One of my favourite pastimes is getting out and taking landscape photographs.

I don't get to do it often and sometimes the weather foils my plans. But I still enjoy trying!

Over time I've learnt how important available light is, and how that light changes with things like the time of day. Sometimes I manage to take good photographs, and other times I don't, and I’m left thinking about how I got it wrong. Photos can be too bright, or much too dark. They can be lacking in contrast or have far too many highlights, and so on.

It’s all about light and darkness, and learning how to use your camera to capture what you see.

Light and darkness are also things you can read about in the bible - although not really in a photography context!

In the very first chapter of the Bible it says “God said, ‘Let there be light and there was light.’ God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness.’” (Genesis 1:3-4, NIV)

Within the Bible there is this recurring narrative about light and darkness - a metaphorical expression about good and evil in God's terms.

And God reveals how it is possible to seperate good from evil, and effectively be in the light.

Here are just 3 Bible verses about light and darkness:

“This is the message which we have heard from Him [God] and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” (1John 1:5, NIV)

“For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2Cor 4:6, NKJV)

“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”   (John 8:12, NKJV)

In a world that has so much darkness, having the light of life really is something worth thinking about.