IS IT ONE PIC OR ONE IMAGE AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?

Hang Gliding Launch @ Mt. Magazine State Park, Arkansas (01JUL2022)

I wouldn’t normally post another of the same genre (even from different days and places) just a few days after posting one, but today’s panorama got me thinking not so much about the picture but all that went into the composing and processing of this shot and how this kind of thinking can bring a healthy perspective to the entirety of our lives - the good, bad, ugly, and redeemed. After all, this area of The Natural State has breath-taking views seemingly one after another, and, admittedly, pics like these can all start to blend together.

Therein, friends, lies today’s reflection. The picture you are looking at is actually a stitching together of 30 separate shots. Two years ago, I was incapable of putting together this kind of image. It wasn’t until I took a class that spent some time focusing only on the art of the panorama that I realized just how wrong I was in how I was trying to make it work. Yes, Lightroom has a neat feature that helps in the composition of a panorama, but it turned out that I was off from the get-go because I was holding the camera incorrectly. Changing my grip 90° and taking more pics made for a much more useful stack from which to stitch together the final image. Learning to make sure there was enough overlap in each image for the stitching to work is something with which I still seek improvement every time I look to compose a panorama. Another key point that has gone into my composition mindset is the dimensions of the final product - 8x24. Why 8x24.5? Simple? My panoramic paper supply is 8.5x25, so a ratio of 8x24.5 allows me to have a 0.25” margin when printing.

In continuing to reflect upon what this project is all about and intentionally re-engaging in writing and photography, I am drawn to the process of stitching together the disparate images to make up a canvas that shows a much bigger perspective than any of the singular shots which make up the final product. I cannot help but wonder how much healthier any of us would/could be if we allowed ourselves to look at life through the perspective of composing a panoramic image. What if we allowed ourselves to realize a couple of essential truths:

1) No one moment in time tells the total story of our life.

2) Our life is the stitching together of literally millions of slices in time that contribute to the much broader canvas that encompasses all of our life.

Friends, I understand completely this can be quite an intimidating thought, especially because in the high and low moments, days, and seasons of our life our emotions can take us to places from which we cannot imagine escaping or even wanting to escape. Just remember, though, that your life is a panorama that is constantly being developed, and no matter the circumstances of your now or your past, there is a much bigger picture that you are composing.

What might you need to do (or not do) to give yourself permission to step away from the individual shots that make up the panorama that is your life and spend some time looking at your life in toto?

Grace and Peace,
Lamar

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