services there for a few years, sometimes to photograph, sometimes to participate. This image was made during one of those services. When the Bishop eventually realized that in spite of my attendance and support that I was actually agnostic, he simply called me up so the congregation could pray for my salvation but things went on as normal thereafter. Sadly the Bishop died last year.

Marvin Zanders, in the casket, owned the dominant funeral home in South Apopka for over 40 years. He was loved by so many as he never hesitated to do a funeral service on credit or make an interest free short term loan to anyone in the community. He and his casket made the rounds to eight different churches for viewings / memorial services as he as so popular. He was a Mason. The man wearing the top hat in the photo is the head Mason in charge of he state of FL. His actual funeral service was standing room only in a huge TV church in Orlando. We originally met so many years ago that I do not remember where or the circumstances. His daughter now manages the funeral home and handled all the arrangements when my wife died about four years ago.

Here is a large print that hangs in the entrance lobby of the Zanders funeral home.

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Bob Michaels said:
These photos are from South Apopka, a historic Negro community in FL. I am white and from Apopka or "the other side of the RR tracks". Over ten years ago, I simply got out of the car in South Apopka, introduced myself, and began photographing. I have many friends there and am recognizable simply because I am white and everyone else is black. My series "South Apopka - a community portrait" has been exhibited both in Havana and numerous places in the US, including the gallery at the Center for the Study of Southern Culture in Mississippi. Another series "South Apopka - Religion" is a digital slide show with music and has been exhibited via screen and is also on line at my website or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPovtNljiK8

The late Bishop Freddie Pringle, Sr. of the Holy Ghost Headquarters of Jesus, is shown here helping a wayward woman through the doorway to Jesus. I first met Bishop Pringle when working on my Religion series. I drove by the church on a Sunday and heard the music from the drums and electric piano which has elements of blues, rock & roll, and gospel. The background music for the above digital slide show was recorded in this church with Bishop Pringle singing lead vocal. I went back the next Sunday and introduced myself explaining what I was doing. The Bishop then introduced me to the congregation who welcomed me. I attended services there for a few years, sometimes to photograph, sometimes to participate. This image was made during one of those services. When the Bishop eventually realized that in spite of my attendance and support that I was actually agnostic, he simply called me up so the congregation could pray for my salvation but things went on as normal thereafter. Sadly the Bishop died last year.

Marvin Zanders, in the casket, owned the dominant funeral home in South Apopka for over 40 years. He was loved by so many as he never hesitated to do a funeral service on credit or make an interest free short term loan to anyone in the community. He and his casket made the rounds to eight different churches for viewings / memorial services as he as so popular. He was a Mason. The man wearing the top hat in the photo is the head Mason in charge of he state of FL. His actual funeral service was standing room only in a huge TV church in Orlando. We originally met so many years ago that I do not remember where or the circumstances. His daughter now manages the funeral home and handled all the arrangements when my wife died about four years ago.

Here is a large print that hangs in the entrance lobby of the Zanders funeral home.
Click to expand...

Wow, looked at all the work on your website and this is incredible, Thank you for taking the time to explain. Really just stunning work :D
 
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