Looking carefully is the most important part of taking photos. Three pictures here illustrate this quite well. The first shows colourful heather, with green bracken hiding the existence of a steep slope towards the two big pine trees at the back. It’s an insect-rich environment- but there is more to discover.

Those two pine trees are the main point of interest in the second photo. There is a lake in the bottom of the deep gully; and more trees in the background. Can you identify the (several) black objects near the top of the pines? No? You need more information, a pointer or symbol to explain…

Picture Three: carved from the wood of a larger fallen tree, a big cup forms a “nest” – with a wooden heron perched on the side. (The black objects in pic 2 are actual live nests used by a thriving population of wild herons.)

All three pictures supply information about a Heronry in a Country Park set in the hills of Bedfordshire. All are required to tell the story of a conservation/wildlife project protecting the colony of herons, and at the same time providing fresh air and green space for human beings who benefit from exploring the “wild side” of life.

Things don’t always have simple answers or explanations. Social media & TV abbreviate conversations and explorations. The medium seeks to condense everything into a sound bite or slogan. As a result, society only picks up a portion of fact- and the truth gets whittled away when we tell others of the “thing” we have learnt.

It’s why this blog is called Look, See, Pray. First we need to have our attention on life around us, then we need to look harder so we truly SEE what is significant. Then we have to DO something with our seeing: and it can be the “spark plug” that helps us pray in an informed and passionate way. It’s sharing our observations and thoughts with our God. It’s a “Holy Noticing” that opens our eyes, mind and spirit to the glories and realities in our everyday living.

Here we can rejoice in natural beauty, wildlife and ecology; we can enjoy it with thanksgiving. And we can also appreciate the artist’s skill in carving the Heron Nest- and understand the value of a symbol that points us to a thing of wonder.

Or… we can just grunt “nice view” and mutter “why take so many photos…” and pass by the supreme design and execution of the concept of “Heron” by the Creator who made all that we see.