Parting Shot


News

For the next several months The Missouri Methodists will be featuring the photography of Rev. Eric Mattson (First UMC New Madrid/Lilbourn) on the back cover. To see more of Eric’s work, go to www.flickr.com/photos/eric_mattson

Following Ordination, I put my Nikon DSLR away and got out a camera used for street photography. Most of my time at the reception was spent trying to catch just the right human interaction. Before leaving, I turned my attention away from the crowd and was struck by silhouettes in front of the fountain. Shadow people have a compelling story of their own, a story which is often ignored. Photography is a language of light, and learning the language of photography’s essential ingredient is a lifetime pursuit. There are infinite shadings of lights and shadows, infinite hues and temperatures of color, infinite angles of reflection and diffraction. On this night, the silhouettes caught my attention. While post-processing my captured image, I drew out only enough of the shadow detail to tease the imagination. Christianity is a language of light, and learning the language of God’s essential light is also a lifetime pursuit. This pilgrim is still learning how to post-process and interpret life’s images as I look at my personal experience in context using reason and through the filter of scripture. Sounds kind of Wesleyan, doesn’t it?