Synoptic Photography by Geoff Thompson

Have just started  reading Lee Strobel's wonderful book, "The Case for Christ".
 I thought I had come up with a new term and category of photography but a google search told me I hadn't.
Notwithstanding that here is my take on it.
Synoptic Photography.
Lee's book is a written as a former Investigative Journalist who had come from being an Atheist to A Christian and then a Pastor  after his wife had become a Christian.
He had to find out what the change for the better in her was all about.

But back to Synoptic Photography.
The first chapter in the book talks about the the Synoptic Gospels,Matthew,Mark and Luke, and are they a reliable eyewitness account and journal of the Gospel narrative?
Why are there slightly different accounts and some things left out by the different Authors?
Also why is the Gospel of John different to the other three but is it complimentary and supportive of the others?

I have written on this theme on this blog before.

See the link below on the Photography of Matthew, Mark ,Luke and John.

http://geoffthompsonsblog.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/photography-of-matthew-mark-luke-and.html

In Lee's book I found the word Synoptic defined as "to view at the same time".

This immediately made sense to me not only about the case for the Gospels, but about how we all see a photograph differently.
And we all view the world from the point of view from our own interests and passions.

You might think a photographer who has made a name for himself as a Racing Car Photographer may have a different style to many others in the genre to stand out.

I bought a book at a Garage sale last weekend called "Through my Eyes" by Dirk Klynsmith.

He is a top motor sports photographer and has been for some years.

The book is, as he explains, a showcase of this idea he had.
"very quickly I knew that I wanted to portray motorsport in a different light"

He shows in his work his distinctive style developed as he developed as a photographer.

I looked at his website and also to my delight that he is not just a motorsports photographer but a very good nature photographer as well including birds.

I have a great passion for Bird Photography and Nature Photography as well as having photographed weddings for many years.
Many photographers have these diverse interests.

 Below is a link to his website.

http://www.dirkklynsmithphotography.com/

My wife is not passionate about photography.

Not the least bit really.

However she has assisted me on many weddings and also when we go on outback holidays she becomes an enthusiastic photographer.

When we went Central Australia a few years back and also on a trip across the Nullabor Plain she was documenting the scenery almost as much as me.

When you look at our photographs of those trips you will see we have a very different perspective on things which reflects our different personalities, interests, passions and points of view.

Here are a couple of examples.

One of the best places in South Australia for landscape photography is "the Breakaways" near Coober Pedy.

My perspective

My perspective

My wife pursuing her view of this landscape

this is what she was focussing on.

Lining up another shot

this was it

These next shots were on our trip across the Nullabor Plain. This road connects Adelaide with Perth.
You can guess which ones I took and which ones my wife took.

These shots represent different aspects of our interests and personalities .
It might not surprise you that people marvel about our beautiful suburban backyard with its beautifully eclectic garden.
And I had nothing to do with it!(I occasionally mow the small patches of lawn)

Diversity in photography is great.

All photographers have a different view on often the same subjects.

And you can marvel at the way different photographers capture such beautiful but different images of the same subject.

In sync with  the same idea you don't have to be the same in all things,

have the same interests,

to have a successful marriage.

The one main thing my wife and I have in common is our faith in Jesus Christ.

Getting back to the Theological stuff.

Don't be put off Jesus by all the stuff about so called "contradictions" in the Bible.

Remember the word Synoptic.

And if you are as seeker of truth get a copy of Lee Strobel's book.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/73186.The_Case_for_Christ

And keep on enjoying your photography.