It’s no surprise that in Philadelphia right now the topic of most conversations is the upcoming visit by Pope Francis in September. After a week long gathering hosted by the World Meeting of Families, Pope Francis is scheduled to lead two public masses in Philadelphia, attracting an estimated 1.5 million people into the city, doubling the current population.
Earlier this month, Scott Spitzer Photography was contacted by a PR firm representing a world renowned woodworker. Pope Francis will be speaking at Independence Hall, behind a podium that was used by Abraham Lincoln during the Gettysburg Address. Currently on display at the Union League in Center City Philadelphia, Maine woodworker, Thos. Moser was brought in to inspect the podium and evaluate its structural integrity. All of the preparation for the pope’s visit is considered historically significant and as such, Scott Spitzer Photography was hired to photograph this moment; one which led to the realization that the podium would in fact be used by the Pope and once again take center stage during an important moment in world history.
Personally, I have always been fascinated by the opportunity to capture the history of important moments and objects through images. Orchestrating this shoot and creating these images was an incredible honor and I am looking forward to seeing the podium back in action (with Moser’s improvements) in September.
