Led by the Spirit

by on 2016.03.22

Led by the Spirit: Photographic print; long exposure.

or… let’s talk about Lent

I have enjoyed, over the past five weeks, being a part of a new group ministry at church (PAGE). The ‘class’, as it has been started, has given me an outlet for my creative side; something I have been remiss to do lately.

We have studied liturgical art, and the place of artists and religion in history. I have had a great time thus far, and am looking forward to completing more projects in this group.

For more information please check out PAGE’s facebook page (opens in new tab).

Title

Led by the Spirit

Led by the Spirit: Photographic print; long exposure.

2 minutes exposure through welding glass. Inspiration: Matthew 4:1-2

Inspiration

Matthew 4:1-2 “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.  And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

 Say What?

So, which is it? Is it harder to go without, or is it harder to give up? Why do we give anything up for lent anyway. Just a few of the things to think about as we head into the pre-Easter season.

I decided to focus on the oft glazed over portion of this story. Sure, forty days without is the pits, especially when you are talking food and shelter! However, very few of us are giving those up these days. It is pretty much soda, junk food, television, internet (no, no, scratch that. Let’s not get overly crazy here!). But honestly, we don’t generally “give up” necessities. I mean, how hard would that be, right?

Let’s say, for the sake of argument, we are giving up… video games. Not to bad, until one realises that they get in three hours on their console each night after the kids go to bed. So, that fist night we pop in a movie, or even decide to go to bed at a reasonable hour.

Nights two and three however, GREAT GATSBY GOING GALAVANTING, WHAT WAS I THINKING?!? WE push through it though, and night four isn’t quite as bad. Not great, but not excruciating either. And that trend continues. By the end of forty days and nights, we have filed in our time with other distractions and the lack of video games goes by largely unnoticed. I guess that’s why we are supposed to deal with addictions and habbits one day at a time. “They” say it takes twelve days to make or break a habit.

How hard would it be to walk away, not just from the frivolous, but to walk away from EVERYONE and EVERYTHING. I couldn’t do that.

And then, the tempting starts.

Technical Specifications

Photography:

  • Canon 40D
  • ISO: 100, F22, 2 mins.
  • Manual Focus, Image Stabilization off
  • Shot through pane of #10 green welding helmet glass towards the southeast at 9:27 AM.
  • Subject lit via silver reflector in two positions, the first for 45 seconds, the second for the remainder.

Post-processing:

  • Cropped to 14×11
  • Adjustments made to Exposure+, Contrast+, Shadows+, Blacks-, Clarity+
  • Black and White mix adjustments
  • Slight Post Crop Vignette
  • Added Grain
  • Desaturated
  • Split tone colored with light purple and light muted gold

notes

  • repentance, penance,
  • Being led by the spirit, away from earthly comforts, (into temptation?)

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