"Show Us the Way To Go Home..."

I've got to plug one of my favorite sites: Catholic Press Photo, who yet again provided the photo above. (The watermark is a bit of a distraction... but they do such great work, I'll live with it.)

CPP is a small agency, made up of three people. But they are the primary providers to Famiglia Cristiana (the Pauline magazine which is one of Italy's largest weeklies) and have arrangements with some other European wires. (It's a bandwagon American agencies would be smart to get on.)

Most importantly of all, they've got top-tier access and know a good shot when they see it -- they're like the Whispers of photography. CPP knows liturgy and the rattle and hum of Vatican ceremonial, so while a lot of the other photogs are off staring into space, they know what vantage to capture, and it shows. After Auturo Mari -- the legendary papal photographer with all access since the Creation of the World -- they're the House Photographers of the Roman Scene. They know their way around, they know the characters, and even normally reticent clerics and curialists are comfortable with them, so they get exclusive access for sacristy shots, etc.

Of course, you don't need me to tell you that that comfort goes a long, long way.

Anyways, I just love the shot above. Il Papa e seguito walking through a sea of empty chairs....

Anyone got a caption in mind? Comboxes are open in case somebody's got a creative streak going.

-30-