What is different in church photography.

Research has different definitions of photography, and here is one of those definitions.
Photography is the art of application, and practice of creating durable images by recording light either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material.
While this definition may be correct, I will say in simple terms and for easy understanding that Photography is the simply making poems that has no sound using your camera, lighting and your subject.
Church Photography obviously doesn't have a different definition, like we all say, Photography is Photography no matter the genre you decide to work with, it works the same way, you need the same composition and rules to get great images of your subject in other to tell your story.
Some people may say that Event photography is the most difficult genre of photography, while some will say it's Art photography and others will even agree that Church photography is the most difficult. If you ask for my opinion, I would say none is easy and none is difficult, it all depends on your level of professionalism.
In church photography, you have to pay a lot of attention in other to capture the moments. For me I will say that if you are a church photographer, you will have to listen more than the audience, you have to use your eyes and ears and be very active. I like to say that you have to use what you have get what you want.
You have to be on the look out for deep worshipers, you will always find them. They could be crying, raising their hands, they could have an expression on their face that show how deep into the worship they are.
Another group of audience you would have to look out for is the dancing group, another is the deep listeners. Remember that action images are the best images you need to tell your story.
You need to listen carefully to the speaker, the speaker might say something funny and the audience would laugh. In this case you need to be focused, smart and fast, because the laughter might not last long and you can't tell them to keep laughing that you have not taken an image of them while they were laughing, that is why you need to be smart and fast.
During the prayer session, the speaking to your neighbors session, you need to have images of the audience praying, speaking to their neighbors and probably smiling at each other in other to tell a good story. Remember, you want to tell a story that doesn't make any sound, so you would want who ever that will see your story to understand your story when they see.
What ever image you want to take, you should first of all create it in your mind.
Staging images can and cannot be good enough for your story, it depends on how you stage it. Remember, it is not difficult, it is not easy, it depends on your level of professionalism.
If you photograph for a church that has a large number and runs more than one service, here are a fee shots you need to take to tell an awesome story.

• Transition image: when the church is transiting from one service to another, people for the previous service will be moving out and people for the next service will be moving in at the same time, so capturing this moment will tell a great story.
• Crowd shot: An Ariel view of the audience, they could be standing and raising hands up or they could be sitting, it depends on what story you want to tell.
• Podium image: It is important to have an image of everyone that mounts the podium, because it is believed that who ever mounts the podium has something important to do. Remember, you want to tell a good story.
• Choir Ministration: This is another important image you should have to make a good story. The person leading in the ministration, and the person with the rest of the choir members ministering.
• Audience: I would say it is the most important aspect of church photography, because what ever story you try to tell will be incomplete without the audience, it is like a call and response song, if you call and there is no response, it is incomplete.

These few tips would help you create an awesome story.
Do not forget that photography is story telling, only that you are using images and you have no voice, so the ability to use these images properly will determine if your story was worth listening to or not.