07/05/2026
What I love about photography is that you're always learning, improvising, and solving problems.
Tonight, I forgot the camera mount for my tripod. Instead of setting up where I had planned, I had to move much farther away and use a different lens.
That mistake turned into a happy accident.
From that new location, I captured lightning behind the fireworks. The moment I pressed the shutter, my heart was pounding. I thanked God for the opportunity, but I wasn't even sure I'd actually captured it until I got home and started editing.
Then the adventure wasn't over.
I had to ride my bike back across the bridge to Pineville with my camera gear in my backpack and my tripod strapped to my handlebars. Just as the fireworks ended, the storm I had been photographing rolled in. Rain poured down, lightning was striking all around, and I found myself taking shelter under a pavilion with four other people while we waited for the worst of it to pass.
This is the second time I've been caught in a lightning storm, and it's a humbling reminder of just how powerful God's creation is.
It also reminds me of something even greater—the power of God's love. I'm thankful for the freedom we celebrate as Americans, but even more thankful for the freedom Christ purchased for us through His sacrifice.
It's been an incredible Fourth of July celebrating the greatest country in the world.
Happy Independence Day!
