Picture this

From her first camera that she received at her confirmation (one that used 110 film) to her latest cell phone (which she says she picked out based on the camera), Naomi Green has been hooked on photography. “For as long as I can remember, it has been a passion for me,” she says. “Wherever I go, it is just something my mind does. I always think, How would I frame that? What would be the best lighting for that? It’s just part of who I am.”

So when a friend on Facebook shared with her a photo challenge sponsored by WELSTech, a weekly podcast that explore the use of technology to further the spread of the gospel, there wasn’t a question in her mind about whether or not she should participate. “I had to take part in it,” she says.

The contest, which started in August 2015, asks photographers to take photos based on a monthly theme. All photos submitted are then included in an online public domain album for use by our churches and schools.

Sallie Draper, co-host of WELSTech, says the idea came about after a summer series on the WELSTech podcast about the importance of images in communication. “It was really well received, and that was the genesis of the photo challenge—let’s build up an image library for churches and schools to use,” she says. Many of the themes are built around the church year, providing images for congregations to use throughout the year in their visual communications.

Green has participated almost every month, sometimes submitting slice-of-life snapshots and sometimes setting up specific still-life images. “It is fun as a photographer to have something to motivate you,” says Green, a member at St. Peter, Monticello, Minn. “And what a cool thing for me to be able to take something I love to do and have it help other people.”

While photography is just a hobby for her, Green also volunteers her time and talents to her local church and WELS high school, taking photos for their websites and promotional pieces.

The photo challenge is now giving her—and other photographers—an opportunity to further hone their skills and share their talents with a broader audience.

“When I think about this photography challenge, it’s a practical applications of 1 Corinthians 10:31, ‘So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.’ I see this as a way of giving glory to God and helping him with whatever I do,” says Green. “It’s something that I love to do, and it can be used for God’s kingdom—and it’s fun!”

The WELSTech photo challenge runs through August 2016. The challenge theme for the month of July is summer and church. Find out more at welstech.wels.net/photochallenge. To view—or use—the more than 650 photos taken by over 30 photographers, go to bit.ly/wtchallengealbum.

Author:
Volume 103, Number 7
Issue: July 2016

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