PICTURES!                 DO 104                   9/71
--One Picture Is Worth 1,000 Words!

         1. IF A PICTURE IS NOTHING BUT A DECORATION, LIKE MOST CHURCHES, IT'S NOT GOOD FOR MUCH. It's gotta have some useful purpose & be used constantly in order to get any benefit out of it. You have to have a motive in your picture taking. You must have a PURPOSE. Like US, it must not just TELL, but SHOW a story! It's gotta be a SAMPLE, not a SERMON! If it needs explaining, then it's not much good. Its MESSAGE must be plain & self-evident, even without title or explanation. That's the best kind of picture. -
         2. A TRULY GOOD PICTURE SHOULD BE ACTUALLY BEAUTIFUL--artistic, with good COMPOSITION, PROPORTION, PERSPECTIVE, FRAMING, SYMMETRY, BALANCE, FOCUS, LIGHTING, RELATIONSHIP & a good clearly defined SUBJECT, obviously the focal point of the whole picture & its entire message.
         3. I'M CONVINCED THAT THE BEST PICTURES BEGIN NOT WITH A FANCY CAMERA, BUT WITH A SIMPLE, COMMON-SENSE PHOTOGRAPHER USING THE SIMPLEST POSSIBLE EQUIPMENT! You don't need a complicated camera for most pictures. In fact, if you have good light & a little common sense, you can take good pictures with the simplest cameras under normal conditions & even indoors with flash! In fact, the less complicated the camera & the fewer adjustments it has that have to be made before taking a picture, the better off you are, particularly if you're not a scientist with an A.S.C. in Photography.
         4. IF YOU'RE SIMPLE-MINDED LIKE MOST OF US, YOU NEED THE SIMPLEST POSSIBLE CAMERA & THE SIMPLEST POSSIBLE PICTURE-TAKING CONDITIONS!--And I'm almost convinced that most of our photographers oughta get their training on a simple box camera like the instamatic! They'd learn a lot--that picture-taking is NOT in the camera, but in the picture-taker--the artful eye of the artist himself. Maria has now developed an instinctive artist's eye for pictureworthy scenes--& THAT'S ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS YOU NEED--THE EYE OF AN ARTIST! If you appreciate beauty, art & beautiful scenery & have a great deal of imagination for story-telling, you should be able to take good pictures, regardless of WHAT kind of a camera you use.
         5. I'LL ADMIT THAT A GOOD HIGHLY TECHNICAL CAMERA IS BEST UNDER DIFFICULT CONDITIONS, if you know how to use it--but if you DON'T, for God's sake, don't use one! Just get out in the daylight & sense the scene!--And SNAP it!
         6. AFTER YOU'VE GOT YOUR CAMERA & KNOW HOW TO USE IT & under what conditions it will operate--& the simpler the better-the MOST IMPORTANT THING A PHOTOGRAPHER CAN HAVE, like the reporter's nose for news, IS A SENSE FOR SCENES. Maria has prayed that the Holy Spirit would guide & inspire her & show her what to take pictures of. You've got to know what you're looking FOR! You've got to have a MOTIVE for taking pictures. You've got to have an idea of what kind of pictures you NEED & can USE & what you need to use it FOR!

THE PURPOSE OF PICTURES--TO SHOW OUR MESSAGE!

         7. PICTURES ARE IMPORTANT. Pictures are one of the biggest businesses of today for the World--the System. Where would it be without its television, newspaper photos, magazine illustrations, advertising, motion picture billboards & the like? And what is the principal PURPOSE of all of them?--To ADVERTISE & PROMOTE the Devil's business & goods & PROPAGANDISE the public & to SELL'M a MESSAGE & a bill of goods, to INFLUENCE their thinking, INSPIRE them to make a decision & get them to COMMIT themselves to buy the product, to FORSAKE ALL the others for something better, whether it's a new product or a new politician or a different way of life!
         8. AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THAT'S EXACTLY THE PURPOSE WHICH SHOULD BE BEHIND OUR PICTURES & THEIR USE: Advertising, Promoting, Propagandising, Influencing & Selling! This is exactly what Jesus meant when He commanded "Go ye into all the World & preach the Gospel to every creature!"--Mk.16:15. He meant for you to go & tell everybody the Good News, advertise it, promote it, propagandise them with it, commit them to a decision to buy it, to sell all they have & follow Him, to forsake all & follow Jesus!
         9. AND WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO GIVE THIS MESSAGE?--PORTRAY IT, SHOW IT, PICTURE IT, SHOW'M A SAMPLE! Let'm see it with their very eyes! Now the best way to do that is to know your market. The best way to sell a product is to design it for the customers you expect to buy it, so it'll sell. What is our business?--GOD'S! Who are our customers?--SOULS! What is our Product?--JESUS!--And His Love & Joy, Life, Happiness here & Heaven hereafter!
         10. THE BEST WAY, OF COURSE, IS TO TROT OUT YOUR LIVING SAMPLES--& this is what sells most people who come to us--they all exclaim the same thing: They never SAW such love, such peace, such joy, such happiness, such contentment, such satisfaction, such fulfilment! As the old saying goes, "There's no better ad than a satisfied customer!"--And that's certainly true of us! WE'RE THE MOST SATISFIED, HAPPIEST CUSTOMERS IN THE WORLD, BECAUSE WE'VE ALL PARTAKEN OF THE BEST POSSIBLE PRODUCT!--JESUS!

USEFUL & UNUSEFUL PICTURES TO SHOW FOR WITNESSING

         11. SO THE FIRST THING YOU HAVE TO DO IS ANALYSE THE MARKET & DECIDE WHO ARE YOUR PROSPECTIVE CUSTOMERS & decide what kind of pictures would sell each group best! So who are we trying to sell? First, I would say, the poor little LOST KIDS! They're our primary target to try to reach with our good Sample to save them from the System!
         12. FACES ARE SO IMPORTANT; EYES ARE THE WINDOWS OF THE SOUL! A happy smile doeth good like a medicine! Wear a happy face! It's your display counter, your best advertisement! And take pictures of happy faces--CLOSEUPS--PORTRAIT SHOTS, so they can SEE they're happy!--They're your Samples!--Make'm GOOD Samples & close enough that you can see them--every line, every look! "Be not afraid of their faces!"
         13. FOR THE LITTLE LOST LAMBS, YOU ALSO NEED NOT ONLY PICTURES OF OUR OWN HAPPY SHEEP, BUT ALSO OF THEIR BLISSFULLY HAPPY LIFE in the beautiful green pastures of our Homes! This means good closeup shots of them still happy while at work accomplishing something useful, needful & beneficial. You still need those smiling, happy faces, but this time with a saw, wrench, soldering iron, cooking spoon, typewriter, schoolbook, baby bottle, microphone, steering wheel, sewing machine, guitar, Bible or even camera in their hand & looking like they're doing something helpful with it. YOU NOT ONLY NEED SHOTS OF THEM AT WORK, BUT ALSO AT PLAY, showing the various recreations they enjoy & how they spend their FREETIME!--Also, their happy housing, joyful eating & colourful clothing, obviously with happy FACES in them.
         14. PEOPLE ARE STILL MORE INTERESTING THAN ANYTHING, EVEN MORE THAN BEAUTIFUL SCENERY or interesting buildings!--But not unless they're close enough to see WHO they are & WHAT they're like & HOW they enjoy it--preferably only one or two or very few in each picture.
         15. CROWD SHOTS ARE NO GOOD UNLESS SOMEBODY IS CLOSEUP IN THE FOREGROUND & YOU CAN SEE THEIR FACE, their actual expression & it does something for you, even if you have to say, "One, Two, Three--Smile!" Even with that THREE-SECOND WARNING, it would at least give your subject a chance to put on his best happy face & bright smile!
         16. WITNESSING CLOSEUPS, OF COURSE, CAN BE SOBER OR SERIOUS--EVEN INTENT--but still must look like you have something good to offer, that makes you look better than the other guy who hasn't. But remember, such pictures are not usually good to use with other kids. The kids are not going to be too interested in witnessing before they're even saved. Witnessing shots are good for church Systemites to show what we're doing & to put'm to shame.
         17. LET THE KIDS KNOW THE DEVIL'S NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS SEX TO OFFER! In fact, you oughta remind them that God originated it & created it for us to enjoy each other even more. Let's not be afraid to advertise it! I've even threatened to include a fascinating center-fold for the "PRAYmate of the Month" for each edition--some beautiful artistic portraiture of some of our very beautiful girls in artful poses that help to reveal their beauty of both face & figure! You can even do this in some of those gorgeous long gowns, with the armless tops or low-cut necks, or even a bare leg here or there! We might as well let'm know that there's nothing the Devil has to offer that God can't do better!--Especially since He MADE it! MAKE IT!

PICTURES TO USE TO PRESENT TO THE SYSTEM

         18. THE SECOND MAJOR USE WE HAVE FOR PICTURES IS TO PRESENT US & OUR WORK FAVOURABLY TO THE SYSTEM in newsletters, brochures etc., for use with our MAILING LIST of friends & parents & visitors & for the use of our provisioners & public relations men who have to deal with the merchants & officials of the System.
         19. WE HAVE FOUND THAT, FOR THE OLDER SYSTEMITES, WORK SHOTS, CLASS SHOTS & DRESSED-UP SHOTS GO OVER GREAT. Those are the things they worship: Work, Education & Looks. They also have children & churches, so don't be afraid to show lots of little kids & a little religion. They also love buildings, things & property. We don't have many buildings to brag about, but you can sure show'm cars & various kinds of equipment, such as radios, machinery, printing presses, school books & school equipment, office equipment, nursery facilities etc. Their motto is: "To him that hath, it shall be given"--SO THE MORE YOU HAVE, THE MORE THEY LIKE TO GIVE TO YOU, FEELING THEY'RE REALLY HELPING SOMETHING BIG & IMPORTANT THAT'S REALLY GOT SOMETHING GOING. Nothing succeeds like success--& they like to give to it!
         20. SOME PEOPLE SEEM TO THINK THAT THE RATTIER WE LOOK (& THE POORER WE LOOK), THE MORE PEOPLE WILL FEEL SORRY FOR US & BE APT TO GIVE TO US--BUT YOU'RE MISTAKEN! The System loves the rich & the successful--& they love to help those who might even help them or their own children--but they hate the poor & despise poverty & prefer just to ignore it. So the better front you put on for the System, the more impressed they'll be. They LOVE that outward appearance--those good clothes--that plush office! The more you look like big businesses to them, the more they'll love you, even if it's God's Business. That's why they build those fancy churches. God forbid that we should ever go that far with'm, but at least we should try to look the best we can to the System!--And you photographers can help us--even if it's only for one picture!

SUGGESTIONS OF PICTURES FOR OUR OWN USE & ENJOYMENT IN NEEDED PUBLICATIONS!

         21. THE LAST, BUT NOT NECESSARILY THE LEAST IMPORTANT USE FOR OUR PICTURES IS FOR OURSELVES & OUR OWN ENCOURAGEMENT, inspiration & enjoyment. Here you can use all the Glory, Hallelujah scenes you want--even Holy Rollers, greetings, hugging sessions, prayer circles, witnessing invasions & mass shots to show how many of you there are! But personally, I'm still more interested in YOU personally & would love to see more closeups & portraits--real mug shots, so I can see what you look like & read your character, that certain intangible something that's written all over your face, if I can get a good look at it. Your eyes tell me something, even in a picture!
         22. SO FOR GOD'S SAKE, LOOK STRAIGHT INTO THAT LENS--LOOK AT ME! I not only want to see what you look like, but HOW you look--whether you're shifty-eyed & afraid of me because of a guilty conscience & half-heartedness, or look me straight in the eye with frankness, openness, straightforwardness, love & trust. We read so much about you in the reports & logs we'd like to see what you look like.
         23. WHILE SPEAKING OF PICTURES FOR OUR OWN USE, we might include action shots of 10:36 SCENES to use as evidence in our own self-defense & against parents' illegal actions, such as some good shots TSC got of some parents trying to kidnap their 23-year-old daughter & of our firm, legal, preventative interference.

SUMMARY OF THREE TYPES OF NEEDED PICTURES!

         24. TO SUM UP THESE THREE TYPES OF PICTURES THAT WE NEED, it might help you to remember that pictures for JESUS, OTHERS & YOU spells JOY in picture taking! The ones especially for JESUS are the ones, of course, with which we try to win the kids for Him. The ones for OTHERS are those we use with the System to try to persuade them to help us in His Work--And the ones you take for YOU are those just for your own benefit. Oh JOY!

MORE SUGGESTIONS FOR PICTURES, PERSONAL COMMENTS & ADVICE

         25. ONE ITEM WE FORGOT TO MENTION WHICH COULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL WITH THE SYSTEM, is to take pictures of our own kids at work, study or play in their new habitat for sending home to their PARENTS and loved ones--like the ones we take of them receiving boxes. Why shouldn't we get pictures of them receiving checks? The parent who sends money certainly deserves a picture as much as the one who sends things! If they find they receive a nice photo of Junior in various poses or activities every time they send a nice tidy little check, it may increase the much-needed flow of checks or other donations.
         26. REMEMBER, A PHOTOGRAPHER HAS GOT TO BE THE GREATEST WITNESS OF ALL--FOR THE WORD "WITNESS" MEANS "MARTYR". He can't be afraid to dive right into the center of the action, even if it looks like it might cost him his life! Why shouldn't you be willing to do for the Lord what the System's newsmen are willing to do for money?

SUMMARY OF THE LETTER IN 13 PICTURE POINTERS!

         27. POIGNANT & PIQUANT PICTURE POINTERS FOR POTENTIALLY POTENT CAMERA POINTERS:
                  1) Unless you're a professional, START WITH THE SIMPLEST CAMERA POSSIBLE!
                  2) CHOOSE THE BEST LIGHTING conditions possible, preferably sunlight or a flash!
                  3) GET AS CLOSE to your primary subject as possible--& GET THAT FACE & EXPRESSION!
                  4) GET ONLY NECESSARY BACKGROUND that helps the picture tell the story-not too much! (If you want something large in the background, such as the whole front of your house, be sure you get some PEOPLE in the picture, but don't leave them standing in front of the house, if you have to go across the street to take it!--Take them with you & keep THEM CLOSE to the camera! A BUNCH of people in ANY scene means little if too distant!)
                  5) FRAME THE PICTURE ARTISTICALLY in your viewfinder! CENTER & BALANCE subjects!
                  6) USE GOOD COMPOSITION!--Relate your subjects proportionately, which means you try to get your primary subject in the center foreground & only the related background necessary.
                  7) GET THE PROPER PERSPECTIVE--subject in front, background in back!--And get in the forefront yourself. DON'T take the picture from the background! Angle shoot for depth. Use a wall, railroad, fence, sidewalk or street or your lineup at a sharp angle, with the nearest part of it close to your camera, but slightly to one side, the rest trailing off into the distance. This is extremely important in shots where you've got to get more than usual in the picture & need to give it depth.
                  8) GET THE ACTION!--CLOSE UP!--Even if you have to get into it yourself! Reporters do! Use a fast enough shutter speed to stop it, not less than 1/125th of a second!
                  9) TAKE FLASH SHOTS, CLOSE UP ONLY!--Remember, nothing over 10 feet (3 meters) away will be seen.
                  10) DON'T WASTE FILM--take only ONE or TWO shots of the same scene!
                  11) TAKE BLACK & WHITE PRINT SHOTS! With good contrast--for PUBLICATION.
                  12) HOLD CAMERA STEADY, or use tripod. Count 1,2,3 & SQUEEZE.--Don't jerk!
                  13) PRAY! Keep your EYES OPEN for good shots, get inspired & ALWAYS CARRY CAMERA!

Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family