Peter Pallock
peter@prizewinningphotography.com
Name: Peter Pallock
Hometown: San Antonio, TX
Primary camera: Canon 30D
Experience: 15 years
Qualifications: Adobe Certified Expert in Photoshop
Specialty: Product photography, wildlife photography, digital imaging, print production, web design
Priceless photo op: Winston Churchill’s “Finest Hour” speech
Free advice: You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.
Photography is the communication of relationships, the voice of sight that is heard by the soul. From childhood on, we learn to see the messages of non-verbal communication every day, and every gesture and expression means something to us and to how we’ve learned to relate to the people and the things around us.
A picture can capture the smile that brightens your day or the angry look that darkens it; the beautiful sunrise that brings us joy or the stark wasteland that makes us feel alone—reminding us of how our lives fit in the world. These things change us, motivate us to seek what is good and avoid or change what is not, stirring our hearts to action.
Just as the words of Winston Churchill brought hope and resolve to a battered England in World War II, so the work of each photographer has the potential to inspire change in the lives of those to whom God has uniquely designed them to reach with the message of His character displayed in His creation.
In my younger days, when I was working in the graphic arts industry, I put most of my energy into my job. I believed in what I was doing, and that I was making a difference for God. However, I eventually realized that I could not do everything myself, and that many of the projects I was working on were beyond the scope of that which God had called me to personally. God showed me that His plans were bigger than I was, and that he wanted to use a lot of people; He showed how He could use the background I had in printing, computers, and graphic arts to make a difference that was bigger than just me; and He showed me that I had learned hard lessons, and could help others succeed by sharing those lessons.
I love to see people succeed, to remove the roadblocks and hurdles that stand in the way of someone carrying out their vision and fulfilling the design that God has given them. While I enjoy the gift of being able to take pictures myself, more than that I love passing on that gift to others. In the process, I learn from the diverse perspectives they bring, and so grow in my ability to see God and share His story.
Over the years, I have worked with many different communication mediums. Teaching photography with IPS has been a big part of my personal vision to increase the effectiveness of Christian communicators using several mediums, including photography and video.
As a part of that vision, I am currently employed at Vision Forum, programming and doing development for BlueBehemoth.com. Focused on distribution of Christian and family-friendly media, this site has created a much-needed outlet for independent Christian films, giving aspiring filmmakers a platform to spread God’s messages, and at the same time getting a return from their projects that they can use to improve as communicators.
On the whole, the quality of communication in the Christian world is mediocre. The strength of our message is so great and we are so eager to share it, we often forego learning the skills to communicate it well, and by doing so miss opportunities.
My passion is to raise the bar for Christian communication in areas such as photography, video, design, and writing, by inspiring believers to strive for excellence and providing them the tools to attain it, so that the powerful and essential message of who Christ is and what He has done will reach both the church and the world with greater effectiveness.