Serving God One Frame at a Time
Standing in the back during worship, the lights are low and people are dropping their guard, feeling the Spirit move. I look out over a sea of raised hands. Some people are singing at the top of their lungs. Others have their heads bowed, tears streaming down their faces. It's so beautiful to observe.
I've shed a tear or two myself at the thought of all these people from different walks of life worshiping our one true God. Sometimes I have to lower my camera and just take it in.
I love my church. I really do.
A Small Team With a Great Heart
The Church at Azle isn't just a crowd that gathers once a week. It's home. It's community. It's people who love and support each other through every season. And I get to serve there as part of our small but special media team.
Our team is small, just the four of us trying to cover everything. And honestly, it can get chaotic. We're coordinating cameras, managing tech issues, making sure everything's ready before the doors open. Sometimes it feels like we're scrambling. But we've built trust with each other, and that makes all the difference. We know we can count on each other when things get hectic.
Ariss is the extremely busy gal who somehow manages to wrangle all of us while also wrangling her little boys. She takes care of so much of the website and multimedia, and she still finds time to encourage us and keep everything moving. If you ever need to speak with her, you better grab her when you see her. She's a flash. Not only does she work with the media team, but she also sings on the worship team. I honestly don't know how she does it all.
Joey is the backbone of everything we do. He handles all the multimedia tasks, from preparing for worship to running the live feed cameras to getting Pastor Mike's and Pastor Chad's notes ready. And that's just scratching the surface. He's constantly working behind the scenes on so many other things that most people never see. If something needs to happen for a service to run smoothly, Joey's already ten steps ahead making sure it does. He never stops, and somehow he manages to keep it all together.
Then there's my good friend Austin. He shoots with his Canon, I shoot with my Nikon, and together we work as a team to capture the heart of our church. We've learned to move around each other without getting in the way. Sometimes he'll catch an angle I miss. Sometimes I'll spot a moment he doesn't see. We don't compete.
We complement each other.
Austin is one of the most talented young photographers I know. He looks completely at home in his cowboy hat, calm and steady, but when he picks up a camera his talent speaks for itself. He has an eye for moments that you can't teach. The truth is, neither of us could do this alone. Photography during a service isn't a solo act. It takes awareness, communication, and trust. We've gotten to where we can read each other pretty well. A quick glance, a nod, and we're already shifting positions to cover different parts of the room. Serving alongside him has been one of the greatest blessings of this journey.
How it All Started
I've always been fascinated by cameras. Ever since I was young, they've pulled me in. A camera can stop time, hold a moment that would otherwise slip away, and let you see things you might have missed in the rush of real life. I believe God gave me an artist's mind and an artist's eye, because I notice the small things. A tear in worship. A nervous smile. The way light moves across a room. Those details matter to me.
For years photography was just a passion. Something I loved. But when I stepped onto the media team, it became something bigger. It turned into worship. Each photo I take now feels like part of my service to God and to my church family.
Capturing the Moments That Matter
Our work spans everything from Sunday services and youth nights to baby dedications and special speakers. But some of the most emotional moments are the baptisms and baby dedications. Watching parents stand with their children, promising to raise them in faith, is powerful. Photographing someone as they rise from the water during baptism, their face lit up with joy and freedom, is unforgettable.
Youth nights are so awe inspiring. With the world we're living in today, these young people come together to worship, and some even give their lives to God for the first time. Watching that happen, being there to capture those moments when everything changes for them, reminds me why this matters so much.
These aren't just photos. They're testimonies. They're memories people will carry for a lifetime. When I lift my camera during worship or fellowship, I'm not photographing strangers. I'm capturing family moments.
Most Sundays, before service begins or after it ends, I make time to walk around and talk to people. Some are friends I've known for years. Others are brand new faces. One of my favorite parts of every Sunday is greeting our special needs group. When they see me coming, I usually get a shout, a handshake, or a high five. They're always smiling, always worshiping with pure joy, and they inspire me every week. They remind me of what faith looks like when it's simple, honest, and true.
More Than Background Work
That's why I can't look at what we do as background work. It's not just clicking a shutter. It's not just adjusting light or settings. It's heart work. It's testimony. Every photo is part of the story God is writing in our church.
When I look back, I can see how God prepared me for this. The fascination with cameras. The artist's eye. The friendship with Austin. The bond with Aris and Joey. The closeness of our church family. Even the small conversations before and after service. None of it was an accident.
Sometimes serving is simple. Waiting for the right light. Adjusting a setting. Moving into the right spot. Other times it's overwhelming. There's an older couple that comes to church every Sunday. He lovingly pushes her wheelchair into the service, gets her settled, and then they worship together. A few weeks ago I watched them during worship. Both had tears running down their faces as they sang. The way the light hit them, the raw emotion, the devotion between them after all these years. I had to steady myself.
Maybe they were having an encounter with God in that moment. Maybe they were reminiscing about everything they'd been through to get here. I don't know their full story, but I knew I wasn't just taking a photo. I was capturing someone's encounter with God. I was witnessing something sacred.
That's what this is. I thank God every day for this calling. For the camera in my hands. For Austin standing beside me. For Aris and Joey making it all possible. For a church that feels like family. Every Sunday I get to serve with my whole heart, and there's nothing I'd rather be doing.
