There are two reasons to shoot black and white photography. One reason is because you think it looks old fashioned and it’s a cool effect. A better reason to shoot black and white photography is because of the lessons it can teach you. Black and White Photography teaches you about values. We’re not talking about ethical values but the value in a monotone sense where color is taken out of the picture and we can focus on value as a single element. Once you understand value you can use it to create stark contrasts or to create soft, subtle compositions. Value in the photography world really just translates to light. If you have a heavily lighted photography it is high on the value scale. If you have a low lighted photograph then it is low on the value scale. 
— Derek Watterson

Many of you know that I recently traveled to India on a missionary trip with my eldest son. It was a wonderful experience for myriad reasons, but as you might suspect, some things were challenging for us Americans. For example, we did not speak their native tongue, Telugu. While at times this limitation was frustrating, I like to think that God will use any circumstance to His glory. In fact, I believe that such “limitations” are actually blessings.

Case in point, due to said language barrier, many of the otherwise distracting elements of life weren’t present, leaving me to focus on a smaller spectrum of experiences. And by the way, Telugu isn’t one of those languages where every so often you pick up an English derivative and are able to piece together some semblance of what the speaker is saying. Not at all. In fact, if you attempt to decode it while it’s being spoken, chances are you’ll miss everything else. I learned quickly to tune out the speech and focus on body language, intonation, etc…things I could understand.

In many ways, partaking in the goings-on was like being immersed in one of those black and white silent movies of old - while exposed to a mere subset of normal human interaction, what you are able to absorb becomes the focus of your attention. It’s one of the reasons I adore black and white visuals - there’s an unmistakable clarity. As Mr. Watterson stated above, there’s “value”. As I wrote in my last blog entry titled, Equal Pay, value is a relative thing.

Sometimes God removes things we otherwise would perceive as having intrinsic value for the sake of proving to us that they really don’t, at least not in context. We often think that more is better, but I’ve learned that most often, less is better. Simplicity is good.

Such lessons seem to be impossible to teach until God decides to deprive us of so-called “critical” elements in our ability to comprehend the human experience. Such is the inherent value of learning to step out of your comfort zone, by faith. It’s one of the baseline elements of true wisdom that I try to share with anyone interested in spiritual growth. I say, go experience life to the fullest, just don’t take the world’s wisdom as your compass; rather, pray to God for guidance. Orient your will with His. Lay down your life for others, even if it means venturing into the “unknown”. Do not fear such things; rather, fear the Lord, for this is “the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10).

Black and white photos are among the most stunningly beautiful works of art man has ever known. Yet, they lack something fundamental, color. Go figure, right? Add color and we lose something. Begin with the color version and most people will argue there’s no way a black and white version of the same photo could ever top the original in beauty. Because of this preconception, most never take the time to even find out. What a tragedy.

Learning to trust in God means learning to live with circumstances that do not match your own preconceptions about what your life should be. I use the example of going a week without the ability to communicate verbally. For you, it might mean going broke, financially (I’m using the world’s definition for “broke” here). For others, it may mean long periods of time without certain kinds of relationships, be they friendships or otherwise. So-called “deprivation” can occur in just about any possible way in life. Regardless of the challenges to our own sensibilities, we must abide in faith.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
— Romans 8:28

The next time you see a lovely color picture on your computer screen, open it up and find a way to view it in black and white (most simple picture viewers have a toggle somewhere that allows this). When you do this, the strangest thing might just happen - you may like the black and white version more than the original. You may never be able to put your finger on it, or even articulate why, but you may be moved in a way that you formerly weren’t. Though technically you are experiencing less, you are, in fact, experiencing more!

Deprivation is often the pathway to enlightenment.

I know, that sounds a bit Taoist, but I didn’t know how else to write it - LOL. Besides, every other religion and/or philosophy that expounds some divine truth is a ripoff. So in all fairness to the Wisdom of God, if the above is indeed true, then it was God’s first, so there! In any case, the point I’m trying to make is simple (no pun intended). More is not always better. While that may be offensive to the gluttonous flesh of man, it is very true.

Learn to simplify in dimensions you haven’t thought of before. Seek guidance through prayer. Be open to starkly different forms of living. I witnessed such things on the other side of the planet recently and am considering such things myself even as I write this. And you know what? I’m really excited! I trust God; therefore, I know that as long as simplification is aligned with His will for me, whatever I may be “deprived” of in the future will be to my benefit and to His glory.

As Mr. Watterson stated, “If you have a heavily lighted photography it is high on the value scale.” The end game isn’t more color, necessarily, it’s more light! It’s with this increase in light that we begin to truly see things the way our Creator has made them. “But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light” (Ephesians 5:13). Deprivation is a tool that our Lord uses in our lives in order to sanctify us. There’s just no other way sometimes, given the presence of our human sensibilities. Consider it a blessing to go without this or that for a time, even if you’ve clung to it your whole life. For the Lord knows best how to reveal Himself, that is, the Light.

Love in Christ,

Ed Collins