CHRISTMAS DAY AT SAN XAVIER MISSION

It was Christmas Day, brunch was over, presents were opened, and little did I know my best present of the day was still to come.

Earlier in the week, I had decided to spend Christmas afternoon photographing the incredible San Xavier del Bac Mission in Tucson for the very first time. In this post, I share with you my experience visiting San Xavier and the things I learned about photographing this historic place.

But first, let’s go back to Christmas Day when rain continued into the afternoon. I came close to cancelling my plans but deciding to go anyway. It was the right decision since just as I arrived the rain stopped and the skies began to clear.

At that moment I realized I was about the get a perfect present: Christmas Day at the San Xavier Mission.

About the San Xavier Mission:

San Xavier Mission is a national historic landmark and the oldest church in Arizona.  It was originally built in 1692 on the Tohono O’odham Indian Reservation just south of Tucson, Arizona by Father Kino. Although the original church was destroyed, it was rebuilt in 1783. The Mission was named in honor of Francis Xavier who was a cofounder of the Society of Jesus.  

Where is San Xavier del Bac Mission ?

The Mission is nestled in the Southern Arizona mountains on the banks of the Santa Cruz River just south of Tucson, Arizona.

It is often referred to as the White Dove of the Desert. I certainly understood the name as its beautiful Spanish Colonial architecture stands in stark contrast to the surrounding desert terrain beckoning all to visit.

Photographing the San Xavier Mission:

Photographing the San Xavier Mission had been on my bucket list for many years.  In fact I had plans to visit the Mission during the winter of 2019 when RV repairs forced me to alter my route. In hindsight, everything worked out perfectly as I could not have picked a more perfect time to photograph the Mission than on Christmas Day. 

Best Time to Visit San Xavier

Since the mission faces south it is best photographed during winter months when the sun is in southern skies. During winter, visitors will be greeted with good lighting both in the mornings and afternoons.

Mornings, however, bring fewer people making it easier to capture the front of the Mission without a lot of people in the image. Also, photos of San Xavier from a nearby hilltop can be very good both at sunrise and sunset depending on sky conditions.

For those who have the time, I recommend photographing the Mission both in the morning and afternoons.  Due to rain and it being Christmas Day, I was there only in the afternoon as shown the the following images:

Front Views:

Although the front of San Xavier can be photographed with a wide angle lens, the amount of people and cars in the foreground made it challenging to create a perfect image. Again, this is why I recommend visiting in the early morning hours if you can.

Photographing the Mission from the East:

What I would not give to be here in the morning. However, since the sun was in the southern sky, it was still possible to photograph the mission as long as I stood in a southeast direction.

Sometimes as a traveling photographer, you have to make the best of less than ideal lighting.

The Chapel

There is the tiny Chapel on the west side of the Mission.  Since the Chapel faces east, this again is a spot that is best photographed in the early morning hours.

Photo Tip: Consider including the entrance gate and walkway in compositions of the Chapel to add depth to your pictures.

Photographing the Mission from the West:

Photographing the Mission from the western side in the late afternoon not only provided beautiful light on San Xavier but also a view of the stunning white dome.

Inside San Xavier Mission:

Despite Christmas being a perfect time to photograph the exterior of the mission, it is not the best time to photograph the interior of the church. Decorations and tinsel strings were hung everywhere making it impossible to capture any unobstructed views of the mission’s beautiful ceilings or nooks.

Isolating a Tower:

Reflections:

Only made possible by all that rain!

San Xavier Photo Challenges

Despite the Mission’s beauty, I found it challenging to photograph. The following set of images illustrated just one of several issues a photographer will need to consider when photographing the church.

Getting the entire Mission in a photograph is difficult. The first photo was taken standing almost directly in front of the Mission.

The image felt lopsided and heavily weighted to the left due to the long flat building extending from the right side.

Next, I moved to the left (west) side of the church to photograph it with only slightly better results.  

Other Great Arizona Churches

If you found this post about the Tucson San Xavier Mission church interesting, you may also want to read my post about an architectural wonder in Sedona called The Chapel of the Holy Cross.

Conclusion:

A visit to the San Xavier Mission is well worth it any time of year.  However for photographers and those interested in seeing the Mission with beautiful light shining on it’s entrance, visit during the winter months.

Arrive at sunrise or dawn to avoid the crowds and photograph the east side of the Mission. Come back later in the day and photograph the Mission from the west side and stay until sunset.  

While in the Tucson area, consider including a trip to Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area to view over 20,000 sandhill cranes: The Sandhill Cranes of Whitewater Draw.

Thanks for viewing in my little Christmas Day adventure.  See you next week for another Road Trip Friday destination.