There are some things in life you hope God never asks you to give up. For some it is alcohol, a life centered on seeking wealth, unhealthy relationships or those hidden files on your computer. For others it is chocolate, movie tickets, or facebook.
For me, it was my sight.
Packing list after packing list lay upon my floor. I found myself tearing up one as I read a blog proclaiming I would need knifes, eating utensils and a mass stock of bug spray. Later, tearing up yet another, after reading a blog saying I only needed my clothes and a toothbrush. So, I found myself weeks before launch asking God what I would actually need on this journey to glorify him. Who better to pack my bags!
“I want you to give up your sight?”
There it was. My greatest fear! That God would ask me to give up the thing I love most about myself. God has given me a gift for seeing this world in a different way. I see God’s hand in every piece of his creation. From the simplicity of the seeds upon the weeds that cover the forest floor as they are whisked away by the wind; to the complexity of a village panoramic at sunrise as the somber atmosphere of the evening is laid to rest and a rooster awakens the locals to their morning tasks. My peace comes through this sight. Through this ability to detach myself from the commotions of life as I find joy in the simplicity and complexity of our creator.
Over the years my sight has become a crutch. My eyes have turned into the viewfinders of restored heirlooms and LED screens . I no longer saw just to see. I saw to capture. I developed this ability to not only detach myself from commotion, but also to detach myself from the subject. Seeing the world became more about framing and lighting than the masterpiece of the creator and the stories of his children.
“But God, how will I see?”
“You will see in new ways.”
“But how will I capture those profound panoramics of Asian villages, or close-crop shots of wild beasts on a safari?”
“Your heart will capture everything I speak to you.”
“But what if I miss a good photo?”
“You will capture stories.”
35mm. That was the challenge. A life journey to 11 different countries with a single 35mm lens. Take down my stronghold, and learning to see beyond the shield. The shield I had built between my subject and myself. I could no longer zoom in a lens to capture the adorable child in its mother’s arms, nor could I zoom out to capture the expanse of a castle or a village in the rice fields. I would have to move myself. I would have to intentionally seek out discussion with my subjects. I would have to put my camera to the side as I embraced rocks that would lead me to a new perspective.
My lens could no longer be my stronghold. I would learn to see beyond my own vision. My vision of sight and my vision for life.
Rules:
- I do not take my camera to ministry on the first two days (outside of UH purposes).
- I only shoot with a 35 mm lens no matter how many times my teammates offer.
- I must communicate before I capture.
- I must see and take in before I frame.
- My camera is first and foremost a tool to glorify God!
- Editing will be limited to what can be done in a darkroom. Never take away from the beauty God opened your eyes to in the moment.
“However, for me, photography remains a pretext and not a goal, a pretext as I said to discover and meet people.” ~Emmanuel Smague
REFLECTION:
What are the things you are holding on to? They may not be as obvious as a bottle of whisky or movie tickets. You might have to ask God to reveal your strongholds.
