Surrounded by off-white corridors and the smell of only Grand West Arena. This year Colour Conference looked a tad bit different to me. Photography brief: stay backstage and capture everything that happens behind the scenes. One week, one corridor, one objective: To the creative, I see you.
Shooting behind the scenes is most probably my favourite thing. I have a scandalous love affair with our creative team and its vision. It’s no secret that I love telling stories through images and capturing moments off platform. This year marks a 10 year photography anniversary for me. I started shooting when I was 15, a very delicate age for any young girl not knowing her identity. A camera became a part of me, who I am and what I believe.
Photography is my default. Even when I started following God, creating images is all I knew. As a creative I tend to be a perfectionist, my work had to be seen. I don’t want to be good at what I do, I want to great. Pride and arrogance kept me going, until I burned out. You can’t build character on pride and you definitely can’t grow closer to God with a mindset like that.
Fellow creative’s, today I want to write to you. Don’t be the person I use to be. I use to strive for affirmation and I promise you there will be a day where you work your ass off and no one says thank you.
To the creative; I’ve been watching some of you. Some roll cables 6am in the morning and others rehearse songs ready to lead people into worship. For 7 days I found myself backstage with the majority of people that make Colour happen. The ones that rocks up at 5am and leaves at 2am, the ones that help with stage design and setup, the ones that put up poster all over the place and the ones that have the honour of capturing the story unfold.
This week I followed a few around. Some don’t care about their titles. They walk around the corridors with no shoes on, eat their cooked meals upstairs in a dressing room and have random conversations on a staircase. My eyes opened to what true community looks like. To actually have a conversation with someone with genuine kindness and care. To be loved…
Colour 2017 was not really about the photos. This year I decided to be more present and observe.
1) Creative pastors; you really eat a lot of Steers chips. Yes, I saw you!
2) Why does everyone meet in doorways? Can’t you stand somewhere else?
And 3) Why does the events team talk so loud?
One particular day I decided to sneak into the creative’s leaders meeting. You would think that it’s this stiff meeting where no one smiles. To be honest, I walked out crying of laughter. It was a great reminder to have fun in the midst of it all. It reminded me of why we do what we do.
To the creative’s; I pray that the beautiful mystery of God becomes personal to you. I pray that you will mature in your relationship with Him and serve out of overflow. I pray that God will speak to you in new ways and that you will seek Him more and more.
Because; Can You Believe We Get To Do This?
Love
nkp