MEDITATION ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CAMERA
A Spiritual Journey in Photography
Copyright © 2012 by Valerie K. Isenhower
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the publisher except in brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information, write Upper Room Books, 1908 Grand Avenue, Nashville, TN 37212.
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Unless otherwise indicated, scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations designated AP are the author’s paraphrase.
Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All right reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com
Cover design: Bruce DeRoos / Left Coast Design
Cover photo: Matt Tilghman, shutterstock.com
Interior photos: V. Isenhower Photography
eISBN 978-0-8358-1106-4
Contents
Introduction
Part One: Meditation Behind the Camera
1—Centering
2—Listening
3—Waiting
4—Being Attentive
5—Seeing the Story
6—Practicing Silence
7—Healing
8—Ending the Day
Part Two: Meditation in Front of the Camera
9—Praying
10—Focusing
11—Contemplating
Conclusion
Ideas for Focusing your Photography (Chapter by Chapter Listing)
Index of Photographs
Notes
Bibliography of Quoted Materials
Acknowledgments
Meditation on Both Sides of the Camera would not be possible without the staff of the Upper Room. When they asked me to lead a workshop on photography at SOULfeast I had no idea a book would follow. I am grateful for their willingness to see my vision for a book on photography as a spiritual practice along with their desire to design the book as a digital book. Many thanks to all the staff involved, especially Jeannie Crawford-Lee, Rita Collett, and Robin Pippin.
I also want to express my gratitude to all the individuals who participated in workshops and online classes on the subject. Their input and experiences have been invaluable. Thanks for sharing your photo journeys with me.
My journey into photography as a spiritual practice began in Poudre Canyon, northwest of Fort Collins, Colorado. I traveled this gorgeous river canyon at a time when I was facing a major crossroads in my life. The joy of photographing Poudre River allowed me to let go of my concerns and struggles in decision making. I sank into the beauty of the scenery and the peaceful presence of the Spirit as I recorded images of the river. The photographic experience absorbed me completely that morning.
When I turned off the highway into a parking area, a narrow one-lane wooden bridge lay ahead of me. The bridge looked familiar, but this was my first visit to Poudre Canyon. Why did I recognize it? Suddenly, I realized it looked like bridges I have seen in my dreams. Narrow one-lane bridges always show up in my dreams when I am facing transitions in my spiritual life.
I stopped before crossing this particular bridge. I was currently out of work because my job had been eliminated. What other transition was I facing? I meditated on the bridge and the spiritual journey ahead of me. Finally, I heard God say, “It is time to take what you know about spirituality and spiritual practices and apply it to your photography.” I had been compartmentalizing the two pursuits—spirituality and photography. Even though I had applied spirituality to my photo outings, I had done so at a subconscious level. Now was the time to bring the two together and cross the bridge into a new adventure.
Photography as a Spiritual Practice
Meditation on Both Sides of the Camera is based on the premise that photography can be a spiritual practice. Spiritual journeys can inform photography, and photography can inform and deepen our spiritual journeys.
We will focus on the spirituality behind our journey so that we may better photograph what we see in front of us. This book does not deal with technical aspects of photography; many printed and online resources teach technique. Meditation on Both Sides of the Camera brings together our cameras and the spiritual beings that we all are.
I write from a Christian perspective because that is my background. However, you may adapt the concepts of God or Spirit for your own belief system. If your spiritual concepts differ from mine, change the language and fill in the gaps as needed. The point is that we are all spiritual beings; as such, we have the opportunity to record photographs with our souls as well as our minds.
One day in conversation with another photographer we both agreed on the excellence of the composition and technical aspects of her work. She commented, “Technically I know this is good, and yet something is missing. What is it?” I replied, “Where is the spirituality? Where is God?” Photography for meditation focuses on going deeper into our relationship with God. The practices can become a pathway that opens us to experience the thin place where our soul and the heart of God meet.
Meditation on Both Sides of the Camera
I base the title of the book, Meditation on Both Sides of the Camera, on a two-part photography journey. The first component of meditation behind the camera involves the idea of meditation before, during, and directly after a photographic experience. In meditation behind the camera we invite the Spirit to join us on the journey and apply spiritual practices to the act of photography.
The concept of photography as a spiritual practice does not end when we return home. Recording an image represents only half of the experience. The second component involves meditation in front of the camera. This concept centers on the images we recorded. Meditation in front of the camera uses the images themselves as a way to deepen our ongoing spiritual walk.
Who We Are as Photographers
Images like the one above remind me that I am created by God. The world is so much bigger than any one person. In awe I admire the beauty of creation and understand that individuals are only a small piece of the full picture. Psalm 104 speaks to this idea:
These [all creation] look to you
to give them their food in due season;
when you give to them,