May
06
2013When they snip that umbilical cord and pass you the squalling babe, a part of you that has been growing and depending on you is now loose.
Before that moment, that baby was part of you. You hugged the toilet for a season knowing that tiny being was being formed. You ate well. You rested when you could. And you decorated a nursery. But all those moments lead to the moment with that child is wrapping water logged fingers around your pinky.
And when your newborn locks eyes with you, you understand that all the suffering of carrying this extra person for months was worth it.
After 9 long months you have just birthed a dream knitted together within you by the very hand of God. <— Click to Tweet
I don’t know about you, but I’ve birthed a lot of dreams in my short life. Getting my driver’s licence (don’t laugh… I’m serious!), finishing college, marrying Derek, starting this fledgling photography business, writing the stories God gives are just a few.
But none of these dreams even compare to the three little dreamers running wild in my home.
My three are all 3 and under, so I don’t yet have an inkling as to what dream God placed in their heart to pursue. I know my Aeralind has a soft heart that hates to see others cry. I know my Bronwyn is a natural leader and will do well if she disciplines herself to hear her followers leads. I know that Sedryn delights in service as I watch him run to the dish washer intent on handing me forks while I put things away. But my dreams for them are simple: that they would hear and believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and that they would pursue the dream He knitted into their unique hearts.
I think it’s fair to say that I’m not the only one dreaming big dreams for my children. Moms all over this country are teaching their preschoolers to read. Taking their elementary aged children to soccer, gymnastics, scouts, and music lessons. Watching and coaching as their children encounter those tough middle school years. Teaching responsibility by taking privileges and further coaching. Scrimping and saving for that needed college education while their changing diapers.
But what about those moms on the other side of the world. The ones who live on around $1 a day. What are their dreams for their children?
I don’t think they’re any different. When that 9 month gestation is up and the midwife (or neighbor or mom herself) cuddles the squalling babe in her arms, she sees a promise of a unique dream from the Great Dreamer. And she will do whatever she can to help that child grow up to their potential.
She’s not any different than us. And her child is not any different than ours.
She will go without meals to feed her little one: so would you.
She will let herself be attacked to defend her little one: so would you.
She will walk miles to beg to have her child put on the nearest Compassion School’s sponsorship list: so would you.
She will grow callouses on her knees praying for her child to walk the path of Christ: so will you.
The difference is, most of us will never have to do the first three things. But the truth is we are blessed to do the last thing together.
So, mothers, I’m begging you: let those callouses on your knees develop while praying for a mother and child in poverty in addition to your own brood. Give up a few lattes or those new shoes or that mother’s day brunch and give a mother’s dream child a chance to live. Admit that your child doesn’t like soccer, or gymnastics or scouts, or whatever activity you place them in and use that money instead to teach them about poverty by letting them sponsor and write to a real child in poverty.
Teaching our children to give to birth another’s dream is perhaps the best lesson we could hope to teach as moms.
Apr
30
2013
Dear Derek,
I know you don’t often think of yourself as a God-sized dreamer. I know you struggle with fear of inadequacy.
But remember the definition of a God-sized dream is: desiring more of what God has for you.
Derek, God has so much for you. A job. Three beautiful children. Not to mention a ridiculously quirky wife.
And he’s gifted you with a unique skill set. Hands that like fine work. A mind that “speaks geek”. A heart that loves to pray. And he’s made you a protective landing place for the 4 under your care.
Here’s what I want you to hear most: I will follow you in your dreams and I am blessed to call you mine.
So, sweet husband of mine, solider forward in the full Armor of God. I’ll be right behind you both shielded by your strength and encouraging you to keep at it (because He’s worth it).
Love you more than bacon loves ice cream,
Melissa
(I couldn’t think of a better person to write to when Holley’s prompt was to write a letter to another dreamer in my life.)
Apr
30
2013We’ve played around with the rule of thirds, leading lines, different angles, and shooting details, now lets bring it all together into a diptych and a triptych.
What is a Diptych and Triptych
A diptych is a pair of images and a triptych is a trio of images placed together to tell a story or make a comparison.
That’s a deceptively simple definition for a fun technique that when used properly can make twice (or three times) the storytelling impact of a single image. Choosing the two or three photographs to send the message you want the viewer to see is heart of creating diptychs and triptychs. The images can be of the same scene processed differently or at different moments in time (like a series of a diver entering the water or a child playing with a toy). Or the images can be of completely different scenes that combine to tell a story or communicate a message.
Examples and Analysis of Diptych and Triptych
I have fond memories of creating Diptych and Triptych for my photography 2 class in college. I tried to dig those out and had my husband scan the one I could find as well as created a few more.
I’m going to critique each set of images here by asking the following questions. This is also a good model for critiquing the resulting diptych/triptych in our Flickr Group.
- Are the images making a comparison, telling a story, or making a statement, or something else entirely?
- Verbalize the comparison/story/or statement this set of images makes.
- What could make this set of images stronger?
- What is really effective about this set of images?
Mountaintop Experiences
- Are the images making a comparison, telling a story, or making a statement, or something else entirely? I think this one from my film days (it’s not the greatest scan… but it’ll do) is just setting a scene.
- Verbalize the comparison/story/or statement this set of images makes. I think if I just saw the middle picture or even the two pictures on the right, you’d think she was just reading a book and eating a bag of chips with a pretty view. It’s the third photo with the rope and the pack that really sets the scene of a break from climbing.
- What could make this set of images stronger? I wish I’d had a wider angle lens to take this shot. But I’m pretty sure that there was no more than 10ft across the top of that precipice. It also would have been nicer had they lined up more directly, but again.. not a lot of room to maneuver (and there were at least 5 others up there with us). I think I stood in the same place for all three images.
- What is really effective about this set of images? I think it’s just an expanded view of a small event. I like how it just enlarges what your intial thought is looking at the images.
Pealing Potatoes
- Are the images making a comparison, telling a story, or making a statement, or something else entirely?
Making a statement. - Verbalize the comparison/story/or statement this set of images makes. When I took saw these two together, I was struck so much by how important it is for my little girls to have strong role models. The girls are watching everyone and modeling their actions even on the most mundane things. I put these two images together to help me visualize the importance of older girls/women in young girl’s lives.
- What could make this set of images stronger? I shot with a pretty wide depth of field (f/8) I wish I would have opened up a bit more (maybe f/3) to cut down the distraction of the backdrop. I also wish I would have been a bit closer to the subjects.
- What is really effective about this set of images? The confused look toward her role model followed by the determination to peal that potato. It’s her face that makes this strong. I also think the black and white processing helped to focus us on her face.
Boyhood
- Are the images making a comparison, telling a story, or making a statement, or something else entirely? I think they’re most effectively telling a story.
- Verbalize the comparison/story/or statement this set of images makes. One word. Boyhood. My girls are pretty tom-boyish, but they’re timid at first. Not Sedryn. Dirt, check. Stick, check. Pants falling off, who cares?
- What could make this set of images stronger? I’m not sure I like the way I have them arranged on this storyboard. I sort of want the two detail shot on the ends and the boy with his self satisfied dirty face in the middle. I also wish I’d taken them a bit later during his play when he was much messier.
- What is really effective about this set of images? It’s emotional for me. This boy setting out to conquer the world and starting out with the nearest patch of dirt. But it’s also so mundane. This is just what little boys do.
I had a good making a statement triptych that I couldn’t find to scan. An image of a pristine waterfall, a backhoe in a cleared field with a beautiful mountain view in the background, and a broken stop sign in a pick of trash. The statement was the need to keep some areas of the world pristine I wish you could see it… but I just wanted to give you an idea of how you can make a specific statement like that with your images in a triptych series.
Diptych and Triptych Assignment
Get out there and create 1 diptych and 1 triptych. Bonus points if you feel inspired to do more than one. In the resources section below, you’ll find some inspiration images as well as tutorials/helps for putting your three images in one frame. If you want to put them all in one frame, go for it. If that seems way too much work for you at this time, then just title all your images something like Diptych 1 and Diptych 2 so we know which goes with which.
When you post your images over in the Flickr Group, leave no description beyond maybe a title, and see what others take from your work in their critique comments. You could put the questions in the description if you wanted. After a few comments, feel free to add your own purpose/self-critique.
Comment on 2-5 (or more) of your fellow classmates Diptych/Triptych and answer the following questions in your critique:
- Are the images making a comparison, telling a story, or making a statement, or something else entirely?
- Verbalize the comparison/story/or statement this set of images makes.
- What could make this set of images stronger?
- What is really effective about this set of images?
Resources
Let me share a few extra resources as you create your diptych or triptych.
Inspirational Diptych or Triptych
Get your creative juices flowing by clicking any of the following links for inspiration.
Diptych Photography: The Art of Combining Two Images
Diptych & Triptych: 5 Prime Examples
Collections of Triptych Photography by Adde Adesokan
Triptych: When a Single Picture Won’t Do
How to Make a Diptych or Triptych in a Single Frame
You can use photo editing software to make a Diptych or Triptych in a Single Frame. Here are a few actions/tutorials for making collages in Photoshop Elements/Photoshop or Lightroom as well as a free software program that you could use to make your diptych and triptych.
Creating a Triptych in Lightroom (same technique would work for a diptych. I don’t have Lightroom… so you’re on your own for this one!)
A free PSE/PS action for a Diptych (One horizontal and one vertical image)
A free PSE/PS action for a Diptych (Two vertical images)
A Set of Free Actions including two Diptych (Two horizontal/two vertical… I use this whole set all the time!)
A free PSE/PS action for a Triptych (3 vertical images)
CollageIt (Free Program for creating collages on Windows or Mac. I have no experience with this… just thought it might be helpful if we didn’t have photo editing software.)
Please let us know in the comments if you know of another way to make simple collages for this assignment! Use links if you can.
I can’t wait to see what stories you tell with these!
Apr
29
2013On the seventh day, God rested.
Sometimes I forget that I’m not better than God and I just keep on working and doing and planning and…and…
This streak usually ends poorly with me crying after an angry outburst that really boils down to me feeling overwhelmed.
(I may or may not have had such an ugly outburst on Monday.)
I don’t like to rest. Because in resting, I have to wait on God.
But I’m learning to rest. Learning to step away from the computer and its hounding me to write or edit. Learning to take knitting needles out to the lawn and create amid preschool laughter. Learning to sew during nap time on somedays even though I know it’s my best hours for writing or editing. I’m learning that chatting with friends idly on Tuesday night (when we’re supposed to be discussing a book) or having Facetime with Julia is often more important than whatever was on my to do list.
God gives me these things as gifts. Rest is a gift whether with a friend or with hands that create or even taking an extra long shower.
And gifts are to be opened with surprise and simply enjoyed. I know that. I love giving gifts and I love watching them be used with joy.
So I’m heading to bed now. To rest in Him and the good gifts He gives. To recharge for the work He has blessed me with tomorrow. To have enough overflow in my daily life to serve him in this God-sized dream.
Yes, I need rest.
Apr
28
2013I can hardly eat today.
That’s not the usual case. I actually often have to repent of gluttony. But today I’m suffering through another minor stomach bug.
I open a letter from Delsys with a drawing of her wearing a beautiful blue and white dress. She writes that she prays that we stay in good health. I needed that encouragement today. To know that even though my intestines are in turmoil, I will likely be okay. It’s amazing how a 5 year old child in poverty can speak into my heart.
But she writes that she is thankful “for belonging in a family” and asks that we “always pray for her entire family so that God keeps them in good health and that they can be united.”
I’m struck with the brokenness of a prayer request like this from a 5 year old. A five year old who watches families broken by curable diseases such as malaria and who wants to be a nurse so she can heal that hurt and save families.
I know a few five year olds and they want to be things like ballerina’s or stunt motorcyclists or firefighters or mommys. These first world 5 year olds want to seek glory for themselves or become someone they admire, but third world Delsys is on a mission to stop disease from wrecking families. The contrast is stark.
We’re at the store the other day and one of my three year olds is throwing a fit over a toy that we simply cannot afford. The other one pats her on the shoulder: “Don’t cry. You can ask for it for Christmas,” she consoles. A part of me dies of horror in response.
I love gift giving and it’s truly my love language, but things need to change around here. I’m not sure how to enact that change, but I know a few ways to start. Stressing the gospel, reading the word, attending the combating materialism parent class next session, teaching the girls to give, and falling flat on my face in prayer.
Delsys, sweet girl, I’m not sure how we thought we could help you… in truth, we need your perspective more than you need our meager $38 a month.
