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Which of these sounds right to you?

“God is in the details,” OR, “The Devil is in the details”?

The answer probably all depends on how you look at the world.

It occurred to me that there were two similar, though seemingly polar, versions of the same idiom today when I was thinking about my approach to photography. I started out shooting a lot of landscapes and wide shots — I was mostly concerned with capturing an entire scene. As time has gone on, I’ve realized there’s a greater sense of discovery in the small details, and getting close to your subject can often reveal plenty of surprises. And really, in photography, as with most art, the element of surprise can work toward your advantage.

Now, how do you surprise people with an image? Well, it’s really quite simple, you see — just show them something they weren’t expecting, something they’ve never seen before! And an easy way to find unique viewpoints, even of familiar subjects, is to get really close.

God is in the details. Maybe.

According to my good friend, Wikipedia, “the expression the Devil is in the details refers to a catch or mysterious element hidden in the details.” Miss the details, miss a good photo. In this sense, the saying is actually consistent with its halo-wearing counterpart. In the end, I think it’s pretty clear that it doesn’t matter if you look to God or the Devil for your guidance, the important things to focus on are the details themselves.

Hell, if more religious people did that, they might have figured out that gods and devils are best left to live within the confines of cliched expressions. They’re safer there, instead of in the world’s highest governmental offices, where humans can give power to fairytales.