Learning to see

The first step of learning to see with eyes of faith is simply learning to see. How often do I walk through my day, unaware of my surroundings, aware of only what it is I have to do next, like people you see in crosswalks, engaged with their phones, seemingly oblivious to what’s around them, including the traffic? How tuned-in am I to my environment?

Photography teaches me to pause, to notice what is in front of me and around me. It encourages me to be receptive, non-judgmental, and in-the-moment. Such receptivity then opens me up to all sorts of emotions: gratitude, joy, wonder, sadness, peace, and a sense of God’s presence in my life and in my world.

On a recent evening photo walk I began to notice things I normally wouldn’t give a second thought to–the reflection of colored lights under a pier, the decadent charm of a rusted bridge, the mirror-like smoothness of the water created by a long exposure.

I later found myself contemplating these images on my computer screen, letting the beauty and simplicity of the scene sink in, and I felt a sense of gratitude for the beauty of God’s creation–the beauty of detail, the beauty of light and color, the beauty of capturing the passage of time in an image on the screen.

By immersing myself in the world with the help of a camera, I deepen my awareness, my presence, and my gratitude for this creation God has given me to enjoy and care for.

The images in this post are from the city of Boston, MA, and the surrounding area.