You Know it When You See It

As a photographer, two things I find interesting to try to convey with my work are color and texture. Some years back, I began a series of abstracts - viewing objects from a different perspective (for example, extreme close ups of flower petals). The results can be fascinating. It's also a great exercise in terms of creativity and composition since it forces the eye to look at things in a different way.

Since I founded The Christian Gift, another challenging endeavor has been scouting locations for compositions that, to me, might convey the essence of various selections from Scripture. This can be a lengthy process! I usually have a handful of verses tucked away in the back of my mind - sometimes with a fairly specific idea of an image that would visually represent the verse. Other times, I just know that I have a verse I'd one day like to pair with a  photograph....but I have no idea what the final image will be. I define the latter as "you know it when you see it" types of situations.

This autumn, both scenarios played out.

Early in October, while up in the northernmost tip of New Hampshire, I was actively looking for a scene that I'd already composed in my mind to pair with a selection from the Book of Proverbs (this is the CEV translation): With all your heart you must trust the Lord and not your own judgment. Always let him lead you, and he will clear the road for you to follow.

I've been looking for that scene for well over a year, but never found what I considered a suitable representation. This time, it fell into place. Pittsburg, New Hampshire is one of my favorite destinations. It's a township comprising more than 200,000 acres of amazingly beautiful country. It's also fantastic because the vast majority of tourists don't venture that far north...if you're looking to get away from the crowds of "leaf peepers," drive past the White Mountains and on to Pittsburg.

On this last trip, I headed up Magalloway Road toward the Fire Tower, turned around, and knew I'd found the scene to pair with the verse.  

Another serendipitous situation occurred during a late October trip to Yellowstone. This time of year, winter has already begun in the park. Nearly a foot of snow was on the ground in various areas; there were almost no visitors. In fact, the park essentially closes to all but snowmobile traffic after early November. It's the latest I've ever visited, and it was absolutely magical. I happened upon a scene that struck me and immediately conjured up one of those verses I'd been carrying with me: Come near to God and he will come near to you.

Make sure to enjoy the wonderful views of nature outside your own window!