Manufacturing Moonlight

As most of you know, I’ve been working on different Lent/Easter images for the past several weeks.  My church has a ”Walk to the Cross” presentation that they do on Good Friday where they display artwork to symbolize different events between The Last Supper and Christ’s resurrection.  I originally thought I would try to do 2-3 photographic montage images but ended up with around 7!  

I had one image of a statue of Christ that I took at a local cemetery that I wanted to use to reflect his time in the garden at Gethsemane the night of his arrest.  I wanted to convey a ‘moonlight feel’ to the photo so I first converted it to black and white and then tried different lighting effects to put most of him in shadow, conveying the nighttime feel I was going for.  No matter what I did, though, it always ended up looking muddy.  Then, last night, I thought, “Why not try a fill layer of yellow to convey the moonglow?” I did that, lowering the opacity and fill amounts, but again…not quite right.  I was starting to give up hope that I was going to be able to figure it out when my finger accidentally hit the slider on the color box and the fill layer moved into the blue spectrum.  Hey!  Maybe I’m on to something here!  Still…the photo looked too stark and I wasn’t sure what to do next. 

I proceeded to try every filter option known to Photoshop and finally ended up adding a diffused glow and that was it!  I think I finally managed to capture the look of someone standing outside underneath the glow of the moon.  I left the color intensity really high for dramatic effect but I’m just thrilled with the end result.  What do you think?  Did I hit my target?

 

You Light Up My Life

I found this totally cool, totally free Photoshop plug in online two weeks ago and finally got a chance to use it tonight.  I’m working on some images for Holy Week and realized this lighting effect would be perfect. 

I took an image of Jesus’ face from a statue in a cemetery, did an inversion in Photoshop, and then added the Luce lighting effect. 

Trumpeter

I’m making some images up for my church to use during our Holy Week “Walk To The Cross” that takes place on Good Friday so I’ve been walking around some local cemeteries trying to capture some religious statues and monuments to use in the artwork.  This was on the side of a mausoleum wall and I really liked the way the shadows of the trees in the background made the angel look almost 3-D.  Once I converted the photo from color to black and white, then it really popped. 

INRI

While traipsing around the cemetery yesterday I walked right up on a huge bronze cross.  I’m working on collecting some images for my church’s “Walk to the Cross” that we put on over Good Friday and this cross is no doubt going to end up being one of the images I submit.  I photoshopped in a corner glare that also darkened the edges of the two sides.  In my mind’s eye, it represents the moment Christ died on the cross.  Now, I’m just looking for ways to make it better.  Any ideas?

The Face of Christ

I spent part of the afternoon in an old Catholic cemetery on the outskirts of town.  I went to pay my respects to a friend who died almost twenty years ago and ended up getting some amazing images of the statues and old headstones in the area.

Changes

I’ve been going through a rather long discernment process over the past couple of years.  I’m nearing the end of my 40’s and have been busy wondering what I might want to be when I grow up.  I never did find what I was looking for during my short stint at college or in the work force.  I’ve kept moving though, trying to put the pieces into place, trying to make sense of this life that I’ve been leading. 

Last January I got my hands on a Canon S3 IS and my life took a dramatic turn.  With that camera in my hands I got a little glimpse of what my life could be.  I started to see so much beauty where others walk right by.  That $300 point-n-shoot camera has altered my life in so many ways over the course of the past year that I can’t even begin to count them.  The only reason I tell you all of this is because today was a very big day. 

A very big day. 

And, because it was a big day, I really wanted to take a moment to thank all of you who come here, who glimpse for a moment what I do with that little camera.  I watch as God points out the beauty of His world to me and I hold that camera in my hands and I do my best to pass on what He shows me.

But things, they are a changin’.  Life is about to take me on a new spin around the block. 

Tonight, I wanted to acknowledge the One who makes all things possible in my life…whose dreams for me are far bigger than my own dreams for myself…whose power and glory sustains me in both the good times and the bad. 

Three years ago, I was in a mental gutter, wanting nothing but an easy way out of all my pain.  Now, here I am, a sponge that soaks life in with every breath I take.   It’s a miracle, really.  My life has become a testament to His existence.  I am a living, breathing, walking miracle. 

And so are you.   

Purple Passion

This image was made at dusk during this past Lenten season.  The cross sits on the front yard of Grace Baptist Church, directly across from my neighborhood.  Every year, they change out the draping to represent the different stages of Lent and this year, I stopped to photograph them. 

Whether or not you believe in God as the Supreme Creator or in Jesus Christ as His only Son is entirely up to you.  You have to admit, though, it is a pretty inspiring image, either way. 

Here Is the Church, Here is the Steeple…

Welcome to my new home! I’ve struggled with which image to post first and then, while going through some of my archives this morning, this one grabbed me and reeled me in. Although I am pushing for this whole photography thing to eventually develop into a part-time career, for now, I’m happily working to develop my skills and broaden my knowledge base. 

Please feel free to constructively criticize any of my images here - especially if you’re someone who knows what you’re talkin’ about.  All comments are coveted and praise is especially welcome!

For those of you who are unfamiliar with my work (pretty much everyone at this point!) I lean heavily towards nature photography but God does occasionally push me out of my comfort zone and into different types of work.  This new home of mine will be a place for my favorite images to be housed - the ones where timing and knowledge and a whole lot of luck worked together to give me something I’m proud to call my own.

I call this photo “Evidence” because it points one both to the concrete (church) and the ethereal (heavenly clouds) versions of God’s existence.  Whether it be manmade or made-for-man, He is (and always will be) my guiding force.  I dedicate these photographs and this website to Him.