One day I wrote something. (Surprise!)
Here's what I wrote:
I've read many quotes on photography that try to sum up why we photograph things, and some of them are pretty close. But to me photography is declaring to the world, "see how awesome my God is!"
Before that, without my realizing it, I'd bought into a philosophy that came to me through photography. Here are the types of quotes that had this philosophy wrapped around it:
- We take photos as a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone.
- A photograph is the pause button of life.
- A photograph keeps a moment from running away.
- Photography - the best cure for a bad memory.
At first this sounded right to me.
Oh, and it IS right. Photos take us back to moments that fly away. But that's not why I photograph. It's just not quite right. At least not for me. Not for a Christian. There is more to photography than to just make an idol out of our life on earth.
I admit I never thought I was making an idol out of the things I was taking pictures of. I put the camera to my face and clicked. That was it. I thought I knew why I was taking pictures. To capture life so it doesn't run away, right? I'd bought my camera with a prayer that God would use it to glorify Himself, but I wasn't living that prayer out. The subjects I saw through my camera were getting more praise from me than the God who created them.
So why lights and cameras? Why photograph?
The purpose to glorify God must be wholly and totally woven through every aspect of our photography. The praise must go where it belongs. This is when purpose comes in, because when God gives us a gift, it is completely fulfilling, whereas the things the world advertises leave you more and more and more empty. As Christians, our purpose in life is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
Surrendering talents plays part in this too. If we don't surrender our talents, we are holding back some/most/all of the glory for ourselves, and what good will that do for us?
See how awesome God is!
See how wonderfully He lovingly designed this world for us!
See what care and purpose He programmed into our lives!
See how brilliantly He created us!
See Him, oh see Him!
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse
~ Romans 1:20
Like this verse says, the world knows about God through what He has made. But they intentionally put their hands in their eyes and turn they other way. Photography is a way to turn them around and say,
"See!"
That's why I photograph.