Perspectives

Photo: Randy Vanderveen, north west of Grande Prairie. A long lens compresses the view of west-bound vehicles on Emerson Trail on a hazy September morning.

One thing that you quickly learn as a photographer is that perspective and a different point of view can make a big difference in the way things look.

Most people think using a telephoto lens is great for bringing subjects, like wildlife, that are far away closer in the photos. That is just one benefit. Another can be compression (notice the power poles at the side of the road in the feature photo) using a long lens compresses things to give it a unique look just as a wide angle lens can give the appearance of roominess or difference in size.

Perspective can also be a huge benefit to us as humans as we live our daily lives. If we see things from the viewpoint of others or from God's viewpoint it can create a whole different picture.

For example if we haven't been affected by the recession personally, we may have a hard time empathizing with someone who just lost their job and is seeing the bills pile up.

Or living in North America it is hard to realize exactly how a drought can wreak havoc on nations in East Africa.

When we experience a drought, food prices go up but we aren't limited to eating once every two or three days.

It is too easy to forget that we are fortunate and blessed to be living in North America. The real world for most people isn't the life we have — that is a fantasy and almost unbelievable.

I would encourage you to really think about that as we get closer to Thanksgiving this year. It appears that nations like Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia are heading into a famine like those that made headlines around the world in the 80s.

And yet, those needs and the urgency is being almost forgotten and ignored by the media for the most part as the fluff (Kanye West's behaviour at the MTV awards), the navel gazing (stories about the hardship in the media with the drop in advertising), the trivial (the ongoing saga of Lucy the Elephant in Edmonton) or the ongoing political soap operas (Liberals saying they will no longer support the Conservative minority government and which party is in bed with what other party)  eat up news holes.

We all need a change of perspective at times and, just like the telephoto lens compresses things and brings items closer, the internet and news sources from outside North America can bring the rest of the world a little closer to us.

Perhaps this year might be the year to cut back on some of the fixings for Thanksgiving and Christmas, even something small like buying a utility-grade turkey or a smaller bird, and look at providing some meals to those around the world who are starving.

There are plenty of humanitarian organizations that can use the help distributing much-needed nourishment to our brothers and sisters around the world. Why not donate some of those savings to an organization like Samaritan's Purse or World Vision. Local food banks and soup kitchens are also experiencing high demand and they also could use some help.