It’s happened. I’m official. Facebook has given me a title.
According to them, I am a Visual Storyteller.
Honestly, I laughed when it was pointed out to me. At a time when most of my friends seem to be in an unofficial competition over how little time they are “wasting” on social media, Facebook outed me.
I am the kid caught with chocolate on their face before snack time.
Putting my picture posting habits aside, I find I like that title. . . a lot. Maybe it’s all the r’s and l’s but it has a romantic ring to it. Visual Storyteller. For, in fact, that’s what a photographer does. Sees people, landscapes, objects, nature and uses lighting, color, and cropping to draw attention to what they want you to see.
What the hey. I’m a photographer—one of them.
We frame the picture. We show you what to see.
If you were to look at the raw version of the pictures I take, you would probably quickly swipe through, and then, with a thinned voice, tell me they were great, not convinced that I have any abilities at all. I know this because I have experienced it on several occasions. It doesn’t discourage me anymore though, because I know that once I make a few tweaks and frame the subject the right way, the conversation will take a turn.
Why? Because now I am telling the story that was previously being overlooked. Perhaps you didn’t see the dragonfly in the bird’s mouth, the reflection in the gator’s eye, the iridescent colors in the feathers, or even simply the wrinkles in the cheek. That is part of my responsibility as a photographer; highlighting the reality that could be easily missed.
I’ve grown to revel in that responsibility quite seriously as a “visual storyteller.”
I am just beginning to realize, as humans, we have an even greater responsibility to do the same.
If we do not know the truth about things such as news events, breeds of dogs, products, foods, Biblical scriptures, people, and ourselves; we live by the story that is framed and handed to us.
News agencies do that all the time. But I’m not talking about “fake news”. We get fed framed stories all the time by health experts, marketing groups, pastors, and even friends.
The disciples, for instance, framed the situation of the storm from their own fears … “they thought they would die” (Matthew 8:25.) The scaffold for their experience on the waves was the effects of the storm—but then Jesus rebuilt the framework of the story around the truth of His power. “Even the wind and waves obey Him” (Matthew 8:27). His presence in a situation changes everything. It’s a wholly new reality.
I have a friend, Danielle, (for those who wonder, I always ask permission) who has walked a difficult life. At a very young age, she watched her mom being resuscitated after trying to take her own life, and although her mother lived, the crisis that brought her mom to that point of desperation was always present in her home. She grew up with an intimacy with feelings of rejection and abandonment that took her down her own pit of self-abuse. The damaging effects accumulated over the years, leaving her focused on the “winds and waves.”
Then Jesus. . .
Danielle has began the process of seeing her life reframed by the power and care of Jesus. It’s been a slow and marvelous paradigm shift, for sure. Her old self wants to be the storyteller; trying to filter things through her feelings of abandonment and hurt. When she listens to that story, she gets lost in a sauce of anger, paranoia, and sadness. But when she looks at herself—her story–the way Jesus frames her, she knows forgiveness, joy, and freedom.
It’s been a true honor to journey alongside her, as a friend. I have seen her childlike enthusiasm as she discovers more and more through God’s word and prayer. She is more hungry for beautiful things than I have seen anyone in years—including myself. (Notice I just framed her for you.) Although she has come amazing distances, it’s still a trek. The “old” Danielle makes her appearances.
Hear what I am about to say:
One of the toughest pieces of Danielle’s life has not just been resisting her “old” self when its triggered into arrival, but is that arrival often is ushered in by Christian people framing her in a negative way to other believers. It’s easy to do. We are just reporting what we have seen or heard. It’s reckless at best, sin at its worst. With a word, we often resurrect what Christ came to rescue our brothers and sisters from. Only God can judge the motives as to why we do what we do it.
We must be mindful. A person’s preface is not the whole story.
As a nature photographer, my only prayer is that I bring glory to God by how I tell the visual story of His creation. As a Christian daughter, wife, mother, friend, and witness— how much more responsibility do I have to frame His favorite creation in the light of Christ.
Romans 3:23-24 (NLT)
23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.24 Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.
