Photo Contemplation
Photo Contemplation
A contemporary practice of visio divina that uses photography to help people deeply explore vocation, spirituality, and the meaning of work.
Project Overview
Sponsored by the Creative Callings Project, Inyeop Choi (M.Div. ’26) conducted research on a new artistic spiritual practice called “Photo Contemplation,” using the accessible medium of photography to engage vocational discernment, spiritual awareness, and the meaning of work. By attentively looking at, capturing, and contemplating the moments of everyday life, Photo Contemplation invites people to become more fully immersed in their own lives.
Project Details
Photo Contemplation is a photo-based spiritual practice inspired by visio divina. This practice invites one to discover a tapestry of inspiration and creativity embedded in the world.
Photo Contemplation consists of two modules: Active Module / Passive Module
Active Module invites people to step out and capture a specific moment or scene that speaks to you. In this setting, you are called to a pilgrim who explores and tastes the beauty, color, shape, and scent embedded in the world around you.
You can refer to the prepared prompts. e.g., What scene makes you feel joy, gratitude, and a sense of the divine?
Four Steps
- Meditating: Taking a few seconds of silence to pause a restless, busy mind and become present.
- Capturing: Taking photos of scenes that draw your attention and speak to you in the moment through the camera.
- Selecting: Choosing specific photos that resonate deeply with your spiritual journey and vocational discernment.
- Contemplating: Resting with your photo in silence, allowing it to reveal hidden layers of meaning.
Passive Module encourages you to dive into a chosen photo in a more contemplative way. In this practice, passive means laying down oneself and embracing openness, uncertainty, and mystery that come beyond oneself.
Four Steps
- Observation: Deeply looking at the photo; its shapes, colors, moods, and meanings that stand out to you.
- Meditation: Focusing on the reflections and emotions you experienced in the first step.
- Prayer: Giving voice to what you felt and thought through the photo. You may write, speak, or simply let the feelings unfold.
- Contemplation: Dwelling in silence with openness, creativity, imagination, and the divine.
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