Who is Jesus? | Contemplative Photography Project

In this project you're exploring who Jesus is to you, today, in this moment. Not necessarily what you believe about Jesus, but how do you experience him? This project helps us look at our relationship with Jesus and explore it more deeply. Who do you see when you picture Christ? It's only through the place of truth of our perception (this is how I really experience Jesus) that we can accept the truth of who he actually is. We move through perception and experience to truth.

Recommendations for this Contemplative Photography Project:

• Take some time to journal or write down some of your experiences of Jesus - positive, negative, or in between. As you do, try not to place judgement or evaluate each experience, simply put it down on paper, noting how that experience made you feel.
  
• Doing a little lectio divina prior to your shooting may be helpful for those exploring contemplative photography for the first time. I recommend John 1:1-5 for this project.
• Venture out to photograph, allow your mind to wander on what metaphors or objects may represent what came up for you in your prep time. Allow your mind to think outside of the box for how to represent your experience of Jesus (e.g., maybe no people will be in your photograph).
  
• Allow yourself to be in-process. The goal is not to rush through, come to a new conclusion or realization about who Jesus is...then photograph the outcome. The goal is to photograph in process. It will be probably be messy. It may be uncomfortable. This is good. Stay with the process.
  
• Give yourself (ideally) 2-3 hours to photograph.
• Share your favorite 1-3 photographs with people you trust. If you're comfortable, I invite you to share them here in the comments, or on our Facebook page. If not, please do share them with at least one person in your community who can listen well to your story of shooting your self-portrait.

Share with me in the comments:

If you did this project, or are thinking of doing it:

• What was the experience like? Or how do you imagine it will be?
  
• How is it to think of Jesus in this context?
• What was the most surprising, or uncomfortable, part of the project?