Field Of Depth

“Kodachrome
They give us those nice bright colors
They give us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world’s a sunny day, oh yeah
I got a Nikon camera
I love to take a photograph
So mama, don’t take my Kodachrome away…”  (1973)  Kodachrome  Written & Recorded by:  Paul Simon

Many moons ago I was a photography enthusiast.  Actually, I still am, just not a practicing one anymore.

Around 1983, one of my co-workers was selling his gently used 35mm Canon AE1.  I never had a serious camera before, just happy with an Instamatic and Polaroids, but always wanted one.  It didn’t take long in life to discover I had a photographer’s eye and really wanted to dive in.  When he realized I was interested, he sold it to me for a little bit of nothing.  I made out like a bandit on that deal.  I guess I have taken a few thousand shots with it through the years.  These days it sits in my old dusty camera bag…in a closet I rarely use.

My photo albums can testify how much I love real film, not to mention the scads of containers of photos stored away.  They are just visual moments in time documented for future eyes.  Recently, a fabulous photographer encouraged me to pick up the camera once again.  A big thanks to Darren across the pond at The Arty Plantsman.

Once I became an owner of a great camera, a telephoto lens and a telephoto zoom lens was added over the years.  All-in-all it adds up to some great shutter adventures.

If you’re new to a 35mm camera, one of the first things to learn is the focus of your subject in the viewfinder.  In the scope you find uneven lines to mesh together for a sharp focus of the subject targeted.  So vital.  Line up the focus lines and click away.  (I love the sound of the shutter.)  The field of depth can be tricky, but it can be mastered.  Let me show you some old pictures of mine to give some visual examples.

Below, notice the tight focus of the bee hovering over the blooms at the renowned Ft Worth Botanical Gardens in Ft Worth, Texas.  (Theses photos are from the mid 1980’s, so the color has faded with age.  However, I’m sure you’ll get the picture. :>)

For the photographer, what I’m about to explain is simple common knowledge.  I focused sharply on the bee visiting the blooms, but when I “focused” on the bee, the background became “unfocused”.  Notice the leaves and branches are blurry.  It’s okay for a shot like this and frankly, it’s expected.

However, when I focused more toward the middle of the field of depth, and not closing up on a bee, all becomes focused.  See what I mean?

If Pinocchio came to my house I could zero-in on his nose, but it would leave the rest of his face out of focus.  Isn’t it true, sometimes in life we do tend to focus on lies, deceit, and untrustworthy words?  Panning back, one can always view the larger picture.

Here’s another example from my old Karate/Kickboxing days.  (I used to break concrete for martial arts demonstrations in another life.  Patio concrete slabs at Walmart were less than a dollar in those days.)

Notice the tight, sharp focus centering on the concrete slabs atop the mason blocks.  Yet, the back of the heads, in the foreground, are very much out of focus.  If I had focused on the back of the gentleman’s head on the right, then the stage area would be hazy in the field of depth.

One of my faults is a tendency to be a newshound.  With all the jarring frays in the American political world of late, I find I must walk away and focus on other things.  I guess you might say I need to fix my eyes elsewhere for a more pleasant subject in my mental viewfinder.  Simply put, I need to adjust my field of depth.  Do you ever feel that way?

Not long ago, I had a real issue with my 20-something step-daughter.  We first met about four years ago.  She lives hundreds of miles away making it a bit difficult to have a thriving, authentic relationship.  Over a Facebook post, harsh words were spoken.  Attitudes, which were hidden, suddenly bubbled out into the raw open.  It was a hurtful event.  (Much like political hearings on Capitol Hill.)  At first, I focused on the words said, words typed, and tried with all my might to keep from judging her too harshly.  Unfortunately, I already had.  What I needed to do, and eventually did, was to avoid focusing on the words, but also make efforts to step back to get the entire picture inside the frame from a different camera angle.  When accomplished, I was able to adjust my lens for a broader view to the point where the up close and personal issue, which involved me, became less of the subject in the field of depth.  In that way, the view of the world will always develop much better after possessing.  It’s an art, don’t you think?

Photo:  Chay Garciavia Pexels

While tell you this, I was hit with a biblical hammer.  The parable from Jesus, concerning the Good Samaritan, captures much of the same idea.  Here is my layman’s modern paraphrased version.  PG13…Suitable with the exception of extreme violence and nudity. (LOL)

A poor traveler was beaten, stripped, and robbed by a gang waiting behind the rocks on a path in rugged desert area.  They left him half-dead.  Soon, a priest came down the same road, saw the distressed wounded traveler and made it a point to look the other way.  In doing so, he went to the opposite side of the path to avoid him.  Not long after that, a Levite approached.  (A Levite was one who lived in the temple in Jerusalem, born to serve in the daily duties of temple business.  Much like a monk or nun.)  He too, quickly looked the other direction to avoid the traumatized one in need and walked around the naked, wounded traveler while fixing his gaze on the road ahead.  A Samaritan man (From a geographical locale called Samaria in mid-Israel.) came down the same road and saw the poor guy.  He had pity and compassion on him as he considered his terrible ordeal.  Although the victim was left naked, bloody and unable to walk, he immediately gave him first aid as he bandaged him with what little he had.  Then he, not caring if he soiled his own clothes, picked the bleeding man up and placed him on his donkey.  Not long afterwards they reached a small hotel.  He booked a room, taking care of him throughout the overnight.  The next day, he found the wounded man was still in no condition to travel.  He left him bandaged in his bed.  Before leaving, he gave the hotel clerk a generous amount of funds.  He instructed the clerk to take care of him.  He went on to tell him to supply whatever needs might arise concerning the unfortunate man.  He let it be known he would reimburse him for whatever expenses rose above the money offered when he returned from his trip.  (Ref. Luke 10:35-37)

Honestly, volumes have been written about the application of this parable.  There is so much taught from the tale.  As Jesus shared this parable, He was showing the true heart of God and what kind of heart God can place within each of us who are willing.  The “holier than thou” clergymen were focused on where they were going, their schedules, and their own concerns.  When the two “men of the cloth” saw the poor, broken traveler, they chose not to focus on him, just like the back of the heads of an audience at a Karate demo.  Although the victim was right there in their foreground, for them the idea was to keep the vision of him, and his needs, contained in a blurry haze of forgetfulness.  The Good Samaritan had a schedule to keep as well.  He was also focused on where his destination was, his clock, and the distance ahead.  But when he saw the beaten, bloodied traveler, compassion caused him to think to himself, “There but for the grace of God go I.”  Suddenly, he adjusted his lens to a sharp, clear focal point on the needs at hand.  His new focus allowed him to see clearly what needed to be done for this stranger who owed him nothing.  His new focus delivered a bias for action.  You might say, he chewed his gum and walked at the same time.  It’s clear, his field of depth changed as he refocused.

After I am dead and gone, my three daughters will be going through my photo albums, my plastic tubs of Kodak prints scanning some forty+ years, as well as boxes of snapshots I felt were important to keep.  When they do, they might learn far more about what my true focus was in life.  Hopefully they will discuss my authentic field of depth.

Focusing on the subject of need isn’t always easy, but it will add to your personal field of depth.  The viewfinder is always located in the mixture of fuel for the race.

“Let us fix (focus) our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:2  (Berean Study Bible Version)

 

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Starry, Starry Night

Photo: Egil Sjoholt

“Starry, starry night
Paint your palette blue and grey
Look out on a summer’s day
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul…”  (1971)  Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)  Composed and recorded by:  Don McLean

Some time ago, in my childhood, I fell in love with the full moon.  In fact, recently we just observed what is called the Harvest Moon.  It was beautiful as I wallowed in its rays through the blinds of the bedroom window washing across the bed sheets.  Moreover, I love the wintry full moon glazing the virgin snow as it ricochets off the sparkling surface, lighting up every corner of the thick darkened wood.  All in all, it is the light from the full moon which brings the awe and wonder to the world of evening.  No manufactured light bulb has yet been able to come close to matching its tone.  Isn’t it amazing what the reflective lunar surface can do with the sunbeams vacant from our direct view?

Photo:  Pixabay via Pexels.com

Not long ago I was flipping through TV channels from my remote and stumbled upon a well-done documentary on The Discovery Channel.  Although the title of the documentary slips my mind, the main focus had to do with the mysteries surrounding the black holes in space which vacuums up all matter within its vast reach.  It’s all so terrifying, yet an awe of it moves me.  It truly is a fascinating study.  In another life, (Using another brain, obviously.) I would’ve been an astrophysicist, or maybe a NASA scientist.  Space has always taken my heart with its truths marrying my imagination.  But alas, I am a frustrated, amateur star-gazer with a cheap telescope on a tripod.

Photo by Jaymantri on Pexels.com

Not ten minutes into the program, I realized I had been caught-up in a mini-series of astronomical documentaries.  To this day I am unsure how many episodes I missed, prior to the one I was currently enjoying, but it only bothered me for about five seconds.  My eyes and ears were glued to the screen.

At one point in the episode they began an “attempt” to explain black holes.  (The theory is, stellar black holes are believed to be imploded stars, causing a supernova, resulting in exploding bits of the star spewing into the universe.)  I say, “attempt” only because astrophysicists are learning something new as observation and research continues.  The facts, much of what we know concerning deep space, are mostly based upon conjecture, tied with what the world’s telescopes can currently reach.  Often times, scientists have to rewrite theories as new technology aids in ongoing research.  The numerous revision levels of textbooks can attest.

With that said, we also know there is much in the factual realm of investigations being done as hard evidence assists past texts of studies in Theoretical Astronomy.  This is why you often hear narrators reading from the script’s carefully written sentences which begin with, “Some scientists believe…”  or, “It is a widely held hypothesis that…”  or, “Many in the field of astrophysics feel that…”  They’re wise to construct the text in this way if the facts haven’t come together for complete conclusions by way of the updated evidence.  Unfortunately, too many educators, and textbooks, avoid the word “theory” as subjects are prematurely considered fact.  Yet, as stated prior, there are some factual pieces of evidence that can be eye-opening.  I have an example from this particular documentary that I want to share with you.

Buckle-up.  I am a creationist.  There are “Young Earth Creationists”, as well as, “Old Earth Creationists”.  Here I will not take time to explain the differences due to their heavy and long definitions.  As for my view, I am not settled in either camp just yet.  God invites the thinker to join Him in reasoning together. (Isaiah 1:18)  And because He is so understanding and generous, I have taken Him up on it.  I am not one who plugs up his ears to other leanings of school of thought.  I want to know what is being taught.  To see where others bake their ideas is truly helpful in unpacking belief systems for understanding and points of reference.  I enjoy finding why and how people base their faith and casual beliefs.  Frankly, when I do, it strengthens my personal faith.  All of that to say, I come from a biblical world view, which includes the book of B’reshith (in Hebrew) or Genesis, when translated from the Greek.  It literally means ‘The origins of…” or “Beginnings of (before time…)”  Without the celestial bodies, clocks would not exist.

An astronomer was being interviewed in this documentary concerning the sequence of events starting with the “Big Bang”.  For those who may not have studied the Big Bang Theory, here it is in condensed form.  At some point when there was nothing but vacant velvet black in what we now call “space”, an explosion occurred.  It was massive, beyond human experience.  In fact it is described as gargantuan, so much so, we have no device to measure the cataclysmic force of this mysterious ejecting of rock, gases, and magma.  The hypothesis dictates it was less than a split second ordeal.  Literally the detonation was quicker than the sparkle in your eye.

Cosmology has yet to be able to explain where the original material came from in the Big Bang, or how the ignition of the cosmic blast started, or where the interstellar force of energy came from.  If I light a fuse to a stick of dynamite I must have purchased it from a dealer.  The dealer, most likely, purchased it from a whole-seller.  The whole-seller purchased bulk dynamite from a manufacturer.  The manufacturer purchased paper, cardboard, caps, fuses, and blasting powder from other OEM’s,  Those OEM’s produced their materials from various sources created from chemicals and minerals from the earth’s resources.  This is one way crimes are solved as investigators follow the evidence left behind by the perpetrator of a bombing.  Let’s not forget, I was the one lighting a fuse.  It doesn’t light itself.  In this case, if there was nothing prior to the blast, there should be nothing of origin creating it, from the energy to the materials.  The biblical record has the answer to this.

For now, in the press conferences from the halls of the PHD’s in Astronomy, it simply is a mystery unexplained.  Scientists assumes the “Big Bang” was the B’reshith, the beginning before time.  That is because honest, vetted scientific theoretics will not travel past it.

According to what we have discovered thus far, through this cosmic vehicle, the vast universe was born.  The immenseness is such that even with the technology we have, we still cannot discover the edge of it (the universe).  Picture a pea-sized Styrofoam sphere being dropped in the middle of the Pacific.  That is just a snapshot of thoughts harnessed to explain the earth inside the universe as we now know it to be.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

The interview with this scientist continued as he described the darkness of the universe as the planets took their orbits and rotations.  Here I will attempt to write his exact words which punched me right in the gut.  He said something like, “After the Big Bang, there was what we call the ‘Dark Age’ in space.  Nobody can truly calculate how long this ‘Dark Age’ existed.  At some point, SOMETHING caused light.  Stars began to shine, gas giants were then showing their colors, quasars, etc.”   I WAS STUNNED!  I almost choked on my popcorn.  I don’t recall hearing about this Dark Age in the creation of space when I was in school, then again in those days the Big Bag Theory was still being debated among scientists from dark smoky rooms.  Astrophysicists made the first public announcement about the evidence of the Big Bang in April of 1992 based upon new images and digital measurements by way of satellite telescope technology.  It was an enormous jump in discovery.

So often archaeology, biology, oceanography, and geology reveals new discoveries which either match or align with various biblical text.  Narratives begin to change as new discoveries are being made all the time now, much of which never make it to print from major news outlets.  The same is true concerning selective discoveries in space.  The above spells out two of them.

After a major explosion is detonated by the hands of intention, an alert rings out in the departments of serious investigators.  A modern-day Sherlock Holmes would tell Mr. Watson to follow the source of the power and the design at ground-zero.  Usually the result would be the arrest of the actor involved in such a crime scene.  Although my faith has found its resting place, I do want to follow the evidence which leads to the culprit.

 “The heavens declare the glory of God,
 and the sky above^[a] proclaims his handiwork.
 Day to day pours out speech,
 and night to night reveals knowledge.” –  Psalm 19:1-2 (ESV)

“By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” – Hebrews 11:3 (NIV)

The Big Bang, The Dark Age, and the universe lighting up from darkness is documented in the Genesis account.  Follow me on this.  Read the text itself.

According to the original Hebrew text, in Genesis 1:1 , there was an instant where the vast universe was put into place.  One theologian and scribe described it as a “Flinging of elements”.  This “flinging” was done in an instant, just as described in the reveal from 1992 of the Big Bang.  Unlike someone detonating a boulder in the Arizona wilderness, with all its chaos, with all various fragments of shapes and sizes just laying still in all different directions, the opposite took place.  When this Big Bang spewed, to layout the cosmos, its heavenly spheres began to rotate, revolve and align in a clockwork sequence with precision which continues to this day.  You can set your watch by it…oh, yeah, we do.

Genesis 1: 2 describes the darkness, even on our own planet covered in H2O only.

Genesis 1:3 is curious.  In reading the account in Genesis chapters 1 and 2, there are sections of summery which can trip you up if not careful with the context.

“Let there be light”, He said.  Thus, even God testifies to what we call the “Dark Age” of space.  This is a mysterious light.  Some creationists believe this was an illumination from “outside” of the newly created universal arena, since the Designer came from outside His creation project.  Think of it as someone sitting at a brightly lit table building a miniature model of a ship inside a dry bottle.  Light appeared, but the sun had yet to be a factor.

Genesis 1: 14-18 describes the universal “Dark Age” ending for the expanse as God applied lights from the celestial subjects themselves from earth’s perspective.  According to the account, He then created them to dictate times and seasons for earth, just as we know them today.  An example would be the North Star, which has guided travelers and ship captains since the dawn of migration.  It’s the one star you can count on for true north.  It’s always there for you and your compass.

Imagine an ant looking up at the Empire State Building and claiming to know how it was built.  And so the astronomer, from the documentary, would clearly state, “…there was what we call the ‘Dark Age’ in space.  Nobody can calculate how long this ‘Dark Age’ existed.  At some point, SOMETHING caused light…”

So, yes, Vincent van Gogh, paint your Starry Night.  When artistically falling short of it, one can turn mad if not filled with fuel for the race.

“He counts the number of the stars and he calls all of them by names.  Great is our Lord and he is strong in his power and there is no end to his understanding.”  Psalms 147: 4-5   (Aramaic Bible Translation Into Plain English)

 

 

 

Me…Mingle?

Photo:  Pexels

“I Went to a garden party to reminisce with my old friends,
a chance to share old memories and play our songs again.
When I got to the garden party, they all knew my name.
No one recognized me, I didn’t look the same.

But it’s all right now, I learned my lesson well.
You see, ya can’t please everyone, so ya got to please yourself.”   Garden Party (1972)  Written and Recorded by:  Ricky Nelson

Did I catch you singing?  I know.  It’s got a terrific hook on the chorus.  Truly, it’s the iconic song Ricky Nelson was known for at that stage of his short life.  The lyrics sound as if it was a pleasurable garden party with old famous pals, but it was birthed out of rejection and sourness.

It was October of 1971, the Richard Nader’s Rock ‘n Roll Revival Concert was a huge gathering at Madison Square Garden in New York.  It was billed to showcase older American Rock ‘n Roll giants, prior to the British invasion, from the 1950’s and early 1960’s, with acts like Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Bo Diddley, and Bobby Rydell.  They were among many kickin’ it on stage that night.  Back stage, and in the audience, the ultra-famous were in attendance from various corners of the entertainment and sports realm.  The lyrics in the song, “Garden Party” point that out.

It was his turn at the mic.  Ricky Nelson came out on stage in the fashion of the times, bell bottoms, velvet shirt, complete with bell sleeves, and long hair down to his shoulders.  Keep in mind, the order of the concert event was to reminisce with early American Rock ‘n Rollers, so the look was expected, too.  Well, unfortunately for Nelson, he didn’t take it to heart who the nostalgic demographics were holding tickets.  He performed some of his early songs from the late 50’s and early 60’s.  But then he played a peculiar country rendition of The Rolling Stones’, “Honky Tonk Woman”.  At that, the crowd began to boo, and boo, and booed some more.  He wrapped up his set and left the venue, not even waiting to show up for the all-star finale at the end of the night.  However, it worked out because he wrote a song about the experience in, “Garden Party”.  And I must admit, “…ya can’t please everyone, so ya got to please yourself.”

In the late 1990’s I created an award-winning radio theater department for Criswell Communications Network.  I absolutely adored those years writing, acting and building those audio movies.  Later, I did the same in Buffalo, NY for the Crawford Broadcasting Network.  From time to time I am asked to voice a character for special commercials, promos, or projects.  But back then, life got in the way and now it’s been a few years since I was a regular working voice actor.

About a year ago, I was asked to voice a character for a dramatic read of a new novel and CD due to be released simultaneously.  Although it was a small walk-on role, I was thrilled to do it.  It was like going home again for me, even though I wasn’t the author or director.  What was very different, and a bit nerve-racking, was the author himself was in studio with me.  Being a hands-on kind of guy, he directed me while I fashioned the vocals needed for this particular character.  Don’t get me wrong, the author was/is a terrific guy.  I’m sure we will be working together in the future for more projects.

This morning, before I could pour my first cup of java, I got a voicemail.  It was the author.  He made me aware of the recently released book and audio version.  He then invited me to a cast party he was hosting at his very lovely home.  I responded before lunch, letting him know how much I enjoyed the recording session, developing the character, and his invitation.  Then I politely declined to attend the party.  Why, you might ask?

Photo by Lee Hnetinka on Pexels.com

For as long as I can recall, I have never been good at cocktail parties, social dinners, or dances were strangers want me to do the Macarena.  Sure, I can act my way through it, which is what I’ve always done, but that’s work, not pleasure, and certainly not comfortable.  Being an old stage actor and radio personality, you would think I would be a hoot at a gathering of pre-friends.  Trust me, I’ll be the quiet guy in the corner with a china saucer full of chilled shrimp in one hand and a cup of punch in the other.  Yes, there’ll be clusters of revelers in a circle laughing, kissing cheeks, along with lines like, “What do you do when you’re not acting?”, or “What a lovely tie.  Who are you wearing, sweetie?”, or “So what project are you working on now?”  I just don’t mingle well.  It’s as simple as that.  There, I’ve said it.  Arg!  I would likely run off stage left like Ricky Nelson.

Cast parties are fine, in fact I have attended lots of them through my acting days, even hosted many myself.  Most all cast parties I’ve been a part of were packed with fellow cast-members I had the pleasure of working with face-to-face.  Those were actors and crew in which I developed relationships with, or at least decent acquaintances.  Those were parties where we could let our hair down and enjoy reminiscing about lines being dropped, favorite scenes, and wardrobe malfunctions.  (In 1978, while playing Johnny Brown in The “Unsinkable Molly Brown”, I walked out on stage singing with my fly opened.  Thank the Lord it was only a dress rehearsal.  Orchestra members noticed it first down in the pit.)  Cast parties are always a grand time laced in lots of laughter.  Here, the difference is, I never played against another actor in last year’s session.  My recorded lines were like a looping studio session where the dialogue was digitally dropped into scenes in post production.  There was no actor but me, myself, and I.  I played to a mic and a music stand.  I never met any of the actors on the bill.  To be clear, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that kind of session, it happens more often than not.  At the upcoming get-together I would know the author, his wife, and the recording engineer/producer.  It’s not that I am really anti-social…or am I?  Ouch!  What am I admitting?

If you’re a psychologist, you probably know why I am bent this way.  The ugly truth is, I am probably afraid of rejection, even eyes of rejection.  I’ve been at award shows, green rooms, and backstage at concert venues where you’re chatting with someone who won’t look you in the eye because they’re way too busy scouting out the next celebrity to be cornered.  You find yourself answering their question about family, career, or which hotel you’re staying at when suddenly they quickly interrupt with, “Oh, there’s Amy Grant with Vince Gill right behind you.  Gotta go.”  Is it just me, or is that not rude?  I’m guilty of that behavior as well.  So awkward.  Again, I say, Arg!  In the end, I dislike “…players who only love you when they’re playin'” (Fleetwood Mac)

Has it occurred to me that maybe I’m wrong about all this?  Maybe by now you’re saying silently, “Hey, this is weird.  He needs to loosen up.”  Okay, I’ll accept that.  But as I’m being super honest with you, hear me out.

To truly engage with another is to be associated with, connected with, to be in tune with the other, even if in a small way.  This is me.  If you and I are having coffee at a local spot, I will fully hear you, see you, and meld with you.  In fact, I like to make people feel that they are the only person in the room, complete with eye-contact and real chuckles, not out of nervous laughter for the sake of sound to fill up dead air.  This is how I was raised to believe.

Photo:  Wikipedia

Poor Ricky Nelson.  Every time I hear “Garden Party” I listen for the rub, the angst, the sore spots between the words.  Bottom line, he didn’t “know” his audience.  Moreover, he didn’t take in serious consideration of the theme of the event.  Of course, the audience lacked true love for Mr. Nelson.  They only loved him when he played what he was known for ten years prior.  In those quick tunes he scratched their itch until he ventured onto something new from a British band.  It was a mismatch moment, a sting he took with him to his grave.  He died in a tragic plane crash on New Year’s Eve 14 years later.

In the end, I believe it’s all about “knowing” someone, or at least making faithful efforts in doing so.  Because inside that other person is a story which comes from their hearts.  A story worth the fidgeting, even if booed.  If we “play” at socializing, we do not do justice in the connection.  How else will we learn to love others, as God would have us to love?

Still, I remain shy with strangers in close settings.  I shared an elevator today where my total sum of verbiage was, “Third floor.  Thanks.”

Engaging another may start out with “How are you?”, but if they begin to tell you about their gout, making you’ll want to slip away with, “Ya know, I need a refill.”  If so, then where is the honest interest?

More and more I understand why Jesus told us to love others as we love ourselves, and to treat others as we want to be treated.

You know, maybe I should go to the cast party after all.  If I do, the boldness won’t come from my clipped persona, but from a deep well of fuel for the race.

 

“If you love only those people who love you, will God reward you for this? Even tax collectors love their friends. If you greet only your friends, what’s so great about this? Don’t even unbelievers do that?”  – Jesus –   Matthew 5:46-47  (Contemporary English Version)