Out of Darkness - This photo of hiking boots map and compass embodies the photographer's salvation journey. (click on image to enlarge)
At the time I was thankful, but not yet cognizant of the One keeping me. I just kept on taking pictures, learning my craft by trial and error, slowly acquiring photographic skills. The Lord’s keeping grace continued through that war-torn time as my entire military career after boot camp placed me either in the U.S. or on brief assignments nearby, never tasting the paralyzing fear I saw in others as they received orders for Viet Nam.
For reasons known only to Him, God had other plans for me, plans He would reveal over a lifetime.
What is revelation? Is it a book in the bible, a suddenly understood thought, or a slow realization of both the insignificance and significance of our personal place in creation? It is all of these and more.
Revelation can also be the mettle of a timeless photograph, measured not only by the purity of visual impact, but exposure of the human soul in a particular place and time. Classic landscapes reveal the soul of a photographer in a particular place and time by conveying the simple message that beauty exists here and now, and this photographer chooses to “reveal” it to you. Success or failure of this revelation depends on the vision, skill and creativity of the photographer. But more than that, a photograph’s revelatory success requires the permission and cooperation of an almighty God in both capturing the moment and capturing the viewer. Novice and seasoned photographers alike often fail in “capturing” and conveying their own perceptions of that original fleeting moment.
My own photographic revelations began on a troop ship bound for Greece. Armed with my $16 camera purchased in the ship’s store, I set out to chronicle my brief trip to the Mediterranean. As a 19-year-old Marine my eyes were bright and the spirit was willing, but the development of photographic expertise necessary for such an undertaking would take years, not days. The resulting images revealed only the exuberance of my youth, not the perceptions of the soul in place and time. It would be decades before I began the painful yet necessary revelation of God’s grace in my own continuing story. I was completely unaware of His keeping presence. His grace in keeping me was expressed through my youthful enthusiasm and innocence as well as the stumbling genesis of a photographic career spanning subsequent formative decades in the muck and mire of a sinner’s life unaware.
The following years covered the gamut of photographic experience, from microfilming courthouse records, to school photography (yes, I was the “picture man” to many an elementary through high school student), commercial, landscape, advertising and all sorts of freelance assignments. Photographic skills eventually became second nature. Acquiring the desired image in difficult situations was a given, all the photographic techniques of the world were at my command.
But recognizing and revealing my own soul or the soul of a photographic subject was another matter. You see, I had lost sight of my soul, a soul committed to Christ in my early teens, years before I ever used a camera for more than a family snapshot. The problem lay in my failure to honor the commitment to give my life to Jesus. Words used in baptism rang hollow as the years passed and I pursued my goals, not His. My youthful perceptions of following Jesus were unconsciously limited to missionary work, evangelism and other activities not high on my list. As a teen I never dreamed that Jesus preferred that I become a photographer or anything else I didn’t consider “God’s work.” Only halfway through my sixth decade have I begun to fully realize that all professions are “God’s work.” And the revelation that He has kept me for my own work over a lifetime amazes me. What possible purpose can the creator of the universe continue to have for me?
I look back at the photographs of my career and see among the thousands of images a few gems, but not many. It seems efforts to satisfy my own ego fall very short in the “timeless photograph” category. But the Lord was kind, and on occasion a few strong “grace-evident” images emerged even from those decades of unawareness. Some of these early photographs are presented in this section.
As you view these images remember the circumstances under which they were originally taken. They were photographed by a professed, but unconnected Christian pursuing his own vision, ignoring a long-forgotten commitment to his Savior. That lack of connection with other Christians bred an attitude of self-sufficiency and human arrogance. He was a man challenging the grace of God by going his own way in all things. But despite the rebellion, the permission and cooperation of an almighty God allowed these few photographs to be taken and preserved for a later time, a time of repentance and thanks for His lifelong keeping. That time is now.
You can see in these images that concern for others was not a priority; photographs of people as a primary subject were rare. The natural beauty of landscape dominated photographic vision, the objective to “wow” others with photographic superiority. But even in that God-given, if misguided, objective the Lord was laying the groundwork for future spiritual revelation. Wowing others required an intense attention to visual detail. Nuances others missed were seen, details, colors and shapes were revealed in vivid splendor. Without my realizing it, the glory of creation began to come alive with every subtle change of light, every seasonal color shift, every sunset or sunrise. An intense desire to capture every aspect of the image drove me to acquire and master the equipment necessary to control perspective, extend sharpness, reveal an extra measure of detail and, above all, accurately capture color and form. Traveling to the exact place and time for optimum photographic “wow” became the primary purpose for adventure.
Years after these photographs were originally taken my photographic vision dulled as the typical American lifestyle took its toll. A progression of jobs unrelated to anything visual kept the bills paid, and spare time was filled with television, home maintenance and recuperation for the next week’s grind. Year after year the visual spark faded, the images of youthful enthusiasm became ancient history.
But in one brief, dramatic stroke, God called me to account for a lifetime of indifference by allowing a brush with death. Today I thank God for the heart failure experience it took to get my attention! That’s right, heart failure! Congestive Heart Failure!
The Lord had not forgotten my long-ignored baptismal promise to follow Him and He had decided to collect on that commitment through this sudden health crisis. Though I had never smoked, I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure at age 51.
The cause was not my lifestyle; it was simply an act of a living, caring, sovereign God. His tool was a breathing disorder known as sleep apnea. Every hour I slept my heart had been deprived of the oxygen it needed to stay healthy. Years of oxygen deprivation had finally stopped it cold … well, almost. It would later become apparent that God was keeping me through still another life and death situation, but this time I was forced to reflect on things. This time the Lord made sure he had a captive audience over months of recovery. Day after day His name was mentioned on the television to which I had become addicted. On every therapeutic walk His magnificent creation graced me with recollections of youthful enthusiasm for nature expressed in visual exclamation points. It finally penetrated my thick skull that He was calling me home … and calling me to account.
The Lord entrusted me with these images while keeping me through my self-imposed decades of separation from Him and the faith community of my teens. He also kept me through a life of indifference to Him and those around me. During those potentially deadly military years he kept me in safe places and initiated a God-given awareness of and ability to convey the visual image. My latest brush with mortality confirmed His sovereignty in all matters over the entire course of lives. It also confirmed a new purpose in life … to glorify the God who keeps us all.
New perspective brings old attitudes to mind with amazing clarity. The soul of these images functions as a catalyst for warnings about the dangers of the current American lifestyle which still dominate my daily life and yours. They are warnings about the consequences of indifference, overwork, vanity, and spiritual facade. I’ve lived all of these. They have no substance, only consequence. The companion texts to these photographs speak to the contrast of my life with and without the realization of the presence and keeping of a sovereign and holy God. They also reveal a promise of fuller life today in Christ Jesus coupled with the promise of eternal salvation if we’ll only stop to recognize His presence in our lives and accept the new perspective that acceptance brings. I pray that they will speak to your life in the same way. Just remember the context as you view and read. The photographs were taken by an estranged Christian living a most unholy lifestyle. The companion texts were written decades later by a prodigal son called home and forgiven by a loving God who granted new and expanded perspective and purpose in life.
I cherish this hard-earned visual acuity today as I live in the awareness of His grace and drink the visual cup he continually provides. Whether I have a camera at hand to preserve the soul of the moment for others or not, I thank the Lord for every visual revelation. It has become a visual communion confirming His continuous control, even when we are unaware
… and He cares!
Author Profile: Ron is a professional photographer turned author, graphic designer and webmaster. His first novel, Dear Walt, was published in 2008. He is also responsible for the design, implementation and content for several web sites. 