Hey Guys,

I have been reading on this forum for about 6 months now, and have learned an amazing amount about photography and the steps that many of you have taken from the amateur world to the professional scene. Although I really only know two of you, after reading your posts, I feel like I know all of you; thank you for your openness, humor, and the respect that you show each other. Some of the other forums that I have been involved with have some pretty jerky people honking their horns.

My wife and I are currently living in South Africa, working with Bridges of Hope International, a Relief and Development Organization that focuses on sustainable community development in the Cape Town Flats. For those of you in SB, you might have heard about BHI over Christmas during the directors fundraising visit, or seen some of the hand crafted goods being sold in Churches from the Micro-Business that have been initiated.

We were first exposed to real digital photography when Dana Sanders came and visited us last summer and let us use his backup 10D to shoot Children at this Winter (for South Africa) leadership development camp that the visiting summer teams put on for 200 Children. It was amazing, having three hours with a sweet camera, even sweater glass, and 500 frames to capture these beautiful black children. Belinda (my wife) and I have had only a few opportunities to shoot that many frames in a day (we have done 3 wedding as amateurs for friends together), and we both had the image capture buzz that I am sure you can identify with, at least when you first starting shooting digital and realized that you weren’t burning 100s of dollar in film and developing.

Despite our reservations in switching form Nikon to Canon, we recently purchased a 20D, and have been enjoying it very much. We are moving back to the States in August and are thinking about getting into wedding photography professionally because we love it and see how it could possibly work with our desire to attend Grad School/Seminary together. So we have a lot to learn, that’s why we are here! Thanks DJ for making this possible.

Here is a thought:

As photographers, we make images of things. It is a creative process that results in a picture that does exist in reality, but does not exist with the same grandeur or dimension as the object that it was created from. As God, He creates people in the image of Himself. As photographers, we create images of people. Therefore, when we create images, we are creating an image of the image of God. To me, that adds a component of mystery and purpose to the objective beauty that is created when we take pictures (ya know, at least the good ones). Before you take a your next picture of someone, just think to yourself, I am creating an image of the image of God, and I bet you will find more joy in the process!

Thanks for reading. Peace.

Hey Jordan and Belinda!

Great to have you on the forum and I'm excited that you're planning to get more into wedding photography! It's a great business and a wonderful industry with a lot of exciting changes happening right now!

You're right about the mystery and awe that exists (or should exist) when we document God's creation. It's an amazing thing and should have an impact on us every time we're blessed to do be able to do it!

Cheers!
DJ

I am SO stoked you guys are on!! I can't wait to connect with you guys more in person when you return, but in the mean, know that you are being held up to the one who sustains and empowers! Can't wait to see Dennis this next week too!

Love you guys,

zanoXolo

Hi All!

I'm back! Bet you all were wondering what happened to me. I changed browsers and somehow got blocked out of the system. I've tried off and on over the past month to log on and have been unable to. Finally had to re-register with a new screen name to be able to "share the love".

David, If you would delete "Marcia", I'll be on here as Marcia M from now on.

Thanks!

Marcia

Hey, this is Drew. I'll admit that it's not that often that I take time to read the 'introduce yourself' posts. I usually pick and choose. But I'm so glad that I stumbled upon, and read, your post this morning. Your last little quote was so on point. I wrote it down in my journal. I'm always being reminded that my income doesn't come from my job, photography or whatever it happens to be at the moment. My income, my sustenance, and my needs are all provided for by the Lord. And my passion for photography needs to be viewed as a way to bless others and even bless God with the gifts and passions that He's given me, not to make my next buck or just scratch the itch of shooting. The idea of making images of the image of God certainly does add a deeper element of purpose as you shoot. But it even causes me to put all the more effort and passion into my pictures because it adds a certain element of reverance.

"Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lrod you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve." Colossians 3:23-24

I gotta agree with TREW. Loved what you had to say. Welcome to the forums. I hope you find a ton of useful information.