True Places

"Right under my nose, some eighty miles away from my home in Orangeburg, South Carolina, Stanley Lanzano happened upon and photographed an amazing world that was hidden from view. The dynamic images in this volume offer outsiders a rare glimpse into the culture and struggles of a deeply spiritual community, living in the shadow of the coastal tourist culture so often equated with the lowcountry. And I was delighted to discover that Lanzano's photographic composition shares much with my own techniques and camera work."—Cecil Williams, photographer, author, and artist

"True Places is about life-changing journeys—the deeply felt personal journey of photographer Stanley Lanzano, the exuberant spiritual journey of the people he records, and our own immensely rewarding visual journey as we proceed through these remarkable images. There is a sense of spirit, honesty, and trust that radiates off these pages. As our world grows more urban and homogenized, True Places is a reminder that there are still places where people proudly maintain lives of spiritual commitment and service. Traveling through the South Carolina lowcountry with Lanzano provides a stirring visual experience and at the same time suggests we might each benefit from more grace in our lives."—Lynn Robertson, director, McKissick Museum

"Stanley Lanzano's photographic and narrative recordings of the spiritual lives of African Americans in the South Carolina lowcounty are profound in their sensitivity to a culture that is often misunderstood. The roles of the church, its congregation, and its pastors are essential to the fabric of rural southern communities in providing what Lanzano rightly identifies as 'direction, sensitivity, and hope' to all members of the community as they address the challenges of life. True Places illustrates these connections with honesty and integrity."—Jonathan Green, artist

"In these images, members of the congregation testify, sing, and pray, presenting an image of a close-knit community that is rich in friendship and faith."—Foreword Reviews

". . . a lot in this small book to soak in and savorpain and grief are juxtaposed with redemption and bliss."—Boulder Daily Camera

"Lanzano offers black-and-white and color photographs of holy places, the congregants, and their homes and places of business, recording an abiding faith that helped them to cope with drudgery and misery and to celebrate joy. He records church services, revivals, baptisms, funerals, and christenings. Lanzano was more than a photographer and observer; he joined in services and was moved to tears of sadness and joy as he unburdened himself and found relief and release in the spiritual places."—Booklist