I’m a photographer. I recently purchased a new camera because my old camera is nearly fifteen years old‬‬. In the days of film, a camera of that age would be fine. But with the advent of digital photography, the technology changes and improves at lightning speed. Fifteen-year-old technology is ancient.

My new camera is making me excited about taking pictures again. All these fantastic new features make taking good photos so much easier.

One thing I’m particularly excited about is macro photography, which means taking photos of tiny things, close up.

The camera and lens I bought is especially suited for this genre. I can fill the screen with a dew drop on a rose petal or a stink bug’s very strange eyes. I’m seeing the world God made from a whole new perspective and am gratefully in awe of His creativity.

One of the things that makes macro photography challenging however is light, or more precisely, the lack of it.

To get a sharp macro photo, I have to “freeze” any movements the bug makes (and they move a lot more than I expected, even when they decide to stand “still”). I also have to freeze the motion caused by a slight breeze on a flower stalk. Or my own inability to hold completely still.

In order to freeze this motion, I have to have a very fast shutter speed, meaning the time that the shutter is open is very brief. I’m talking about milliseconds. I might be able to get a sharp shot in 0.004 seconds, but faster would be better. (For comparison, an average eye blink is around 0.3 seconds.)

Cameras can easily do this. The problem is that with such a short timeframe, not very much light can get into the camera and onto the sensor.

One option is to have the shutter open wider to let in more light during those 4 milliseconds. That is called the aperture. The problem is that the wider the aperture, the narrower the depth of field, so fewer things will be in focus. Imagine taking someone’s portrait, but only the very tip of their nose is in focus instead of their whole face. Big problem.

So, the last option is to add more light. Unfortunately, natural light isn’t always an option. Bugs are the calmest and slowest in the morning when it’s dim and cool. And the colors of flowers get washed out with ugly shadows in harsh, mid-day sunlight.

For this reason, macro photographers tend to use a flash. It solves all the problems. It can add as many microseconds of light as I need exactly where I need them during my 4 milliseconds of exposure. When used properly, I can get a bright, sharp photo of even the twitchiest of bugs on a swaying flower. And I can share the wonder of God’s creation with the world because of my light.

“And they who are wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they who turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars forever and ever.” (Daniel‬ ‭12‬:‭3,‬ ‭AFV)

Followers of Jesus are supposed to be like the photographer’s flash. We should be out there adding joy, beauty, and clarity in a dark, murky, and confusing world. But we do it by reflecting God’s love. He is the source of all the light.

So shine your light around today. What wonders will we see!

Dear God, thank you so much for this fantastic world you created for us to explore. We will never run out of things to learn, see, and discover. Thank you for the gifts you have given me that allow me to share your beauty in all sorts of ways. Continue to fill me with your light that I can shine into the lives of those who don’t yet know you.