Fall is a Photographer’s Dream

October is a fantastic month for someone who is fascinated with God’s creation. I have felt a little parched in my soul lately, so I made a conscious effort on a few fall days to experience God’s glory.

On the first day of the month, I was rushing out to make it to a class on time and glanced out the car window to see the sun setting over my neighbor’s yard. I braked, reversed, and got out to take this photo with my phone. Superb!

A few days later, I took the kids with me to a nearby park and let them play in the rocky sand on the edge of a lake. They lost themselves in the busyness of digging, shoveling sand into buckets, and throwing rocks into the lake. I sat in a chair a few feet away, and used my camera to capture the moments. Even though I was technically an observer, using my camera is what I imagine blinders are like for a horse: the camera filters out the rest of the world for me, and causes me to stop getting caught up in the meaningless around me. I needed that desperately with my kids, and my trusty camera didn’t fail me that day! Here are some of my favorite images.

After watching the kids throw lots of rocks into the lake’s smooth water, I asked Katie if she would throw some for me so I could capture the splashes. The challenge of focusing in the right spot (on a splash that didn’t even exist yet!) and finding the right lighting and shutter speed was really fun for me.

Later in the month, I was standing with the kids at the bus stop on a Monday morning. It was the day after a big rain, and I noticed the morning sun highlighting the dew and raindrops on the beautiful leaves all around me. Once the bus took the kids to school, I got my camera and knelt down in my neighbors’ yards to study God’s masterpieces.

Once I was finished, I decided to take a walk on a nearby trail so I could revel in the fall beauty. I didn’t have my nice camera with me, but used my cell phone so I could remember what a great walk I had with Jesus. At one point, I started singing out loud in worship of Him. I am not very animated in my worship at church (although I’d like to be; I’m just slow at getting out of my comfort zone), but I decided to be active in my worship on that walk, because I was all alone in the woods. I danced and spun around on the trail, singing loudly and – I’m sure – off-key. If I had been watching myself, I’m sure I would have thought I was a nut job. But since I was all alone, I decided it was okay to be undignified. You know where this story is going, don’t you? As I neared the end of the trail, I saw a woman standing near a sign and she was watching me intently. I was in mid spin, with my arms flung out in praise when I realized she saw me. But you know what? I decided I just didn’t care. I kept spinning anyway. This photo reminds me to keep spinning and whirling for Him.

Later that same day, I drove to find a spot for our family photos. I was enraptured by the incredible beauty of the trees and leaves, and my heart soared with each photo I took of this breathtaking land.

At one point, I had my zoom lens on and saw some movement in the sunshine. It was a tiny spider hanging from a thread of his web, and I tried to capture him hanging and then climbing on a branch. Those photos didn’t turn out, but in focusing on him I saw this diligent ant on a mission. I added some words to this photo because I love the way it turned out.

I made some more photo art, and love the finished products too.

So later that day, I asked Dan to meet us at the park after work and I took our yearly family photos. I can’t decide which is my favorite!

I posted those photos on Facebook, and had three friends message me to ask for their own family photo shoot. I planned one with my friend Gina, but our first try got ruined by tornado sirens. Aack! We rescheduled and came out with these gems.

Oh, how I love fall. It’s a rough time for me emotionally (lots of birthdays and death anniversaries for my family), but God soothes the ache in my heart with glimpses of His glory.