I have loved photography since my dear hubbie gave me a real 35mm camera for my birthday over 25 years ago, when we were expecting our first child. However, loving photography and doing it well were two very different matters.
Amongst the thousands of photos I took for the next couple of decades—especially documenting our family—I can probably count just five or ten that I really, truly love.
That all changed when I met a teacher who taught me to see.
He guided me, showed me by example, corrected and encouraged me, and brought me to a place photographically that I couldn’t have imagined all those years ago. While I am not a professional, I am now pretty happy with the images that I capture.
One of the lessons I learned that has stayed with me is that I only need to change my point of view, either with my feet or in my head, to see what I had been missing.
Jim would give the class assignments, like “monochromatic”, “hard light”, or “seeing cars without seeing cars”. He would tell us to stand in one place, and shoot an entire 36 image roll of slide film (everybody remember those days-film?) without moving out of the imaginary three foot wide circle around our feet.
He stretched our ability to see the world in a different way, to capture what was there, but previously unseen by us.
What I discovered was that the world is very full of wondrous things, great opportunities and grand possibilities, and that unless we take the time to look for them, we will pass them by in our rush to move on to the next item on our to-do list, to do the urgent instead of taking care of the important.
Take the time to look for the good, and fill your day and your soul with the vast treasures, large and especially the small, that God has created in your world.
Disclaimer-I spent more than 5 minutes. I’d like to say that since I am writing outside on my porch in the early morning with the sun lighting up the lawn and trees before me, with the symphony of bird songs all around me, that I was distracted by it all, but…I know that is not the case. I was just slow this morning. 
A little background on my image at the top of this post: We were blessed a few years ago to take a cruise to Alaska with my entire family. My dear hubbie and I lived with our cameras that week, shooting endlessly and joyfully, both on the boat and on land. While I thought the central area of the boat was lovely and wanted to capture it, I hadn’t found a viewpoint that really worked.
I searched, continuing higher up the floors of the ship. Up on the thirteenth floor in the Crown and Anchor Lounge I discovered a thick, glass porthole that offered an unobstructed view of the majestic architecture of atrium. I was concerned about the constant vibration of the ship that I could feel through my feet and its possible blurring effect on my photo, but I was very pleased with the end result. I hope you enjoy it as well!
This has been my weekly contribution to Five Minute Friday. I join Lisa-Jo over at The Gypsy Mama at the end of each week for a fast five minute write on a topic of her choosing. This week it is “Full”. If you’d like to join us, or just see what others have to say, click on her button below. Thanks for visiting!
Beautiful thoughts!! I love that about photography…how it changes our perspective and shows us much more beauty around us!
Thanks!
I could not believe the change in my point of view, how I saw and especially what I saw, through my photography instruction. I am so much more aware, especially of people and their interactions and emotions. I am so grateful to God for this talent to see, and the ability capture the love and joy, the weariness and compassion, and everything in between. I would recommend taking a class in photography just for developing that ability alone.
Hi Kim! Visiting after you left a comment on my blog (thank you!). You are right…sometimes we miss out on the beauty God has created around us because we just so busy doing “good” things. Thanks for the reminder. And, I’ve always had a lot of respect for those who have the gift of photography…I’d love to learn someday!
Ashlie
Thanks for visiting Ashlie!
I always stood in awe of fine photography, and wondered how it was done. In the almost two decades of prints that I took prior to taking classes, I had but a handful of images that really spoke to me and moved me. It annoyed me because I knew what I had hoped to capture, but never even began to come close.
Then by what appeared to be a series of coincidences, I began photography lessons.
Through this journey I heard accomplished photographer Craig Tanner on the topic of “The Myth of Talent” and found his story to be very inspiring and humorous. While I don’t desire to be a professional photographer, nor do I believe I have the innate gift and talent to do so, I love using my talent to capture those meaningful moments in my families’ life.
I highly recommend taking a class, not only to learn to see, but also to give yourself the gift of doing something for you.
You can read Tanner’s piece here: http://www.tmelive.com/index.php/articles/view/28/24.html
Kim thanks so much for visiting my blog and sharing kind, encouraging words! Your photography is wonderful! I have so much to learn about photography but I’m growing. I set out to capture beauty, a unique perspective and I find the beauty has found it’s way through lens into my heart. Taking the time to search for beauty has been one of the best investments of my time. I so identify with your words, and I’m challenged to practice more!
Beck,
Thanks for coming by. Learning about photography is truly a lifelong affair! It just never gets old.
I find that before I begin to photograph, especially for someone or something else, I ask God to lead me, to show me the moments that I need to capture. He never disappoints!
Loved this:
Take the time to look for the good, and fill your day and your soul with the vast treasures, large and especially the small, that God has created in your world.
Thanks for sharing and nice to meet you! <3 Traci @ Ordinary Inspirations
Oh Kim, yes, I DO love your photo! And remain indebted to you for the role you played in my own photographic work. Practically and with your simple encouragement . . . lifelong-lasting impact!
Glad you like the photo! It was breathtaking to look through the lens the first time to see that entirely different perspective, and to realize that even most of my fellow cruisers would never see it.
I am glad as well that I was able to help with your photography. Just a little bit of know how can open so many possibilities!
I love photography too, but it does take work and study and a desire to know it better, doesn’t it? Wise words. Thanks for sharing!