verses

I haven't posted in so long.  I think I lost my groove. :) I have hardly had any time for photography but I am slowly working on editing from our trip to Ireland.  I seem to get one pic done every week or so.

My husband asked me to work on a project for him.  He emailed me a list of scriptures that are his favorites.  He would like me to attach the verses to a photograph I have taken.  Then he would like me to have a book made.  Later, near the time of his death, he would like them printed and hung around "the room."

Ain't gonna lie... these kinds of things are hard to hear.  Hard to do.  However, it's sweet he asked me for this.  And, a blessing that he felt comfortable to share this request with me. I have started the project.  I hope I can find images that complete the message of the verses...yet, don't want to get too hung up on my standards with that because I don't think he cares.

Ireland

Leaving in 2 days for Ireland. Taking my camera but feeling afraid that I will squander the opportunity of such beauty with lack of skill.  I hope I can get some worthwhile shots while I am there.  Robert said I need to just remember that taking pictures isn't the point of the trip. It's true, I suppose.  Yet, I am expecting to be moved by that place and I hope I can capture what is stirring with my camera-- just because that's what the photography journey is about for me. Hard for others to understand, I guess.

Be Still

Re-post

I have nothing new to post with photography.  I haven't used my camera in at least a month.  This photo from a couple of years ago has been on my mind a lot lately.  I also came upon the song, "Be Still" by Kari Jobe. It is so simple. But, it is so beautiful to me.  It carries a message that I need to lean into time and time again.  It is soothing and as I sing it, my inward tensions uncoil and are met with tender mercies that nurture and restore. The picture-- the song-- they belong together.

...For burdens that seem too big, for worries that sneak in during the night, for thoughts that swirl too fast and too long, for decisions that demand sight beyond our scope....

https://youtu.be/jY_csMVzvgo

"Be Still"

He is here for the broken and life to the one who is undone
He is peace to the wounded and hope for the helpless one
He is here, He is here

Be still my soul, be still
Be still my soul, be still
Wait patiently upon the Lord
Be still my soul, be still

When the waves rise against me and the wind tries to draw me away
I will stand on the mountain, safe in Your arms I will sing I will sing

Be still my soul, be still
Be still my soul, be still
Wait patiently upon the Lord
Be still my soul, be still

Be still I know He is God
He is here, He is here
Be still I know He is God
He is here, He is here

So be still my soul, be still
Be still my soul, be still
Wait patiently upon the Lord
Be still my soul, be still
Wait patiently upon the Lord
Be still my soul, be still

solace

From the song "Shelter" by Sandra McCracken

"In the arms of a good Father
You can go to the deep water
Where the questions, we have left unspoken
Come out in the open
We will find shelter here

So I lay down, what I cannot hold in my hands
Every sorrow and hope spinning out of control
And here I find sweet resolution comes in letting go
And we will find shelter here"

"Solace"

B & W Baby B

I love this one.  He already looks so different.  I think my sis will come to love this someday.  With mine a month a way from teens and as tall as me- I have an acute understanding of how quickly they grow.  During this shoot for her I didn't do a good job of getting close-ups of hands and feet.  I regret that so much.  I was trying to hurry up and get the shots, sweating buckets, and thinking about getting dinner cooked for her before I jumped back on the road to come home.  She probably would have rather had pics of fingers and toes than dinner. Too bad I didn't think of it sooner.

Lil slugger

Did this one for his daddy.  It's his daddy's hat.  Had to change the color of the blanket in photoshop to make it look better.  I was worried the grey tones would make his skin look unhealthy. I added a rosy toned overlay and masked off the blanket.  Of course, standard edits with crop and healing up spots of baby acne, etc.

Instagram challenges

It's been nice this summer to have a little time to devote to a few Instagram challenges. Each time I feel like I grow in knowledge a little.

For my Jacob

Heat

"Natural"- taken on the morning hike at camp.  Wish I could go there again by myself.

Loved the silky, soft yellow

Yellow- (done in water with food coloring)

Baby B

This weekend I headed back up to help out my little sister.  It has been such a rough bit of time for her with having this little one and also balancing her health and my niece.  Things seem to be smoothing out, though.

As I walked out the door to head up, I grabbed my camera and 2 lenses.  I wasn't sure if there would be an appropriate time in the day to try to photograph that little hunk- but wanted to try.  It turned out, in the afternoon that I got some time.  I have read over the years bits and pieces of newborn photography advice. I looked around for some props and didn't come up with anything.  I was hoping for a cool basket.  I found my niece's bean bag.  However, a newborn bean bag needs to be very full.  I flipped it over and used clothes pins to tighten it up.  Ideally, a nicely textured blanket is what I would use to cover the bean bag and use as a back drop sort of sloping away from the baby.  The only thing available that was large enough was a fuzzy, bluish blanket on the spare bed.  Soo we used that.
I had also learned that the room needed to be very warm to keep the baby asleep.  I begged my brother-in-law to turn off the air conditioner. I opened a window in the living room and set up about 3 feet from the window.  The challenge was using my new 85mm lens in that small space.  I ended up having to use my 35mm.  A 50mm would have been perfect but I don't have one.  I used natural light from the window. I used a white sheet draped in front of the coffee table to reflect more light onto the baby.

I was able to position him- though I have soo much to learn in that department.  Each time I moved him and he began to fuss, I would just cup his head with one hand and his bottom with my other hand and just slightly bounce his bottom. It was MAGIC! Each time he just settled down and went back to sleep and then I could move his hand or adjust the blanket, etc.

I learned I need to position the baby all the way forward on the bean bag.  I need to continually smooth out wrinkles in the blanket.  I learned that the hands are used to prop up the head.  And I learned that it is really hard work to photograph a baby! I was drenched in sweat when I was finished!

I don't think my sister really loves any of the shots I got. :) They still plan to go to JCPenney.  But, I am glad for the experience and learning I got to do.  I think the lighting is kind of flat here, but I was hoping for a good picture of him, and the ability to fix the jaundice in post-processing.  As I have saved this into JPEG format-- the vignetting looks too strong in my opinion.  It's hard to say how it will look in print. I think she might use this for the announcements.
Here it is- first try

the girls

The Lord really blessed me.  He answered my prayers with this photo shoot and gave me my heart's desire.  I wanted to be able to recall everything I had learned so far.  I wanted the sky to not get overcast like in so many other photo shoots I have planned.  I wanted my family to be settled enough for me to leave on time for the shoot.  I wanted all the little details to work out on site- camera, location, lighting, mood. The girls were great.  The mom was great.  Nobody was stressed and I was able to keep things moving along and changing my settings according to the changing light and also according to the pose.  I have learned so much over time-- I knew this time that I couldn't shoot wide open when the girls were trying to do an acrobatic lift-type pose because I KNEW I would only have a depth of field of about 2 inches or less and that most likely- they were going to be moving and not on an even plane.  Little things like that.. I'm so thankful for where I can see growth. On one hand, I know some professional photogs could give me a list of criticism for some of these shots, and that one day I might see a whole bunch of mistakes..  but, I'm pretty happy with them.  They are my best yet, I think.  I see a few things I could change. Yet, I see a bunch of things I did right and while the editing process sure gives them a nice, finished touch- the SOOC shots aren't that far off! It's exciting!!!

I just realized I haven't watermarked any of these on export.  Hopefully nobody steals them! People are crazy!

3/4

I'm about to do a photo shoot with a set of beautiful sisters in a grassy field. So so nervous.  I hope the Lord provides knowledge and the perfect recipe of factors for a beautiful outcome.

It's windy, too!

Summer is almost here. I'm so glad. I couldn't fit time in for photography lately even if I wanted to. It's been a few years since I have felt this behind, this much weight. Each day runs into the next with the same to do list running over. I'm thankful from the depths of me to the Lord for providing strength and health this year to get us through so much. Truly, truly thankful. Yet, I feel so ready for a change of pace. There's been no time for exercise, no time for fellowship or friendship, really. Things are busy...so that's nice in a way, but isolated. I don't like to be stuck in my own head too long.:) Hubby has had extra work related responsibilities and extra fatigue so either he is gone, asleep, or too tired to talk much by the end of the day. Poor guy.
Anyway, I am hopefully photographing Susan's girls next week..and after this week school will mostly be over for all of them..and baseball.  I'm hoping for time to get caught up. Time to read with the kids and play. Time to exercise! (My middle son and I are going to start "training" in the early mornings by jogging together. I'm looking forward to this one on one time with him.) AND, looking forward to a little time to devote to photography, learning, and creativity.

85mm

I got an 85mm lens! So excited! This should make portrait work so much better! I played for a few minutes yesterday while we were out.  I grabbed this shot of poppies.  I love poppies.  SOOC, this one looked pretty good-- like a painting, kind of muted.

I got the "kindness" picture printed 10x10 onto bamboo. It's hanging in the kitchen. And, I took advantage of a sale with a professional lab I have been wanting to try and got my old barbed wire photo printed on canvas for the living room. 20x20. It feels a little conceited :) but I really love them!! The kindness one is everything I hoped it would be for its visual reminder of the concept. The barbed wire -- ohhh it's so great.. The blades of grasses are just illuminated with warm sunlight and the field looks endless. Looking at it brings such stillness and..I don't know! I remember taking that photo and how I felt at the time- so excited about photography and having fun being adventurous and courageous with it..add to that a quiet, country sunset with a soft breeze.  I also just love the symbolism in that one...the barbed wire always reminds me of pain and yet it is just blanketed in golden goodness. Like the pain is a little piece..just a piece of a glorious whole. Anyway, I'm so glad I finally got the nerve or the motivation to spend the money on printing these.

Kindness

Last week when I was shooting in the rain, I had a couple others beside the calla lily.  As previously mentioned, I have been looking for a photo I can print to hang in my kitchen with the word "Kindness"-- to remind me of God's kindness toward me and remind me to extend kindness to others.

I worked on editing today and am finally happy with an image to meet this goal.

I love the water droplets---showing God's kindness in providing what we need for growth.  I love the beautiful detail on the flower petals an stamen..even the texture on the edges of the leaves.  I love the blossom and the leaves together- showing God's kindness in bringing some seasons to an end and new seasons to begin-- His purposes prevail, His plan stands and is not thwarted, life will continue to move on as He upholds it all and breathes life into the next season.

Instagram Challenges

Here's some pics I have taken recently for Instagram daily challenges.  It's been nice to work on.

Kindness

I am going on a hike today. I hope. If I can find somewhere that I feel safe- I hope to pour out all that has been building and clutch onto His peace and His presence as I walk further down this road.  I want to be ready to receive what He brings this Wed.

Aside from that...for about a month, I have been thinking a lot about growing in grace.  That thought is still there but more specifically-  I want to grow in kindness.  Love is kind.  I want to extend kindness in all my relationships.  I get the most practice in my home-- oh, how I need to grow.  I want a visual reminder of this convicting goal.  I am on the lookout for a picture I can take that will visually mesh with the word 'Kindness'-- then, I plan to print it and hang it in my kitchen.  I don't want to forget. I want to grow in this.  I pray the Lord will use His mighty power to make it so.

bi-polar hobbyist

This was for an instagram daily challenge.

I guess I am a bi-polar photography hobbyist.  One day I think I will just be done with the whole thing.  It seems pointless, a waste of time, frustrating, heart breaking,and mostly void from who I am these days.  The next day I will feel drawn to an image or idea and think I can't give it up.  I think it's about 80/20.. 80% of the time just done with it.
The blog- I'm not sure what's to be done here.  There seems to be no appeal to this crazy woman's blog.  And, whereas I used to find this a safe place to learn and share what I am learning, the lack of enthusiasm added to other stuff has changed my desire to blog or write at all.  There's not much poetry inside these days.  That's ok.  I still enjoy seeing it in others.  For now, I'm just going to leave the blog hanging here in cyberspace, I guess. From time to time, a picture might be sparked as above.  Pretty amazing-- I was teaching math and managed to get that shot and edit and post in between practice problems. I don't expect I will get many of those unique opportunities though. :)