My WHY Behind Photography

Why this? Why that?

“Why do you do what you do?” “Why do you like photography so much?” “Why, why, why?” Shooting weddings, couples, and families constantly, I get asked these questions pretty regularly. & as humans, we’re driven to find answers and solutions to every aspect of our life (sorry, the psychology major in me is coming out LOL). But as much as I wish I could, this question isn’t one that I can just come back with a one sentence answer. As a matter of fact, this question has quite a lot of depth and I wish I had more time to explain to clients why I love what I do. So, to all of you who have ever asked my why & didn’t quite get the full answer, this one’s for you:

Jesus’ Undeserved Grace

 If you’ve come across my website or seen my social media, you’re bound to see content about my personal faith: bible verses, church services, devotional time, etc. & there’s this huge stigma or assumption that gets made pretty quickly when seeing these things. Thoughts such as “oh, she’s one of THOSE Christians” or “She thinks she’s better than everyone because of her faith” or even “She posts about that for attention.” To an outsider looking in, sure, it may look like that on the surface. I don’t know the past experiences you’ve had with church or fellow believers, but I’m sorry that your image of Jesus has been tainted from that. & I’m here to tell you straight up right now that here’s the truth: I am an imperfect, sinful human in desperate need of the grace of God.

Why do I share about my faith? Because Jesus saved my life. That’s my why. Jesus died on the cross, nailing your sin to that same cross, and was raised to life again 3 days later pronouncing that sin has NO hold on you any longer. We are free because of this gift through Jesus. He doesn’t ask you to be perfect, heck, He wants ALL of your imperfections. It’s even written in Romans 3:23- “For all have sinned and fall short to the glory of God.” Your sins and scars don’t make you unworthy, they make you human. & the biggest thing we need as humans is a love deeper and wider than what we’ve ever known to save us from the evil and darkness of the world. 

Your Beauty through GOD

So, the big answer to why I do what I do? It’s all God. Okay, it’s a bit more complicated than that, but that’s the short answer. The reason I am writing this today simply wouldn’t have been possible without God. I was blessed with a gift of creativity and attention to detail which plays into every photo I capture and edit. It is because of the gifts received from God that I am able to deliver such beautiful images that get framed in your living room. Even deeper, in Song of Solomon 4:7 it says that “You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you.” & in a world where beauty is conformed and praised by the media, we are all in need of the assurance that we are made beautiful in God’s image.

My biggest hope through taking your pictures is that I can show you how utterly perfect you are because you are God’s precious creation. I’ll even let you in on a secret, I refuse to use photoshop to completely alter your appearance (make you look skinnier, whiten your teeth, etc.) because your natural beauty should always shine through pictures. It just goes down to my fundamental belief that you are made beautiful in the image of God. It doesn’t matter if the scale looks 15 pounds higher than it used to, or if the blemishes on your face start to peek through, because centuries ago, a man named Jesus already proclaimed your eternal beauty despite cultural standards.

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.”

Ephesians 2:10

My Mission

As I wrote this, I went back and forth on trying to find the perfect words to use, or how to phrase things differently so that it would be clear. It’s hard to find the words to express the faith-centered goals I have for my business and the WHY behind what I do. Yet, I hope a small ounce of you was able to see inside my heart through this blog post. Even more so, I hope you feel comfortable and even encouraged to chat all things faith with me moving forward.

The message of the Gospel can be hard, complicated, and sometimes muddy if you’ve never been exposed to His Word. But, ultimately, God’s message shines through clearly: You are unconditionally loved, beautiful, and forever saved by the mercy and grace of God. & my hope is that in some way or another, you are able to see the work of God through my pictures. It’s my mission.

Read more about my faith here: https://capturedbyallisonphoto.com/meet-allison