Firstly, I’d like to take this moment before Memorial Day, to commemorate all those that have given their lives to keep this nation free. Let us all pray that it will not prove to have been in vain.

—————————————————————————————————-

Since the creation of mankind, there have been an unfathomable number of humans who have walked this earth. Each of us has some things in common with all others, as well as some things that are different.  We are both alike and unique.

Since the scientific development of being able to discern and map out our DNA, we have discovered that every human being has many things in common with every other human on earth. 98.5% I believe.  However, DNA also taught us that each of us has differences or uniqueness’s as well, that separate us from every other person.

I believe in Creation, and I believe that all of this, is planned and produced by the one and only God. As people, we have natural God-given bonding agents within us. We can relate to, and we can commiserate with other fellow humans because of our likeness. Still, we are not clones and each and every one of us has a uniqueness as well. When you were born, God wanted you and only you.

At times in my life, I wished I could be more like everyone else. Why do I like this song that so few others like? Why do I want to go ever there and explore rather than go where so many others go? I think all people, both children and adults, go through that. A desire to be accepted. 

Can you imagine what a boring and monotonous world this would be without our differences? It would for sure be easier, but every day around other people, would be like every other day.

We should in fact, celebrate both our God given differences, and what He gave us in common as well.

Every Picture Tells a Story

Photographs are made by individual people. With some similarities and some differences to other people. It is the differences, that makes those images unique.

A Lake Michigan sunrise is a Lake Michigan sunrise. Right? I am betting that if you stood next to me when I created the three sunrises below, you would have made three very different images.

Every sunrise can become a unique and different image.  The exact location where from you make the image, and usually, how you interpret it, will let us know what you saw personally.

I made a pretty straightforward image of this beautiful valley in Dinosaur National Monument, Utah/Colorado. I would stake all that I have, which admittedly is not very much, that each of you would have come back with a very different view, exposure, and otherwise.

Photographing wildlife is pretty straightforward. This Bald Eagle made the decision on where to perch. It was not me who made it fluff its feathers at the right moment. Another photographer might have moved farther to the front for a head on shot. Or maybe more to our right in order to create a side profile

Our differences will show in our images, but so will our similarities. .

If you think a Bald Eagle is hard to convince to strike a pose for a photo, I can absolutely assure you that a wild Northern Water Snake is far, far, far worse.

Not only are photographers different, but so are animals.

I have been out shooting with other photographers, and also taught group workshops on the subject of damselflies. I doubt I have ever saw any two images from different photographers exactly the same. This critter stayed like this for a fair amount of time. That allowed me, and would have allowed you, to move around and in and out, in order to capture the vision that I or you really  wanted to capture. 

As a side note, even with critters as small as this, it is not always necessary to show the entire subject in your photo. Even with insects, intimacy can be powerful.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Some are and some aren’t, but a thousand photographers will each make a different image of the same subject at the same time.

Thank you for stopping and may God Bless,
Wayne