Month: September 2016

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PWTE Daily Devotion

Fascinated by Fire

The fire of God’s word draws us to his heart.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.”
Exodus 3:2 English Standard Version

I don’t know all the technical stuff that goes into filling a hot air balloon with, well, hot air, but I have been up close and personal as the crew readies a balloon for flight. They begin by laying out the balloon on the ground, then fill it with air with an industrial sized fan, a fan that will blow you over if you’re too close. Once the balloon has a sufficient amount of air, the pilot begins filling it with the hot stuff.

sept-24-98It’s this sight and the sound of the flames that captures the attention of the crowd sipping their morning java.

Every time the pilot injected propane into the burners there was this amazing burst of fire that took on a new and different shape each time.

Moses experienced the fire of God in a way that none of us have. How is it that a bush in the middle of the desert could erupt with spectacular flames and yet not be consumed? How is it that this intense fire hasn’t leaped to other plants?

Moses must leave his sheep and focus on this spectacle, like the shoulder riding girl caught up in the flames of the hot air balloon.

In Psalm 29, King David declared that the voice of the Lord “flashes forth flames of fire.” (Psalm 29:7). Though we might not see a burning bush filled with the presence of the Lord’s angel, his voice burst into our lives. His word causes us to turn aside. His word informs us of our true identity, and his grace towards us. His word is a flame of fire that draws us to his heart.

Picture and Text Copyright Douglas P Brauner

Categories
PWTE Daily Devotion

The Heart of Community

Thousands of people gather for three days of hot air balloons dancing in the sky at the annual Colorado Springs Labor Day Liftoff.

God’s love is the heart of community.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.”
1 John 1:3 New Living Translation

Thousands of people rise early on Labor Day in Colorado Springs and head to Memorial Park to watch hot air balloons launch into the crisp morning sky. Children are brought in their pajamas, the aroma of coffee fills the air, and more than a few of us bring our cameras and cell phones to capture the spectacle of these balloons effortlessly ascending into the heavens.

This Labor Day was different from others. It appeared to the untrained eye that the conditions were perfect for the balloonists. Yet, the winds aloft were not ideal, so the pilots filled their balloons but kept them grounded until they were given the okay to launch.

Thousands of people gather for three days of hot air balloons dancing in the sky at the annual Colorado Springs Labor Day Liftoff.
Thousands of people gather for three days of hot air balloons dancing in the sky at the annual Colorado Springs Labor Day Liftoff.

The gathering of these balloons above the thousands of people gathered on the grass was a sight not often seen. Finally, the okay was given to launch and cheers began to fill the air. Balloons headed over Prospect Lake to perform a splash and dash, dipping their gondolas in the cool morning water before heading to the sky.

Except for a few of us obnoxious photographers, people kindly moved about trying not to get in each other’s way. There was the occasional, “Sorry,” when someone accidentally ran into another person because their eyes were turned skyward. This was a picture of community.

God has called us into community by our faith in Jesus Christ. John experienced this community with his friends. Their fellowship with God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ was the heart of their community. This was a fellowship rooted in God’s love.

I’m drawn to this picture because of the “love” balloon standing in the middle of the gathered community. It is the love of God in Christ that holds the Christian community together.

God’s love isn’t controlled by our definition of love. His love allowed Job to suffer. His love allows us to suffer yet find hope in his promises; his promise that all things work together for the good of those who love him; his promise that one day all tears will be wiped away.

Lord Jesus, the depth of your love for us is beyond our understanding. May this love continually bind us together as we seek to find ways to express this love to others. Amen.

Text and Picture Copyright Douglas P Brauner

Categories
Photography

Sensory Overload – The Old Fart Photographer

Copyright Douglas P Brauner

Simple Tricks for Taking Gorgeous Fall Pictures

Cottonwood Lake, Colorado
Cottonwood Lake, Colorado

It had been a long day of taking pictures. My friend, Gary, and I had been on the road since 3:00 am. It was fall in the Rockies and we planned to reach the top of Cottonwood Pass by sunrise, and now it was towards sunset. We had traveled to Tincup’s old cemetery, spent time taking pictures at a couple of Beaver ponds, and enjoyed an amazing vista at the top of Cumberland Pass. We had one more stop before we lost the light of sun. Before heading in to Buena Vista, we stopped at Cottonwood Lake.

My senses were not prepared for what I saw. At the end of Cottonwood Lake were aspen at their colorful peak. Not only were their leaves yellow and green, but many of them were pink. As I walked among the trees I was shouting, “I’m on sensory overload.” Now, understand that I was feeling a bit sleep deprived by this time and I’m sure that Gary would have appreciated a little peace and quiet, but it was truly an amazing spectacle.

I was able to capture a few good pics, but I wasn’t thinking straight. I was so caught up in the beauty that I didn’t slow down and think before I pressed the shutter button. Here are a few tips for you so that you don’t make the same mistake this fall.

  1. BREATHE: Take a few deep breaths before you start taking pictures. Sit back and look over the entire scene. Enjoy the beauty of God’s canvas before you start thinking about composition and camera settings. Walk among the trees looking up and down, and notice what the light is doing as it passes through the leaves. Burn a picture of this scene on your brain before you open your shutter to capture this parade of pigments. You might come home with fewer pictures, but ones with which you are satisfied.
  2. Tincup Cemetery, Tincup, Colorado
    Tincup Cemetery, Tincup, Colorado

    SPEND TIME THINKING ABOUT COMPOSITION: An important question to ask yourself when taking pictures of the fall colors is, what’s my subject? As a friend reminded me, the dominant feature of fall is color, but color itself is probably not your subject. You’ve probably done the same thing that I have. You’ve taken a picture of some beautiful leaves thinking that you’ve got this amazing shot which would make for a masterpiece above your mantel. However, your picture isn’t interesting. It’s just color. Again, ask yourself, what’s my subject?  Think about leading lines to draw the viewer deeper into your picture. Notice what’s in the background. What needs to be included and excluded from your picture?

  3. IT’S ALL ABOUT LIGHT: Backlight the leaves if you want to make them pop.  Backlight is when the sun is in front of you and passes through the leaves. Notice how the light and shadows fall on the leaves. You might even capture the sun as a starburst through the trees. To do this, stop your camera down to a small aperture (f/18, f/22) and slightly under expose your picture.
  4. Lutheran Valley Ranch, Colorado
    Lutheran Valley Ranch, Colorado

    GET ON YOUR BELLY: The light passing through the leaves creates a pleasingly warm light on the ground. The plants and fallen leaves make for an interesting picture, especially if the light is spotted on a few plants and not on others. And don’t forget about macro photography as newly fallen leaves carpet the ground. These contrasting colors, along with both light and moisture, can make a spectacular photo.

  5. BE CREATIVE: Let your personality come through in your pictures. Three people can take pictures of the same scene, yet each picture will be strikingly different from the others. Why? Because, like the leaves, each person behind the camera is a uniquely crafted masterpiece of God. Nobody sees the world like you do. Let your God-given personality shine through.

These five points are not an exhaustive list. Look for other blogs by other photographers to help you go deeper into capturing these amazing fall scenes. Most of all have fun. That’s what photography is all about.

Text and Pictures Copyright Douglas P Brauner