Seeing Creation

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  Romans 8:28

It was about twenty years ago this time I made a life-changing decision.  That decision was to seriously pursue nature photography as a hobby.  I was at a point in my life where I was stressed out and very close to being burned out as a minister.  I desperately needed an outlet and after briefly considering pottery as an option I settled on learning how to photograph nature.  I realize that choosing a hobby probably doesn’t sound like a life-changing decision to a lot of people but it certainly was for me.

Making nature photography an avocation helped me to manage better the stress that is inherent in pastoral ministry.  I really don’t know if I would have been able to continue had I not done so.  Eventually photography would become an extension of my ministry, but that is another story.  When I get a chance to talk to young ministers today I always make it a point to encourage them to make sure to find a good hobby.

The decision to pursue photography also opened the door to a whole new realm of friends.  Many of my dearest friends today are photographers.  My life has been tremendously enriched through getting to know Rob Sheppard, Bill Fortney, Ken Jenkins, Pat O’Hara, Stan Burman and many others.  I actually have more photography friends than I do friends that are pastors.

Even though I loved nature prior to taking up photography I know that I would not have had the many incredible experiences in God’s Creation that I have had were it not  for that choice I made twenty years ago.  To pursue nature photography meant I needed to expose myself to more of nature.  This led to lots of travel and exploration.  A couple of nights ago I had trouble going to sleep so I began reflecting on some of the highlights from my past twenty years of photography.  Before I fell asleep I came to the conclusion that I have to be one of the most blessed persons on earth.  The variety and awesomeness of the places and things I have seen while photographing is almost unbelievable!

Finally, the decision to pursue nature photography has helped me to see the world in a whole new light.  It’s hard to explain but when photography is an important part of your life you just see things differently.  You see more and this is perhaps what has been the most life-changing thing of all.  It’s also the best thing because in the process I have come to see God more clearly in the world around me and this has drawn me much closer to Him. 

Twenty years after the fact I cannot imagine what my life would be like today had I not made the decision I did.  At the time I thought I was just choosing a way to help me deal with stress.  Upon reflection it is obvious that there was a lot more going on than that.  I’m convinced that God was at work in that decision and that He had a plan for my life I knew nothing about.  Today I simply want to share with you my gratitude for that plan and for the God who made it possible.

–Chuck

(I’ve included today some samples of my early photography.  The top two images were made in the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area.  The bottom image was taken in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.)

If nature teaches us one thing about God it is that He values variety. In His Creation we see a magnificent diversity manifested in numerous ways. I was reminded of this on Monday when Pat O’Hara took me to the Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia. This is one of the most famous gardens in North America, and for good reason.

I told Pat when we entered the gardens that I felt like I was experiencing sensory overload. The sheer number of flowers and the amazing variety of colors was almost too much to take in. Seeing all of this beauty, however, moved me to offer thanks to God for creating so many different flowers. Just in this one garden we saw countless species with varying colors, shapes and sizes. It was a vivid reminder that God values diversity.

This reminder was reinforced by taking notice of the people who came to visit the gardens that day. There seemed to be almost all nationalities represented. There was a variety of skin colors, sizes, shapes and ages that mimicked the flowers everyone was viewing. In these people the marvelous diversity of the Creator was revealed.

The diversity revealed in Creation speaks volumes about the Creator. It tells of His unlimited creativity and power. It speaks of His love for us and reveals His delight in and preference for variety. As creatures created in the image of God I suspect our Maker intends for us to take delight in diversity too.

(All images were taken at Butchart Gardens this past Monday.)

It has been my pleasure to spend the past five days in Olympic National Park. An equal joy has been the opportunity to spend this time with Pat O’Hara and his wife Tina. Pat is a well-known nature photographer who has served as a mentor and source of inspiration for my photography for the past eighteen years. I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to him!

Being with Pat this week has given me a chance to reflect on some of the people who have most helped me in the art or discipline of “seeing Creation” photographically. There have been numerous persons that have influenced me but three in particular come to mind.

I have heard more than one professional photographer say that Pat O’Hara has “the best eyes in the business.” He truly does have a gift for seeing the natural world from a unique perspective. My “eyes” will never be as good as Pat’s but his work inspires me to try to look beyond what others see.

Rob Sheppard, my blogging partner, has been yet another important mentor for me. Rob, too, has a unique approach to photography and seeing Creation. I’ve learned to see things differently reading his books and watching him practice his “down and dirty” approach to photography. He has also taught me to try to consider my surroundings more.

Bill Fortney is the third person I would identify as an important mentor. Bill’s photography is wonderful in many ways but I particularly admire the way he is able to isolate portions of a scene and create interesting compositions. He does this whether he is photographing nature, an old train depot or items at an antique store. He has taught me to look closer at the scenes before me.

–Chuck

(The Olympic marmot, Hoh Rain forest scene, and wildflower display were all taken this past week in Olympic National Park.)