Consider the background
Group photos are always one of those things that always happen at mission leaders’ seminars.
Getting together for the group photo can be an exciting moment for everyone in it.
Yet, taking the seminar photo brings its own challenges.
The more people in the photo, the more complicated the process can get.
The Location
I’m guessing at some point there was some consideration, of the composition, the background, the location, the posing, the lighting, the focus and the timing.
Getting everyone together to create a group photo, helps strengthen the group bond and preserve special memories.
For years to come, it can also serve as a helpful keepsake to inspire everyone to work together towards a collective goal.
“…Remember our day in Ephesus together…?”
The Background
The chosen background was the Library of Celsus.
Completed in 117 AD, it was built to honour the city’s former Governor and Roman Senator Celsus, to store 12,000 scrolls and to serve as his tomb.
Having a background that is relevant can be appealing and interesting.
The library was located in the very heart of the city.
Libraries are an important part of every civilization, ancient and modern as places of learning, literacy and education.
It was certainly one of the most striking buildings in the old city, an architectural marvel every tourist on our visit wanted a picture in front of.
Look closer
Reflecting upon the photograph and our experience that day and of our week together, I considered the four female statues (in the background) on the lower floor of the exterior of the library.
Was it by chance that we took the picture there or by divine design?
They are personifications of virtues:
Sophia – 𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒅𝒐𝒎
Episteme – 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒍𝒆𝒅𝒈𝒆
Ennoia – 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆
Arete – 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆
My hope, is that all of us who visited that day and the millions who will visit in the future, will continue to immerse ourselves with the ancient virtues of wisdom, knowledge, intelligence and excellence, which are as relevant today as they were 2000 years ago.
