Photography as Chaplaincy: Visual Witness and Spiritual Care at Judson Memorial Church

This presentation explores photography as a form of chaplaincy practice. Drawing from my work as Community Minister at Judson Memorial Church in New York City and as a multi-faith chaplain in training through the FE/CPE program at Union Theological Seminary, I examine how visual practices can function as acts of pastoral presence, witnessing, and care. While chaplaincy in medical institutions often limits creative approaches to spiritual care, my work at Judson allows me to experiment with photography as a pastoral method that centers dignity, recognition, and community connection. The presentation includes a curated photo exhibition, Faces of Judson, documenting moments of gathering, creativity, and everyday life within the congregation. Reflecting on photography’s history as a colonial and extractive medium often dominated by white male photographers, I approach the camera differently—as an Asian woman chaplain using photography not to “take” images, but to practice care, relational presence, and ethical witnessing.