The Divine Artist ~ Vision

I have been thinking a lot about how God, as Creator, is the ultimate Artist. In fact, this blog is born out of that thought. It strikes me more and more that as human beings our attempts at art; photography, music, writing, acting, all come from our desire to commune with God and put forth what is in us that reflects Him. For me, this drives my need and desire to create and gives me a restlessness, unsatisfied and unquenchable desire to do more- and be more. I am rarely satisfied with my work; but when I am, it feels truly amazing.

The beauty of God's creation in Toccoa, GA

Lately, I have been developing my love of photography (little pun there) but I seem to be more dissatisfied with my photos than with any other of my creative outlets.  No matter how good the image might look on my camera's preview screen, or on my computer, it never is quite what I had in mind. The image that I wanted to capture was perfect- the lighting, the colors and scope- and that is what I wanted to preserve. The more I chat with other photo enthusiasts, the more I realize that many of them get the same feelings. If only they had that nicer lens, that expensive filter, or the perfect weather conditions, they know their photo would turn out better. Looking at some professional work (including work edited with the awesome photo software available) it is amazing what can be achieved. Some photos blow me away at first glance and I am instantly drawn in to where I imagine that location to be. Most of my photos remind me of just how amateur and earth bound I am. Or, they remind me bitterly of the moment I dropped my camera in sand, providing photos of this caliber:

Just don't fully extend the zoom and you'll be fine

My goal in photography is capturing with my camera exactly what me eye perceives in one particular moment. It's funny to me that how the eye works is often explained through a camera analogy, and vice versa. In movies using the latest 3D technology, as Peter Jackson points out from the set of The Hobbit, two different cameras work together to mimic what each eye would pick up. Photography in particular, (but also painting, and even cinematography and acting), seeks to frame the images we view with our eyes and present them in a never ending, never changing moment. This kind of creativity really is a celebration of the vision designed by our Eternal God.

The most pathetic person in the world is someone
who has sight, but has no vision.
-Helen Keller

My photos may never do justice to the glories before me. Eyesight itself is limited this side of the Beatific Vision, "We see through a glass darkly", as St. Paul says. I squint through a lens imperfect; still, I want to use my eyes to let in the light of God's goodness and beauty, to enjoy every moment and image as if it were the first and the last time that I could see it, and to honor God by working at the gifts and skills He has given me- including my photography. I've got a long way to go!