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Larry Racioppo documents a unique baptism in East Harlem. Plus, get inspired by DSPF's festival winners.
Inside Street Photography |
The official newsletter of Street Photography Magazine |
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| Friday, 24 Jul 2026 | Reading time: 4 mins | Read online
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Fire Hose Baptism, East Harlem |
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Sometimes it’s as important for a photographer to listen as it is to look.
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In the summer of 2005, I was photographing a ribbon cutting for a Harlem housing project when I overheard two women talking enthusiastically about an upcoming religious event. When I asked them about it, they kindly explained that their church was holding a mass baptism on the coming weekend. They invited me to attend even though the event is not publicized to preserve the custom and keep it free of tourists.
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Each August since 1937, the United House of Prayer for All People, a nondenominational Pentecostal church with three million members in 28 states, has held mass baptisms on 115th Street in East Harlem, using a fire hose to spray hundreds with baptismal waters.
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The church holds mass baptisms across the country each summer as part of a convocation ceremony in which congregants offer repentance and seek renewal. In most places, as many as 2,000 congregants will be submerged in a local river or a pool. But in New York City, where access to rivers is limited and where pools are not easy to find, the House of Prayer has always used the municipal water supply, blessed by the church's bishop. I brought two cameras to Harlem that weekend and photographed happily for several hours. I found this street baptism powerful and emotional, especially when compared to the Roman Catholic baptisms with which I was familiar.
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| Larry’s portrait by Anna Delaney |
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When I returned to South Brooklyn in 1970 after two years in California as a VISTA Volunteer, I was 22 years old with no plans and a $30 camera I barely knew how to use. I took a course at the School of Visual Arts, a job with the telephone company and began to photograph my family and friends. Things worked out better than I could have expected. I’ve been making photographs for over 50 years, and have some things I’d like to share.
Check out my book, Here Down on Dark Earth, here.
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Readers can respond directly to me – larryracioppo@gmail.com.
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The 2026 DSPF Winners issue is here! In it you can check out a few behind the scenes moments, comments from the organizers and attendees, and of course, the winning images. Click on the cover below to check it out:
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| Cover image by Susanne Bartels |
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