LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS

Long Exposure photography has always fascinated me. It can turn a scene that has been shot hundreds of times before into something special, something that the human eye cannot see, something that hasn't been created by a piece of computer software.

When photographing seascapes with longer exposure times, the final shot shows a smoother ocean because the camera cannot record detail in the water during the longer shutter speed. What is recorded then is just a softening surface mist that is traced through the area where the waves have passed. The longer exposure also records a scene that is brighter than what it really is because more light is able to enter the lens.

The picture below with camera and tripod in the foreground is a quick snapshot I took with my little camera phone about two minutes after I took the main photograph that is pictured above. The smaller picture below gives you an idea of just how dark it really was as well as the rough waves still breaking on the shore.

Because of the five seconds shutter speed that I used, in spite of the darkness, there was still enough light to enter the camera lens during the longer exposure. This resulted in a beautiful evening shot showing a calmer seascape, and the tail end of the sun's afterglow with its soft tones and wonderful pastels. It's amazing how even in the darkness - there is still light.

Have you ever experienced a life battle that seemed dark and hopeless? Well I sure have. But I've learned that no matter how dark the situation may seem, God still shines brightly through any darkness.

The psalmist says of God in Psalm 139:12,
"Even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you."

No matter what dark situation you're going through, God's light is still present and can pierce through the darkest of darkness. With God there is no such thing as a dark and hopeless situation. Put your faith in Christ, put your hope in Him, and His guiding and comforting light will see you through.

After I took the shot, I looked around me and realized that I was completely alone on that beach. There were no traces of human life, just freshly washed sand, the stark rocks, and the darkness. But even then I knew I wasn't alone in the dark because God's assuring presence and His radiant light was shining bright in my heart.

Technical Info: Canon 5D, 5 seconds @ f/18, Canon TS-E 24mm, 0.6 ND Grad. Taken at Heisler Park, Laguna Beach, California.