Photography: Staged, or authentic? Dominic Hawgood's captivating images

In 2011, investigating the possibility of authenticity in the staged moment photographer Dominic Hawgood set out on a six month long residency deep within the Texan desert with the hope of meeting people believed to be experiencing the biblical phenomenon of speaking in tongues. And after posting an advert in the local newspaper, a group of women responded, inviting Dominic to stay with them to observe and capture them in prayer as they experienced the mysterious phenomena. Sharing such intimate moments with the women, Dominic’s position was sensitive. But his attention to the privacy of the moment he was within and his wish to avoid being simply an onlooker allowed him to focus on performance. And he captures this perfectly; the lighting, set-like staging and framing of the photographs juxtapose with the intensity of experience expressed upon the women’s faces. So we are left somewhere between the cinematic and the authentic experience captured.