Temples

Christmas is a truly unique time filled with wonderful traditions and endless gift giving. As we think of those gifts that matter most, I am reminded that, “Every home in the Church, large or small, can be a ‘…house of God’ (D&C 88:119). Church members can invite the Spirit into their homes through simple means such as wholesome entertainment, good music, and inspiring artwork (for example, a painting of the Savior or a temple).” – Church Handbook of Instructions 1.4.1

For many years, the only temple art available to the saints was relatively small paper prints. Today, a new generation of temple photographers and artists are emerging, providing us with an incredible window into these Houses of the Lord. One of the most innovative and inspiring of these temple artists is Taylor Yardley. I sat down with Taylor this past week to discuss the new face of Temple Art in the Church.

Thank you for meeting with me. Can I begin by asking a personal question?

Shoot.

How old are you?

I’m nineteen.

Do you get that a lot?

Frequently. People are always so gracious when they realize that I am actually the artist. It makes for some interesting conversations. At my last signing, a woman came up to the table and asked when my dad was getting back because she needed a picture signed.

I’m sure they are just as surprised as I am. How can someone so young create such incredible images? You are like a modern-day Mozart….

Thank you, I think. I’m now officially embarrassed. [laugh]

How did you first become interested in temple photography?

In high school I was fascinated with photography. Although my attention was not initially on the temples, it wasn’t long before I found myself being drawn to these amazing structures. There was so much beauty and peace that whenever I had a free minute and my camera I found myself wandering the grounds. I just couldn’t stay away.

How many temples have you photographed?

I’ve taken photographs of more than seventy temples so far and expect to have over one hundred by end of next year. I keep trying to convince my publisher that we desperately need to shoot Laie Temple in Hawaii.

You’re begging to go to Hawaii, is that what you said?

I don’t want to go, but. . . I’ll take one for the team [wink].

What is your favorite temple?

Certainly the Salt Lake Temple holds a special place in all of our hearts because of the sacrifice of the early saints who built it, but I also love many of the smaller temples around the world. I think my favorite temple is probably one I am shooting at that moment.

Come Unto Me © 2014 Taylor Yardley used with permission from LDSART.com

When did you know that creating beautiful temple art would be your life’s work?

It was actually a picture of the Christus and not the temple that convinced me that this could be more than just a hobby. Deseret Book was holding an art contest and I decided to enter and see if a photographer could win. I had taken an image of the Christus called, “Come Unto Me,” and I loved it. As it turned out, so did someone at Deseret Book. I remember seeing that image in the store and listening to a woman tell her daughter that she really liked it. That was a turning point for me.

Everglow © 2014 Taylor Yardley used with permission from LDSART.com

Tell me about “Everglow.”

I took this one back in high school. It was the first temple pictures I took. If you go back there today you can’t get the same shot, because the trees are so overgrown. I struggled with whether to keep the lamppost or to take it out. In the end, I kept it in. It reminded me that there are light posts that we have in our lives that help us get to back to heaven. The temple stands as that beacon that helps us to remember why we’re here and what the Savior wants us to accomplish.

Mountain of the Lord © 2014 Taylor Yardley used with permission from LDSART.com

Tell me about your image called “Mountain of the Lord?”

It was summer when I took this one. I’m so used to creating horizontal landscape pieces that I wanted to create a vertical piece that would look nice in people’s homes. I really wanted to show how the spires tower over everything and point us to heaven.

Salt Lake Eternal © 2014 Taylor Yardley used with permission from LDSART.com

I just saw your piece, “Salt Lake Eternal,” what was the inspiration behind this image?

I wanted to convey the reason we build temples – to seal families together for eternity. The statue of the mother and the children was the perfect symbol of eternal families and the beauty that promise brings. The tulips had just come up when I shot this and I thought it turned out really well.

Holiness to the Lord © 2014 Taylor Yardley used with permission from LDSART.com

Tell me about another amazing image you have called, “Holiness to the Lord.”

I heard a story a while ago about Brother John Moyle who was the head stonemason on the Salt Lake Temple. Each week for decades he walked the 30 miles from his home in Alpine to the temple site. Later in life, he was kicked by a cow and lost his leg. He fashioned a wooden leg and after a couple of years when he was strong enough, he began his walk to the temple again. When it came time to carve the plaque on the Salt Lake Temple, it was Brother Moyle that was asked to do the honors. He climbed that ladder on his one good leg and inscribed, “Holiness to the Lord.” More than the words he left in stone, his life was the testament to the faith and dedication of those early saints. They knew they were not building that temple for themselves, but for us. I wanted to capture that in this piece.

Garden of the Lord © 2014 Taylor Yardley used with permission from LDSART.com

What inspired you to create, “Garden of the Lord?”

In 2 Nephi 8:3 it says, “For the Lord shall comfort Zion, he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the Garden of the Lord.” I could picture those early saints coming into the valley and staring at the desert and wondering if this was truly the place promised in the scripture. I wanted to show the fulfillment of that prophecy in the beauty of the Salt Lake Temple and its grounds.

Tell me about the creative process of a picture like this?

Every photographer would love to capture the perfect image in the lens with no digital edits. But when it comes down to it, there is a wonderful process of creating art that starts with the natural beauty of these buildings and then deciding what to take away or add. What you end up with is truly a work of the heart.

Gilbert 01 © 2014 Taylor Yardley used with permission from LDSART.com

Tell me about this image of the Gilbert Temple?

Gilbert is such a magnificent temple, it seems to rise from the desert floor and tower over you like a protecting force. I loved the idea of the Lord protecting us from the heat of the day and giving us a place of refuge to go to.

Nauvoo © 2014 Taylor Yardley used with permission from LDSART.com

I love your rendition of Nauvoo, what went into creating this image?

I shot this in the summer during a stunning sunrise. It gave it a beautiful reflection and a unique coloring that I loved. Nauvoo temple was one of two temples designed by the Prophet, Joseph Smith. In fact, he said that this temple was designed by the hand of the Lord Himself. This temple, more than any other, is loaded with symbolism and I wanted to capture that on the temple itself and with the statues of Joseph and Hyrum. They were instrumental in the dawn of the restoration and the light that it continues to bring to all the world today.

Is it a challenge trying to keep up with the church and all these temples?

It is. Some days I wish they would stop so I could keep up. Actually, I love shooting new temples.

Ogden 02 © 2014 Taylor Yardley used with permission from LDSART.com

Are their unique struggles with shooting “new” temples?

Absolutely. When I shot Ogden there were lots of crowds. That was a challenge trying to get the shot. I didn’t want to tell people to move because they’re there for the same reason I’m there— to enjoy the beauty of the temple. So I waited patiently hoping the light wouldn’t give out on me.

Phoenix Golden Doors © 2014 Taylor Yardley used with permission from LDSART.com

What other new temples have you shot recently?

I shot Phoenix during the open house. There were lots of people, but everyone was so wonderful to talk with and everyone had such great ideas for the perfect angle or place to capture their temple. I loved the way the sun reflected off those golden doors.

They just announced the open house for Payson, have you already captured Payson?

I’ve been watching the building go up since spring and the minute the scaffolding came down and the lights went on, I was down there shooting that night.

Payson Golden Valley © 2014 Taylor Yardley used with permission from LDSART.com

This image is incredible. Does it really look like that?

People don’t really believe it’s a real photograph. They think I’ve copied the temple into another landscape, but I haven’t. That is actually how it looks, but most people only see it from the front.

Payson Storm Breaks © 2014 Taylor Yardley used with permission from LDSART.com

Tell me about another image of Payson called, “Storm Breaks.”

This is one I wanted to show some symbolism. There’s something about this Payson temple that shines so brightly that it moves me. I wanted to show that there can be peace in our own life, no matter what storm we are fighting.

San Diego 05 © 2014 Taylor Yardley used with permission from LDSART.com

What other temples do people think are not real?

San Diego is one that people routinely think is a “fake.” It’s such a beautiful temple and, other than Salt Lake, one of the most recognizable temples. The south side is the most recognizable and I wanted to get a sunset shot of that. The one thing that I struggled with on this photo was the shadows on the temple. I had to catch it at the right moment to eliminate as much shadow as possible. I was able to get a very smooth and glowing picture that I think captured exactly what I was feeling.

How long do you stay at a temple when you’re shooting?

I like to get a full spectrum of light when I’m there. So I shoot it in the morning, afternoon, and sunset and then at night.

Las Vegas 03 © 2014 Taylor Yardley used with permission from LDSART.com

What is your favorite night shot?

Las Vegas. I love the juxtaposition of the spires of the temple against the lights of the strip. I like that you can see this temple on top of a hill above this city, representing that it’s a high place where you can go to find peace.

Portland 02 © 2014 Taylor Yardley used with permission from LDSART.com

Sometimes you take images of only a part of the temple like in Portland. How do you decide what to show?

There’s just something about going to a temple and getting the full shot that really makes me happy. But to capture that small little beauty of the temple and the grounds is also rewarding. I love showing off what the gardeners do. In this image it was late sunset and I was just finishing up my shoot. I found myself mesmerized by this area of the temple. Then it dawned on me that I had a camera and maybe I should use it. I love the composition of how it turned out.

Do you ever talk to the landscapers?

I do, I try to speak with as many members in the area and the workers there to get the real feel of the temple and what it’s like for those that worship there regularly.

Who goes with you when you shoot the temples?

Sometimes I go it alone. When I make a longer road trip I try to convince my dad to come with me.

How is it to be together for a long time in a tiny car?

It has its moments, but I really love being with my dad. I didn’t get to see my dad a lot growing up because he served in the military. I didn’t feel like we had a strong connection. But now that I’m older and hearing stories of him growing up, it has really helped bond us together. Being with him gives me real confidence in myself.

Is your dad you biggest fan?

My mom and my dad. I’ll wake them up at 11:30 at night and ask them to look at a picture, and they don’t hesitate.

Mount Timpanogos 12 © 2014 Taylor Yardley used with permission from LDSART.com

Which temple is your temple?

I feel like all of the temples are my temple, but I live in the Mount Timpanogos temple district. After work every day I go here in summer and just photograph and study. One day I was there and these clouds just came rolling in and I got lucky with the shot. I love all the lines leading toward the temple. That’s our path.

Sacred Grove © 2014 Taylor Yardley used with permission from LDSART.com

Staying with the path theme, tell us about your Sacred Grove piece.

The Sacred Grove was probably my favorite experience as far as photography goes. It is a place you can go and just think. There’s so much beauty in nature. I spent a few days there just pondering as well as taking photos and thinking about where my life was going. We all have our own path to take, but I wanted to create a piece that could be a constant reminder to me that my path always needs to lead back to the Lord.

How has your path been different that people might think?

Ironically, I was not active in the Church when I began shooting the temples.

What brought you back?

It was a lot of support from friends and family as well as my interest in temple photography. It was a real support to me in feeling the peace and comfort of the temple grounds and the spirit that is there. It was a convincing witness to me of the truthfulness of this work.

Tell me about this last piece called Star of Bethlehem? What made you shoot this?

This was a piece that I shot on road in California. It was just this tree on top of this rock formation. I knew I would want to use it at some point. Recently, I was inspired by the Church’s campaign of He’s the Gift #sharethegift and I wanted to contribute. Instead of doing a typical picture of the Savior, I wanted to do something different. This is my gift to the work this Christmas.

What do you hope people see when they look at your temples?

More than what they see, I hope they feel peace. No matter what kind of world we live in or how hard life becomes, there is this piece that we can turn to and feel close to heaven.

CLICK HERE TO SEE A COMPLETE PORTFOLIO OF ALL OF TAYLOR YARDLEY’S IMAGES

Taylor Yardley