A Photographer’s Perspective on Lent: Finding Light in the Shadows

Lent is a season of reflection, sacrifice, and anticipation—a time of waiting in the shadows before stepping into the light of Easter. As a photographer, I see Lent mirrored in the way we capture images, how light and darkness work together to reveal beauty, and how waiting often leads to the most breathtaking moments.

The Beauty of Contrast

Photography is built on contrast. Without shadows, light has no depth. Without light, darkness swallows everything. The interplay of the two is what makes an image come alive. Lent, too, is a season of contrast—a time to step away from the distractions of abundance and embrace the simplicity of surrender. It reminds us that the quiet, the unknown, and even the shadows are not without purpose.

Just as a silhouette is only possible because of backlight, the sacrifices of Lent reveal what truly holds weight in our lives. When we strip away excess—whether it’s through fasting, prayer, or quiet reflection—we see more clearly what remains.

Waiting for the Light

As photographers, we know that patience is everything. We wait for the golden hour, for the perfect expression, for the moment when the light shifts just enough to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. Lent teaches us this same patience. It’s a season of expectation, of trusting that the light will come—even if we can’t see it yet.

In the wilderness, Jesus fasted for forty days, resisting temptation and preparing for what was ahead. In a way, He waited for the light, too. And in our own seasons of darkness or uncertainty, Lent reminds us that the light is never truly gone. It is coming.

Seeing Things Anew

One of the best things about photography is how it forces you to see things differently. A simple shift in perspective—a lower angle, a change in lighting, a new lens—can completely transform an image. Lent invites us to shift our perspective, too.

Maybe that means seeing sacrifice as an opportunity rather than a burden. Maybe it means recognizing that the struggles we walk through aren’t for nothing—they shape us, refine us, and prepare us for what’s ahead.

Lent calls us to notice. To see what we might otherwise overlook. To find beauty, even in the shadows.

The Light of Easter

Every season of Lent leads to Easter morning, where the darkness is shattered by the ultimate light—the resurrection of Christ. The waiting is over. The contrast makes the light all the more brilliant.

And maybe that’s the biggest takeaway, both in photography and in faith: the darkness is never the end of the story. The light always wins.

Cheers,

Jenna Elrod