by Kathy Robertson
This article was originally published in PCJH’s Winter 2023 Pinnacle, “Seeing God in the Arts”

I have always loved photography. When I was a teenager and asked for a camera, I got an instamatic, which was not quite what I had in mind.  Later I saved up and bought a fully manual film Pentax K 1000 that I loved, but not having money for expensive lenses, I purchased some Sears lenses and went out to practice.  Being born legally blind in my right eye, I never had depth perception. I still had to see to focus, so my images lacked the crispness I wanted.  It was not until I was around 50 that the ability to deal with some of my blindness was possible.  After 2 years and 4 different eye surgeries, I finally had depth perception and a crispness that I had never seen!  I could see the individual leaves flicker on the tree, as well as seeing trees, rocks and wildlife come alive in my new 3-D world.

You see, they had always in reality been this way, I just did not have eyes to see them.  So many verses in the Bible refer to God opening our eyes.  This never is to see things that are not there, but to see things that have always been there, but we blindly walk past them.

I continued to take classes and capture images, finding the love of photographing people, relationships and lifestyle in the area I have been blessed to grow up in.  Matthew 6:20-21 jumped out at me, “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  That was when “Treasures I Seek” was inspired.  I have had the great joy of photographing hundreds of weddings, portraits and events with one goal in mind: how can I be and create images that are a blessing to my clients?  It did not take me long to become aware that skill and talent only take you so far.  I created a habit of praying before every shoot, to be a blessing to the families, to remember the technical aspects of the shoot, and to be inspired by God to creatively see light and how to capture the event.  I could do my homework, but because I always photographed on location, so many things were out of my control.  I had to trust God completely as there were never any do-overs.  I remember how I doubted my strength when I had kidney stones, and another time when I had 4 broken fingers on my left hand.  I prayed and believed in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”  We experience His strength stronger in our weakness! 

Now I no longer am doing weddings and fewer portraits, but am trusting that God, who knows me and my future better than I do, will guide me in the direction I will take with my photography.  Because the “Treasures I Seek” are to be continually inspired to create images that will be a blessing to others and bring Glory to God!