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Framing Faith: From Camera to Pen, An Award-Winning Photojournalist Captures God in a Hurried World
Like a photographer or storyteller, Jesus exhibited time and again how easy it is to capture moments of profound importance just by "noticing," "stopping," and "responding" to his surroundings.
In a world moving way too fast, "Framing Faith" is a book for people seeking to focus their lives, to find a deeper knowledge of God, and a more authentic Christian faith. In this modern age, many of us fill every "spare" moment we have rather than taking an intermission to see the true works of God and realize that he is present in every moment.
Matt Knisely communicates biblical truths in a fresh way, allowing you to really hear them, as if for the first time. He illustrates a new way to "see" God and to help us live in the moment through the exploration of various photography concepts, including:
Perspective
Composition
Processing
Darkness versus Light
His probing questions and unexpected presentation lead readers into a place of honest self-examination, causing them to ask, "Am I listening to God?" "Framing Faith" provokes its readers toward reflection; it reveals God is in everything we see and do.
In a world moving way too fast, "Framing Faith" is a book for people seeking to focus their lives, to find a deeper knowledge of God, and a more authentic Christian faith. In this modern age, many of us fill every "spare" moment we have rather than taking an intermission to see the true works of God and realize that he is present in every moment.
Matt Knisely communicates biblical truths in a fresh way, allowing you to really hear them, as if for the first time. He illustrates a new way to "see" God and to help us live in the moment through the exploration of various photography concepts, including:
Perspective
Composition
Processing
Darkness versus Light
His probing questions and unexpected presentation lead readers into a place of honest self-examination, causing them to ask, "Am I listening to God?" "Framing Faith" provokes its readers toward reflection; it reveals God is in everything we see and do.
- GenresSpiritualityReligion
182 pages, Paperback
First published July 8, 2014
1 person is currently reading
271 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Knisely
3 books20 followersMatt Knisely is an Emmy Award winning photojournalist, storyteller, creative director and artist who loves telling stories of the extraordinary in the ordinary. He has been described as “one of the most versatile photojournalists working today,” and has a national reputation for his unique approach to visual storytelling. He is the creative director for Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas. Matt's work has won many honors, including the Edward R. Murrow Awards for photography. Order his book Framing Faith here (goo.gl/zVqBkz).
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
September 6, 2014
I've been interested in writing and reviewing novels for a very long time, so was curious to explore a different angle of story telling, from a photographer's point of view, especially since there are a couple of keen photographers in my family. It was as thought provoking as I'd expected to find it. Matt Knisely is an expert in his field, and uses analogies such as focus, developing photos, setting up subjects, colour, exposure, letting in enough light, removing intentional fuzziness, and examining each scene for clutter, as analogies for how we live life.
As he processes things entirely differently from me, this book was eye-opening. Knisely informs us that he grew up with a learning difficulty which made reading difficult. He was always a visual learner, a doodler who relied heavily on pictures. He's also clearly a 'people' person who considers what he aptly calls WOO (winning others over) one of his personal strengths. As I'm an introvert who loves pondering over word pictures and shies away from trying to talk anybody into anything, I was surprised to see how much we're really on the same page in our own ways. Knisely makes a good point that God loves it when we process our common faith in ways that reflect our individual personalities and strengths.
One thing which irritated me a bit while reading this book is the confusion of formatting. most sentences and several proper names don't start with capital letters, while capitals appear in the middle of random words all thrOUgh the teXt, without any apParEnt reason. I'm not sure whether his intention was to be arty and different for whatever reason. We're told that written words never held much impact for him, so maybe that's why, but for people more like me, it's jarring and slows down the reading experience a lot.
I was impressed by so many story-photograph analogies that I probably have space to mention just a few. He points out that some photos make statements while others ask questions. The groupings photographers set up in family or work photos shows that we're meant to exist in relationships, and meaning springs from being part of other people's stories. The best photographers resist the temptation to look for only showy or 'grand' moments, and find great significance in quiet, less showy moments which many people miss. Great photos provide instant stories, have the power to whiz us back several years in an instant, provide voices for the voiceless and hope for the hopeless. Perhaps one of the biggest advantage in telling stories through photos is that the language is universal. Another thing which (sadly) came through for me is how much depth there is to the subject which a 'point and click' girl like me would have a hard time getting familiar with.
Thanks to Thomas Nelson and Net Galley for providing me with a review copy.
As he processes things entirely differently from me, this book was eye-opening. Knisely informs us that he grew up with a learning difficulty which made reading difficult. He was always a visual learner, a doodler who relied heavily on pictures. He's also clearly a 'people' person who considers what he aptly calls WOO (winning others over) one of his personal strengths. As I'm an introvert who loves pondering over word pictures and shies away from trying to talk anybody into anything, I was surprised to see how much we're really on the same page in our own ways. Knisely makes a good point that God loves it when we process our common faith in ways that reflect our individual personalities and strengths.
One thing which irritated me a bit while reading this book is the confusion of formatting. most sentences and several proper names don't start with capital letters, while capitals appear in the middle of random words all thrOUgh the teXt, without any apParEnt reason. I'm not sure whether his intention was to be arty and different for whatever reason. We're told that written words never held much impact for him, so maybe that's why, but for people more like me, it's jarring and slows down the reading experience a lot.
I was impressed by so many story-photograph analogies that I probably have space to mention just a few. He points out that some photos make statements while others ask questions. The groupings photographers set up in family or work photos shows that we're meant to exist in relationships, and meaning springs from being part of other people's stories. The best photographers resist the temptation to look for only showy or 'grand' moments, and find great significance in quiet, less showy moments which many people miss. Great photos provide instant stories, have the power to whiz us back several years in an instant, provide voices for the voiceless and hope for the hopeless. Perhaps one of the biggest advantage in telling stories through photos is that the language is universal. Another thing which (sadly) came through for me is how much depth there is to the subject which a 'point and click' girl like me would have a hard time getting familiar with.
Thanks to Thomas Nelson and Net Galley for providing me with a review copy.
July 3, 2014
A convicting read which challenges us to take our eyes off of the screen in front of us and savor the moments and stories happening right now. The chapter on perspective was also a good reminder to keep the whole picture in mind, to start looking at the whole world from gods perspective. Stop looking at the immediate, take a step back and view from a different perspective. This book gets me excited for the stories I will get to tell and makes me long to hear stories from the past.
May 16, 2019
Easy read, had some good nuggets drawing on photography principles to discuss faith. Some passages seemed more stream of consciousness and didn't add to the narrative.
July 5, 2014
[Note: This book was provided free of charge by Thomas Nelson Press/BookLook in exchange for an honest book review.]
When I was a kid, my uncle got married and while my brother got to be the ring bearer in the wedding, it was my job to assist another one of my uncles as a photographer’s assistant. As a result of running around to fetch various camera equipment and film, I did not end up in a single photo of the event, which bothered me a little bit, as it was a sign of my ability to avoid being a frequent subject of photographs that has continued throughout most of my life. Of interest as well is that photography happened to be a major interest of my father, which meant that most of my photographs as a child were due to the work of my father in seeking to memorialize the limited time he spent with my brother and I, or were annual school photos. While I am certainly not a very proficient or prolific photographer, it is an interest I am familiar with and an art I greatly respect.
I give this personal introduction because this particular work is written by a photographer (an Emmy-award winning photojournalist, no less) who gave up a career in television work to focus on Christian ministry. Not only does this book contain quite a lot of black-and-white photographs taken by the author, some of which appear to have symbolic meaning, but the language of this book is one of photography, using the subject as an extended metaphor for our Christian walk. The book is divided into three sections, focus, capture, and develop, and that deal with the three stages of capturing images in photos, and contains chapters on such important matters as discovering ourselves, paying attention to others (and ourselves), dealing with matters like purpose and perfection (which can be barrier to growth and to relationships with others) and listening. Later chapters of the book go into more technical matters of photography like capturing the moment, understanding perspective and subject and composition, and dealing with processing, shadow, and light. This particular book is clearly the one of someone who is extremely attentive to details but prefers to discuss biblical stories in a broad brush and summary rather than quotation and explication.
To be sure, this is an intensely personal work as well, and one that succeeds in winning the readers’ sympathies for showing attention to art in an age where the image is much more highly regarded than the word. The author appears to see in the image (as in photography and graphic design) as a way of providing an impetus to the Church, and laments the lack of artistic commissions given to contemporary artists. For some readers, this focus on the image, and not the word, may seem perilously close to idolatry. Fortunately, although the author (like many people) overstates the role of oral tradition and understates the earliness and centrality of writing to the process of scripture [1], most of the time he talks about real people with an obvious sympathy for them and attention to details. In fact, the author confesses himself as having had a learning disability that led him to take in too many details and be overwhelmed by them and unable to sit still or pay attention too well, something I can relate to rather well. It is the author’s obvious concern for people and their well-being that makes this book ultimately an encouragement to slow down, disconnect from our electronics for a little while, and learn how to connect with the people around us and the beauty’s of God’s creation. This is very useful encouragement, though likely only to be heard by those who are willing to slow down and spend some time reading to begin with, precisely the people who are likely to already be doing what the author suggests. This said, we can all use the encouragement to take the time to listen to others and show concern for their needs.
When I was a kid, my uncle got married and while my brother got to be the ring bearer in the wedding, it was my job to assist another one of my uncles as a photographer’s assistant. As a result of running around to fetch various camera equipment and film, I did not end up in a single photo of the event, which bothered me a little bit, as it was a sign of my ability to avoid being a frequent subject of photographs that has continued throughout most of my life. Of interest as well is that photography happened to be a major interest of my father, which meant that most of my photographs as a child were due to the work of my father in seeking to memorialize the limited time he spent with my brother and I, or were annual school photos. While I am certainly not a very proficient or prolific photographer, it is an interest I am familiar with and an art I greatly respect.
I give this personal introduction because this particular work is written by a photographer (an Emmy-award winning photojournalist, no less) who gave up a career in television work to focus on Christian ministry. Not only does this book contain quite a lot of black-and-white photographs taken by the author, some of which appear to have symbolic meaning, but the language of this book is one of photography, using the subject as an extended metaphor for our Christian walk. The book is divided into three sections, focus, capture, and develop, and that deal with the three stages of capturing images in photos, and contains chapters on such important matters as discovering ourselves, paying attention to others (and ourselves), dealing with matters like purpose and perfection (which can be barrier to growth and to relationships with others) and listening. Later chapters of the book go into more technical matters of photography like capturing the moment, understanding perspective and subject and composition, and dealing with processing, shadow, and light. This particular book is clearly the one of someone who is extremely attentive to details but prefers to discuss biblical stories in a broad brush and summary rather than quotation and explication.
To be sure, this is an intensely personal work as well, and one that succeeds in winning the readers’ sympathies for showing attention to art in an age where the image is much more highly regarded than the word. The author appears to see in the image (as in photography and graphic design) as a way of providing an impetus to the Church, and laments the lack of artistic commissions given to contemporary artists. For some readers, this focus on the image, and not the word, may seem perilously close to idolatry. Fortunately, although the author (like many people) overstates the role of oral tradition and understates the earliness and centrality of writing to the process of scripture [1], most of the time he talks about real people with an obvious sympathy for them and attention to details. In fact, the author confesses himself as having had a learning disability that led him to take in too many details and be overwhelmed by them and unable to sit still or pay attention too well, something I can relate to rather well. It is the author’s obvious concern for people and their well-being that makes this book ultimately an encouragement to slow down, disconnect from our electronics for a little while, and learn how to connect with the people around us and the beauty’s of God’s creation. This is very useful encouragement, though likely only to be heard by those who are willing to slow down and spend some time reading to begin with, precisely the people who are likely to already be doing what the author suggests. This said, we can all use the encouragement to take the time to listen to others and show concern for their needs.
August 4, 2014
I'm glad that I picked up Framing Faith by Matt Knisely, even though I thought it would only apply to photographers. I was quite surprised at how much I got out of it.
Stop.
Slow down.
Be present.
The moment matters.
"In a world moving way too fast, Framing Faith is a book for people to focus their lives, to find a deeper knowledge of God, and a more authentic Christian faith."
I enjoyed how Matt brings up the good, as well as the bad, about our digital world. It's wonderful in this day and age to be able to tell our stories so easily, to capture moments so swiftly on camera, to share items immediately on Facebook. But it's also a form of distraction.
On page 12 he writes, "When it comes down to it, technology has created a culture of distraction, keeping us stimulated by things that don't really matter."
Or page 15 where he writes about the constant access to texts and internet where we ignore those right in front of us. "My digital connections are more important than the people in front of me..." is the message that we send to people when we are immersed in technology.
It's not just about technology, but rather how to make the most of our time to be present in the present but also how to capture it all.
For example, take someone's Pinterest board. It tells a lot about the person...you can get an idea of their hobbies, their views, their styles. But is it what the person is or who they wish to be? And are they so busy pinning that they aren't actually doing any of it?
Are we living vicariously through Facebook posts without actually living our own life?
How does God fit into all this? What does He want for our life?
This is a stop and think book. It was a pretty easy read, though towards the end I did feel like the analogy for photography to everything in life became a bit old. All in all a great book!
Stop.
Slow down.
Be present.
The moment matters.
"In a world moving way too fast, Framing Faith is a book for people to focus their lives, to find a deeper knowledge of God, and a more authentic Christian faith."
I enjoyed how Matt brings up the good, as well as the bad, about our digital world. It's wonderful in this day and age to be able to tell our stories so easily, to capture moments so swiftly on camera, to share items immediately on Facebook. But it's also a form of distraction.
On page 12 he writes, "When it comes down to it, technology has created a culture of distraction, keeping us stimulated by things that don't really matter."
Or page 15 where he writes about the constant access to texts and internet where we ignore those right in front of us. "My digital connections are more important than the people in front of me..." is the message that we send to people when we are immersed in technology.
It's not just about technology, but rather how to make the most of our time to be present in the present but also how to capture it all.
For example, take someone's Pinterest board. It tells a lot about the person...you can get an idea of their hobbies, their views, their styles. But is it what the person is or who they wish to be? And are they so busy pinning that they aren't actually doing any of it?
Are we living vicariously through Facebook posts without actually living our own life?
How does God fit into all this? What does He want for our life?
This is a stop and think book. It was a pretty easy read, though towards the end I did feel like the analogy for photography to everything in life became a bit old. All in all a great book!
July 9, 2014
If there is one thing Matt does well in a passionate way it is that he weaves the thread of creativity into every part of his faith journey. This book will inspire you to live in the moment, and not just in your technology devices. I really enjoyed reading this book, and can say that i'll be able to apply what I learned in practical ways. Matts life is not much different than my own so the book was very relatable. I am forever grateful to Matt for this great work of art.
August 23, 2015
Matt Knisely is an Emmy Award winning journalist who shares his life and his inspirational insights with the purpose of helping you to connect with God.
His book, "Framing Faith, From Camera to Pen, An Award-Winning Photojournalist Captures God in a Hurried World," was written with artists in mind. By artist I mean bloggers, photographers, writers, painters, musicians, and filmmakers, or anyone who has a healthy appreciation for the arts.
I really enjoyed this book.
His book, "Framing Faith, From Camera to Pen, An Award-Winning Photojournalist Captures God in a Hurried World," was written with artists in mind. By artist I mean bloggers, photographers, writers, painters, musicians, and filmmakers, or anyone who has a healthy appreciation for the arts.
I really enjoyed this book.
July 2, 2014
Love this book! It gave me permission to slow down and just be. I feel myself searching for God in my everyday life- and really basking in His beautiful creation. I also really liked getting inside the head of a gifted artist. I loved seeing the world through Matt's eyes.
December 3, 2016
Outstanding book! I've given many copies as gifts. To-date, one of my all-time favorite books.
July 2, 2014
Pre-release copy.
August 4, 2014
A beautiful book, in every way.
August 16, 2018
Sometimes you have to have a book land in your hands at the right time for it to be impactful. This one to me felt a little heavy on cliche.
July 19, 2020
This book was okay and had a good message but nothing about it will really stick with me.
January 13, 2017
As someone with a longstanding interest in photography and love for visual storytelling, I was intrigued by the premise of Knisely's book. I lost interest partway through, however (hence the long reading time). Though I did find some lines striking enough to underline them, he often lapses into cliches or bare assertions that may not be very convincing to someone who's going through a rough season in their faith. I also didn't find that the photos included struck me as powerfully as I expected, based on Knisely's success. The very small size at which many were reproduced didn't help either.
Much of the book's may be an editorial problem. Based on his awards and experience, I assume Knisely is a very gifted photographer, therefore probably somewhat less gifted as a writer. Had his editor helped him trim or revised more cliched passages -- or even suggested a co-author who could help him tell his story more eloquently -- I think the book could have been much stronger.
By the same token, I wanted to see a different slice of Knisely's work, which it sounds like the photo edit in the book did not do justice to. I think the book had too many photos overall, but perhaps a different edit would have more compellingly showed Knisely at his best. Even the shots and frames shown on his website have more visual interest than the bulk of the pictures included in the book. More portraits, in particular, might have been a more powerful way to convey his perspective and gift. A paperback format presents real challenges in reproducing art photos, but a leaner edit would have allowed space to print photos at a larger size that showed off more subtle details. Any subtle contrast or details that would bring delight in a 16x20 print can't possibly come through in the tiny thumbnails used.
Much of the book's may be an editorial problem. Based on his awards and experience, I assume Knisely is a very gifted photographer, therefore probably somewhat less gifted as a writer. Had his editor helped him trim or revised more cliched passages -- or even suggested a co-author who could help him tell his story more eloquently -- I think the book could have been much stronger.
By the same token, I wanted to see a different slice of Knisely's work, which it sounds like the photo edit in the book did not do justice to. I think the book had too many photos overall, but perhaps a different edit would have more compellingly showed Knisely at his best. Even the shots and frames shown on his website have more visual interest than the bulk of the pictures included in the book. More portraits, in particular, might have been a more powerful way to convey his perspective and gift. A paperback format presents real challenges in reproducing art photos, but a leaner edit would have allowed space to print photos at a larger size that showed off more subtle details. Any subtle contrast or details that would bring delight in a 16x20 print can't possibly come through in the tiny thumbnails used.
July 8, 2014
In his first book, Framing Faith, Matt Knisely empowers the reader to tell their story. Knisely explores the busyness and connectedness we live in today. As positive as social media can be, are we stopping to focus on the story God is writing in our lives? Using the framework of photographic terminology, Knisely illustrates the importance of slowing down, of developing important “scenes” in our lives, and of noticing what God is creating in each experience.
Knisely’s approachable style made this book easy to read. He quickly engages with stories of his own as well as images from his career. As I try to notice my own story with more intention, I connected with his ideas that God created us to learn from and tell our stories. He continues to remind the reader that imperfections, conflict, and failures are what make great, engaging stories. He encourages the reader to embrace those dark points in the story, knowing that lessons learned will create a deeper, more meaningful story.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. There were a few points when I felt that the analogy of photography was forced into what Knisely was trying to say, but overall I appreciated the framework. It’s a timely book, as more and more people are questioning the amount of time spent on social media and the depth of connections made without connecting in real life.
**I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.**
Knisely’s approachable style made this book easy to read. He quickly engages with stories of his own as well as images from his career. As I try to notice my own story with more intention, I connected with his ideas that God created us to learn from and tell our stories. He continues to remind the reader that imperfections, conflict, and failures are what make great, engaging stories. He encourages the reader to embrace those dark points in the story, knowing that lessons learned will create a deeper, more meaningful story.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. There were a few points when I felt that the analogy of photography was forced into what Knisely was trying to say, but overall I appreciated the framework. It’s a timely book, as more and more people are questioning the amount of time spent on social media and the depth of connections made without connecting in real life.
**I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.**
October 3, 2014
Artists of every ilk will find much to connect with here. Certainly, Matt Knisely’s thoughtful and often profound insights on story and storytelling resonated deeply with me. But I would also say that even if you’re not creatively inclined, you will still find much to appreciate about this writer’s unique take on faith and life. Reflections like this one, for example: “Perspective gives us meaning. It frames our world, gives us a point of reference, and allows us to see different possibilities.”
For a book on the power of stories, however, I wished for more of them. I felt much of the book focused on concepts and not enough on concretes.
I also wanted more connection with the specific photos in the book. Unless I missed them (and I looked), I found no captions. I’m not a photographer myself, so I felt this would have helped me to know what I was looking at–especially the more abstract ones. I definitely enjoyed the exception: a full-page photo of a bunch of boys running out onto a field (which I actually lingered over, savoringly), and then was pleasantly surprised when he later told the story around it. I wanted more like that.
Still, Framing Faith provides many thought-provoking ideas about how art and faith connect. For me, that alone makes it a worthwhile read.
Thanks to Thomas Nelson and Book Look Bloggers for providing me a free copy to review. All opinions are mine.
For a book on the power of stories, however, I wished for more of them. I felt much of the book focused on concepts and not enough on concretes.
I also wanted more connection with the specific photos in the book. Unless I missed them (and I looked), I found no captions. I’m not a photographer myself, so I felt this would have helped me to know what I was looking at–especially the more abstract ones. I definitely enjoyed the exception: a full-page photo of a bunch of boys running out onto a field (which I actually lingered over, savoringly), and then was pleasantly surprised when he later told the story around it. I wanted more like that.
Still, Framing Faith provides many thought-provoking ideas about how art and faith connect. For me, that alone makes it a worthwhile read.
Thanks to Thomas Nelson and Book Look Bloggers for providing me a free copy to review. All opinions are mine.
August 1, 2014
Insightful book by a former high school classmate. Favorite quotes from the book:
"We struggle in the tension between wanting to be who God created us to be and feeling frustrated with the way he made us."
"Where there is perfection there is no story to tell. "
"Perfection hampers us from being our very best."
"We struggle in the tension between wanting to be who God created us to be and feeling frustrated with the way he made us."
"Where there is perfection there is no story to tell. "
"Perfection hampers us from being our very best."
April 14, 2019
An encouraging book about pursuing God in a deeper way, framed through the lens of a photography. It was wonderful reminder that faith and creativity intersect in such a powerful way. An easy read that led me feeling ready to create as an expression of worship.
http://workinprogressblog.co/2019/04/...
http://workinprogressblog.co/2019/04/...
September 28, 2014
I was drawn to this by my interest in photography and faith and found the interweaving of the two compelling.
Using photography and the elements of making a good photograph you begin to look at how you are made in the image of and just like a photograph we are to reflect our creator.
Using photography and the elements of making a good photograph you begin to look at how you are made in the image of and just like a photograph we are to reflect our creator.
Read
October 8, 2015Great book... I recommend to anyone creative to read this book! Gave me a new view in faith and art.
July 6, 2016
Quick and powerful perspective play for Christian creatives
August 15, 2017
Definitely not an award-winning author.
Didn't enjoy the book. Found it needlessly repetitive and lacking in depth.
Bonus point for laying out the Gospel plainly throughout the book.
Didn't enjoy the book. Found it needlessly repetitive and lacking in depth.
Bonus point for laying out the Gospel plainly throughout the book.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews