Photographing God

a spiritual guide to Visual Journalism

Kirk Sides

COPYRIGHT

First published in the United States in November 2012

Copyright © Kirk Sides

All Bible verses have been taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor be circulated in writing of any publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published without a similar condition including this condition, being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

This book has been produced for the Amazon Kindle and is distributed by Amazon Direct Publishing

Acknowledgments

Heavenly Father, thank you for challenging me to create this book. Thank you for making your presence known to me as I struggled with each and every word. Without your guidance, your motivation and your encouragement, it would not have been possible to write. May it serve you according to your will and may it bring you glory. Amen.

Many thanks to my lovely wife Norma, who enthusiastically read and re-read each draft and never tired of hearing, "Honey come look at this picture."

Thank you to my oldest son Joshua and to my other son Christofer, who appears on the cover. I am so grateful for your loving support and enthusiasm.

Thank you to my editor Jim Molony for giving me the opportunity and freedom to do what I do.

Thanks to the Corsicana Daily Sun for granting me permission to reprint some my photographs that appeared in the paper.

And finally, I want to thank Dr. David Davis for his help and advice while writing and proofing the final manuscript.

CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter 1 - Visual Storytelling

Chapter 2 - Finding your Focus

Chapter 3 - Seeing God

Chapter 4 - Only the News

Chapter 5 - Sports

INTRODUCTION

I make my living as a visual journalist covering the activities, news and sports of a band of small rural communities just south of Houston along the Texas Gulf Coast. Every day I take pictures that document the lives and tell the stories of the wonderful people in those communities that grace the pages of five weekly newspapers published by Houston Community Newspapers.

Photographs are amazing things. They have the power to make us laugh and to make us cry. They can inform and entertain. They can raise awareness of issues and challenge public opinion. This power may be harnessed and used for good or it may be used to harm. Unfortunately, my profession has been tainted by those who have no desire to help or inform. Instead they chase selfish rewards and personal gain by the invasion of privacy and the exploitation of others.

This book is my gift to God. My aim is to end senseless exploitation and advocate the use of photography for the benefit and betterment of our society. It is written from my heart for those starting their careers as well as those who might be struggling through a slump in an established career. I challenge everyone to consider and appreciate the enormous power that photographs hold and the impact that photographs have on the lives of the subjects as well as the people that view them.

This is not a how-to book about photographic technique. It is a what-to and why-to study guide to accompany the only true reference book, the Bible, for we read that, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." (2 Timothy 3:16 New International Version)

While the Bible does not have much to say about shutter speeds and apertures, it has a great deal to say about topics that visual journalists should know.

Each chapter contains discussions backed up with Bible verses and photographs. Chapter 1, Visual Storytelling, discusses the importance of truth and believability in journalism and the dangers of altering images. Chapter 2, Finding your Focus, deals with the why-to's of visual journalism and examines the subjects of recognizing and using your "photography gifts", inspiration and motivation as well as self promotion and exploitation. Chapter 3, Seeing God, deals with the what-to's and discusses subject matter, finding God's image or essence and seeing it manifested in your photographs. Chapter 4, Only the News, deals with trusting that God has everything under control so it is possible to focus on the job at hand. And finally Chapter 5, Sports, offers sports related scripture and images and advises to work without judgment and not be distracted by off-field personalities and controversies.

I pray that this book might help you to find your vision and God's presence in your photography. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." (Matthew 5:8)

Chapter 1: Visual Storytelling

Traditionally, the method of using photographs to tell news stories has been called photojournalism. With the expanding use of digital imaging, multimedia and video, the term visual journalism is being used more to include all forms of visual storytelling.

While most of the principles that we will discuss can generally apply to all forms of visual journalism, our discussion is going to concentrate on still photography.

The period between the 1930 and 1960 is considered by many to be the "golden age" of photojournalism. Magazines like Life and National Geographic became very popular by filling their pages with photographs to tell the stories of people, events and places of the time. Photographers such as Alfred Eisenstaedt, Dorothea Lange, Margaret Bourke-White, Robert Capa and Henri Cartier-Bresson achieved notoriety as their photographs were published in the various magazine and newspapers in the United States and around the world.

Before the development of digital technology, photographs were recorded on film, producing what is called a negative. The process produced a actual physical record of the image in the negative itself, but the negative was then used in a darkroom to produce a print on paper. Given that the negative used to produce image was difficult and time consuming to alter, there was an inherent degree of truth in the photographs.

The famous artistic landscape photographer Ansle Adams is not generally regarded as a photojournalist, but he was an important figure in the advancement of photography as an art form and made important contributions to photographic theory and technique. He makes reference to the idea of believability saying, "Not everybody trusts paintings but people believe photographs."

Truthfulness and believability are essential in visual journalism as in all forms of journalism. People must trust that what they see in a photograph accurately represents the truth. With the virtually universal use of digital photography this idea is being challenged like never before.

Images can be altered with the click of a mouse. Elements can be added and removed with relative ease. The visual journalist must resist the temptation to make even seemingly minor modifications. To do so, alters the reality of the image and potentially, intentionally or not, could mislead the viewer. We read in the Bible, "The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy." (Proverbs 12:22) We read again in 2 Timothy, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)

It is generally accepted that modifications that enhance but not alter the image are OK. Minor cropping, adjusting the lightness or darkness, or adjusting color values make the image more appealing to the viewer. However, even these modifications can lead to trouble.

For example, let's say that a photographer is covering a political rally that she supports ideologically. Only 10 people show up at the event. She photographs the small group yelling and holding their signs. Back in the newsroom, the photographer crops out the empty street around the group. Cropped very tightly, the image conveys the impression that the crowd is larger than it really is. Cropping directs the viewers focus directly to the subject making the image more dramatic and exciting. However, in this example the photographer could be potentially misleading the viewer giving the impression that the rally is more active and more important than it really is, The cropped image does not necessarily represent the entire truth.

Cropping can make an image more dramatic and esthetically pleasing as long as it is done judiciously with consideration given that any manipulation, alters the reality of the photograph and could mislead the viewer.

Verses used in this chapter

Old Testament

"The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy." (Proverbs 12:22)

New Testament

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)

Chapter 2: Finding your Focus

I began my visual journalism career in 2000 working as a freelance photographer covering high school sports for the weekly neighborhood edition of the Houston Chronicle newspaper. In 2001, I moved my family to the small town of Corsicana, in north Texas, just south of Dallas, where I worked as a staff photographer for the daily newspaper.

Since then, I have freelanced for professional sport photo agencies and for the Houston Chronicle daily newspaper. I have covered hundreds of professional, college and high school athletic events as well as news of national interest and small-town and local community gatherings and festivals. My photographs have appeared in mainstream books, magazines and newspapers and news/wire services across the country.

In 2010, I began the current phase of my career as a full-time staff photographer for Houston Community Newspapers and I teach an occasional course in visual journalism at the University of Houston at Clear Lake.

There is an unfortunate saying in the publishing business, "If it bleeds, it leads." Blood, guts and gore sell because that is what many readers demand. As a society, we have developed a morbid fascination with death and destruction.

Likewise, the importance or greatness of a photograph is often attributed to the amount of human misery and suffering depicted in it. The more pain and anguish, the better. It alarms me to see the number of people that judge the merit of a photograph solely by it's emotional subject matter, giving little regard for the technical skill or creativity of the photographer that took it.

Young eager photographers enter the field looking for excitement, believing that the life of a visual journalist is one of traveling to exotic places, ducking gunfire in war zones and photographing bad guys caught in the act.

Many have little interest in taking the time to learn technical skills and master fundamentals like composition and lighting. They rely on subject matter to carry their photographs instead of their talent ignoring the warning that, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." (Proverbs 1:7)

Wishing to sell their photographs, many seek out and qualify photo opportunities based on their shock value looking for personal recognition and glory that may come at the expense and exploitation of others.

I have been horrified to overhear discussions between photographers that go something like, "It has really been slow lately. I wish something would blow up so that I could get some good pictures." The Bible warns that: "He who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished." (Proverbs 17:5 )

The reality is that most visual journalists in the United States rarely, if ever, experience war, or famine or extreme disasters for the majority work for small daily or weekly publications just as I do.

Upon landing their first job, many are disappointed to find that while there may be an occasional calamity or visiting celebrity, the majority of their time is spent photographing local festivals, school carnivals, Aunt Milley's 101'st birthday, Chamber of Commerce socials and high school livestock shows.

When the grandiose opportunities fade or fail to appear at all, photographers can experience loss of interest, frustration, boredom, and apathy. Over time, they can lose their passion and their photographs can become dull, flat, and lifeless, lacking in inspiration.

I was one of those individuals. I had achieved that which I had dreamed about for years. I was beginning my career as a professional news photographer. I was ambitious and wanted my work to be important. I wanted it to have impact but all I was photographing were unimportant, "ho-hum", "who cares" events.

I faced a predicament. I knew that it was wrong to advance myself by exploiting the pain and misery of the unfortunate. I was not willing to go that far. What was I to do? Was I in the wrong profession? If I stayed, how could I find motivation and stay excited about my work? How could I find inspiration? Only with the help of prayer, meditation and introspection, did it hit me. The answer it seemed could not be found in the question how do I what I do but in the question why do I do what I do.

I have a career in photography because I have a knack for it. I possess a set of particular talents and abilities that give me an aptitude for telling stories with images captured with my camera. The Bible teaches that: "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights." (James 1:17 ) and, "For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us." (Romans 12:4-6) While these versus likely pertain to "spiritual gifts" such as prophesying, healing, and teaching, it seems to me that everyone is given a unique set of abilities from God as part of their make up and God expects that, "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace." (1 Peter 4:10)

My "photography gifts" were given to me by my Heavenly Father and the price of these gifts is that I use them to the best of my ability for the service of God according to his plan and for his gory. For it is written: "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31) and, "whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Colossians 3:17)

It is clear to me that it is my responsibility and my honor to glorify God by documenting the wonder and majesty of his creation with my camera. Scriptures teach us that all glory belongs to God. Any recognition or accolades that we might receive are secondary to him for Jesus says, "If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing." (John 8:54)

Peace, contentment, satisfaction, and fulfillment do not come from personal recognition or awards or pats on the back. They arise from an awareness of having been an active participant in God's master plan and that our efforts have brought glory to the him.

While my photographs may not be important in the grand scheme of the world, they are important to the folks involved with them. If I can make them feel special, if I can put a smile on their faces, then I am sure that I am putting a smile on God's face.

As visual journalists we should document the events as we are assigned using our gifts to the fullest of our potential. We should pray for clarity of mind and vision and, "Do to others as you would have them do to you." (Luke 6:31) And quite simply, follow the advice found in 1 Corinthians: "Do everything in love." (1 Corinthians 16:14).

On one occasion, the Pearland Journal Newspaper needed photographs to accompany a story about a local organization that provides assistance to needy families and at-risk teens. I wanted to produce great photographs but both the editor and I were very concerned about protecting the self-respect and privacy of the individuals involved for it is written: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves." (Philippians 2:3) After pondering the issue I asked God for his guidance and assurance:

Lord open my eyes so that I might see the grandeur and majesty of all things in your creation, as Jesus sees, with love, without prejudice, without judgement and without conditions. Open my mind that I may know your will and understand how I might play my part. Help me to recognize and understand the gifts that you have given me and how I might use them to serve you for your glory. In the name of my savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

To get the pictures that would satisfy the objectives of the assignment, I needed a different approach. Traditional methods and equipment were inappropriate and inadequate for this unique situation. The Lord inspired me to take a risk and consider a different method using an unusual procedure and a new camera.

One of the most important rules in visual journalism is to never photograph a person from behind and to always make certain to capture the face and eyes of the subject. However, to protect the individual's privacy, I broke the rule and photographed the subjects from behind using a small a car-mounted camera, that enabled me to get natural photographs without sticking a standard camera and lens in their faces. The resulting images were dramatic and informative yet produced with compassion and love with respect to the dignity of the individuals involved. I pray that my photos touched those that viewed them and in some way gave glory to God.

In 1959, during an interview for Popular Photography, a young photographer by the name of Dorothea Lange relives a 1936 assignment that she calls "the assignment I'll never forget." She speaks of an irresistible "inner compulsion", an instinctual guidance, that led her to produce some of the most iconic photographs in history.

The 1930's were a difficult time for farmers faced with with slow economic progress and devastating drought. The Farm Security Administration (FSA) was created to document the plight of the farmers and migrant workers. FSA photographers did not desire to expose and exploit the poor and stricken for monetary gain. They sought to tell the story, to raise awareness of the plight so that Government aid programs could be put into place to provide much needed help and support. Lange worked for the FSA as a photographer and was tasked with documenting the difficulties of the sharecroppers, homeless farm families and migrant workers in California.

She had completed an exhausting month-long assignment in California and was on her way home as she recalls, "It was a time of relief. Sixty-five miles an hour for seven hours would get me home to my family that night, and my eyes were glued to the wet and gleaming highway that stretched out ahead. I felt freed, for I could lift my mind off my job and think of home." Mesmerized by the road as she drove, she passed a small sign, that read PEA-PICKERS CAMP. She tried to ignore it, "I didn't want to stop, and didn't. I didn't want to remember that I had seen it, so I drove on and ignored the summons." But the voice in her head haunted her, "Dorothea, how about that camp back there? What is the situation back there? Are you going back?" Without thinking she turned her car around and visited the camp. When she arrived, Lange, "saw and approached the hungry and desperate mother, as if drawn by a magnet." Here Lange took what is her most famous photograph of the migrant mother.

Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Reproduction Number: LC-DIG-fsa-8b29516, Call Number: LC-USF34- 009058-C [P&P].

She attributes the photograph to her "gut" feelings and to her little voice inside. She advises other photographers to immerse themselves in their work, "What I am trying to tell other photographers is that had I not been deeply involved in my undertaking on that field trip, I would not have had to turn back." And to follow their intuitions, "What I am trying to say is that I believe this inner compulsion to be the vital ingredient in our work."

Notes:

(1960, February). The Assignment I'll Never Forget. Popular Photography, 42, 126.

Had she not yielded to her "compulsion," to her instincts, had she not listened to that voice in her head that suggested that she visit the Pea-Picker's Camp, some of the most important photographic opportunities in history might have been missed and the enduring photographs that revealed the struggles and hardships of the migrant workers of the the mid 1930's might have been lost forever.

Be aware of and be grateful for your natural talents and abilities. They are part of who you are. They equip you to do that which the Lord has planned for you in your life. Thank the Lord for your gifts and ask him how he expects you to use them. If we ask, God will answer. When God speaks, it might be a whisper in the ear or a twinge in the stomach or a feeling that will not go away. However his message may manifest itself, when God speaks, we must listen. Take time to learn and practice so that when the Lord calls, you may hear and respond to his challenge. For, "from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen." (Romans 11:36)

Verses used in this chapter

Old Testament

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." (Proverbs 1:7)

"He who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished." (Proverbs 17:5)

New Testament

"Do to others as you would have them do to you." (Luke 6:31)

"Jesus replied, If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father whom you claim as your God is the one who glorifies me." (John 8:54)

"For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen." (Romans 11:36)

"For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith;" (Romans 12:4-6)

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31)

"Do everything in love." (1 Corinthians 16:14)

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves." (Philippians 2:3)

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Colossians 3:17)

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights who does not change like shifting shadows." (James 1:17 )

"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms" (1 Peter 4:10)

Chapter 3: Seeing God

At this point, I am certain that there are those among you that have questioned, "Why is this book about photographing God?" And, why dedicate a chapter to seeing God when God himself warns us that, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live." (Exodus. 33:20). John also tells us that: "No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father." (John 1:18) First Timothy reads that it is God, "who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see." (1 Timothy 6:16)

According to scripture, it is impossible to see God so why try? The Bible instructs us that it is not possible to look at our heavenly Father's physical form or see his face directly, but, perhaps it is possible to "see" God in his creation. The Bible gives us clues where we might look to find him.

Make an effort and take the time to see the beauty and splendor that is in all things. "Ask the animals, and they will teach you; or birds of the air and they will tell you; or speak to the earth and it will teach you; or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the lord has done this. In His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind." (Job 12:7-10)

Maybe it is possible to see him manifested in the people, creatures and events that surround us for he lets us know that, "I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me." (Proverbs 8:17)

It is my experience that regardless of the nature of the assignment, editors demand pictures with people in them. Not simply generic people viewed from a distance or from behind. They want photographs of real people that show faces with expressions and emotion.

And for good reason. We are social animals. We enjoy being with other people. We are interested in and want to know about the lives of our neighbors. No matter how great our differences, we all share a common bond being made in the image of our Heavenly Father. For God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." (Genesis 1:26-27)

As you proceed through your daily assignments, take the time in every situation, to carefully observe the people involved in the events. Look for those unique expressions of humanity for you will see God in the expressions and emotions shown on the faces of the men and women around you.

Consider the photograph of the two young girls. This photo was taken at a small local festival. The two girls are competing in a watermelon eating contest. Look at the joy, the sheer pleasure of the moment that shows on their faces and in their smiles. They are just having plain old fashioned fun. Look at the girl on the right as she stuffs a piece of melon in her mouth, all the while keeping an eye on her competition whose face is covered with juice and seeds.

This the image of innocence, of love, of joy and pleasure. This is the image of God.

In 2008, Hurricane Ike devastated much of my community twenty or so miles inland from Galveston on the Texas Gulf Coast. Galveston Island is a long narrow strip of land that separates the Gulf of Mexico and Galveston Bay.

Galveston Bay is an irregularly shaped body of water that cuts inland from the Gulf. Its coast is dotted with small towns. Mostly small fishing villages and tourist attractions. During Ike, water from the Gulf caused the water in the bay to rise resulting in widespread and severe flooding. Many of the small towns were engulfed by water and virtually destroyed. In the weeks after the storm, I was tasked with photographing the clean-up and restoration efforts.

Kemah is small town that is a popular tourist destination with a boardwalk lined with a carnival style midway and complete with restaurants and hotels. The boardwalk had been totally destroyed during Ike. After weeks of rebuilding and cleanup, it was scheduled to reopen and I visited to get some photographs of the event.

I arrived in the morning. The midway was to open that afternoon. Workers were going about their tasks sweeping and cleaning. I took a few pictures but nothing really caught my attention. As I walked around I saw a man with a small rag gently polishing the nose of a carousel horse.

It was the midway supervisor. His actions at that moment, were probably not contributing much to the overall cleanup effort but nevertheless, there he stood carefully polishing the carousel horses one after another. You could see the passion in his eyes as he worked. He really loved his job and he really loved that carousel. You could see God's image in those unselfish acts of love and kindness. He just wanted everything to be perfect for the children that would soon be arriving.

What better illustration is there of the passage in Philippians describing Jesus, "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man." (Philippians 2:6-8)

When covering accidents or disaster, the tendency is to look for incredible acts of heroism and bravery but John tells us that we can find God in any act of kindness and love for, "God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him." (1 John 4:16)

If you spend all of your time looking for the superhero feats, you might miss the subtle act of kindness such as a hug, or a handshake. Or maybe a wink or welcoming smile for God may be present in all of these things. Wherever we might look, we must, "Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord." (Hebrews 12:14)

While our discussion has centered on finding God's image in the people around us, be reminded that there is, "one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." (Ephesians 4:6) And, "Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made." (John 1:3)

My sons accompanied me as I covered a fund raising event for local animal shelters and pet adoption groups. We absolutely fell in love with a a young basset hound. All he wanted was to love and be loved. Who cannot see the image of pure love, God's love, in the eyes of the precious puppy.

If it is possible to see God, what does seeing him have to do with Visual Journalism? Seeing God takes faith, commitment, and conscious effort, for the Bible tells us that, "if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul." (Deuteronomy 4:29)

Simply, you must look in order to find him and believe that you will. You must deliberately and actively choose to see that which is unseen to the casual observer. You must be motivated by the scriptures and expect that God will make his presence known as you seek to discover his extraordinary truths hidden behind the ordinary and obvious details that blind and distract us.

Heed the advice of the Psalmist who proclaims:"Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. (Psalm 25:4-5)

While I was writing this book, a tragic incident occurred in which a disturbed young man carried a number of guns into an elementary school in Connecticut. He opened fire and killed a total of 20 six to seven-year-old children and six adult teachers and school officials.

I pondered this tragedy a great deal and told God as I prayed that I was certain that in some way this made sense. I trusted that God had things under control but I was still troubled that 20 absolutely innocent children lost their lives suddenly without warning due to no fault of their own.

Days later, I was asked to cover a candlelight vigil (link to Pearland Journal story) held in a small community covered by one of our papers. Inside the chapel were photographs of all of the slain children. Seeing those children had a profound affect on me. One little girl in particular caught my attention. She was so precious, so innocent and sporting a big smile in the photograph.

It was as if she was letting everyone know that God is with us even now in the wake of this terrible tragedy. She was reminding us that there is good in the world. That while bad things happen all around us, there are good people and the source of that good is God for he is with us always.

Almost anyone can accidentally take a great photograph by simply pointing a camera at something, clicking away and hoping for the best. In contrast, great photographers use their creative vision and skill to proactively take ordinary opportunities and make extraordinary photographs.

Take the time to learn and practice to the point where taking pictures becomes an unconscious function just as breathing and blinking. The camera must act as an extension of your body, always ready, anticipating opportunities as they occur so that moments are not missed. Remember these words: motivation, preparation, expectation, and anticipation. Fix them permanently in your mind for they are the keys to capturing images of God and the realization of inspired photography that brings glory to the Father.

Verses used in this chapter

Old Testament

"Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." (Genesis 1:26-27)

"But he said, you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live." (Exodus. 33:20)

"if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul." (Deuteronomy 4:29)

"ask the animals, and they will teach you; or birds of the air and they will tell you; or speak to the earth and it will teach you; or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the lord has done this. In His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind." (Job 12:7-10)

"Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. (Psalm 25:4-5)

"I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me." (Proverbs 8:17)

New Testament

"No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known" (John 1:18)

"Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death-even death on a cross!" (Philippians 2:6-8)

"who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen." (1 Timothy 6:16)

"Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord." (Hebrews, 12:14)

"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them." (1 John 4:16)

Chapter 4: Only the news

While it may not be an everyday occurrence, every visual journalist faces the possibility of being asked to cover a difficult news story. It might be a terrible automobile accident or it might be be weather related.

There might be the death of a member of the community,

an industrial accident or a tragic fire.

Kirk Sides/Corsicana Daily Sun

Whatever the details may be, the experience can be a difficult one for even the most seasoned of veterans. One might even question why God would allow such a terrible thing to occur, but God lets us know that things are going to happen that we are just not meant to understand. "As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things." (Ecclesiastes 11:5) When faced with adversity, the Bible instructs us to, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

It is easy to become consumed and overwhelmed by what is happening as the tragedy unfolds in front of you. Take comfort in knowing that the Lord is always near and remain strong and confident for others may need comfort and assurance. "Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near." (Philippians 4:5)

It is vitally important to be aware of your surroundings and to maintain your focus. No picture is worth risking your safety or the safety of others. Always abide by the rules put in place by local officials for your well being as well as that of the possible victims and the emergency personnel. You are there to cover the news not to become part of the news.

While we have already discussed the dangers of self promotion and exploitation, there are valid reasons for covering accidents and disasters. Documenting the event is making a valid contribution to the historic record of the community and the persons involved. Second, as a visual journalist, you tell stories with your photographs. People with a genuine interest and concern are depending on your photographs for their visual information. You are the eyes of the people unable to experience the scene for themselves.

One afternoon, as I sat in the newsroom of the Corsicana Daily Sun, a call came over the scanner. "Major accident on Interstate 45." I grabbed my camera and headed that way. Traffic was being diverted onto the service road and cars were lined up for miles. A local police officer recognized my car and directed me to pull onto the grass that lined the roadway.

I could not see what was happening because the highway was elevated above the service road. I would have to climb a small embankment to get to the accident scene. As I topped the small hill, I could see a small car that looked as if a giant hammer had pounded it to about half it's original size.

The highway had been closed. What is normally a very busy stretch of road was eerily quiet. I was able to walk down the center of the major interstate highway toward the car. As I walked closer, two feet were visible sticking out of what used to be the two driver side windows.

Kirk Sides/Corsicana Daily Sun

Thoughts raced through my head. "How was I going to cover this?" I wondered. "This is just too much for the folks of Corsicana, the paper could not run these pictures." I felt badly for the victim and her family saying softly to myself, "This poor woman deserves better than this."

As I approached the car, suddenly without warning, a foot wiggled as it stuck out one of the windows. It was as if she was signalling to me that she was alive and that things would be OK. My whole outlook shifted, This was not a tragedy, it was a story of hope, of survival, triumph over extreme adversity.

I stayed until the woman was rescued and then headed back the newsroom with the pictures. The news editor and I agreed that it was important to convey to the readers that while she had been in involved in a terrible accident, she had survived. We made certain to run the photo that appears in chapter two, of the emergency worker tending to the the victim, adjacent to the scene photo.

God spoke to me that day. He let me know that he was with the woman in the car and with the emergency personnel that worked tirelessly to rescue her. He revealed to me the story that he wanted to tell. I thank God for walking with me that day down the center of Interstate 45 and pray that my photos served his purpose for his glory. Amen.

Verses used in this chapter

Old Testament

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

"As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things." (Ecclesiastes 11:5)

New Testament

Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near." (Philippians 4:5)

Chapter 5: Sports

Sports is big business. Virtually every newspaper has a section devoted to covering them. There are television and radio stations devoted to nothing but sports. There are sports magazines, sports video games, books about sports and sports related movies. In Houston, it does not take long to spot a person wearing a Houston Texans, Astros or Rockets T-shirt or jersey. People are crazy about sports.

Kirk Sides/Icon SMI

There are fourteen high schools in my coverage area. Each school most likely has a football team, volleyball team, boys and girls basketball teams, boys and girls track teams, boys and girls cross country teams, a baseball team, a softball team, boys and girls tennis teams and some have swimming, diving, and water polo teams. I average three to four sporting events per week in the fall and spring months. Photographing sports is a significant part of my job. I do not mind because sports are some of my favorite subjects to shoot.

The fans, the action, and the emotion.

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Let's face it, sporting events are not always the most religious of gatherings. Foul language, boasting, persons desiring to do bodily harm to another, disrespect for authority, and cheating are all parts of the experience. I have often wondered just what God thinks about me devoting so much time and energy to covering them.

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The Bible does not have much to say about sports pro or con. We know that Olympic style games were popular in both ancient Rome and Greece. One can assume that winning and good sportsmanship were understood and valued. And, the importance of proper preparation and training must have been known for the authors of the Bible make numerous references to these ideas in their verses.

For example, a verse in 2 Timothy emphasizes the importance of rules: "Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules." (2 Timothy 2:5)

A mention of training and competing for a prize is made in 1 Corinthians: "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly" (1 Corinthians 9: 24-26)

The verse continues with a reference to boxing for a prize, "I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." (1 Corinthians 9: 26-27)

It seems reasonable that playing and watching and sports is probably OK with God. But what are we to do if we experience dishonorable and disrespectful behavior from an individual or group? First, we should always remember God's command to, "Love each other as I have loved you." (John 15:12) For, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs." (1 Corinthians 13:4-5)

Second, when covering events, we should be cautious not to be caught up in the excessive passion and frenzy of the crowd. Because others act shamefully, it is no excuse for us to follow. God reminds us that, "The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray." (Proverbs 12:26) And not to, "be misled: Bad company corrupts good character. Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God." (1 Corinthians 15:33-34)

What about those colorful celebrity personalities and off-field controversies? The Bible instructs us to, "make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody." (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12) In other words, God wants us to work hard and focus on the tasks that he has made known to us, and leave the judgment up to him.

We read in Romans, "You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. (Romans 14:10) We read further, "So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister." (Romans 14:12-13)

While the technical details of sports photography are beyond the scope of this book, There are several quick points that I would like to mention.

First, with few exceptions, if something is caught, thrown, hit or kicked, it should appear in the photo.

Kirk Sides/Icon SMI

With the major American sports, that item would be a ball. In hockey, it would be a puck. Having the ball appear in the photograph gives the viewer a point of reference and puts the photograph into context.

Kirk Sides/Icon SMI

While we have already discussed the importance of learning to use your equipment and anticipating opportunities. Knowledge is absolutely vital to sports photography. Be reminded that: "the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance." (Proverbs 1:5) You must be in the right place at the right time to get great action shots. The more you know about the game, how it is played, the rules and common strategies, the better able you will be to predict where the action will occur and to position yourself accordingly.

And finally, sports photographs are greatly enhanced when the eyes of the subject are visible

Kirk Sides/Icon SMI

for, "The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Matthew 6:22-23)

Kirk Sides/Icon SMI

Seeing the eyes allows the viewer to relate to the subject. We can see his concentration, his intensity and his emotion which add interest and excitement to the image which brings it to life.

Verses used in this chapter

Old Testament

"the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance." (Proverbs 1:5)

"The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray." (Proverbs 12:26)

New Testament

"The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Matthew 6:22-23)

"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." (John 15:12)

"You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. (Romans 14:10)

"So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister." (Romans 14:12-13)

"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." (1 Corinthians 9: 26-27)

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs." (1 Corinthians 13:4-5)

"Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character. Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God-I say this to your shame" (1 Corinthians 15:33-34)

"and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody." (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12)

"Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules." (2 Timothy 2:5)

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1 - Visual Storytelling

Chapter 2 - Finding your Focus

Chapter 3 - Seeing God

Chapter 4 - Only the News

Chapter 5 - Sports