Reflecting the Image of God–
Thoughts Beyond the Photographs

Throughout my life, I observed my dad, Nicholas Orzio, take pictures. He has always had a camera with him. Yet remarkably, there are few family photos, and virtually no family albums. What I now appreciate is that my dad didn’t take “snap shots,” my dad made art. As a child it was frustrating that he would capture us when we were unaware—my sister with her head wrapped in a towel, or me walking on the beach alone in my thoughts. I also never understood how he could remove himself from the world, and use his free time in a darkroom. But to him, the “art” of photography is more than the snap of the shutter.  He plays with light and chemicals to recreate something special that he had previously seen through his lens. That is why his photos are captivating—there is an emotional impact. It is why his collection of Occupied Japan, where he was an army photographer, has more than historic value, and has been exhibited worldwide. And it is why photography magazine, Rangefinder, said of his photos, “…the images are compelling because they make you feel— they ignite your awareness of the human family and the stories feel true and the emotions genuine.”

As my dad has gotten older, I wanted to preserve his photos, not only for our family, but to display them to a broader audience. In His Image, Photography by Nicholas Orzio, is the product of that desire. The photographs included in this book are representative of what I believe distinguishes my dad’s photos from those of others. Scripture records in the book of Genesis that God created us in His image, not necessarily physically, but in the way we communicate, create, love, show goodness, etc. I see in my dad’s pictures the ways ordinary individuals uniquely reflect the image of God.

As I was putting together that book, I began to appreciate the incredible truth that God created us to reflect His image. Practically, what does that mean for me? Should I be able to look in the mirror and see a reflection of God? I feel best about that in the morning before I open my mouth, but as I get ready for bed at night, and glance at my reflection I generally feel less than God-like. Did I really cut that woman off at the intersection? Did I really gossip with my friend on the phone? Did I really interrupt my husband so that I could turn on American Idol? That doesn’t look like the picture of God. What went wrong? I had all the right intentions when I woke up.

Then it dawned on me. How can I hope to reflect God’s image if I don’t know what He looks like? If I have not learned about Him, reflected on Him, read about Him, there is little chance I will ever be like Him. When I was younger one of my tricks to losing weight before the summer began was to post a picture of a woman in a bikini on my refrigerator. Many weight loss companies endorse this motivation technique. As I looked at the picture day in and day out, and particularly as I opened the refrigerator door, I was confronted with the image of the bikini. It worked! I was less inclined to grab the carton of ice cream than I was a healthier alternative. Similarly, if I immerse myself in the Word of God, if I study Him and all His attributes, it will be His image that pops in my head when I am faced with a choice of how to act or where to go. In other words, perhaps if I were to keep in my mind throughout the day the concept that God’s intention was for me to reflect Him, and be purposeful about my thoughts and my actions, I could come closer to His ideal.

God gave us His word, the Bible, so that we could get to know Him. It contains story after story about His character. It gives us a picture of Himself that we can strive to reflect. Moreover, he has equipped us with the ability to be like Him—not to be Him—thankfully there is only one God—but share His qualities such as love, joy, goodness, peace, and humility. There are times I know that I am doing exactly what He wants me to do. I know that because I have a peace that cannot otherwise be explained. But I want to experience that peace more. I want to live for the purpose He created me—to give glory to Him and all He is so at the end of each day I can look in the mirror and say, “I look a wee bit more like Him.”