Words and deeds

    This week's readings and homily at church brought to light a concept of our faith as Christians.  It was that God's ways rule, not ours.  Simple concept, making perfect sense, if you accept that God is perfection in every way.

     In our lives, however, the natural cycle of things is we are born narcissistic looking out for ourselves.  As such it would be only natural for us to think that whatever we need, want or think gets our desires covered is the correct course of action.  Good parenting knocks that silliness out of us young.  We can start seeing how selfishness actually causes separation from our brothers and sisters.  Only by working with others, and caring for them as much as ourselves do we build the friendships needed to survive in this world.  This basic understanding of friendship is the antidote to narcissism.  Friendships allow us to  succeed as a husband, father, coach, soldier, businessman, farmer, or priest.

    The Gospel (Matthew 21:28-32) today told us the story of the two brothers.  One brother said no to his father's commands, but went out to follow them anyway.  The other brother said yes to his father's commands, but did not heed the instruction.  One was in the right, and one was in the wrong at the end of the day.  For the man who repented and did the right thing, salvation awaited him.  For the man who talked the talk, but walked away life would end.

    Obviously we would rather say and do the right thing all the time!  This would surely be the easiest way to unity with Christ in word and deed!  We are however fallen creatures, made with weakness and stubborness.  As such we are very capable of failing in word, deed or both! 

    Thankfully our perfect God knew this, and provided us many paths towards redemption from our birth until the very end of our earthly lives.  It is truly the only way we could be saved given our original state of mind.  I guess it is just one more way to understand why God's ways rule, not ours.

-ehw

Color Finds a Way

One of the great arguments about photography is whether it is an art or merely the capture of something that already exists...

I bet you can guess come down on the side of art!  Well I'll also add in there that there is a bit of science and art in photography.

See the art is the composition, light and shadow. The science is the math of aperture, shutter, ISO.

In this photo I added selective color just for fun.  Well also because flowers deserve some color to show off their glory.

I think all of life is a mix of science and art.  We have science that defines physical interactions, and art that defines how we use science to effect perception.  The moral compass that keeps the art and life on track?  The Bible.

-ehw

Making Music with a Lens and a rant

     While I am out and about I sometimes see an image immediately drawing me home. This was one of those moments.  Walking down the sidewalk I saw an unmistakable symbol of music, and my thoughts turned homeward bound.  Over the last two years the ability to bring music back into the house, and into the lives of the children, through the Joyful Noise Homeschooling music program enlivened the family.  Initial cat gut screatches became music I can recognize.  Scales firmed up with practice.  Now both older children can teach me theory I never knew.  The little guy sung the Gloria at church with his two best buds with gusto this Sunday..  All very cool!

     So this image made music in my lens... 

     I also wanted to point out something about street photography as I see it.  While I was out walking a college age couple were shooting the streets.  Sitting on the side walk was a mentally ill man.  He was dishevelled, talking to himself incoherently, but otherwise not bothering anyone.  The lady in the couple thought he made a good subject.  So she switched to live view and took some hip shots of the poor soul.  

     Being in a public area means a photographer needs no consent to photography you.  However a photographer should exercise some level of respect for the man.  If the photo will be provided to people looking for him great..otherwise I worry that this is exploitation of personnel morbid curiosity.   In many people's ciricles today this is just a chance to get a little self promotion on Twitter and Instangram.  It is an opportunity to exploit for themselves, not elevate humanity.  There are plenty of people on the street (such as street performers) who are interesting subjects, and more than willing to pose for a small tip.   

    If I photograph a person I have either their consent or they are doing something themselves to gain attention of passerbys.  For instance in Miami I photographed a skateboarder doing flashy tricks in a highly visible area on purpose.  A chef I photographed nodded yes when I asked to photograph him.  

    I know someone out there will say they are doing a social justice peace.  I just don't buy it.  If you are doing social justice work you'd also be taking him to dinner. 

     With all that said...have a great night and PRAISE God!

-ehw

PS For you techies this is the Fujifilm X-E1 with 23mm at 1/210, F8 ISO 800.   I used the film simulation of Velvia and applied a slight crop, small sharpening effect and vingette blur in Nik Snapseed.  My 23mm F1.4 is my current favorite Fuji lens...and it really wants a 56mm in the stable next to it!

Missing my Kiddos →

What does a Daddy miss on a trip?

How about the youngest playing in sand by the lake?

Or the lovely, thoughtful girl writing up her dreams in her special spot?

Or the good son who always tries to please and grow into a responsible young man way to fast?

Or how about the funny boy who always provides us wisdom in words as sharp as diamonds?

And of course the Momma who builds a warm home where love can grow.  (If I posted her photo without permission she'd kick my butt)

Funny how some time away always makes you long for home...and you forget about potty training, the work of cooking for six, someone's sniffles, and the lost this or that...

Well time to head off to work...I bet my feelings are the same as those shared by every good Dad on the way to work...

-ehw

P.S.  Three taken with the new X-E1 and various lenses...and one taken by a six year old Pentax K200D..yep it still takes good pictures if treated nicely! 

Miami, Florida

    I'm off on another adventure to Miami, Florida.  Attending a work convention in downtown.  So far this downtown is different than most towns I've visited in this country, and I'm doing my best to explore the unique flavor of this city.  One minute you're looking at a Little Havanna or Latin America area, turn around 90 degrees and view the avant garde billion dollar condo sykscrapers.

     So I'll endeavor to bring you a few good photos from the city while avoiding the fun any city can offer.  For instance today I saw three teens rescue their bicycles from a theft right in front of me.  It was very interesting...guy riding down the street on two similar bikes, then a bike rams the guy perpendiculary to knock him down.  He got in protest only to face the two girls whose bike he stole, and the teenage young man who was with them.  The perp said someone sold him the bikes... and gave them up without a fight.  As this resolved itself a guy decided to try and run a red light right through my body about 30 seconds later in the cross walk.  Just a minute after those two episodes I watched fancy boats (worth three of my homes) float on down the waterfront in a leisurely manner, and families enjoying life in the park.

      This war memorial is from 1942 and right down the street in Bayfront Park.  The lighting was not particlarly wonderful today, so I resorted to B&W on few photos to get something interesting from my travels.  The photo below is the reflection of my hotel in the hotel across the street.  

Georgia Travel

Just a few from last weekend...nothing fancy and no heavy thoughts.

I just took a few minutes to enjoy the kids inbetween cooking various meals, hiking and swiming at Red Top Mountain.  Of course to me enjoyment also includes looking for a lovely ray of light or expression...

It is wonderful to see the kids enjoy the long summer days, not get upset with the heat, thunderstorm interuption, and tight sleeping quarters.  it made me smile.

I hope you too get a moment to enjoy the loved ones in your life.

-ehw

View fullsize

Oh the joy of a juicebox!

The Forrest

It is one of those trying times for me right now....challenges, challenges and more challenges.  

As I processed this photo it pretty much matched my mood.  A dark forest being slowly being lit by the morning sun after a rainy night.  The morning haze showing off the rays of light and mist.  i see a lot of darkness, but I can still feel the light of the Lord guiding me step by step through the woods.

As a newer artist I still find it extraodinary when emotion guides your artistic decisions and direction.  I think that is what makes the whole adventure enjoyable and thought provoking.  Yet I cannot help myself from asking if anyone else sees my vision the same way...or will it merely become whatever they want it to be?  If someone does not see what you intended are you a success or a failure?  

To answer my question, I think it would be silly to think everyone will look at the photo the way you intended.  We all have different thoughts, perspectives and references.  Success and failure of a piece really depends on whether or not the image gets you to simply stop and think about your photo as they apply their thoughts to it.  

-ehw

P.S. X-E1 with 18-55 shot while cooking eggs and sausage.

A Dose of Hope

I saw the headlines at 5:35 AM today....and I wanted to weep...

On the way to work I listened to the Divine Office, Office of Readings.  This psalm gave me some hope and put some anxiety away:

Psalm 37

Do not fret because of the wicked;
do not envy those who do evil:
for they wither quickly like grass
and fade like the green of the fields.

If you trust in the Lord and do good,
then you will live in the land and be secure.
If you find your delight in the Lord,
he will grant your heart’s desire.

Commit your life to the Lord,
trust in him and he will act,
so that your justice breaks forth like the light,
your cause like the noon-day sun.

Be still before the Lord and wait in patience;
do not fret at the man who prospers;
a man who makes evil plots
to bring down the needy and the poor.

Calm your anger and forget your rage;
do not fret, it only leads to evil.
For those who do evil shall perish;
the patient shall inherit the land.

A little longer – and the wicked shall have gone.
Look at his place, he is not there.
But the humble shall own the land
and enjoy the fullness of peace.

-ehw

PS If you need a daily dose of religious thought you'd be hard pressed to find a better simple app than The Divine Office (iOS/Android).  Many times people are surprised when the Pope talks about certain issues seemingly out of the blue.  The reality is many issues are tied into either the life of the church through its daily readings or the Divine Office daily readings which require homilies he may give that day!  Therefore topics often come out of the normal life of the church's gospel or devotional cycle.  You can find out more on teh Divine Office at www.divineoffice.org

And the world fell silent

The world fell silent on that Holy Saturday.  The Lord who lowered himself to become a mere mortal man, in death went even lower.  As he opened the gates of hell, we could not see his preaching and the legions coming to the sound of his voice and the promise of salvation.

This thought from todays Divine Office sermon in the daily Office of Readings made me think a lot differently today.  The rain here last night stopped baseball and sports in its tracks across northern metro Atlanta.  My day went from overfull to silent in outside activity.  We were able to do what my heart really no desires, focus on preparing for the big religious celebration tomorrow.

I spent time with my father collecting a few final supplies for the big Easter feast.  It was busy out in public, but the time we spent together reflectively.  The children were at home with my wife, mother and sister prepping the house and the easter cake (A two foot tall bunny cake).  When we arrived home we all decorated the eggs made with care in the morning by my mother, dad and I.  My wife was checking out the clothing for Easter Sunday, and making sure we had enough of the vitial things like dark socks cleaned and folded.  Then a final treat when my Dad took us all out for dinner...before we shuffled everyone off to bed.

Now the house is quieting down...only the two year old remains calling for anyone to get her out of the crib to play a few more hours (this kid does not sleep enough...GO GO GO).

I'm now reflecting on the incredible challenges we overcame, the love of friends helping us in deed and prayer through those challenges, and finally the growth my family went through spirituallyin the 40 days of Lent.

I am happy the world went silent today.  It gave me the time to now go to bed with a long list of thanksgiving prayers I need to say.

The first to the Lord for his suffering and final victory.  The rest to all those who followed his teachings to lift us up when we were down.

-ehw

Pink Springs In

Spring is barreling its way into Roswell, Georgia. Those of us with hay fever are also remembering why Atlanta Metro is known as the friendliest city to trees in the entire Untied States. The pollen count went well over 2000 for trees this week. Lovely time of year, the weather is great...but your cars are yellow...and don't touch your eyes!

We had a crazy week around my house, and a zany week to come with all sorts of fun and Holy Week to wrap it all up!

This year I found myself able to take off the last three days of Holy Week. SoI grabbed it. It is my favorite time of the liturgical year. I love the opportunity to contemplate on the fact that Jesus, God Incarnate, dies for me and everyone so we may be free. It brings me hope and peace.

The photo today reflects that thought as well. The tree went to sleep in fall, shedding its outer layer of leaves to survive the winter. Now with the light and warmth of spring new flowers arise. In them we see a mere prelude to the glory and beauty that is the love of God in our lives.

-ehw

Don't take your eye off the Ball

Shortest post ever since the sun comes up early and as usual I will beat it to work...

One more day and then the weekend. However never let your work suffer because of short sightedness or being asleep at the wheel!

-ehw

P.S. So,I'll take my nap now!>

The Slow Spring

I don't know about you, but this almost feels like we're going to have a year without a summer!  The flowers and blooms though are trying to come out and enjoy the sun.  Just a quick shot from the yard in the fading spring light this weekend.  These flowers are very graceful for a day at most, then they get twisted, and lose a lot of their appeal.  So if I want a shot of them, I need to photograph them as soon as they open.  So the lesson of the day is to take the shot now, because you never know if it will be there tomorrow.

Good lesson for life as well.

-ehw

P.S. Fuji X-E1 with 60mm close up lens.  (This is not a true macro as it will only do 2:1, not the full 1:1 a traditional macro will obtain)

God's Not Dead!

God's Not Dead!

If you have not yet seen the movie, I suggest you do!

It lets you know you are not alone in your faith and love for God.  In today's day and age, that is a message we all need to hear whenever possible.

The Holy Spirit sent a message, and the movie makers did their best to let God's word sing.

Do to subject matter I would take your children high school and up.  It would be a great conversation starter, so they can understand what challenges awaits their faith outside your home's protective bubble (well maybe they are facing it is in public school already...)

Here is a link to the website so you can find out more, and a movie house playing it!   God's Not Dead

-ehw

Premium or Regular?

I received a blessing from God today...I went out to fellowship and take photos with the His Light Workshop Crew.

If you have a few minutes I suggest you take a look at the work of Bill Fortney ( http://billfortney.com/) and Jim Begley (http://www.wowphotoshdr.com/).

What you will find are stunning images of life.  You will not find subjects created for shock value or pure sex appeal.  You find written word and art which lifts you upwards...toward an appreciation for God and all his wonders. Bill is fond of saying he loves texture in his photos.  I also think he is very good at helping you appreciate the textures God adds to your life.  Jim makes High Dynamic Range (HDR) photos which knock your socks off in content, technical excellence and message.  When you talk to him, you can see feel his love of God coming out in the same manner of an HDR photograph where something we think is too dark for perception reveals itself and the composition makes sense so the message takes root in your heart and mind in equal parts.  How do these men do this?  By actively listening to you, and letting God work through them in a very humble manner.

See if you come to a His Light Workshop, you better be ready for God to speak through its many members.  You need to understand that when you join the crew, they will care about you more as a person than as a photographer.  The funny thing is when they do this, they offer more of themselves to you as teachers than most others ever will if they did the reverse.

I saw many examples today of agape love in HDR.  People freely giving of themselves to care for others,  offering a prayer for others in need, and providing an environment for people to engage in the sharing at a level their personalities and life texture permits.  It is not loud, it is not outlandish...it is quiet and subtle..it is the sound of the Holy Spirit working his way through people bringing Christ where needed for their sustainment.

So why the title?  Well we all have many choices in life for everything we do.  In choosing friends and services I think we also have a choice...we can chose Premium or Regular friends.  A regular friend will be with us as we travel through life, but when a challenge arrives they'll just walk on their own trying to help you with a man's knowledge.  A premium friend with walk with you, and when the time comes not be afraid to invoke God in the discussion of how you shall overcome life's challenges using his revealed laws of nature and scripture.

The men and women of His Light...they are Premium.

-ehw

PS X-E1 with the 35mm Prime

Hardened Steel

I took this photo on Saturday, and when I took it I immediately thought about Lent.

One of my goals this lent is to work on accepting God's love myself in my personal life.  I've noticed over the last few years that when I accept more of his agape (self gift) I can give more of me to them than I could before.

I know it sounds funny, but it really is true.  I see this in the lives of many saints.  Little Mother Theresa is a giant in what she she accomplished because of this very lesson.  So if I can do this on even a small scale in my life, maybe this could help my family more than I ever could going it all alone.

So even though the world crushes us with all it has to make us harden our hearts towards God, we have to fight that.  We have to get a peace in our lives that can only come by keeping hearts unlocked to his spirit's love.

Might be a neat idea for you to try as well!

-EHW

PS Pentax K-5 with DFA-100WR, post in Aperture.  I used a combination of global contrast, definition and brushes for detail, and polarization.

A mother's sorrow, and our salvation

Imagine the sorrow a parent feels when death stands at the doorstep of their child's life.

I personally get rather sick at that thought, and feel a sudden panic to account for my children wherever they are.

Now imagine you are Mary the Mother of God incarnate.  You chose the path of God your entire life.  You accepted the saving grace of your son before you could understand what it meant!  Then after 33 years of raising this man you see your son unjustly condemned.  He then walks past you beaten and broken as his final mission...walking to his death on a tree.  Yet in her sorrow, she still watched her son Jesus become the ultimate passover sacrifice.

The Bible says Mary kept these types of things in her heart from Jesus' earliest days.  I wonder when it all came together for her, when she understood the events she witnessed.

How I'd like to hear her explain how her simple childhood wisdom carried her through these burdensome times!  Or what she thought when she realized the earth shattering gifts her son obtained for us!

When I think about it, I can only say that I've got it so easy compared to her right now...she is definitely a role model to follow as we take the journey towards her son.

-ehw

PS Fuji X-E1 with 18-55, post in Perfect Effects 8

Spring's Flowers

Well not to rub it in to those of you looking at more white stuff this evening, but look what was in my yard today!

Two weeks ago we had an ice storm.  This weekend we had springlike weather, flowers, and our first baseball practices with the boys.  

Walking the yard today, I think the big tragedy may be my gardenia bush near our deck.  The frost just ravaged the leaves.  It is mostly brown now, and I don't know if it will recover.  We also took some damage to the shed, and it needs roof repair now.  Hopefully I can teach myself to fix it without too much trouble.

This all just reminds me life is so precious, and our journey in the world so tenuous.  

See we're still praying for a lady our age who after having her fourth child in December collapsed in the parking lot at our children's homeschooling music group.  Her husband, knowing she was not feeling well that day was with her and immediately started CPR.  The ambulance came and she went off intubated to the hospital.  All this while her four children sat in the van...again a little miracle since friends nearby swooped them up and took them home for safety.  70 minutes later .... yes 70 minutes later.. her heart started working again on its own.  At first there appeared to be no brain activity...and they they tested again the next day....and found some hope.

By the third day she moved her feet, hands and made sounds.  She even wanted to know if the baby was hungry.  A little over two weeks later she is teasing her husband, who still sits at her side.  She knows her children and family.  She thinks it is 1996...but she is alive (and with children who were not born yet in 1996) and moving towards recovery.   Three doctors already said this is a miracle, even compared her to Lazarus more than once.

I told told my wife I was satisfied a miracle occurred when her husband was at her side that day...and even though feeling queasy she went along to help him get the kids to music. (probably knew Dad would get the times messed up...I know the drill because  my wife writes down everything for me and tells the kids they are my alarm clock).

The cause?  An extremely rare injury to an artery resulting from childbirth in December.

When told about the cause...she said without hesitation the child was worth the cost.

This my friends is a miracle we should all take note of.  We are witnessing a husband and wife who gave all without question to each other, and a witnessing their faith journey with us out here on the outside of their family.

For my wife and I it reminded us to love every moment of our lives.  They could be us.  Our children could be theirs.  It reminded us we need to be living our lives the best we can, because in a flash we could be meeting Jesus.

If you can, add a Marrietta family to your prayers .  They have a long way to go before the healing is done.

If you envisioned the scene, and you shed a year of sorrow and joy just hearing this love story...let this miracle help you be better than you were before for the rest of your lives.  I think the Lord will be pleased, and help his family even more.

-ehw

P.S. X-E1 with 60mm macro.

Rose of the Americas

St. Rose of Lima...in 31 years of life did everything she could to honor the Lord.

The stories we hear of her life, describe her as a child and woman so beautiful that people would just stop, stare and lose all sense of time.  She hated this adoration, and instead wanted people to honor God.  When told to marry she disobeyed her parents for the first time and said no...she'd already given her heart to Jesus.  She faced many trials created by the devil in her short life, including one described by Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, that of losing the ability to feel God's presence.  Instead she often felt alone, and this caused her great sadness.  In the midst of all of this, she cheerfully offered up her suffering as another offering to God.

I am in awe of people such as her.  I'm in awe of my lovely Rose as well, as she kneels to say her prayers in the hallway without prompting at this very moment.  She does not want to disturb her baby sister, who is partying in her crib a few feet away.

St. Rose...and saints in training like my Rose...make me realize how much harder I have to work to be a good servant of Christ example in the lives of those around me.

I hope on this Sunday, you too can think about examples you can following for spreading God's love around the world to make it just that much better.  I know will!

-ehw

P.S.  Mr X-E1 with the 35 F1.4 mounted up.

HDR Love

Here is a photo that is a little more than meets the eye.  It is another High Dynamic Range (HDR) photo I composited from seven clicks of the shutter.  Each click gives me information, and when I composite those seven shots I can do a whole lot of art with it.  I can pick realistic, surreal, structured, B&W you name it.  There is no "right" answer, it is just how I see it.  Over time I am also blessed because I can come back to the shoot with new lessons learned, and make a photo which takes those seven layers into a new and different direction.

Today is St. Valentines Day and he is the patron saint of marriage and love.  It will sound geeky, but marriage and love require HDR.  Our english language does not serve us well when we talk of love.  The church fathers knew there were four dynamics: Agape (Divine Love), Philia (Friendship), Storge (Affection) and Eros (Emotional).  Today our society outwardly values eros, and seemingly on purpose denies the others even exist.  This is of course a recipe for failure in families and human commitment.  We all know that emotional love fades, that when the hormones fade and age sets in...the pull of another set of hormones  or selfishness will tear the relationship asunder.  The self giving love flowing from Agape is the most important to emulate as it feeds everything else, yet to speak the name of the Lord in relation to being the example of human love will only get you scorn on the major networks and advertisements.

My love just read me a story about a couple married 65 years who said the secret they held was they grew up in a time when you did not throw a damaged item away...you fixed it.

That story says it all.  Just as I may find a new direction with my HDR next year, and could create a new version of this image...so must we adapt in our marriages finding the right mix of agape, philia, storge and eros as we advance through our lives. What was right for us as newlyweds, is not what will sustain us on our 16th anniversary this year or our 50th...I can foresee we have many a layer to examine and thrive with in the coming years.

I see the same example in the longevity of marriages by my parents, my in-laws and grandparents.   I pray St. Valentine and you will join me in asking the Lord for the wisdom to help us all down here to do the same.

-ehw

P.S. Fujifilm X-E1 with the fabulous 60mm Macro

Some Contrasts in NYC

I just wanted to share two photos taken minutes apart in NYC, not even a block apart from the other.

The first photo is a Saturday night picture of traffic at about 6:15PM...It shows the towers of steel, the light, the motion of the city. People were hustling through Hell's Kitchen to grab dinner, or go see a show down the street a fe blocks in the Theater District. A few blocks to the east thousands of people streamed into Times Square using the warm weather to enjoy Super Bowl Boulevard on its last night.

Then there was this I took a few minutes earlier after the Saturday Vigil Mass at St. Micheal the Archangel...

The noise in the church was minimal, the congregation small (like 20 max in a church for 600-800 people) and the priest busy with four people talking about getting more involved at the parish....

Over my stay here this was what was so hard for me to comprehend, but easy to appreciate. On one floor you find a party, on the next a serenity, in one building complex business activities, and the adjoining one an abandoned hulk of glory long past.

There is so much crammed into this little piece of real estate! I would need to cross counties for in Georgia to experience some of these juxtapositions you get inside a city block here in New York City. It is not totally bad, it is not totally good...it is what is. It is something one must be constantly aware of in this city...as you should in any major city I've visited (like Tokyo, Seoul, Mexico City, Los Angeles, Berlin...I guess I've been a few places in my life).

By being aware of these many different possibilities in such a tiny area, one can both begin to appreciate what they have before them AND properly shift mindsets to handle the environment to your best advantage. And that was my lesson to self for the day I can take anywhere at anytime.

-ehw

PS Fujifilm X-E1 with 35mm for the street photo, and the 14mm for the altar photo. Came out alright on both accounts I think.