The Anatomy of Awe

Discovering the Telephoto Viewpoint

As I’ve mentioned more than a few times, I have picked up my camera again and started trying to learn more about how to use it.  I will never be a professional, but I want to enjoy taking photos and have them turn out reasonably good.  What the experts keep telling me in all those YouTube videos is that the very best way to learn how to take great pictures is to take a lot of pictures.  I’ve shared some of my recent photos because it’s part of the reward of taking lots of photos.  And every once in a while, you take one that makes you think, “How in the world did I get that shot?  I didn’t see that through the lens.”  So I’m learning that photography is not all about skills, but about opportunity as well.

In practicing these last months, I have tried to take more pictures close up.  When you get right on top of something with your camera lens, you see things that otherwise you wouldn’t notice because there’s so much around you to look at and focus on that it’s easy to miss the details.  When I look at a string of photos for editing, some of those close ups are pretty amazing.  Nature photos are what I love best, and when you look at the intricacies of a leaf, or a flower, or a rock formation, or rain droplets, or light rays dancing off the surface of water, it can be truly awe-inspiring. 

How often do we miss things because we don’t look closely enough?  Our minds are so distractible that we fail to observe the small beauties around us.  How frequently do we miss someone’s subtle expression that tells a story of what they are going through?  When was the last time you had a “wow” moment from seeing something or someone like you’ve never seen them before because you took the time to look below the surface?

I want to be blown away every day by the awesomeness of life.  Even if we’re going through hard things, we can find those small glimmers of light, those tiny droplets of hope, the magic that is always all around us, but we miss it because we’re busy focusing on the big picture.  Take the time to get close and look with a telephoto viewpoint.  There’s so much out there that can create take-your-breath-away moments if you only stop and look. 

My wish is for you to have an encounter of the close-up kind that leaves you in awe and celebrating the beauty of life.  When you see it, take a photo, write it down, or share it with someone who could use a moment of awe in their day, too.  Look to be awe-filled and awesome today.  There’s plenty of awesomeness to go around – get your piece of it!