Congregation Mickve Israel Synagogue • Savannah GA

Capturing Savannah's Silhouetted SPIRES

A Photographer's Journey

Photographs by Charles Maring

As the first tendrils of dawn stretched across the Savannah skyline, I found myself awakening long before the city stirred from its slumber. With so much creativity flowing from our studio I often wake early with a sense of anticipation tinged with excitement. On this day as I walked from our bedroom into the loft space I could feel the orange of the sun on my face, and felt compelled to grab my camera gear and set out to capture the essence of this historic city in the warm light of dawn.

Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist • Savannah GA

Savannah, Georgia, with its cobblestone streets and moss-draped oaks has come to have a special place in my heart. In fact it’s inspired me to create Savannah Proper, an online magazine with a luxury flair that serves the community in all sorts of creative ways. It forces me to take action, be a part of the human connections in the city, and to use my photography and video talents to capture the city, and produce stories around interesting people, art, culture, history, the music scene, and more.

I’m always out photographing Savannah and bringing stories to life. But, on this particular morning, my focus was drawn to the silhouetted steeples that punctuated the skyline, each one a beacon of hope and prayer in its own right.

The Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist, with its towering spires, seemed to reach towards the heavens, while the Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church exuded a sense of quiet strength. And then there was the Congregation Mickve Israel synagogue, its silhouette a reminder of the city's rich tapestry of faiths and traditions.

Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church • Savannah GA

As the sun began to crest the horizon, its golden rays bathed the steeples in a warm glow, casting long shadows across the landscape. It was a moment of quiet reverence, as if the city itself was offering up its prayers to the heavens.

But amidst the beauty and serenity of the scene, there was a juxtaposition that struck me. For aligned with the holy steeples stood the communications tower, the highest point in all of Savannah, its metal frame a stark contrast to the historic architecture that surrounded it.

In a city steeped in tradition and history, the presence of the communications tower felt almost out of place. And yet, as I watched the sun rise higher in the sky, I couldn't help but see the tower in a new light.

For while the steeples spoke of hope and prayers, the communications tower symbolized something different - a connection to the wider world, a link to the universe beyond. It was a reminder that even in the most historic of cities, change is inevitable, and progress marches ever forward.

And so, as I framed my shots and adjusted my settings, I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the scene before me. Here, against the backdrop of the alluring Savannah sky, two seemingly contradictory ideas - tradition and progress, faith and technology - were perfectly aligned.

As I packed my gear into my camera bag again I couldn't help but feel grateful for the opportunity to witness such a moment. In the silence of the early morning hours, amidst the towering spires and the gleaming communications tower, I had found a sense of peace and perspective that would stay with me long after the sun had risen high in the sky.