#1: Stay still. If you move it is hard to get a picture that will not come out blurry like this one:
On April 4, 1945, elements of the United States Army’s 89th Infantry Division and the 4th Armored Division captured the Ohrdruf concentration camp outside the town of Gotha in south central Germany. Although the Americans didn’t know it at the time, Ohrdruf was one of several sub-camps serving the Buchenwald extermination camp, which was close to the city of Weimar several miles north of Gotha. Ohrdruf was a holding facility for over 11,000 prisoners on their way to the gas chambers and crematoria at Buchenwald. A few days before the Americans arrived to liberate Ohrdruf, the SS guards had assembled all of the inmates who could walk and marched them off to Buchenwald. They left in the sub-camp more than a thousand bodies of prisoners who had died of bullet wounds, starvation, abuse, and disease. The scene was an indescribable horror even to the combat-hardened troops who captured the camp. Bodies were piled throughout the camp. There was evidence everywhere of systematic butchery. Many of the mounds of dead bodies were still smoldering from failed attempts by the departing SS guards to burn them. The stench was horrible.
When General Eisenhower learned about the camp, he immediately arranged to meet Generals Bradley and Patton at Ohrdruf on the morning of April 12th. By that time, Buchenwald itself had been captured. Consequently, Ike decided to extend the group’s visit to include a tour of the Buchenwald extermination camp the next day. Eisenhower also ordered every American soldier in the area who was not on the front lines to visit Ohrdruf and Buchenwald. He wanted them to see for themselves what they were fighting against.
During the camp inspections with his top commanders Eisenhower said that the atrocities were “beyond the American mind to comprehend.” He ordered that every citizen of the town of Gotha personally tour the camp and, after having done so, the mayor and his wife went home and hanged themselves. Later on Ike wrote to Mamie, “I never dreamed that such cruelty, bestiality, and savagery could really exist in this world.” He cabled General Marshall to suggest that he come to Germany and see these camps for himself. He encouraged Marshall to bring Congressmen and journalists with him. It would be many months before the world would know the full scope of the Holocaust — many months before they knew that the Nazi murder apparatus that was being discovered at Buchenwald and dozens of other death camps had slaughtered millions of innocent people.
General Eisenhower understood that many people would be unable to comprehend the full scope of this horror. He also understood that any human deeds that were so utterly evil might eventually be challenged or even denied as being literally unbelievable. For these reasons he ordered that all the civilian news media and military combat camera units be required to visit the camps and record their observations in print, pictures and film. As he explained to General Marshall, “I made the visit deliberately, in order to be in a position to give first-hand evidence of these things if ever, in the future, there develops a tendency to charge these allegations merely to ‘propaganda.’”
His prediction proved correct. When some groups, even today, attempt to deny that the Holocaust ever happened they must confront the massive official record, including both written evidence and thousands of pictures, that Eisenhower ordered to be assembled when he saw what the Nazis had done. (*1)
I thought that I would share more detail about how this blog got started, what the vision is, etc.
A few months ago the Holy Spirit impressed upon my heart that I should start a photography blog for Christians around my age! At first I thought about it, then talked to my Daddy, and finally talked with the Lord. I’ve continually kept hearing and feeling that there is a need for information about photography from a Christian perspective. As Jesus said, “‘…The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.'” (Matthew 9:37) I’ve searched the internet for photography advice from someone whose opinion I could trust. I found one person, Christopher Maxwell, who had advice on wedding photography. His information was very helpful but I was looking for some place where I could go for some tips and help for more things than weddings. There are lots of wonderful photographers out there but it seems like very few have places where you can go, get wholesome information from their website and not worry about being exposed to something obscene continually. I have a really good friend of mine who is a very strong Christian photographer and then I also know (not personally) another Christian wedding photographer, and… The point I’m trying to make is that there are Christian photographers but very little photography how-to’s from a Christian perspective. For example, if I wanted to look up how to take great pictures of families, there is no guarantee that what I see on the websites I click on is going to be safe. The ladies might be dressed inappropriately (if at all), the people could be doing something inappropriately…or it could be safe. You just never know!
I’m not going to try and deceive you for a moment that I am a professional, I’m not. :) I just want to share what the Lord has been showing me through photography and things I’ve learned from a Christian perspective.
Here’s a sneak-peek as to what the blog will be like:
When I make any references to things in Christianity, I will try and back it up with Scripture, so that you know that what I believe isn’t just my opinion but the Lord’s!
When I put links on my blog the page that the link goes to I will guarantee that there is nothing inappropriate on that page at the time I looked at it. (That’s not saying that I recommend the entire website…just the page I linked to) Things could change after the time I looked at it, so still be careful on whatever links are on this blog.
When I write up posts about photography tips, how-to’s and such, I will have different categories at the beginning of the post. For example, if I’m giving tips on how to take pictures of children the beginning of the post will look something like this:
Category: Photographing Children
Camera Type: Any
Length of Post: Medium
(By camera type I will either specify a DSLR, point-and-shoot, or both. I’ll probably write more about it later.)
When I say words like aperture, shutter speed, etc. I will try to include definitions in parentheses that way you’ll understand what I’m talking about! (Try learning something when you don’t know what the words means – or you forgot! :) Been there done that.
I’ll be writing lots more and adding pictures and such to my sidebar later. But for now, that’ll be all!
All for Jesus,