Yesterday, my wife Donna was viewing online stock photography, overwhelmed by the sheer number and similarities of the photos available. She remarked how the presence of people made each shot unique.

Her commentary lead me to consider how we view photography in a functional sense as a culture, particularly when it comes to sharing photos among friends and loved ones. People now share cellphone photos of their meals, outings and gatherings. Among the younger crowd, photos are almost ubiquitous as the social networking sites themselves. Photos of the moment, shared in the moment.  With photography so common, its true value may go unnoticed. 

The photo at left is from Donna’s first roll of film as a photography student. Of the 21 viewable shots on the roll, eight were absolutely precious.

Such captivating, interacting imagery lead to our starting a photography business in 2001. But while attending our first photographer’s convention, we got a snapshot of the good and evil in man’s heart: 9/11. 

On that day, our early morning sessions were filled with beautiful family photography celebrating the joy of life, while tragedy and heroism unfolded 133 miles away. The event touched many – our photo equipment vendor lost his wife that morning. 

The imagery of that day affected us deeply as individuals, but I believe it also transformed us as a culture: we’ve become reflexively journalistic. Digital technology has further eroded the value of photography as an art, because it allows instantaneous sharing. As journalists, we chronicle our lives and all too quickly one photo piles over the next.

I know about photo piles, I have 28,000+ digital photos I need to sort. Yet, quantity isn’t important – it’s what they depict, particularly when it comes to family relationships.

Family photos aren’t merely for now – but for the generations which follow. The true value is not horizontal, sharing with peers who also attended the event, but vertically through time, for the generations yet to be born. Great photos tell stories that transcend time, and to which unborn generations can point and proudly say – the love shown in that photo lead to me. 

Fully being in the moment should reflect that sense of infinity, that timelessness.  The name of God in the Old Testament, the tetragrammaton, or YHWH, reflects a sense of infinity that our English translations poorly express. We simply place God in the ever present, by calling him I AM.  But to understand the ever present as simply here and now, like an event photo to share among friends, is to miss God’s holiness.

By combining the horizontal understanding of sharing with our current generation, while considering vertically sharing with future generations, we end up with a deep rich understanding that we’re made in God’s holy image.  

That intersection also depicts a truly timeless, unforgettable picture of love :  Christ on the cross.

Reflections timeless

Just did a little early morning browsing through twitter and I came away encouraged.  It’s like wandering through a timeless party with little conversations all around. It’s wonderful to see small, appropriate signs of affection here and there.

Being the geek that I am, I’m sitting here thinking about the network I’ve been wandering. Instead of Kevin Bacon, you could say I’ve been exploring the 6 degrees of Michael Hyatt – a primary take-off point for me.

I’m fascinated that as I branch out further along the tree, the same qualities which make the tweets fun and playful continue to be repeated. I have an idea about why that would be so.  Part of it may be careful selection of who to follow, but I also think in part it may be an effort to put our best face forward. 

I’ve been thinking about how our cultural changes have been undermining our trust in practically everything.  The internet has made it possible to do background checks on everyone and every company. Who hasn’t googled someone to see where they’re coming from?  The whole social networking meme seems to be a reaction to this degree of distrust.  The Cluetrain Manifesto authors pointed at the conversation, but the implications are still unfolding in ways the authors didn’t foresee. Markets aren’t only about tangible economic products, they include knowledge as well.

Last night my son and I were talking about how socially networked students are wiping out classes for certain professors – no one is signing up.   I said “that’s democracy in action – total anarchy”.  He didn’t understand what I meant.   So I explained, when students discover that they collectively control the classes (as a mass market) then professors get dumped. There may be very good reasons why the professor is on the faculty, which requires maturity to understand, but the students, as a mass market reject the wisdom of the elders, and effectively the manner in which such decisions are made. 

Don’t get me wrong – no one wants horrible professors teaching subjects that aren’t relevant, but social networks have a power that can be harnessed for good or evil.

Thankfully, I’m seeing good.

Reflections creative, twitter

After a lot of reflection over the last week or so, I keep coming back to the central blog themes – endurance, legacy and looking towards a hope that never disappears. Hope that is more than an illusion, or an expedient campaign slogan.

Speaking about disappearing, it’s rather hard not to consider all the various indicators in the Bible, and what could be their fulfillment, given what’s happening with Israel, and how the end-times are supposed to play out.

I’m also quite aware that whatever plans I make, unless they are of God’s will, they won’t endure.  That may seem obvious, but I was strongly reminded, plans can’t be rigid or they break – as if 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 doesn’t make that clear enough!

This blog has been incredibly political over the last election cycle, and my effort to categorize and tag my posts revealed that direction in the tag cloud.  I’d rather express greater contrast between the deeply hidden despair of humanity vs real freedom in Christ, making it profoundly visible. 

Distractions have a way of stealing the time away, and perhaps that’s a new step off point for reflection – discerning between a distraction and genuine concern via God’s Word.

If I seek and gain God’s wisdom instead of man’s, I know I’ll have one more thing that will endure forever.

Reflections thoughts

Downtime between holidays means few interruptions – a great time to review the passing year and plan the upcoming year with my family. See if we can’t all get on the same page.  Blogging, commenting and updating will be light this week.

Reflections blog

After transitioning to WordPress, I’m playing catch-up with plugin/widgets etc. Recent upgrade to WP 2.7 is very nice.

Reflections blog

Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”  

[NIV: Luke 2:10-12]

Lord – May all who read these words of Good News find that Great Joy.

Reflections Christmas, Scripture

Imagine if these were the laws to be followed:

• Do not Love;
• Joy is prohibited;
• Peace is not allowed;
• Kindness is forbidden;
• Goodness is banished;
• Faithfulness is to be forgotten;
• Gentleness annihilated;
• Self-control abolished;

So how often do we follow those, instead of the one who commanded:

love your neighbor as yourself?

Reflections fruit-of-spirit, Scripture

Lord, Please bless this blog and have it speak for you and the glory of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Reflections personal

You deserted the Rock, who fathered you;
you forgot the God who gave you birth.

The LORD saw this and rejected them
because he was angered by his sons and daughters.

“I will hide my face from them,” he said,
“and see what their end will be;
for they are a perverse generation,
children who are unfaithful.

They made me jealous by what is no god
and angered me with their worthless idols.
I will make them envious by those who are not a people;
I will make them angry by a nation that has no understanding.

For a fire has been kindled by my wrath,
one that burns to the realm of death below.
It will devour the earth and its harvests
and set afire the foundations of the mountains.

[NIV Dt 32:18-22]

Reflections Scripture

You were shown these things so that you might know that the LORD is God; besides him there is no other. From heaven he made you hear his voice to discipline you. On earth he showed you his great fire, and you heard his words from out of the fire.

[NIV Dt 4: 35-36]

Reflections Scripture