St. Olaf 150th: Half Within, Whole Without

I'm spending May on a photo that hasn't been shot.

A circular group photo. I've never seen one, never mind shot one, but it's so simple that surely someone has, or will. Just shoot a panoramic portrait (like two weeks ago) and keep going all the way around (like last week).

Practically it allows for huge numbers. Democratically it centers and foregrounds every person equally, and even shows their perspective. And spiritually it's very powerful to face each other. Like an Anglican chapel, or a Quaker meeting.

Or a Lutheran commencement— such as this week's photo from 1919, their lovely tradition of taking the new grads into the circle. Same spot, but shot from the steps of Old Main. So now a whole circle but just a partial view of it.

This is the spot. Photograph each class right here, in their first and last week at the college. Some will hold hands.

For now we see in part, just one focal plane snapping once; but then we will see the whole sphere and through time: now we just see what some camera saw; but then we will see each other as we did see each other, face to face.

Notes: Thanks to the St. Olaf College Archives: elevator.stolaf dot edu/archives > Felland Glass Negatives Collection > StOlaf_RML_Felland_1593_P.tif. And do not fail to note and love the hats. (And the wiggling child, and the short pants and guy. (And the partly-popped peonies. (Faribault, famed for them, started its Peony Festival in 1927.))) See the camera opposite?