The Face of God-Images of the Divine at Work in Humanity
Disaster and war dominate the media, but another force is at work in the world. Divine love drives ordinary people to extraordinary service. The Face of God will document 10 stories of world-changing people whose weapons are love and faith.
"There were two things I wanted to do. I wanted to show the things that had to be corrected. I wanted to show the things that had to be appreciated." -- Lewis Hine
Natural disaster and man's inhumanity to man are, and have always been, tremendously important issues. Equally important, however, are stories of human courage, strength and dignity, as eloquently addressed by Lewis Hine, the famed 20th - century documentary photographer and social reformer.
Now, more than at any other time in history, thousands of ordinary men and women dedicate their time, money, energy and will to solve the inexplicable puzzle of human suffering on a rich planet. Many thousands of these people are motivated by faith and grace, seeking to embody the scriptural imperative “Treat others as more important than yourself.” Collectively these modern-day servants comprise The Face of God.
One archetypal example is Mother Theresa. Before her recent death she spent her entire life giving her all to help the unfortunate in Calcutta. It was easy to imagine the face of God when looking at Mother Theresa: She fairly glowed with the internal power of love. Her example helped the world see the joy, and impact, of selfless living.
Today, countless people all over the planet give themselves entirely to serving others. My dream assignment is to find these people and tell their stories through photographs, audio, and video interviews. I would like to profile 10-15 primary stories of little-known but exceptional people from a variety of races, age groups, sexes, socioeconomic backgrounds, and geographic locations. Through the telling of their stories of selfless love, the Face of God will emerge. The stories will be photographed in a documentary style, with the emphasis on revealing genuine moments and real emotion. I will seek to publish a book of photographs with a companion multimedia website featuring short documentary films containing video interviews and still photos that allow the people featured to tell their own stories in their own words. The web site may also contain sidebar stories with information graphics, maps, Q & A’s, fact boxes and data visualization that examine the global landscape of charitable living and giving. The site will feature a blog in which I will report on the experience of finding these people and revealing their remarkable stories. The blog will be the first piece of the project online and will solicit recommendations from readers for stories to cover, effectively making the project a two-way communication with readers. From their suggestions, I will select some of the stories to tell.
The goal of this project is simply to “show the things that had to be appreciated” with regard to people living their faith. It will not pontificate, but bring to light the amazing power of love and attempt to show the Face of God in our neighbors and strangers.
In more than 20 years as a photojournalist, multimedia producer and professor, I have had the privilege of meeting and sharing the lives of many extraordinary people. This dream assignment will allow a synthesis of these experiences into a work that can serve society by featuring people whose lives are an inspirational example of good in our world.
In keeping with the spirit of the project, if I am selected as the recipient of the $50,000 prize I will donate ten percent to the primary cause of the people featured in the project.
Please vote! Thanks for your confidence.
142 Comments
Hi Pat. Yours is an inspiring dream filled with all the right things. As a minister, how could I not support you? You have my vote and my sincere wishes for good luck in achieving your dream.
You have a great idea, well detailed, lots of experience and I like your passion and that you are giving to others. Best of luck to you!
This is going to be a great project!!
I pray that God will show His glory through each subject.
Pat, you would do such a fantastic job of bringing a picture of the incarnational aspect of God's people touching others. Go for it!
awesome idea, i voted for you, please have a look at mine and return the vote, good luck!
Good idea. Voted you you. Feel free to vote for my project on human rights abuses, land seizures, political upheaval and the overall struggles of daily life in Zimbabwe.
This will be a fantastic project to do and see
You've got my vote, Pat! Believers and unbelievers alike need to both see and have our consciousness raised by your excellent work/art. And those who are on the front lines in those places of the world also need affirmation and the knowledge that they are not alone. Blessings, Cousin Wendy
Pat -- may you open the eyes of man, as they see into the face of God, through your talented and seasoned lenses. This will be a great project. With you all the way!
Pat,
How exciting! Watching God at work through human hands is phenomenal!
Lisa Estes
Pat,
Can I work for you? I like it. I miss your teaching! Hope things are going well.
Kim R.
Pat.
It seams like a very nice project.
Good luck with it.
Best
Bernardo
Pat
Inspiring idea for a project, and if anyone can do it justice you can.
Best,
Gina
Pat,
AWESOME! I know your story would inspire many others to make a difference in the world.
What a great opportunity. Go for it.
Kendrick
Hi Pat!!.
Is seams like a very good idea and proyect.
Good luck and all my best.
Matías
Pat, I just voted for U. What an awesome idea... Allen PS I want some pics of Cuba, we'll talk later. :)
Pat,
Incredible idea, incredibly well articulated. I'm with you all the way, man!
blessings,
Rocky
You've got my vote and blessings.
Already voted for you too - great idea, Pat! -Whitney
I agree with you and support your idea. God will use you and those wioth you to bring a whole new concept of media...one that glorifies God, rejoices ih his blessings, and promotes love, change and wellness as the means and tools to help thios ein need and oppression. Read Psalms 30:11-12
Great project idea...... Go for it.
RonH
Great!
Pat, this is great. Good luck! Liz
Good idea, check out mine and vote please. I voted.
Great idea, Pat. Good luck with it.
Best wishes to you,
Greg
Wonderful idea. I hope you are able to do it.
Tom
You have my vote, If you get the chance, check out my dream "From Australia With Love" and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE vote for it!
Thanks.
-Adam
Thanks, good luck.
I would love to see this completed. A unique vision. If you would, please vote for mine too. Maybe one of us may win! Good luck. and vote for yourself!
Beautiful idea. Thanks for the vote, you absolutely have mine.
PIC'D! I can't wait to see these photos, Pat.
Pat, you got my vote! I really like your idea and I can tell you've put some thoght and passion into it. Lots of luck! Rachael Hyde
Great idea from a Pulitzer prize winning photographer! A long time fan,
Wonderful dream, Pat. Here's to your win! Blessings.
Bill
A winning idea already!You have my vote.
Moises, from Honduras
I love your heart!!!
Pat, i know your work. it's unique, as well as the way you tell your stories. i would think, this project is ideal for your style, your journalistic perspective, and your heart for people. i would think the book would cause people to open their eyes through your vision.
Vote is in. Great idea! Matt J
I do believe your idea is the best!!!! I wish for you to have great success =)
Great idea. Best of luck.
Dana
Man this looks great! Thanks for the pic, I got you back. Let's get both of them in the running!
Good luck Pat! Sounds awesome.
Great idea! You will nail it. Good luck!
Pat, I just voted for you. What a fantastic idea! Truly, God-inspired!
Carol
Look forward to seeing the photos
Everybody is the face of God! Oh, and thanks for voting for me, and voting for love!
I love your idea! I wish you the best and to God be the glory!
Velvet Sunderland
Nice project Pat.
Good Luck
Arturo
The purpose of photojournalism at its best, documenting the lives of every day people who change the world and are an inspiration for the rest of us. I love it!
THis is splendid work! Thank you for sharing this dream. You have my vote, my prayers, and MANY BLESSINGS!
Peace,
Kathryn
this sounds like an amazing project! i'm returning the vote. good luck to you!
Pretty awesome...I voted for ya!
May God be glorified!
Clarke
~~<~~
Pat as someone who has won the Pulitzer Prize for photography your images would make us all proud. Best wishes in God to you.
pat, brother. thanks for initiating this idea. May His story go forth.
Chris.
This would be a good thing to do, and you are a good man to do it. Good luck!
Great idea, the opportunity to reach out and share the positive power of God at work in peoples lives. You get my vote!
I think this is wonderful, and the best part is that you can really pull it off.
Let me know if I can help.
jack
Good Luck Pat!!
good luck pat. Alicia
good for you for going for your dream assignment! best, robbo
Wow! Great idea!
A nice idea, voted. Thanks for your vote!
Your method for fetching votes is disingenuous. God will find someone else to shoot this project.
Wonderfully original and definitely needed. Good Luck!
God is good! I pray that all involved will be rewarded through images of God's Face!
This is a realistic project for an extraordinarily talented multi-media journalist.
hey there....friend of Sabrina....the world needs more teachers of love and i think this is a great project. best wishes on this and life.
You totally have my vote, and I will tell my friends to vote for you.
Love your work!!!!
Go for it.
Richard
Best of luck with your very worthy endeavor!
God Bless You!!!
Beautiful work. A gift to all.
Lets dream it. And be it.
Good luck; I hope you make the cut!
Matt
Good luck, Pat! This is a great idea. I hope you win it. :)
Wishing you the best. From Clem Ferris' sister.
Fabulous idea! Definitely gets my vote!
Hope you win it!
Hi Pat, seen "Love Actually"? Peoples “love” when people greet each other at airport arrivals. Apply that scene to how God works miracles in people’s lives, capture this on film, that is your task. God moving in humanity, love to see you capture that. ENJOY your divine task Pat. Do that when you win
Pat-- Buena suerte, this is an intiguing idea. Lucila
Hey! This is a really good idea. Capturing God at work is an important part of christianity.
i love this idea so, so much. if you win and i don't (look up shuttersisters picture hope) i have wonderful contacts for you.
Pat, I pray that you win, but if not, don't let that stop you. Your idea is a gift from God. Completing the project is your gift to the world. Blessings my friend.
Best of luck, Pat. You'd do an exceptional job!
Pat, As a father of one of your students, I know that what you teach and believe in has made a major impact on my daughter. This will help you reach untold "students" whoes lives will be changed by the message carrier. Dan
Butler
Pat is a truly inspirational guy - for more info on him, check out: http://www.photojournalistswhoblog.com/2009/03/28/pat-davison/
God bless you! I hope you win! :D
Blessings on your dream!!!
May God be glorified!
I would love to see this project happen!
I've dreamed of doing something similar, but am no photographer. Hope you can!
Great concept. We can see the face of God everywhere we turn, if we only look. I love to show pictures from other countries to people in the US... so that they can get another view of places that they have only known for war.
Blessings my Brother!
Hi Pat,
Things are looking good here...I hope and pray that you'll remain strong in the ranking. I hope we could do more than the three votes that we've given. Your idea is awesome btw. God bless!
The Muleta Family
You got my vote! Make sure you check out blog out http://www.findagravemarker.blogspot.com/ and see our project evolve. We want to record every marker in pictures throughtout the US. Cemeteries are lost or abandond on a daily basis
noble idea, got a vote from me
please check out my idea, more art based then documentary
http://www.nameyourdreamassignment.com/the-ideas/gbaked/bringing-the-monkey-house-to-life/
Pat, you are amazing. I can't wait to see the project.
Teresa of Avila wrote these words: "Christ has no body now but yours / No hands, no feet on earth but yours / Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on the world / Christ has no body now on earth but yours." If this isn't your tagline, it could be! I pic'd you.
you got my vote too....good luck
Pat...
Hi, you have my vote...good luck.
Kyle Green
I see the writing on the wall here so am letting my proposal go and getting behind yours! Go Pat! You've got the heart, the photographic talent and God on your side to do this wonderful story in a magnificent way. God's peace and blessings! Sherrlyn
You've got my vote. I think this is by far the best!
heres my vote and please vote for mine- orphanges america and africa! i have wokre din zimabawe..and am in favor of all altrusitc ideas and worldview ideas! please also check out my award winning film www.buddhawild.com
Good luck! -Kate B
praying for your project to be a beacon of light!
Keep up the good work..milton
Pat, You got my vote, and I pray you get the chance to carry it out. Let me know how else I can help.
Ted Jackson
What a powerful idea! I hope you win!
How amazing!! We totally support you. God is just smiling at you:)
awesome!! i hope to see this play out regardless of the contest results! i hope you pursue it!
also, please take a look at my dream and vote if you like it! thank you!
Oh, please. Stop attributing human accomplishments to some god...
PAT
I finally quit being lazy and voted.
Pat,
You have my vote!!!!! I think it's a great and very inspiring idea!!!
vero
This is an awesome idea. I am reading about Mother Theresa now and am excited to hear about more of God's servants that have taken the message of Christ to heart. You are an inspiration and you have my vote!
Cindi
Pat - great subject! If any one can truly capture and express this idea, you'd be the one. Standing with you, Bob watson
God bless you in all of your journeys of showing the world The face of God. Impressed with shutter sisters offering contacts. :o) If you win I hope there is a way that you can let everyone that voted for you know and put "feelers" out for assistance. I would love to help in any way I can.Blessings!
Blessings!
Great work Pat!!!!
Hi Pat! Just letting you know that I emailed almost everyone in my address book twice for ya. I wish you nothing but the best. If you need help with the project (audio, photo, etc) you know where to find me. God bless!
Good luck with the project! Hope you do very well.
Good luck!
The best of luck!
Wonderful! Good luck!
May this vote of mine be multipled, lifting you into the top 10!
Blessings and His eyes!
Peace > Love > Joy <
God's Blessings for your dream!
one more vote for you in the top-top!
Great idea. I hope it's chosen.
I heard about your idea through a recommendation from my photojournalism professor; I think you know him... Your idea looks fantastic--especially the way you plan to follow up with a full online project. I think this is the kind of project that will happen, one way or the other!
I like your idea, check out mine and vote for me if you like it. Its about poverty and society in 3rd world countries and how they are controlled, devastated by their governments and western industrialized nations.
Great idea!
Hello, great idea and I voted for you. I'm a former introductory photography student of yours. ^_^
How do you vote?
Great idea!
I voted here! I like your idea and plus my husband, Guy, keeps pestering me and others on facebook.:) to vote for you.
I love your idea and I really hope you win. Best of luck to you! From Michelle Langston (a former student)!
Namaste Pat. Grateful for opportunity to lend my vote to a noble cause. Much success in your mindful efforts.
Great idea! My vote is in!
Its a beautiful idea. You've got this mom's vote! Barbara
bsasso
This idea is awesome! I pic'd it. My dream is to document what is taking place in the Congo in order to expose the most fatal conflict since WWII. return the vote?