Photography and Holy Moments

May 9, 2007 · by Christine

Lately I have been receiving several requests for prints of various photos found on my blog which I am happy to offer, so I am formally adding this option to my Offerings page.  If you are ever interested in receiving a print of any photos I take here please let me know the image and size and I can send you a Paypal invoice for credit card payment.

I have been taking a Digital Photography course this spring, learning more about the manual features of my camera, stretching myself with the assignments, and working with Photoshop (I finally broke down and just bought Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 when I saw all the wonderful things you could do to enhance photos).

Our assignment this week is to look for abstract designs, which is more challenging for me as I am not drawn to abstract art, so I went for the less conceptual (see below).

There is a quote I love from the film Waking Life about movies, but applies to photography as well:

“Film is a record of the ever-changing face of God.”

“This moment is holy, but we walk around like it’s not holy.  We walk around like there are some holy moments and there are all the other moments that are not holy.  [But they are] and film can let us see that. Film can frame it so we can see that, Ah! This moment. Holy.”

So the way afternoon sunlight illuminates a curtain is a moment of holinesss:

Or light streaming through the weathered wooden slats of a sheep farm fence:

For me, that is one of the wonders of photography – to be able to frame a moment in time and within my gaze and absolute presence in that moment, I discover holiness. 

-Christine Valters Paintner @ Abbey of the Arts

PS — Thanks for the comments and emails in response to my previous post, please feel free to continue to add your notes!

Posted in Photos, Offerings |