I drove by this scene at least ten times last year, thinking that one day I’d stop and create this image. The reluctance came from it being in an unfamiliar neighborhood with a large truck perpetually parked directly in front. In order to make this image, I’d basically have to be in the yard.
My process is very slow and the large camera can draw attention, which is a real benefit for photographing during the day in an unfamiliar place. That curiosity generally turns to confrontation once the sun goes down and I’m too close to someone's house.
A few weeks back I decided it was go-time. It was super cold so the air was ultra clear, the crown was lit up, and it was early enough that everyone would still be asleep. A few minutes after getting set up, a lady came walking out. Cajun charm kick in; I greeted her and began to talk about my project. She was only mildly curious as to what I was doing, and explained that she was going to the 5am mass and would pray for me and my project, then reprimanded me for not wearing a hat.
This scene was not easy to create using a view camera (the one with the cape over your head). It was very dark so there was some guess work that went into the composition. Seems we traded a print for a prayer that night.