Exhibit details mission life

PROVO — Former Deseret Morning News photographer Mark Hedengren likes missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, so it's only natural for him to hang out with them when he is somewhere in the world on assignment.

Now a freelance photographer based in New York City, Hedengren, a returned missionary himself, takes on stints from three agencies but also freelances on his own.

Hedengren specializes in religious subjects. Some of his work is in past issues of LDS Living magazine. His secular work is featured on his Web site: www.markfinchhedengren.com.

"I don't swear," said Hedengren. "That gives me easier access to religious subjects. Swearing makes religious people uncomfortable. I can talk about Jesus with them and be perfectly comfortable."

He's also in his comfort zone when he's with LDS missionaries. That shows in his black and white exhibition of missionary photographs, aptly named "Missionary," on the second floor of the Harold B. Lee Library on the Brigham Young University campus. The exhibition runs until Oct. 28 and is free.

Coupled with some interviews, Hedengren took the photos during his travels around the world. They include missionaries in such countries as Sweden, Mexico, Ghana, Spain, Scotland, France, the United States and on Temple Square in Salt Lake City.

The photos cover a range of subjects, from the chalk drawing on a New York subway floor of the LDS version of the Plan of Salvation to everyday life in the mission field. Many of his photos capture the stark reality of missionary work along with the spirit.

Ironically, when he was on his own mission in the Tallahassee, Fla., area, he did little shooting.

"Missions are the coming-of-age experience for Mormons," he said. "In much of the world, coming of age is the first drink or the first (experience with) sex, but for Mormons it's going on a mission."

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E-mail: rodger@desnews.com