PHOTOGRAPHY
[ BUILDING A CHURCH PHOTOGRAPHY TEAM 101 | Blue Amber ]
PART I: IT’S TIME TO BUCK UP AND FIND YOUR
CREATIVE PURPOSE
A few weeks ago, I had the incredible opportunity
to visit Bethlehem Church in Bethlehem, GA,
to lead a fun, photography-intensive, 2 day
workshop on how to build their own church
photography team. When I arrived on that sunny
and warm August afternoon, they had asked
me to meet them at a lake at Fort Yargo State
Park, where they were scheduled to baptize
more than 70 people! Being able to photograph
and document someone’s decision to go public
with their faith is at the top of our list of honors
as church photographers, and as creatives, that
we get to capture. When the church asked if I
could come share in it, I knew it would be the
best way to start to our photography workshop.
Now, keep in mind, I drove four hours to Georgia
straight from serving at Elevation Church Lake
Norman that morning, and was still in my
pleather black pants and black shirt (because
we always wear all black when we shoot) when I
arrived at the park for the baptisms.
I made it just in time for them to start heading
from the covered area up the hill down to the
beach area of the lake. And there was no time
to change my clothes. I just grabbed my camera
out of the car as soon as we got there and
headed to the lake. I saw there were five pastors
going deeper in the water, like waist deep, and
the line of people were anxiously waiting to go
in. And then it hit me. In order to get the shots
I want and do it with excellence, because dang
it, God gave me this gift and this opportunity;
I’ve got to go waist deep in this water...with this
$3,000 camera...in my black pleather pants...
and make it work. Side note - God doesn’t call
us to do easy things. It’s always uncomfortable,
it’s always something that stretches us, it’s
always something that is going to mold us into
a better, healthier individual. We would NEVER
learn from anything if there wasn’t a struggle to
remind us He is the one who has a plan. A plan
which is going to see us succeed and prosper,
in abundance.
forever changed that day in the lake, I will never
forget. I will always remember the 80 year old
So, I did it.
man, who they called Paw Paw, who had just
three days before decided to give his life to
I decided to buck up and be committed to Jesus. His act of obedience led his 10 year
what God has called me to do, because it’s not old granddaughter, who tearfully watched her
about us when we are serving in our calling as grandfather walk into the lake and come up
creatives; it’s about serving Jesus, His church, out of the water rejoicing, decided herself to be
and serving others. God only asks us to do one baptized the same day. I photographed small,
thing: Be obedient. He will do the rest. When smiling, beautiful Lydia, wipe the tears from her
you start your first day on a photography team, dad’s face as he uttered to her, “Lydia, I baptize
it’s going to feel overwhelming. It’s going to feel you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy
uncomfortable. It’s going to feel like no matter Spirit.”
how long you have been a photographer, you
don’t know what you are doing. You will feel These moments are not just etched in someone’s
unqualified. But guess what? That is exactly memory. The emotion and raw, unending joy
where you need to be. Because if we walked and life change is sealed in a photograph for not
into something knowing everything, we wouldn’t only the participants to have to tell their stories,
need Him. If God gave you the passion and but for the church to be able to use to minister
talent in photography, He gave you a calling in to others.
it. Your passion is there to help drive you to your
purpose. So, it’s time to buck up, grab your cameras, set
The best place to operate and grow in your up your laptop with Lightroom ready to go. You
calling is by using it in ministry. We are not called know your calling, you know your purpose. It’s
to be consumers of our church, we are called to time to go waist deep… in your pleather pants…
be participants. and launch your photo team.
The stories of the lives of the people who were How? It’s coming in next month’s issue...
October 2017
WorshipMusician.com
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