Great are the works of the Lord;
They are pondered by all who delight in them.
Psalm 111:2

I am getting to the point of becoming passionate about photography. It’s always been an interest of mine and has become a significant hobby in the past couple of years. And I’m particularly drawn to outdoor photograhy, especially scenes of nature.

Sunsets and sunrises are my favorite subjects.  The palette of colors used by God is breath taking. As a photographer, it’s my job to convey that beauty by way of an image. And my… how that’s changed over the years.

What are your earliest memories of cameras?  Yeah, I’m dating myself.  Because I remember the old “Brownie” cameras that were so popular “back in the day”. Black and white of course.  Color cameras were probably around then, but they hadn’t yet reached the point of development where they could be marketed to the masses.  Trace my childhood and you’ll be flipping through albums of old black and white prints.

I never owned a 35 millimeter camera. My cameras growing up were mostly the small, flat cameras that shot on 110 film. Remember those?  Or how about the Polaroid. That was a space age development back in the 60′s.  Click your picture, the camera spits out a print.  Wait a few minutes, smell those noxious fumes from the developing fluid and watch your picture appear like magic before your very eyes.  Remember those smelly stick things you’d then rub over the print to help preserve it?  If you’re too young, you haven’t a clue what I’m talking about.  Hang in there, we’re about to fast forward.

The camera I’d like to have right now is a Nikon that costs about $1500 or more.  You know, a digital SLR with abundant mega pixels and options galore. Then there’s the lens.  In case you’re new to photography, you’ll soon discover that the quality camera is just the beginning of your expenses if you’re really serious.  Good glass, as photographers refer to their lenses, can set you back more than the camera. Easily.  You can spend thousands on long lenses.

Alas, I’m just dreaming of decent camera equipment for the moment.  Reality allowed me to purchase an inexpensive Canon “point and shoot” camera.  That’s right, you can’t even change the lens on my camera. It’s a fixed lens.

My Canon Powershot SX 100 cost only $250.  It has 8 mega pixels and a 10X optical zoom. But you know what?  It takes really pretty pictures.  Okay, so I have very basic equipment.  Along with my camera, I bought an inexpensive tripod at Wal Mart. Tripods are a must for serious outdoor photographers.

My newfound passion for photography has prompted me to seek knowledge from others.  I read and learn about good picture taking.  For Christmas, my daughter bought me the best book I’ve found about digital photography.  “The Digital Photography Book” by Scott Kelby is chock full of tips and tricks and equipment suggestions.  I’ve loved the first book and I recently learned there’s a follow-up edition.  I highly recommend both.

My daughter also bought me a year’s subscription to the magazine “Outdoor Photography”.  I’ve picked up some great tips from that magazine and also enjoy the beautiful scenes of nature that are found in each issue.

I’m almost set.  I’ve got basic equipment to take pictures and some basic knowledge about how to do it best.  But there’s one more thing.

Photoshop or photo editing software.  For me, it’s another case of dreaming about the expensive SLR and settling for the point and shoot Canon.  Photoshop is not in my budget right now.  It costs more than a few hundred dollars.  I have an inexpensive photo editing program called Nero that serves my purposes.

Now, I’m finally ready to take the perfect picture of those sunrises and sunsets. God’s handiwork.

I think I’ve taken some really pretty pictures of those “magic hours” just before and after sunrises and sunsets.  But guess what? My best effort can’t recreate the beauty of those moments.  Try as I might, I can’t convey the true beauty of creation.

There was an advertising slogan for some product I can’t remember. The slogan was: Often imitated, but never duplicated.

That’s kind of like the beauty of God’s creation, whether a sunrise, a field of wild flowers, a grazing deer, a mountain stream or falling star.

Sure, you can take some really impressive pictures with expensive gear and marvelous editing equipment.  But in the end, even the finest outdoor photographer still falls short.

God’s creative beauty is inspiring to me. I consider it enough to be able to convey even a small touch of those moments when I encounter the beauty of creation.

Take the time to ponder creation. Take a walk in the woods. Enjoy a sunrise. Marvel at a lightning storm. Stroll amid the wild flowers. Take an early morning boat ride and watch the birds.

God created it all and called it “good”. Shouldn’t we feel obligated to frequently set aside the worries and anxieties of our fast paced world and just soak in God’s creative goodness?

Sure, you can also enjoy that same beauty through colorful, creative photographs.  But keep one thing in mind.

You can’t Photoshop God.

- Steve

Download Article