Spirituality through Photography

Ray Garnett from Hanwell writes about seeing spirituality through photography

Photographs don’t just capture a moment, they can tell a story, inspire us and present us with a new way of looking at the world.

Following attendance at a photography workshop at Westminster Central Methodist Hall, I have been running a weekly series in HMC News (the weekly newsletter for Hanwell Methodist Church), about Spirituality through Photography – it started at the beginning of our new decade in January of this year.  The series consists of a weekly photograph that I have taken, (with one or two exceptions), with a spiritual message in the form of an accompanying caption and/or comment for the photo.  Most of the pictures I have taken are of everyday things but are unusual in that they are not what you would normally take pictures of.

The idea behind the project is to encourage us to look at the picture and think how it can relate to our faith with God and ourselves.  You will need to think outside the box!  What can you see in the picture?  What possible connection can it have to God and what does it mean to you, your thoughts, your feelings and your emotions?  Can you think of an alternative but appropriate caption to the original one suggested?

Photography is not just about looking at a picture but having a feeling about it.  If you can’t feel anything about it or get a message from it then how do you expect others to?

If you would like to join in with this project and view the pictures and accompanying messages then they are now available on the Hanwell Methodist Church website at hanwellmethodistchurch.org/spirituality.html . You will see the pictures that have been used and their respective captions.  Remember that the photographs in the series and the accompanying captions are aimed at encouraging you to think of your own captions and how they may help you view your relationship with God.

Life can be like a camera, focus on what is important and if things don’t work out then take another shot.  When words become unclear you can focus with photographs.  A great photograph is one that fully expresses what one feels about what is being photographed.

I will be pleased to receive any comments about the series and even alternative captions for the pictures.  If you look at the pictures and their original captions, you will see that some already have alternative captions supplied by some members from Hanwell.

Because of the Covid-19 pandemic the series has been temporarily suspended but will resume as soon as the situation changes.

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