Fresh Lemonade: “Go back to the shadow!”

These are the words uttered by Gandalf just prior to casting The Balrog into the shadows of Moria. Yeah, I actually like The Lord of the Rings.  Pretty. Freakin’. Awesome! Watch the scene on youtube here (about 1:30).  And I think he may have been onto something….we, as developing photographers (see what I did there?), need to go back to the shadows…especially if we are having a hard time finding the right light.

Perhaps I have mentioned the small group my husband and I are involved in?  We are reading C. S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity.  It is the second time I have read through it (and is MUCH easier this time!) and my husbands first time.  The book is actually a compilation of radio talks, entitled The Case for Christianity, he gave during the Second World War.  That may be what makes it a difficult read at first; it can be a bit tricky to follow the train of thought because of the “conversational filler,” so to speak.  There is the fact that we are some 70 years removed from the time of its original airing; and I, as an American, would also say there are some significant cultural differences as well.

Although I have already indicated the environment of the times of these talks, I would be remiss if I did not point out that those who would have originally been listening to these broadcasts would have been listening from the environment of a world deeply entrenched in warfare.  Something quite a majority of our modern society cannot directly relate to.   However, this article is not about World War II, or religion.

Typically, I find that I can use the world around me to better understand Biblical Christian beliefs and how and why I can and should live my life according to the standards expressed therein. But today, I’m going to use ‘religion’ to understand photography better.  =D

Our group is in Book Two: What Christians Believe, of Mere Christianity.  Part 2 of Book Two, The Invasion, addresses the idea of Dualism, or the idea of the existence of two gods, one good and one evil.  It is the worlds way of trying to explain “Why bad things happen.”  It is where the idea of yin and yang comes from, the existence and balance of both good and evil in the world; as though they are both necessary.

Then, this evening, I discovered Craft & Vision and downloaded their free e-book, Craft & Vision 2: More Great Ways to Make Stronger Photographs.  As I read Nicole Young’s article, Learn to See the Light, something caught my attention.  I have often said that when you are photographing something what you are REALLY photographing is light, because without it you don’t have a photograph.  It is something that I am still refining and, as such, why I went directly to this portion of the book first.  She said, “Light is essential in a photograph, but it’s just as important to realize that it’s not a one-way street: light brightens up your scene as well as creates shadows.  In other words, you can’t have shadow without light nor light without shadow.” (p7) .  Notice her words and how she indicates how light and shadow are interrelated!  Hmmmm, sounds a bit like the ol’ good N evil, yin N yang, Light N Shadow.  You can’t have one without the other; you can’t get one without the other.

This is what I have been learning this past week.  It’s amazing to me how God can use this world to help us better understand Him and then how He uses Himself to help us better understand this world!  I know there are many who would take issue with my perspective on the world and God.  That’s fine, you are more than welcome to your opinion, just as I am entitled to mine.  What’s so great about my God, the God of the Bible, is that He gave us free will to believe as we choose.  We are not required to believe in Him, He understood the risks He was taking when He created us with free will; He felt the reward, should we choose to love Him,  was worth the risk.  It hurts sometimes but I am inclined to agree with Him.

So, I have one challenge and one request:

Challenge:   Stop.  Watch.  Take 5 minutes and just sit down on your porch, park bench, coffee shop table.  Where ever you are, stop.  Watch the light; watch the shadow.  See the subtle differences a matter of moments creates!  See the dramatic difference created by the time of day or even the type of day!  Photograph it, photograph it all.

Request:  Let me, and everyone else, know what you learn from the project.  And then let us know what it teaches you, from your world view, whatever it is.

I hope you guys all have a great week!  See ya’ Friday,

~Katie