Monday, February 18, 2008

The News!!

First off. It has been such a long week for me. Most of it was sitting behind a wheel driving between the airport and where ever I spent the previous night. I had the great pleasure of meeting up with YWAM Portland. Great bunch of people. They took me out for a Birthday Breakfast and it was the best BnG...good stuff.

After I almost had a heart attack cause of that BnG I was off to see the city of Portland with my eyes behind the camera...well, that hardly happened cause 2 brothers that were at the PDX Base we ended up hanging out and eating some great grub from a place downtown.

Later that afternoon I picked up a student that flew in from Sudan. Great news there also! Man its been a busy week!

That was my Birthday.

The next day I preceded to pick up more students from the airport....next day I shot a music video for a local artists. She was a lot of fun to work with and I think I turned out with some pretty solid images. (not bad shooting at ambient...1/40th of a sec @ 2.8) I was a little nervous. After the whole shindig is a whole other story...God and Divulge Records is a huge blessing...thats another story...

NOW for the NEWS that some of you have been waiting for.

About a week and a half ago, Eddy, Jess, and I sat down for dinner here at the base and he preceded to tell me (over and over again) to get out of here, to get up off my butt and get going.
Well, a few things have been happening to refine my vision lately and this was part of it.

I guess I am just going to drop it, instead of just lead you on...(even if you have read this far)

I would like to publish a book by this time next year...like 10,000 copies. OF WHAT? Well, I have come to realize that not a lot of people are going to pick up a book about missionaries...come on would you? Personally, I never go out of my way to look at images of missionaries out in "the field" its just boring. Crappy photos, crappy story (not all the time) Oh, and crappy photos. Maybe I am just looking at the wrong books but I haven't seen anything really captivating...thats just me. Thats why I want my part in this transformation.

Where am I going to get these photos? Well, again I am still refining...still in a process. I would love to be able to volunteer on say Mercy Ships or something like that so I can document what the doctors are doing...actively. Maybe for a month. (Man, Eddy your smart.) Present to the doctors what exactly I am doing. (With my books, and maybe their photos in a book.) And whoever else wants to see what they are doing.

Now I know publishing costs are expensive...very. Doctors don't have all the money in the world but if they buy into what my vision is maybe they could invest into the publishing costs through a foundation, grant, personal contribution, ect.

Now if you remember not a lot of people are going to pick up a book about a missionary...but they will with a social issue...say Human Trafficking. I could present a Problem (Human Trafficking) and present part of a solution (Jesus, Freedom Project.) to the problem. THUS the missionaries that I document will be able to receive more support through the pages dedicated to them.

Upon my return to Salem I then go to the different areas that YWAM Salem focus on as a base. Document (the Problem) and offer part of a solution. This helps out with the vision of the base. It helps with the mobilization of people. (aka marketing) and a documentation of what YWAM Salem's inheritance is...I still learn more about this base every day I had no Idea about before...

All this of course means...I need more money...I have no idea how in the world I am going to do it...its out of my range. Really far out. I never used to think of myself publishing a book but I guess the J-Man see it all different, he is the one stretching the $300 buck I get a month. He is SO Faithful.

I would love to hear anything of what you guys, (the now 10 or so of you that read this on a regular basis...thank you) think of this refined vision...critics, anything...remember I can't do this on my own. I have to rely on you and other people that don't read this blog.

Well, to all. Its getting really late...1:51 according to my computer...good night and I'll see you next time.

By the way. God is good.

2 comments:

  1. Get out, it is time to go!!!

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  2. God is working... I just read your post after searching twitter for missionary photographers. You were one of two. I just send an email to my brother about the very thing you posted about. Missionary photography, books, happenings that people might be interested in, God working, touching lives with PROFESSIONAL images that tear into your heart and soul strictly for God's glory. Contact me if you want. I think we could bounce some ideas. God bless.

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