Soul Food in the Language of Photography

Dave Lemke always wanted to create a photo exhibit, and after a recent “What’s on Your Bucket List” exhibition at St. Paul’s Church in Muskego, he can tick that one off. The landscape photos are remarkably still and evocative, each a testament to the beauty of the planet we live on and the skill behind Lemke’s lens. 

The message from St. Paul’s is that the expanding church campus is open to the public and a welcoming place, said Sally Wallner, Community Outreach Coordinator for the Evangelical Lutheran church. 

According to Wallner, about 80 people attended the photo exhibit, and enjoyed one another’s company along with food and music in the Trinity Café, a fellowship area in the new gymnasium building on the church campus.  The building was designed to encourage the public to visit, to participate in sports and recreation programs on site, form friendships, and grow closer to Jesus, Wallner said.

As for Lemke, he has been interested in photography since the 1970’s and working on perfecting his skills, recently teaching a class at St. Paul’s as a preamble to his exhibit there. 

The purpose of the class, he said, was to teach students how to take waterfall photos so the water appears soft and silky looking. “To get the effects you want,” Lemke said, “you have to learn how to set the camera manually,” a skill that must be learned in the age of automation.

And yes, Lemke does see God in his work sometimes.  He spoke of a photo he took of Niagara Falls.  “When I saw it, it said to me the Lord is a mighty God, and that’s how I titled it,” Lemke said.

Lemke does professional level work including family portraits, high school senior photos, weddings, and class photos for 8^th grade graduating classes at St. Paul’s.  He can be contacted at (262) 679-9537. 

Patch readers interested in upcoming events, sports and recreation programs, or use of the Trinity Café or other facilities at St. Paul’s may call Sally Wallner at (414) 218-5197 or visit http://www.stpaulmuskego.org.