Every photographer may have a different inspiration or reason for shooting. Some may shoot fashion because they love beautiful clothing and accessories. Some may shoot old cars because they find the history of what once was intriguing. Some people may shoot anything and everything, simply because they are still trying to find themselves. I know that it took me almost four years to decide what I wanted to shoot! But do you want to know why I chose weddings as my specialty? Do you want to know why I spend a few days every month out hiking with my dogs and taking pictures of nature? Landscapes? Waterfalls? It is because that is where I find God.
When I am out hiking and exerting myself to take one more step forward or up that hill, I pause for a moment to grab that drink of water and it is at that very moment that I realize I am walking through some place magnificently beautiful, and that God had every intention for me to stop for that drink of water in the exact spot that I stopped. There is nothing like that feeling that I feel when I’ve been hiking for several miles and I’m feeling like I’m about to drop dead any moment, and then all of a sudden… I walk up on a magnificent waterfall! It is breath-taking! It is inspiring! And it is where I find God!
So I went in search of others out there who feel the same way I do. And I found this! Check out this guy’s story, and his blog. Not to mention that he published one of my waterfall shots on his site! I was tickled! I mean… I shoot weddings all the time. Those photos are seen and purchased every time. But it isn’t very often that someone recognizes my nature shots. So I was excited… I know I’m pathetic! LOL
It is the same for me when I am shooting weddings. Don’t get me wrong… I love shooting portraits for people, but there is something about taking part in two people joining together to start a new life that really evokes a feeling of hope, love, and a fulfillment of responsibility to God. One of the greatest gifts God gave us when he was designing this perfect world was the need for love and companionship. When He created this world, He had every intention of man and woman joining together in that perfect union!
God gives each and every one of us a gift. He also has a plan for what He expects us to do with our gift. Some people may find it meaningful to become missionaries while others may find it meaningful to simply be a prayer warrior. We are taught in church to recognize our gifts by looking at what we enjoy doing, and by what we are good at doing. Then we are told to take those gifts and use them for God.
So that is what I do! I am always looking for ways to use my talents for God. I strongly believe that if He didn’t intend for me to use them, that He would not have given me such a passion for what I do. Missionaries feel passionate about their missionary work. Ministers feel passionate about their ministries. Sunday school teachers feel passionate about their Sunday school classes. My gift may not seem as glorified as some others, but if God had given us all the same gifts, that would not be very effective now would it? It takes many people with many different talents to be an effective body of Christ.
So one way that I have been able to use my gift is with some of my art pieces. All of that hiking that I’ve done over the last couple of years is finally being used in a way that I know God had planned for me. The earthquake in Haiti was horrible! Hundreds of thousands of people lost their homes and their lives! The entire place is devistated! Many relief efforts have been made by various organizations in order to help the people of Haiti, but those organizations do not have bottomless pockets. They rely on donations in order to be able to make anything happen. And as a photographer, money is not abundant. But what I do have is my art.
I was asked by Laura Bergerol to join forces with Images Without Borders in an effort to raise money for Doctors Without Borders. Doctors Without Borders is an organization full of doctors and nurses who provide urgent medical care in countries to victims of war and disaster regardless of race, religion, or politics. I can’t describe to you how honored I felt to be asked to join this organization in this disaster relief effort!
Images Without Borders has collected over 400 Fine Art Prints from 125 professional photographers from seven different countries. Photoshelter has donated a host website to help make this possible. You can click here to read the press release about this organization. As with any effort to create a buzz or attention, we must rely on word of mouth. With something as important as this, we can only hope that the media will pick it up and take off with it… which is exactly what has happened. The Huffington Post heard about what Images Without Borders was doing, and they reported here. But is that enough? Will it ever be enough? The devistation in Haiti is so severe, that the country will never be the same! It isn’t easy for us to imagine what it must be like over there because we are used to living in our big homes, driving our SUV’s, and watching our big screen televisions. But people in Haiti do not live the priveledged lives that we live. Most live in a simple manner, only having what they must in order to survive. So when the earthquake happened over there, they didn’t just lose their cars and SUV’s… they lost everything they need just to keep them alive from one day to the next; or even worse, they lost their lives.
So it is up to us to help them! We should all be concerned about the global harvest of souls! 1 Chronicles 16:23-24 says, “Sing to the Lord, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day. 24 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. (NIV) What better way to proclaim His salvation! What better way to declare His glory! And what better way to perform marvelous deeds!… than to help a fallen nation! Not just any nation, but a nation that needs God more than ever! So please… spread the word. Send people to my blog post, or to Images Without Borders! Help us help Haiti! We aren’t asking for donations. We are asking for you to spread the word. People who are interested in purchasing art, will purchase the art, IF they make their way to the site where they can do so. But unless you spread the word, it will not happen! You can also direct all of your Facebook contacts to the Images Without Borders Facebook page! Even the smallest effort to spread the word is helping a nation in great need!
I’ve shared this video in a previous post, but I want to share it again! Please take the time to watch the video as it will show the true scene in Haiti!
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