Richmond Preachathon
From Dawn to Dusk: Photographing the Richmond Preachathon
I was there with my cameras to document the day from dawn until dusk.
Held at St Mary Magdalene Church in Richmond, the event was organised to raise money for two very different but equally important causes: the campaign for new bells for the church and Richmond Soup Kitchen.
Robert set himself the extraordinary task of preaching, storytelling and exploring the Bible continuously throughout the day, finishing as darkness fell at 6.59pm.
My intention as a photographer was not simply to record Robert standing at the front of the church. I wanted to capture the changing atmosphere of the day – the people who came to support him, the conversations, the laughter, the concentration, the quieter moments and, inevitably, the signs of a very long day.
Photographing the passage of time
One of the challenges of photographing an event lasting twelve hours is finding ways to show the passage of time.
Robert at 7am is not quite the same Robert at 3pm.
The light coming through the church changes. The congregation changes. People arrive, stay for a while and leave. For me, these small changes are what make documentary photography interesting.
Rather than trying to make every photograph look perfect, I wanted the photographs to feel as though they belonged to the day – to show the energy, concentration, humour and humanity of what was happening.
A day that brought the community together
As the hours passed, people came and went through the church. There were familiar faces from the local community alongside visitors who had come specifically to support the challenge.
Robert was also joined in conversation by a fascinating range of guests, bringing different perspectives and personalities into the day.
Among them were broadcaster and journalist Sophie Raworth, Richmond Mayor Nancy
Baldwin, and illustrator Axel Scheffler, best known as the illustrator of The Gruffalo.
These conversations gave the day a different rhythm from the preaching itself. There were serious discussions, moments of humour and plenty of interaction with the congregation.
One of my favourite moments to photograph was Axel Scheffler showing his book to a group of children. It was a lovely reminder that this wasn’t simply a fundraising event taking place inside a church – it had become a genuinely intergenerational community occasion.
The final hours
By the afternoon, Robert had been preaching for many hours.
The challenge had begun in the quiet of the early morning and was gradually approaching its final moments.
Then, after twelve hours, it was over.
From first light to darkness, Robert had completed the challenge he had set himself – with the support of the congregation, guests, the choir, volunteers and everyone who had come through the doors during the day.
And behind the spectacle of a 12-hour preaching marathon was a very practical purpose: raising money for new bells for St Mary Magdalene and for Richmond Soup Kitchen.
£22,317 raised
for new bells for St Mary Magdalene and Richmond Soup Kitchen
For a photographer, it was a privilege to be able to document such an unusual day in the life of the local community.
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