Experience life through different lenses
February 25, 2014
HOUSTON — Sylvia and Pat Tucker, parishioners of Prince of Peace Catholic Community in northwest Houston, are avid travelers and amateur photographers. They journeyed to Rome last October and visited St. Peter’s Square where Pope Francis presided over the 10:30 a.m. Mass. Their seats were just 100 feet away from the altar.
“Upon leaving Houston, Pat and I were hoping to get a glimpse of Pope Francis during our visit to Rome,” Sylvia Tucker said. “We were able to celebrate Mass with the Holy Father and 150,000 other faithful from around the world, a beautiful experience making for an incredible day.
“We both were able to take photos from our vantage point of the Swiss Guards as they led the procession of the original statue of Our Lady of Fatima, requested by Pope Francis from Portugal for this special Mass.”
After the Mass, she said, they also took photos of Pope Francis as he climbed into the Popemobile, waving hello and warmly smiling at the joyful, exuberant crowd.
In fact, Sylvia saw the Pope’s smile, up close, as he passed near. “I was not prepared for the immediate effect his smile had on me, the same smile that has opened many hearts around the world,” she said. “He was less than 10 feet away, and I felt his eyes resting directly on me. I just stood there stunned, with my camera in hand for a few seconds, then somehow remembered to lift my camera and take his picture.”
It was just five years ago that Sylvia picked up a camera and joined Pat, who had been taking pictures for most of his life. Together, they have taken thousands of pictures during their journeys. She believes this combined interest has made their travels more special and has strengthened their marriage.
“Sharing the love of photography with each other has been one of our greatest gifts as a couple, something we can do and enjoy together,” Sylvia Tucker said. “It has opened up a whole new world for me, and I have benefitted from Pat’s photographic experience and technical expertise. While we may photograph the same thing, he has more of a technical focus stemming from his engineering background, while I tend to be more instinctive and focus on the artistic element and small details that make up the bigger picture.”
“You see things differently when you photograph them,” Sylvia Tucker said. “You look beyond what everyone else sees, through a different lens to see it in a new light. We hope our photos will allow others to experience this light, as seen through our eyes, but with your own personal interpretation.”