Photogs, NewCastle, and A Story of Redemption
So last night Heather and I went on a date.
722 to get our worship on.
Zack Arias’ studio to get our party on.
Heather and I will do anything. Like seeing that Zack was having a party off his twitter feed and deciding to go.
We were looking forward to drinks, muchies, and conversation with Zack and Meghan.
What I got was so much more.
The mixer was great. I was surrounded by dozens of people who had flown in from across the country to take part in Zack’s off the hook One Light Workshop.
A workshop on how to turn out amazing photos with a minimalists budget. Like. One light.
I was surrounded by conversations featuring words like f-stop, aperture, soft box, and hot light.
These conversations made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I don’t know why. They just did.
Towards 10 pm, Heather, Meghan, and I walked downstairs. Zack clanged something on his bottle of NewCastle Brown Ale for what turned out to be the best part of the night.
He gathered all of us around and had us introduce ourselves, name our profession, and what we hoped to get out of the workshop.
I went first and had fun explaining that I am an Executive Producer for a church. Heather introduced herself as the girl that likes to take pictures with the “A” setting on her camera for Auto.
Story after story from full time photogs here to learn from the master teacher. I was impressed.
Then Zack, quite simply, told his story.
Sitting on a stool, unassuming, beer in hand, his story flowed.
A story of dreams, hopes, love, lost, divorce, debt, single fatherhood, Kinkos, a break, one camera, one light, God, sovereignty, John Eldridge, Waking the Dead, a prayer answered, redemption.
I was hanging on every word.
The people in the room were mesmerized.
What I saw was a man being real with himself, others, and God.
And it was infectious.
No games. No punches. No manipulation.
Just truth.
And because of that, it was one of the most brilliant nights I have had since moving to Atlanta.
Who inspires you towards Authenticity?
Los
RAIN IT DOWN
a beautiful girl named Lorana and my wonderful daughters.
After reading a John Eldridge book (especially Wild at Heart), how could you not feel inspired to “keep it real?” That book, in particular (along with Andy’s How Good is Good Enough?) have really prompted me to take long strides at re-evaluating how my relationship with Jesus has been more about religion and less about authenticity.
(Need to put in a good word for my Friday night small group. These guys know how to man-up and just tell it like it is.)
Please note: Newcastle is one word.
deep envy
Sorry to be the obnoxious grammar-fiend, but did you mean memorized or mesmerized?
Wow, sounds like an amazing time. That’s one thing I’m looking forward to doing more of when I move closer to “big city life”. Granted, Indianapolis isn’t Atlanta, but they’ve got some cool stuff to.
I love photography and can appreciate great photographic artists. That guy’s good!
Brad Ruggles
http://www.bradruggles.com
That was great… but there were like 4 typos…
What inspires me to authenticity? Probably not a guy who posts his April Fool’s joke under “authenticity”…..
I find that genuine conversation, especially about the Kingdom of God, inspires me to be authentic myself. There is something both terrifying and disarming about sitting around with folks (or one on one) and just learning how to dwell together and bring out the reality in each other of who we are.
The OneLight deal sounds incredible. Looking at Zack’s blog makes me want to dive into photography even more (which I have been doing). Thanks for coming back to us, Los. =) I knew you wouldn’t last too long!
Maybe I missed the whole point to the post, but New Castle Brown Ale is a good beer. My favorite.
I have wanted to meet Zach for a long time. He has always seemed like a real dude on his site (usedfilm.com) and his blog.
awesome. _Love_ that.
For my authentic inspiration, I have to brag on two things: my husband, who is – bar none – the most what-you-see-is-what-you-get person I know and is the most inspirational person of my life. And my church, constantly encouraging us to BE REAL!
Zack completely inspires me towards authenticity. I’m so grateful for him in my life. I love him so much! I’m sitting in on the OneLight right now. It’s a little over my head, being a musician and all!
My sister, Erin, is another person who challenges me to be authentic. And as of late, you my friend, have as well.
And, for the record, my website (which is clunky right now, it’s being redesigned soon) is meghancoffee.com
Hey Los,
I’ve gotta say it: you do. There are many things that challenge me to be real, but I appreciate that you use “sucks” and Jesus on the same blog page. I appreciate your wife giving you “the finger” on a blog dedicated to you being a “screw up man” (your words) who loves God. Of course only you know for sure, but I think if I were to be a fly on the wall, I’d see you crying out to God privately as you do publicly. Thanks for being real while you’re searching for Him!
-|<@ren
(karen h)
shoot all I could think about is the fact that you had drinks with other Christians. That’s taboo here and I wish it wasn’t.
my kids inspire me toward authenticity! And actually, the complete LACK of authentic people in our church inspire me to do BETTER.
my wife.
-proverbs 31: 10-31
My pastor and my husband both inspire me to authenticity. And of course, my kids, who won’t let me get away with fake. They spout out everything I do…no secrets here. lol
goodness. This has been one of your more resonating posts in a while. Not that you don’t resonate, it’s just that, well, yeah.
Some of my most moving conversations have been over a bottle of Newcastle (my fav) with friends who love God, you know, like the deep kind of love, the one that seems to almost be better articulated in laughter, in tears, in song.
you know what inspires me towards authenticity? when people can be real. I mean real real, with me. it’s contagious.
I have to agree with Zacko – John Eldridge got it started for the Arias clan for sure! My friends Kelly & Di inspire me to be real along with the rest of my family (I’m including Meghan in the family part!)
Mark Driscoll’s sermons resonate within me and John Piper’s sermons challenge me to know our God deeper…Tom Nelson gets some credit too.
Very cool. Worship inspires me to authenticity. Also, posts like this one inspires me to authenticity.
I am a 4th grade teacher and my students have required me to be real. I have learned to say, “I’m wrong.” “I’m sorry.” “That tone of voice was just uncalled for.” more times in the classroom than in any other relationship!
My dear, precious friend Angie calls me on it when I’m not real and shows me that God and the world are glorified when I am just as I was meant to be. (with a little tiny filter, of course)
Cindy Lou Who
Being authentic is one of the key aspects of being a great leader. Nobody is going to want to follow someone that they can’t relate to. What a privilege it is to be able to touch someone’s heart and minister to them out of our own screw-ups. God is good like that.
zack has a great story behind his profession.
kinkos is the bomb