As White As Snow

This winter much of the US has received a lot of snow. It is hard to resist the urge to run outside and photograph the newly fallen snow before the plows and shoveler's create dirty mounds of the not-so-white stuff everywhere. Those who do venture out with their cameras in hand are usually rewarded with a winter wonderland of shots from the trees wearing their winter white coats to the the fresh, pure and clean ground cover. But have you ever come back inside, thawed out with a nice hot cup of tea or hot chocolate then sat down at your computer anxious to see your new spoils only to be let down by images of grey dull-looking snow? What happened to the white crisp snow? There is an easy answer to this and it lives inside your camera. Don't worry your camera is not defective. It is doing what it is supposed to do. But there are a few tricks to bringing the white back. Of course there is photoshop, but who wants to spend hours cleaning up something you could have fixed while shooting.

Digital cameras shoot in grey values and for most situations this is great. But when you are shooting at the extreme tonal ranges such as white snow your camera meters that whiteness as neutral 18% grey to compensate for the lack of contrast. There are a couple ways to get around this. The first one is simple for some, many camera manufactures have a snow setting in the automatic dial that makes the necessary compensations. But not everyone has this option. 

The next step and most effective solution is to shoot manual. By doing so you can move your settings to slightly overexpose the image. A half to a full stop over for cloud cover, and one to two stops for sun will bring that scene back to white. Be careful not to go too far. You don't want areas that are completely washed out. 

If your are in doubt about how bright your photo is, you can always look at the histogram. What is that you ask? When viewing your photo on the LCD screen most cameras have an info or display button. This brings up a graph that often looks like a mountain. When you are shooting snow the graph information will be mostly over to the right. What you want to avoid is that information going completely off the right side. This means your photo is severely overexposed and there is no way to fix it later. If the majority of the information is to the right but not going off the edge chances are you will have white snow, but histograms that show all the information in the middle, in this situation, will render that grey snow that you are trying to avoid. 

Snow is fun to shoot but to get the results that you are seeking you must trick your camera meter in order to get that 'white as snow' appearance. Happy shooting while the snow last, spring is just around the corner.

Point of View

Who knew shooting could be so fun looking through, down and on a trampoline! Of course a wide angle lens helps as well. It helps to expand your creativity by looking at things with a new perspective.

While its not a really a resolution I want to make a conscious effort this year to push the boundaries, to see things in a new ways but most of all to see things the way God see them. Sometimes that is from a much different angle. Sometimes we are much smaller than we think especially in the grand scope of things but when we make God much larger in our lives you can't help but touch others and make an impact. I want His perspective this year in my photos and in my life, how about you?

Unplanned Ministry

Shot in South Africa a couple of years ago. A not so fun situation made good. Just now put it together with imovie.

Change of Seasons

Phoenixville, PA--I've always known what the next step would be. What I did not know was when and where. I even knew when it happened it would be very quick. To my surprise it brought me right back home to PA.

Some things have changed a lot and other things are very much the same. I would say there is just enough of both to help with the transition and to keep things interesting.

I've moved back to PA the end of August to teach photography at Valley Forge Christian College. They just added a Digital Media major a few years back. It has been a challenge, mostly taking things that I have done for years and learning how to communicate it in a way that others can understand and duplicate. I love teaching but I also have a greater appreciation for the teachers I have had in the past...for all the work that they put into their classes!

Now just in case you are thinking how am I going to stay still. The answer is I won't be. I am already planning two trips this summer. One back to Africa with my church, the other will hopefully be to Asia with OneHope. I've seen too much not to want more. God has put so much on my heart that I have to keep going and making a difference wherever I can.

Something that I am looking to grow is the business aspect of my photography. And so as soon as the semester winds down in a few weeks I will be adding to my website, working on marketing and taking a more active role in that area. I have a lot of ideas for books and prints and more... The nature of this blog may change to be more photo-oriented but I think I will always chronicle my travels. I like the new season that I am in and I can't wait to see it completely unfold.

Lessons from Africa

Niamey, Niger--I've traveled a lot the last three years but nothing prepared me for the W. African bush. It truly was a blessing and a gift from God. The end of September I flew to Burkina Faso and Niger on assignment from OneHope to photograph and interview churches who had been formed by using OneHope materials. The faces and the stories will be forever etched in my heart. I visited places with names like Ouagadougou and Ufuamou. I thought, "I've been to Haiti, this will be easy..." I was wrong, conditions are different. There are places in this world where people think they are entitled to have what they have or to be given their fair share but then there is this part of Africa where they keep living with nothing and do not expect a handout, they do what they can to just to survive. They do not get any media attention even though there is drought and starvation in one area and flooding and clean water issues in another. Where wild animals attack and travel is difficult. The heat and dust are a way of life that most outside cannot fathom. There were times on this trip that I felt like I had stepped into the pages of National Geographic but after talking with the people and praying with them I realized it came down to one thing...the love of God sets all people free regardless of possessions or entitlement or lack thereof.

Our travel team in Niger, consisted of two pastors, a young bible student and myself. We would travel from Niamey to the small towns in our 4-wheel drive vehicle and pick-up the local pastor or someone from the village that we were about to visit. After leaving town a typical trip would start down roads between the mud brick homes of town, into “the bush”, down the red dirt roads through river beds and sand patches, and finally narrow paths through corn fields. Sometimes we had to leave the vehicle and walk short distances through the corn to another area that usually contained a structure made of sticks, although a few of them did have metal roof canopies but no walls. It wouldn’t take long for villagers to begin walking out to greet us and assemble in the church. They would heat up the box drums by a fire to make them good and tight and soon began singing to the beat of their drums. They sang songs of gratefulness and of God’s goodness, some to a very African beat and others were the hymns of old in their own language. After a short meeting where our team spoke and prayed, the congregation would gather outside under the tree or they stayed under their roofs in the shade where we would interview several of the people.

We went to village after village in the middle of the bush where people were hungry for the Word. Person after person would tell us how they used to sacrifice to idols, how they were very sick and angry but then they saw a film that showed them something better. They now worship the One who heals all their diseases and takes away their nightmares and brings peace to their souls. Other were bound by the rituals of Islam, a stronghold in the area and a bondage that has entrapped them, leaving them without knowing true hope. A couple of ladies opened my eyes when I asked them what the difference was between their old way of life and now and they said, "fellowship". They were now free to meet and talk with others, to encourage one another and love each other. They said before they were bound into a world that was controlled and isolated and subject to criticism. Many receive persecution for their faith which is why I cannot mention them by name but they are resolute and would not think of turning back.

The last two villages will stand out as being in one of the "uttermost" places. We were on the Niger/Nigeria border speaking with a tribe that did not have a formal church yet but were in the beginning stages. When several teens responded to the message. Then they began to ask questions such as if they didn’t read how will they learn more about the Lord? And if they accepted Jesus do they need to pray like the Muslims? And how can they grow? They received wise council but it was also agreed upon to send several of them to a four month training to learn how to read so that they could bring the scripture to others. There also were three Christian young men working in the area at a medical clinic and EHFC who will work with these new believers until a pastor can be found. Then as we were finishing up at this village another chief sent a guy to ask if we would come speak to his village. So we went, and presented the gospel to them for the very first time. Our team spoke directly to this chief while the entire tribe gathered around to listen. Several responded and I am pretty sure they will be getting the opportunity to view the GodMan film in the very near future.

All of these people live off the land by farming and raising animals. Most do not read. They do not live by the clock just the light of day and night. They do not live in fancy houses, just a small shelter for protection. Most walk to town on market days but if they are fortunate they may own a donkey or a bicycle or a motorcycle. They are very family oriented and when one member accepts Christ they all do and when one village comes to Christ the next one is interested which is why one young pastor we met was pastoring 10 churches. He was exhausted and my heart went out to him, but it made me realize that we have something that everyone needs because God is love, and that makes all the difference.

Photos can be seen at www.flickr.com/photos/kimart4ch or on Facebook

Viva Colombia

Bogota, Colombia--Our taxi climbed the narrow roads up the mountain-side until we could not drive any further. We then hiked part of the mountainside, escorted by the children to a small blue house, seemingly on top of the world. These were simple homes that dotted the hillside, much like the ones described in the Peru story below, made of wood, bricks, metal and any scrap of material to keep the wind out, where life is hard but the views are amazing. There we met Ricardo and his fiancee, Milena, founders of a young ministry to the children of this area. Together they feed and care for the little ones; making meals, helping them with homework and even washing clothes if needed. They also do Bible lesson with them and teach them to be warriors for the Lord. It was refreshing and encouraging to hear these young ones pray. We also met Steven and Leidy, who were only seven and nine but had already been exposed to violence, sex, and drugs. They talked about their life now that they had someone to help look after them while their mother was working in the city as a recycler. We spent several days with them, playing, laughing and talking. It was hard to head back down the mountain the last time. Our prayers will be with this group as they work for transformation even in the high places. 

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  "Come lets have coffee" Pastor Carlos, the foundation leader says as we head to the kitchen where there is a table off to the side for the adults. The rest of the large room is part industrial-sized kitchen and part dining room for the 700 or so kids that come in at various times throughout the day to receive a meal, help with their homework, a little love and attention and the Word of God. When I hear the words of Bob Hoskins original OneHope mandate to reach all the children in the world and to save them from drugs, poverty, violence, prostitution and the evils of this world, I will think of this place because these children in this place have truely been saved from these very things. Child after child that we interviewed (Anderson, Pamela, William, and more) told these very stories but also had renewed hope for their future and a sparkle in their eye. The difference was God's vision in the heart of a man, who was obedient, and the Word of God. What a privilege to witness true transformation and to bring encouragement.

During our many coffee breaks over the course of 4 days Pastor Carlos told many stories of miraculous provision but there is one story that I would like to retell...he told us of a time a few years ago that his treasurer was robbed as he was walking down the street with foundation funds, a few days later their building was broken into--food and supplies were taken. Another couple days pass and they were robbed again. The pastor was distraught and so he took these matters to the Lord in prayer. And that is when the Lord reminded him that he still had his most valuable assets, that they had not been taken...the children. The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy but the Word of the Lord remains and those to whom He has his hand upon are saved.

Click here to see more Colombia photos

Next up...Burkina Faso and Niger in West Africa.

Be the Light

Lima Peru--Imagine walking up a dirt path, a dirt stairway actually, where wood and tin shacks are literally on top of one another, where clean water, and bathroom facilities are not an option. Where cooking and clothes washing are not with shiny new appliances but the old fashion way, on a tiny one pot burner and by hand. Where the floor of your one room home is sand and not at all level, the tin roof doesn't entirely cover you from the outside. Where the air quality is so bad you feel the burning in the back of your throat. This location could be many places around the world, but on this occasion it was the outskirts of Lima, Peru.

Heading back to Peru where my exposure to OneHope began was a bit of a surprise but it was a good surprise. Someone was needed to take a team at the last minute. We worked with a new group of people in new areas of the city. We got to see first-hand Peruvian independence celebrations in the schools and the festive preparations around the city. We got to do evangelism events in several parks that involved drama and soccer. And we got to go to some forgotten places: a community called Pachacutec, tucked away between the hills and the sea, just beyond the acrid petroleum plants. We also got to hike up a barren hill on the outskirts of Lima to visit a small church outcropped on the hill in between dozens of wooden shacks to bring good news to the children that called that hill home. This trip brought back a lot of good memories of my first trip to the same city six years prior and more than anything it amazed me how things had come full circle as I near the end of my assignment.

There are so many opportunities to show the love of Jesus all around us if we just open our eyes to them. I have been privileged to go to some amazing places but the further I go the more burdened I get for those at home. It doesn't take much to show love, care or concern. Go spend some time with the kids in your neighborhood, play soccer with them, help them with homework but most of all be an example and speak to them with kindness and truth.

Be the light wherever you are!


Click here to view more photos from this trip.