lizahartman

A new chapter, a new blog address

2011-11-14T14:15:00.000-08:00

Hi! Many thanks to those who have followed, been interested and supported me in photography through this blog. I'm not doing as much portrait or wedding photography as I once was because so many other things have come up. Awesome things. God things.

All of that and more is now here - http://lizahartman.com/lifestyle. The new blog is web design, photography, and a life learning who God is.

All for Him, may He be glorified!

What makes life good?

2011-10-27T13:31:00.000-07:00

I was just trying to think of how far back Hannah and I actually go... I guess we've known each other forever. First on a you-like-to-play-house-and-so-do-I level, then older and a little more serious, then wedding and that's sometimes where friendships fade.

Not Hannah. I so appreciate the level of friendship that only comes through shared, grown-up successes and failures.

Anyways this is Hannah and Jake and their little man Owen. The is one of the best little families you'll ever hope to meet. And yes, one day, they'll be one of the best big families you'll ever hope to meet. ;)

Look at this little guy!Oh. Right. This is supposed to be a family session. Back to task.

Yes, folks, this is the stuff that makes life good. Praise God for gifts of family and friendship.

Partiality

2011-10-27T12:54:00.000-07:00

partiality |ˌpär sh ēˈalitē|
noun
• a particular liking or fondness for something (or someone)...

This little lady is my niece, daughter of Brett and Callie (wedding photos here). So yes, there is some partiality going on here. Just love this little girl!

This was her first year photo shoot. Could she be any cuter?
Those eyes!

This one is a little out of focus, but its also one of my favorites. This is one of those photos that we'll look back on when she's a side-ponytailed-16-year-old and say, "Aw, you were such a cute baby."
Cake time!
Obviously she was not shy about this process.
Another favorite. Those eyes just get me.
Love you Mollie! I so look forward to watching you growing up!

Nathan and Valerie

2011-08-09T12:07:00.000-07:00

What a gorgeous wedding Nathan and Valerie had! They were blessed with a beautiful day and a twinkling evening. All the details made the day one to remember...

This is a bit of what the guests saw as the drove into the outdoor, country-vintage location...

This was part of a larger sign bearing Nathan & Valerie's names. They used this sign theme beautifully throughout the wedding.
Speaking of beautiful... Meet Valerie.
And the rest of the girls.
All of these men are serving our country and were in uniform, which made for a fine looking wedding party.
Precious prequel to the bride!
And the littlest men of the wedding party may have stolen a piece of my heart... I may be a little biased. The one on the right is my nephew (also the bride's nephew, from the other side).What a great idea for the ring bearer's container... A real book, carefully cut to house the rings.The bride walked around the pond as she came down the aisle. A beautiful site!Oh happy day!
Wedding party...The dip. I must say, they were almost professional at dipping. :)My favorite of them. So sweet!A nice portrait...

Sweet first dance.And a table for two underneath dreamy twinkle lights as the sun set.The guests were kept entertained with a mound of cupcakes and a beautiful candy bouquet.
Lovely...All the best to you both as you grow in your marriage and in Christ together!

LT + Audra and the victorian side of vintage

2011-07-12T09:45:00.000-07:00

Yes, it was just as gorgeous as it sounds, read on! This wedding and reception came straight out of the southern charm wedding magazine.

Audra is my little cousin ... Since she was a bit younger than our cool cousin group, we may have feigned annoyance at some younger-cousin-antics, but secretly I think we always thought they were pretty cool. Its no secret anymore. Definitely cool, and definitely grown up.

LT bought Audra some wedding TOMS for the occasion.Niece Emma putting the final touches on her outfit.
Audra, so beautiful!!

The fine-looking couple...Love this one!
There is something sweet about this one.
And this one!

Southern BellesThis post would have been a mile long had I added all the precious details, but here are the nieces and nephews. The decorated wagon was pulled down the aisle and on the back of the wagon it said - "Here comes the bride."
A few reception details... Audra and her family have been scouring Goodwill and thrift stores for all of these goodies for months.
What a great idea for boutineers!
Not to be left out, the cake was also adorned with lace and pearls.
Sisters! And masterminds of the beauty in this wedding.
A few more portraits in the evening light. I love these!
First dance.
It was a dreamy summer evening as the reception came to a close and the bride and groom, followed by many guests, lit sky lanterns and gently sent them into the night sky.
What could close up the perfect night like sparklers...
And a vintage car!
Audra, I have grown to respect you even more as I've watched you fall in love and plan a wedding. LT, thanks for loving Audra so well and welcome to the family. So happy for you both and look forward to watching God work through you two!

Some super cute people...

2011-06-16T23:25:00.000-07:00

But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:14

Jonathan + Ashley

2011-06-03T13:58:00.000-07:00

Had a great weekend in Owensboro, KY last weekend. It was the long awaited wedding of Jonathan and Ashley.

A little bling to start things off.A hint of the beauty to come.
Ask anybody who was there, Ashley beamed all day. So beautiful!
The groom. As we'll see later, this couple is just as good looking on the inside as they are on the outside.

Jonathan and Ashley have a sweet, sweet love story which I won't go into (lame, I know!), but you'll see it come through...
Stepped over to the park for a few.Found this cool little spot.
A lighthearted moment.

Regarding beauty on the inside - Jonathan and Ashley, instead of traditionally eating first, stood at the end of the food line and served rolls to their guests. And, clearly had fun doing it. Praise the Lord for couples like this!!
I'll end with a favorite of mine. I knew it was my favorite as soon the shutter clicked. In fact, I may have choked up a little bit. So much beauty and happiness!
I look forward to seeing what God does through your lives together!

Brian & Danielle

2011-05-31T06:43:00.001-07:00

There's a little bit of history here... Through a mentoring program at church, and ultimately the grace of God, I became Danielle's "big sister" somewhere around 6 years ago. What a pleasure! So many memories... Danielle makes the best birthday cards ever, she's always ready for a random adventure, she keeps her chin up and a smile on her face through everything.

I was privileged to be with her when she gave her heart to Jesus. I've also been privileged to watch God shape her "husband values". I watched her make hard decisions and stick with them.

Then Brian entered and SWEPT Danielle off her feet.

I couldn't have been happier when she recently stuck out her left hand for me to see... I could go on and on, but I'll just say that, Danielle, I love you and I'm so proud of who you've allowed God to make you and will probably cry many happy tears when I see you in white.

Kids + A Field + Balloons

2011-05-12T09:30:00.000-07:00

When I started designing Annie's kids consignment sale website, I immediately pictured kids + field + balloons. So, we could have paid big money and hours of time combing through stock photos online....

But seriously, when Annie is mother to the cutest kids ever -

And helium balloons are 28 cents apiece -
Why not have your own stock photo shoot?
Exactly what I had pictured.
More to come soon on Annie's website... And if you're in the market for kids clothes (buying or selling!) be sure to check out Annie's awesome consignment sale every spring and fall.

William + Michelle

2011-04-09T17:55:00.000-07:00

You may remember Will and Michelle from a few months ago - their engagement session. Both good friends of mine and it was a very happy day last saturday when they got married.

Beautiful.
These girls are brave as well as beautiful as we held up traffic to get this...
More pretty girls...
Fun group of guys! I've grown up with all of them more or less, especially the two on the left (my brothers).
One last kiss from her dad...
Their first kiss... ever. I know they would say it was worth the wait.Its a well known fact that Will makes Michelle laugh and Michelle in turn makes Will happier than we've ever seen him...
So sweet... my favorite.
Sigh.
So much happiness to you two! Love you both!

Zach + Kyla

2011-01-25T17:33:00.001-08:00

Kyla. Another known-her-forever friend + cousin. I'm going to try to refrain from going on and on about her. But Kyla is the kind of girl who has warm muffins coming out of the oven, a smile on her face, a hospitality gift on your bed, and a heart that follows hard after God. All the time. She is beautiful inside and out. I want to be just like her when I grow up. Always have. :)

I was pumped for Kyla when Zach came along. I don't know Zach as well, but I'm confident that he will take good care of Kyla, and he makes her very happy.

Without further ado, the happy couple...Oww!

I just couldn't pick a favorite, but this one does have that something about it...
We took the inside portion of the session in nothing other than a very cool hair salon.

If Zach was here, he would probably burst out into a enthusiastic rendition of, "Hey, good looking...". :)

Love the happiness in this one.
A little fashion lighting going on. There was a mirror on my left that bounced on-camera flash in a super cool way. This is pretty much right out of the camera.
Did I mention that its a frigid 18ish degrees as we're doing this? They rolled with it so well!
Pretty much love everything about this one.
Zach - "Can she kiss me on the cheek again?" Fun!
Seriously, could they be any cuter?? This is Kyla's "coke girl" pose, whatever that is. :)
Ever single bit of happiness to a couple who wants to please God and is a great example to those around them. I look forward to continuing to watch God work through you two!

A good cause...

2011-01-12T05:31:00.000-08:00

Every once in awhile design projects come up that I get excited about. Design projects that carry on past the sale, past the worn out t-shirt, past the outdated website. Design projects that carry on into eternity. I'm sharing one of them today...

Global Samaritans approached me last year and asked if I would design a few t-shirts for their online store. Of course I said yes. (I may have even jumped up and down a little bit).

I'll give you a preview below and I would highly recommend that you go to their online store and pick one up for yourselves and your friends. They're only $16 (plus $4 shipping) apiece and "all of the proceeds from items sold in our online store will benefit the college education fund of the fifty-six children residing at Global Samaritans Childrens Home."

Option #1: Option #2: Has their logo on the front and all of the kids names on the back in the shape of Africa. Option #3: Logo on the side and their name and website on the sleeve. Option #4: Verses (double click on the picture to see a bigger version). Will be on a women's v-neck t-shirt. See the website for more details.
Let me know if you buy one!

Blog changes

2011-01-05T07:38:00.000-08:00

To everyone who has brought up my blog in the last few months and wondered where in the world I am, this is for you. :)

Not that there is lack of material to blog about, but the material has changed a bit. The original intent of this blog was to give brides a sneak peak of their pictures and would-be brides something to browse through. And its been begging for an update for several years now.

I graduated from Hennepin Tech in Minneapolis, MN in December with an AAS degree in Graphic Design (Web Emphasis) and have launched my own business and lizahartman.com. The blog will soon be transferred over to that site. And while it will still include the occasional happy couple, my emphasis is now on the web design industry. Its time to put that degree to work!

And since posts without pictures are boring, here's a photo of the outside of the restored train station that I have my office space in.
Yes, I do have to pinch myself almost everyday to remind myself that this is real. I love what I do. I love where God has me. I am incredibly blessed.

William + Michelle

2011-01-05T07:13:00.000-08:00

Will has been a friend of our family's for... well, a long time. The kind of friend that shows up for dinner and you forget that he's not family. Recently he's been a bit preoccupied...

Meet Michelle.
Michelle has also been a good friend of ours and I'm so happy for the both of them! And so glad that Michelle is moving 800 miles closer to me. (I realize this isn't about me, but I'm just saying.)

A known fact of Will and Michelle's relationship is that Will is always making Michelle laugh. So cute!
Sweet.
I do believe this one is my favorite.
Love a the white space here... (what do you call white space when its not white?)
Sweet details.
This is a close second to being my favorite. :)
And last but not least – a portrait. They will make fine wedding pictures, don't you think?
Thanks Will and Michelle. I'm excited for the big day!

Chris and Carrie

2010-10-01T13:35:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, on a gorgeous September day, Chris and Carrie said their "I do's" on the front porch of her parent's house. This beautiful day followed a week of typical Kentucky, mid-summer, upper 90's. The weather smiled on them that day.

And this front porch of her parent's house? More beauty. One of the bridesmaid's said -"Think, Gone With the Wind." That's a pretty accurate description, I'd say...

But mostly, as we discovered at their engagement session, Chris and Carrie make pictures beautiful.

Carrie and her gals got ready at Magnolia's salon and spa. Its literally an old house. Loved it!
Carrie was cool, calm and collected.
A few details.
Great shoes!
Their rings, all tied up with a bow.
Loved their flowers!!
This is Angela's (what a great assistant you are!) view of their first look.
I just like something about this one.
Always love a shoe shot!
A portrait. Aren't they good looking!?
And if that's not enough proof that they are beautiful people... the bride.
And the groom.
Modern day Scarlett and Rhett.
The next two are Angela's view.

My view.
This may go down as my favorite of the day. Can we have every wedding beside a field of wildflowers, please?
Many thanks to Chris and Carrie! And much happiness to you...

Nathan and Amanda, Shenanigans in Chicago #2

2010-09-27T13:02:00.000-07:00

More of Nathan and Amanda...We spotted this great little phone booth, don't they look like they belong? Such naturals!
Pedestrians provided a hilarious commentary for this scene. Love this shot!
So pretty!
Once again, the feel of this one just gets me.
THANK YOU, Nathan and Amanda. The great photos ops were just a cherry on top of getting to know you two! Many blessings.

Nathan & Amanda, Shenanigans in Chicago, # 1

2010-09-24T10:59:00.000-07:00

Such a fun weekend with Nathan and Amanda in Chicago last weekend! I met Nathan over the summer during my internship in Michigan. He is also a photographer and had recently met another photographer (Amanda) and they quickly realized that they had more than taking pretty pictures in common.

I realize that "shenanigan" can have several different meanings – we are going with "high-spirited behavior" here. :) You'll see why.

Being asked to photograph two photographers is a compliment that I appreciate, and it also comes with some pressure, I'll admit. But Nathan and Amanda were beyond gracious. They even let us use two of their cameras during the shoot. And they know how to make a good photograph, it doesn't matter which side of the camera they are on, clearly! :)

Without further ado, the shoot. It was pouring rain when they got there, and they were such troopers! They said, "Lets do it!" So armed with umbrellas, away we went.
Just love the natural chemistry between them... Doesn't Amanda have a beautiful smile?
When we said it was raining, we weren't kidding! Wind, thunder, the whole bit! Unfortunately, I don't think their umbrella made it through the shoot.
But, Nathan and Amanda made it through the shoot very nicely. They rolled with it in style!!
Their first date was in a coffee shop, so we had to find a Starbucks...
But, although we really wanted the coffee effect, we didn't want to buy drinks just for the few minutes that we needed the cups...
So, my dear, resourceful cousin Amanda (and photo assistant for the day) went dumpster diving. Yes, the above, picture perfect cups might just have someone else's lipstick on them.
Loved the light in this area...
I fell in love with Amanda's 1.2 lenses that she let me borrow. "Beautiful bokeh!" - Nathan
Love. love. love. This shot is just so natural and TRUE.
There are so many more where those came from... you'll be seeing them again shortly.

Welcome Mollie Erin.

2010-09-21T15:45:00.000-07:00

This is my new little niece, welcomed into the world on September 1st. She is absolutely precious. Her cheeks are just right for kisses, her little fingers curl around yours, she snuggles in... There is just nothing like a tiny little baby. Especially when you have aunt privileges. Enjoy.

On being the intern.

2010-08-30T21:04:00.001-07:00

As you may have read here, I had the opportunity to intern with Life Action for 6 weeks this summer.

I. loved. it.

There are so many reasons why, but here are some highlights.

1. The media department took their creative license seriously. This sign may have appeared outside the department one Friday afternoon after we all left early. An average day may have included games, pranks, and "Hot Dogs Plus" for lunch, just because they could. I had once imagined that there were creative teams out there like this...
Did you do any work at all? you ask. This environment (and a steady supply of Starbucks coffee) is very conducive to work. This website is one of the projects I helped with.

2. The Gospel is central. One of the first things I noticed during my tour of the building is that on the name plates, where the prestigious title belonged, were only Bible verse references. Prayer, chapel and conversations about the work God was doing in your heart happened regularly.

3. The people. Though I learned much in regards to graphic design, the real learning happened from being with people who were just living their life in service to God. My main purpose for going was to see how graphic design and serving God mixed, practically speaking. I saw it first hand. Those are the lessons that Hennepin Tech can't teach me. Those are the lessons that money can't buy. And for those lessons, I am eternally grateful.

About 4 weeks into the internship, I was surprised and delighted when they offered a position on the team. The weeks (months?) following the invitation were an assortment of tears, hopes, desperate prayers for direction, and the struggle to surrender. Long story short, the answer came. And the answer was no.

I don't understand why, but I do trust my Saviour. I am so thankful for a God who speaks, for a God who doesn't give second-best... I have no answers for my future beyond graduation, but God, who has directed me so clearly thus far will continue to do so.

As a photographer, I took precious few pictures around the media department that I spent most of my time at, but here are some pix of the camp that I bunked at. Looking for a GREAT family camp? Check it out.

They have a blob!
Met with God many times by that lake. It just seems right for that, doesn't it?Another major highlight was being with the college (and younger) age girls and guys who travel with Life Action, staff the camp, and just love the Lord.
I could go on and on, but suffice to say that the summer of 2010 will go down as one of the best yet. Such a gift from God.

Forrest and Emily

2010-08-12T14:33:00.000-07:00

Okay, what to say about this wedding? I feel so privileged to be able to attend these kind of events... I'll just let the pictures do the talking. But if I had to sum it all up, I'll say what I said to my family when they asked- "The whole wedding was Christ-honoring". And thats something!

Before the craziness of the day started, they had a girl brunch. No wedding talk, just enjoying each other! There was lots of laughter, some tears, great looking food and a special devotional given by a good friend of Emily's.

I can't think of a better way to start the day!

Doesn't she look beautiful!
The ladies. Trust me, their faces looked even better than this, but I just love this shot!
Forrest, looking pretty good himself...
Love this!
Then we come to the ceremony. The first few minutes of the ceremony were worship time. A time to thank God for His faithfulness. I had "Jesus Paid it All" in my head for days afterward.
First things are still first. Even on the wedding day. Wooee! It did my heart good just to be there and soak it up.

Forrest requested that everyone remain seated as his bride came down the aisle so he could actually see her walk down the aisle... how sweet! Here she comes.
HERE SHE COMES!!!
Pronounced Mr. and Mrs.
They seem happy about that!
The whole gang.
Married!
Love the feel of this one.
And this one.
You may remember from their engagement pictures. They rock this look. :)
my. favorite. and it becomes even more so every time I look at it.
First dance.
Love the happiness in this one.
Honeymoon bound.
May He continue to bless you two as you run after Him. Thank you.

Taylor and Janna in Stillwater

2010-07-23T07:43:00.000-07:00

I was privileged to join a small, immediate-family-only ceremony last week in Stillwater, Minnesota. Janna is sister-in-law to two of my brothers... Her and Taylor are two of the kindest, most giving people that I know. Living in Minnesota for these past few years, I have often benefited directly from their generosity with time, resources and energy. THANK you guys for all you do.

When I heard that Taylor and Janna were getting married in Stillwater, I was excited. Stillwater is a must-see next time you are in the twin cities. Its a small town situated on the river front with sailboats, festivals, sodas at the soda shop and family picnics going on all the time. (Okay, maybe not all the time, but thats the feel of the whole town. :))

But then when I heard that she was wearing teal shoes, that sealed the deal.

At the Stillwater riverfront.
Isn't Stillwater cool?
Who are the movie stars in town?
Sweet.
Love the feel of this. And they are as sweet and beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside.
Favorite! Love pretty much everything about it.
A quiet little ceremony outside a bed and breakfast, in front of their families.
Mr. and Mrs!
Many blessings to you guys! May your generosity be abundantly returned to you two in your life together!

And its high time to blog about my summer apart from weddings. Coming soon!

Joel & Stacie and a few of my favorite things

2010-06-25T20:38:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while, wedding photography becomes a job, just like everything else (shocking, I know). :) Then along come couples like Joel and Stacie... There were many times throughout the day where I thought to myself, "that is one of my favorite things about weddings".

I liked Joel and Stacie right away. Down to earth and sincerely interested in other people, even though they are completely into each other. Joel is so attentive to Stacie and makes her so happy. Stacie is sweet and laid back as can be. That would be enough right there, but there's more! A few of my favorite things...

1). A FUN wedding party. This is at the rehearsal dinner.
Joel and many of the wedding party played football together, hence the football theme.2). Awesome wedding shoes.
3). Sweet "first meetings"...
Did I mention the fun bridal party?
4). Cool churches with big stained glasses.

5). Great venues! If anyone is getting married in the Goshen area, check out the Spohn ballroom. Just beautiful.
6). Some couples dance their first dance and then barely see each other throughout the rest of the evening. Not so with Joel and Stacie. They hardly left each others side, having so much fun together. Another one of my favorite things.
7). Marvelous get-aways. This picture might be might be my desktop right now. I love it that much. (is that weird?)
Thank you so much Joel and Stacie. I and my fantastic assistant, Christine, had such a good time. I pray that your lives together are blessed as you bring so much life and joy to everyone around you!

Cool Engagement Pictures

2010-06-02T17:23:00.001-07:00

Meet Forrest and Emily. We had a really fun, out-of-the-box shoot last week. In fact, I titled this post this way hoping it would come up next time they google "cool engagement pictures". :) They really did google that before they came and had all sorts of fun ideas. I love what we came away with!

Thanks for being so open to "weird" stuff, guys! :) You all were great!

Jordan and Charlotte

2010-05-25T07:25:00.001-07:00

I woke up last Sunday knowing that it was going to be a good day. Jordan and Char were getting married! And it was. Time will tell, but I'm pretty sure this will go down as one of the most memorable weddings I've been a part of... for several reasons.

Char's colors were a dark blueish teal, with gold accents and the embroidery on her dress was gold also.
Charlotte's dad wanted in on the "painting" process.
Absolutely glowing all day long!

This is Jordan. And this is SO Jordan!
A friendly game of football...
If you ask yourself, "how did those fragile boutonnieres hold up with all that rough housing?"... the answer is that they didn't. :) Not very well anyways, but the guys managed to repair/replace the damage and were looking good again for the ceremony.
Love this shot of the girls.
All the lovely ladies!
Perfectly happy.
Okay, so here's where those unforgettable memories start. 1.) It rained. The whole day. I've always kind of wondered in the dozens of outdoor weddings I've photographed, what would happen if the unthinkable happened. Now I know – and its fine! They decided to keep it outside and just rolled with it. And Charlotte might have been overheard to say, "Getting married in a gentle rain...sigh... What could be better?" And it really did add that certain something.

2.) Jordan and Charlotte have been high school sweethearts (not in the same high school, but you have to broaden the definition when one of them was home-schooled. :) ), so this sweet, God-honoring relationship has been in the making for several years. And this is what anyone would point out as the defining mark on their relationship... the desire to live out the Gospel for the world around them to see. This was their first kiss, and they would tell anyone – its worth the wait.
Mr. and Mrs. Jordan Schneider.
Then we headed over the hill for pictures. This is my favorite... maybe because its a kissing in the rain picture, maybe because it looks like Ireland. I just love it.

Its amazing to me how fresh Charlotte stayed in spite of standing in the rain for hours. They might have been soaking wet, but their spirits weren't dampened at all!
Pretty!
Also love this one.
And this one.
They got married in a place the Anne of Green Gables would have "named up" in an instant. Lovers Lane.
Blossom Way... (okay, Anne is better at this).
And it will be forever!
Thank you for the privilege of being a part of this day. God was glorified and it was beautiful! And I'm not afraid of rain on wedding days anymore. :) Love you both!

On a personal note...

2010-05-21T12:01:00.000-07:00

I've successfully avoided blogging about my personal life for a long time now. I've felt that this blog should be about my wedding photography, for brides, and a link to give to excited relatives. And I always thought that if someone really wanted to read my life journal, they would just come to my room, dig through my things and read it (better yet, just ask me!).

Long story short, there are many people that blog better than I do, have more profitable information and are a better use of your precious time. If you come here to just see pretty pictures, go ahead and just skip over all of this. I won't be offended.

That said, I am going to start blogging some personal events/thoughts just because God is working mightily in me and around me. I want His glory to be extend beyond this one little life.

Many of you know that I am attending school in Minneapolis right now for my Associates in Graphic Design w/ a Web Design emphasis. I love it! I'm not totally sure what the next step is, but I am sure of one thing. I want to design for something that matters. Design is powerful. It inspires, motivates, and calls people to action. I don't want to only promote the latest mouthwash, hand creme or movie that you have to see. Not that there is anything wrong with those things, but there is something more eternal. I want to glorify Jesus Christ and the gospel through design. I want people to hear the good news that Jesus came to seek and save the lost.

And the next step in that dream is my internship for the summer. I am incredibly excited to say that I am moving the Buchanan, MI in 9 days to join the Life Action design team for the summer.
Life Action is a ministry focused on revival in the hearts of God's people. Here's an excerpt from their website:

Listen . . . You’ve heard it before . . . that sound. The thirst is there; the cup is empty.
It happens all the time—churches full of parched, despairing people who crave water but drink air. Our lives are packed with work, sleep, family and interests—too much for our own good. As a part of Life Action Ministries, our THIRST team holds 4-day conferences at churches. Plain and simple. Sunday through Wednesday. We want to see people thirsty for God, not dry on substitution.

And many of you may know Life Action better through Revive our Hearts, which is Nancy Leigh DeMoss' ministry to women.

I am so blessed to be able to spend the summer with people who have invested their lives into impacting others for eternity. And along with many graphic design goals, direction-for-my-life goals and a focused learning time, I am most excited about watering the thirst in my own heart for more of God.

And for the inquiring minds, yes! I will be posting many great sessions soon (including a beautiful wedding in the rain).

Kelvin & Milly

2010-05-08T08:56:00.000-07:00

After taking Kelvin and Milly's engagement pictures, I knew taking their wedding pictures was going to make the photographer in me very happy. And I was not disappointed. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves...

When I saw the dress, I was excited, but then when I saw the birdcage veil, I was beyond excited.

Beautiful.
Kelvin, looking pretty good himself.
Their first glimpse of each other that day.
It started raining right away, so we ducked into an old grain mill that we were only semi-allowed to be in. :)My favorite of the day. Hands down. Love it.

Kelvin, Milly and 16 of their best friends, lookin good.

A light moment during the ceremony.
Love the feel of this one. Goin' for a ride on the big green tractor...They really did ride off in a big green tractor, towing the wedding party in this wagon. :) Credits to this picture belong to Miriam True, my wonderful assistant for the day. Thanks Mim!Love you guys!

Chris 'n Carrie

2010-03-28T18:03:00.000-07:00

After some confusion during which we discovered that there are not one, two, or three, but FOUR Heine Brothers coffee shops on Bardstown road (honestly, is that necessary?), we finally landed at the same one. I thoroughly enjoyed my time getting to know them and talking about their wedding coming up in September. They are laid back, easy to work with and I genuinely appreciate that! For example, I have to embarrass Chris and mention that his one special request for the wedding photography is that we have as many awkward close-ups of his friends as we could manage. Photographers, how often do you get permission, and not only permission, but requests, like that!? :)

Meet Chris and Carrie...Love Carrie's shoes!

In contrast to the serious pose above, I had to post this one.
Isn't Carrie photogenic??I believe the answer to the above question is yes!A pretty old church...
And a good-looking young couple...
Classic situation. He's a Louisville fan, she's a Kentucky fan... we did a really fun series with these t-shirts. I wanted to post them all!
They look like they get along pretty well for rival fans...
They took me to where they had their first kiss – on a playground. It was a gorgeous day and there were underage kids tearing around everywhere. They did a great job with this part of the session, I'm really glad we came!
We had to boot some kids (nicely, of course) off the swings to get these. Once again, I'm so glad we did. I really like this one, it has that little something...
Last, but not least, one of my most favorites...
You guys were great! I'll look forward to September!

Mark + Melissa

2010-03-08T14:30:00.001-08:00

You might recall a wedding in the recent past where the bride has some similarities with this bride. For good reason, Katie is Melissa's sister and got married just 6 months ago. Melissa and I also have tons of memories together. I love this girl! Not only is she so much fun, but above all, she has a heart that seeks God no matter the cost. And she got married this past weekend in Michigan! Seeing her with Mark would put a smile on anyone's face. I know Mark is a good man, he treats her so well and makes her SO HAPPY. A beautiful thing to see God's plan unfold for them!
Beautiful, and it shines from the inside out.So happy!UPDATE: As I was looking back over this post, I wondered to myself, "What's with the groom always taking second violin at their own weddings??" So, this is Mark – looking pretty good himself... He's definitely looking at Mel here. And that's the way he likes it, obviously. :)
They met out west on a traveling harvest crew, so it was only fitting that we photograph at the farm... I love this one of them!
And this one.

A fun little shot...
This wedding party looks like they came right out of the latest "winter wonderland weddings" magazine, don't they?

The colors for the wedding were orange and blue, and it was gorgeous! Melissa thought of every little detail...
We headed outside for one last shot... Here's to having and holding each other for the rest of your lives.
Love you guys!

A visit to Cargill

2010-02-10T09:43:00.000-08:00

It was a snowy day last week when we all pulled up to Cargill Manufacturing Company (the largest in Minnesota). But the cause was good.

Over 30 students from the Brooklyn Park area, many Cargill employees, and a large representation from Compatible Technologies International (CTI) gathered here to assemble Grain Mills...Who is CTI? From their website- "... founded in 1981 by a group of missionaries, and research engineers and General Mills food scientists as a unique non-profit volunteer organization devoted to alleviating hunger and poverty and promoting food security in the developing world.

Rather than simply feeding the world’s most impoverished people, CTI develops, builds and distributes post-harvest technologies that help people feed themselves with greater predictability and nutrition. Our low-tech tools are compatible with, and adapted to, the diverse cultures and environments in which they are deployed around the world."CTI brought the grain mills to be assembled, then they will be shipped to Africa...Each table divided into teams, one team had the instructions the other team had the pieces. Working blindly like this and only from instructional direction, the first team to complete two grain mills was the winner.A large number of the students there that day came with the A-List, a non-profit group started by college students from the University of Minnesota. The national statistics for the success of youth are sad... staggering. Along with addictions, teen pregnancies, and dropouts, four teens are murdered every day. And the youth in Brooklyn Park are no different. They need jobs, they need something better to do. Enter the A-List. Check out their website for more... A great work they are doing!The students had a great time racing to finish first, and they also learned alot about profitable work and serving others.The winners!Thanks for the opportunity to photograph this great event. It was indeed my privilege. My eyes were also opened to how privileged I am, and how I can help carry out Jesus' command to love and serve the poor and underprivileged.

Winter wonderland

2010-01-15T14:22:00.000-08:00

First of all, those are not the first two words that come to mind when the thermometer reads 30 below or when I spend my day off digging my car out of a snowbank. There are more choice words that come to mind for situations like that. :) But a few mornings this week, everything was covered with "hoar frost"- frozen dew, basically. It really is a "winter wonderland". So beautiful!! What an AWESOME Creator!

Frost on the window...

Knock-out in Knoxville

2010-01-11T14:19:00.000-08:00

Ah, what to say about Jordan and Charlotte? In this post you will only see the beauty on the outside (and there is plenty of that) but let me just tell you that it flows from beauty within. This is truly a God-written love story. Anybody who knows them will agree that God is very much glorified in this beautiful relationship... and it began with two people separately running hard after God.

We were in Knoxville together for a conference and went out on the town one sunny afternoon. These portraits were so easy to do. Not only is the couple good-looking and stylish, they are very much in love. :) Jordan treats Charlotte like such a lady and she returns his love with complete devotion.

A sidewalk cafe...
This is outside of my "typical lighting techniques" box, but I love pretty much everything about this picture.
These are the kind of pictures that make me look forward to the next time I get to photograph two people in love.
We stopped at this little coffee and chocolate cafe and they sat down for a cup of tea, where we took this next little series.
The first thing they did as they sat down was pray together.
Hilarious! Love this.
Seriously. Could they be any cuter?
The sign behind them says "Do not put anything in front of these doors. Thanks." :) These sort of places usually make the best backdrops.

This makes me smile everytime I see it.
And this one. Practicing their dance moves...
This was at the end of the shoot. Charlotte was almost completely frozen. But then we saw this red door. I know they were groaning inside when I asked for one more shot. But I'm so glad we did. This is my favorite shot.I am looking forward to your wedding so much!

More love – family style

2009-12-05T10:38:00.001-08:00

Over Thanksgiving weekend, my cousin Alyssa and her husband Jeremiah were in town, so we stepped outside to take some quick family pictures. Her boys, Aiden and Carsen are definitely in the little boy stage, tons of energy!! So cute...
Love the interaction here!Definitely my favorite for the day...
Such a beautiful family, Alyssa and Jeremiah! Its so fun to see your family grow!

Kelvin and Ruby - a preview

2009-12-05T10:18:00.000-08:00

Engagement pictures! I love them... Its a little sneak peek into a real, new (considering the rest of their lives) relationship without the "bride and groom" title and pressure. This is just who they are... I could shoot one everyday and twice on sundays I think.

I'm a little late blogging this one, but this was a really fun shoot with two people that I really like.
Fun fact – Kelvin is my cousin who is marrying a family friend, so now I'm sure to keep in contact with both of them for the rest of my life. :) Kelvin has been a great friend to me for a long time and as I watched him being engaged thru my viewfinder, its hard to believe that we are in this stage of our lives! Where does the time go?

We had a little bit of cowboy/farm influence in this shoot...
This is just pretty.

Sweet. :)We found this barn with awesome light...
Love this one!!
One of my personal faves of the day...
More pretty light...
Another personal favorite. Doesn't that just make you say "aww"?
Praying much happiness for you two!!

Zach and Juli

2009-11-18T12:20:00.000-08:00

Juli and I have been friends for a really long time... Maybe something about her being born on my due date and myself being born on her due date? At any rate, we had alot in common from the beginning, including lots of brothers. As a result, so many of my memories with her include banding together and trying to outdo the boys at one thing or another. As we got older and outgrew that, our conversations turned to more serious things. We had many talks about singleness and serving God... and then one day, the conversation had a different flavor. :)

Enter Zach. This is one couple that, without a doubt, will make serving God together a priority. I know this because their individual lives up to this point have been nothing less. I couldn't be happier for either of them!

This is Juli, isn't she beautiful?
Anyone who knows Juli and Zach know that they both have a great sense of humor. Here, Juli is striking her best "queen of everything" pose.
Juli, do you ever wonder what Zach will look like when he gets old? The younger version. Zach is also a good friend of outstanding character. He will lead Juli toward Jesus as only he could.
Love the vine-covered wall!
This is one of my favorites of the day.
They were incredibly blessed with good weather and a few leaves still hanging on...
Precious.

May it be everything little girls dream of. ;)
I love you both!

UPDATE: As I was editing the pictures, I came across a better picture for the caption on the picture above. Little tears might have come to my eyes when I saw this...So let me try that again: "May it be everything little girls dream of."

A backyard in Virginia

2009-09-24T14:12:00.000-07:00

This summer, my friends Abigail and Jeremiah asked me to photograph their wedding and I have looked forward to it ever since. There are many reasons why, but simply put, because I enjoy Virginia. I love the people there. Abigail and Jeremiah were sweet, laid back and generously treated me like family, and they are surrounded by friends and family like that. And I love the beauty of the state. See below for details! The couple got married in Abigail's back yard on a gorgeous day.

It's wedding day!
Her flowers were so pretty! A little bit of western flair here.

The bling.

The wedding was beach themed...

The food was just as good as it looks, thanks to Abigail's talented friend Stacy.

The dress.
I love this little scene of Heather (another talented friend) doing Abigail's make-up. It reminds me of a little dress up scene that could have happened 10 years ago... this time its for real!The ladies.
The gentlemen.Here is Jeremiah, mustering a smile amidst the tears as he sees Abigail (for the first time that day) walk down the aisle.
Isn't this the best ceremony spot ever?During the ceremony, the couple's niece leaned over to look at me...

Their first dance. Dance lessons paid off!

The couple and I got to sneak away for a few minutes...

This is maybe my favorite of the day. Something about it. The tenderness you see here speaks volumes about their relationship.
They showed me their initials carved in a nearby tree.

Also love this one!A nice portrait.

Congratulations Jeremiah and Abigail!

Luke and Katie- part 2

2009-09-15T11:27:00.001-07:00

It would be impossible to do justice to Katie and Luke's story in a paragraph... but I would simply say that they tried with all their hearts to honor God in their relationship and communicate to those around them that they trust God and then lived demonstrating that that was true. And God honored this in a very special way as we all gathered together to watch them join their lives together forever and know that His blessing surrounded them completely. Katie and Luke are 'God's good and perfect gift' to each other and its a beautiful thing to behold.

I was honored to stand up with Katie, and they asked if I would join them for an hour in the morning at this perfect spot to do the bride and groom pictures, then they gave me the rest of the day off. :)

This is Katie, on her way to meet Luke...
...who was waiting in the covered bridge. This is the first time they saw each other that day.
Katie, beaming...
Luke, also beaming...It was a beautiful day, especially for the middle of September in Michigan.

One of my favorites of the day...

I love you both and look forward to seeing God direct the rest of your lives together.

Luke and Katie- part #1

2009-09-02T15:14:00.001-07:00

Katie and I have been friends forever. Together we have photo albums full of the best childhood memories that any girl could ask for. We went through the pen pal stage, have spent many weeks at each others' houses, been on road trips together, gotten into trouble together, and figured out life together. A few years ago, this great guy named Luke came along but Katie remained just as loyal as she ever was to our friendship. I appreciate that so much and look forward to more photo albums full of memories, starting with this one.

Love this one!!!Katie and Luke are adorable together. As you can see, he makes her very happy. In Katie's words, "Our life together is gonna be a party."
One of my favorites.
A nice little portrait.
Love the "realness" of this one.
Luke wasn't a huge fan of this location right away, because the "trees are so small"... but we all agreed that it turned out pretty cool.
One last shot...
I love you both! And I'm looking forward to your wedding!

Southern Style

2009-09-02T14:48:00.000-07:00

This summer, I was once again delighted to second shoot for Hannah. Tons of fun- 1.) I love being the assistant every once in awhile because I feel like you can just shoot for "the love of the game" more than concentrating on getting each shot on the list. 2.) Because the wedding was a gorgeous outdoor Tenessee wedding, southern belle style. 3.) Because its always great to hang out with Hannah for a weekend!

Here are a few of my favorites:

The wedding site. Every Southern belle needs a plantation...
Shauna- the bride. One time I was walking through a mall and saw an image that looked something like this, larger than life, covering the back wall of a jewelers shop. I thought to myself, "If I was a wedding photographer, I would take pictures like that..." Fast forward 5 or 6 years and here it is. Booya! :) Sweet.Go to Hannah's site to check out more!

Caleb and Abby

2009-05-30T14:27:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Caleb and Abby! Caleb is my cousin and we have enjoyed many years at summer camp together, but apparently Caleb enjoyed camp for other reasons! ;) His and Abby's relationship blossomed there at Little Eden, tying our family forever to camp. Abby is a sweetheart and we welcome her into the family. She makes a great addition.

The evening before the wedding, I caught Abby and Caleb on a stroll through the amazing gardens at the house where Caleb grew up, which was also our photo site. Her dress was gorgeous. Love the lace overlay.So pretty! At Abby's house...

This was the ceremony site, a quaint little church in a tiny little town in Ohio.

Love the feel of this one.

This place was just beautiful everywhere you looked.

This was their idea... so cute!

Also love the feel of this one.

All the guys wore suspenders and acquired a hat and glasses through a different story, but I laughed through this whole shoot! One last image...Very cool. Its funny how downtown-big-city this looks when you know how small this town actually is.
Congratulations and all the best to you!

This marraige will love by serving...

2009-05-13T12:29:00.001-07:00

I met Shawn and Lacey this spring and we quickly became friends. The thing that struck me about Lacey is how gracious she is, and Shawn for how well he cares for her and loves her. The way they interact is so sweet, very caring and serving. And I only enjoyed them and their family and friends more as we spent more time together. I believe I understand a little bit more about love through you two.

This is the uptown little spot in Goshen where she got her hair done the morning of the wedding. Lacey and I actually met through her talented hair dresser and my friend, Bekah. Definitely check out the Shoo-be-doo in downtown Goshen if you are looking for a salon in that area!Her flowers.
Once again, it was not the sunniest or warmest of days, but they graciously agreed to go to a nearby park. This was one of our first shots.

Yes, we did the jump! I thought they did a marvelous job.
Having fun with a little chapel there at the park.
If you look close you can probably see raindrops coming down. But this was worth it!
My favorite part of the whole day was during the ceremony. They chose to wash each other's feet before the whole congretation as their first act of service as a married couple. The pastor prefaced it with, "This marraige will love by serving". It was a beautiful picture of Christ and His church and the selfless love that He gives.
Its probably not necessary to add remarks here, but this could have been the moment that tears started running down my cheeks.
My other favorite moment was walking into the reception and seeing this candy station. You never outgrow the candy store!
More reception details.
Congratulations Shawn and Lacey. And thank you.

Elee's senior shoot

2009-04-23T15:19:00.001-07:00

I don't get the chance to shoot senior portraits very often so this was a blast, for lots of different reasons.

1.) This was my first photo shoot in Minnesota, where I am staying right now, so Elee's sisters helped us find all new places. I love discovering little towns and cool spots, and its even better when I get photograph in them! 2.) God held off the rain, per Elee's prayers and we had a perfect day with perfect light, great locations, and an awesome chair! 3.) And as you can see, Elee is beautiful and photogenic... what's not to love? How fun! Doesn't this look like some Hollywood paparazzi?

So cute. Why do petite people get all the cuteness?

There is just something really cool about this one.

A majestic little scene was just off to the side of the road in Carver, MN.

This was actually a lighting mistake that turned into something beautiful. The laughing pose came easier for her than the serious one. That's the way it should be!

No complaints about her serious pose, though! One last image. Thanks Elee! You were great!

What God has joined together...

2009-04-04T09:55:00.001-07:00

Keven and Katie were so easy and fun to photograph. So many of these pictures are simply little snippets of Keven and Katie's relationship as it happens. They clearly have waited for God and are rejoicing in the work of His hands, and it was truly a joy to be a part of!

A nice portrait...
One of those moments I was talking about.
Beautiful!Just so the wedding party gets the credit they deserve, it is somewhere around 45 degrees here (wedding party, correct if I'm wrong, I know it felt way colder than that!), but they NEVER complained and we were rewarded with some great shots!
However, I turned my back for just a minute and somehow all the girls manged to snatch a jacket.

This is one of my favorites for the day.
You are a special couple and I look forward to seeing more of the plan that God has for you two!

In celebration.

2009-01-28T15:41:00.000-08:00

Another one of my very good friends got married this weekend. Alison married Aaron, and he whisked her away to Florida where they will live happily ever after.

I was privileged to meet and second shoot for the talented Hannah. Check out her site!

I've known Alison for a number of years, and have looked forward to her wedding since before she met Aaron. Simply because she has waited with all of her heart, for the one: whom we now know as Aaron. God poured out His blessing on that day with joy unspeakable for the two of them and I know it will continue as they continue to be faithful to our Saviour. I'm sure that she would say it was worth the wait.

And so we gathered on that chilly day in January. In celebration.

The handsome groom:

The "gangster pose". I love it.

Alison was beaming.

Gorgeous.

The first few moments of being Mr. and Mrs....

The very good-natured wedding party!

Love the feel of this one.

My heart bursts with happiness for the two of you!

The end of a memorable day...

2008-10-21T09:29:00.000-07:00

My very good friend, Julie, married her best friend this Saturday on her parents front porch in a private ceremony. It was a very sweet and meaningful day. We, all of her childhood friends, agreed that this is how we imagined Julie's wedding to be... all of the people she loved gathered at a place that she loved.

My mentor, Shelley, took all of their wedding pictures. But at sunset, Julie asked me to take one more picture... This is it. I think its perfect. As a photographer, you have images in your mind that are usually ten times better than what equipment will capture. But when I saw this, I was completely satisfied. Julie and Tyler, what a privilege to share in your wedding day. May the love and beauty of your marraige only grow as you grow together in Him. Love you both!

At last my love has come along...

2008-10-01T14:40:00.000-07:00

Michael met Naomi in 2001 and knew he had found a girl worth waiting for, and so he did... for seven years! Needless to say, they were both so happy when it came to the wedding day.
She got ready in this room with really fun curtains. And that was the mood of the wedding also, right down to the amazing tower of cupcakes in lei of a traditional wedding cake.

Naomi was helped and stood with by her two sisters, Beth Ann...
...and Bekah. All of the ladies looked lovely!
The wedding was in a sweet little garden. Here comes the bride!
At last...

A light moment shared in the garden.I experimented a little bit with the traditional "ring shot" and love how it turned out!

Thank you Naomi and Michael! Much happiness to you.

Kurtis and Missy

2008-08-21T06:20:00.001-07:00

I've known Kurtis and Missy for as long as I can remember and its hard to believe they are now married! Where does the time go?
It was a beautiful day and a georgous couple... I knew this would be a long post! :)
Here is Missy, putting on the finishing touches.

Kurtis and Missy had a special private moment at the start of the day... Well, almost private.
Their first sight of each other on the wedding day.
See what I mean? Georgous.

Missy beamed all day.

The groom.The wedding party was tons of fun and up for anything.I set up the group shot and walked back to my position only to turn around and see this. Guys... uh... the camera is this way. What fun!During the ceremony, right after the "You may kiss the bride" was announced, Kurtis got down on one knee and kissed her hand. So sweet!

And then the real deal.

Thank you Kurtis and Missy, for inviting me to be a part of your day. God bless.

I have waited for you

2008-08-12T05:55:00.000-07:00

On the first weekend in August, I was privileged be a part of Seth and Joanna's wedding... Even though we had not met before, their down-to-earth personality, connection with each other and a shared love for our Savior made the day a joy to be a part of. Seth and Joanna are, without a doubt, a match made in heaven.

Before the wedding, Joanna had mentioned to me that her and Seth had chosen to wait until their wedding day for their first kiss. What an example! What a contrast to this generation! I'm sure they would tell you it was worth the wait.

The happy couple.
I love this shot of them simply because it speaks so much about their adoration of each other.
My wonderful assistant for the day, Tina Harness, suggested that the wedding party walk arm in arm together, which was so fitting because the wedding party is made up entirely and only of Seth and Joanna's family.
With this ring...
May the celebration continue for you two. Thank you for inviting me to be a part of your day.

My heart just smiled.

2008-06-09T13:19:00.000-07:00

My good friends, Hannah and Jake, were married on a beautiful day in May. The ceremony and reception took place at the Farmington Plantation in Louisville. Very cool spot. Hannah and Jake had so many unique ideas that made the day all theirs in every way... see if you agree.

Her dress was creme with a champagne sash that came together in the back with a vintage pin.

Hannah, is this how you pictured yourself as a bride in your little-girl dreams?This is the moment when they first saw each other... after all the stress of getting ready and being asked a thousand and one questions... this is what its all about. This is why I love wedding photography. I get to be a part of all the emotion that goes along with a day like this. In this moment my heart just smiled.
So happy! Notice her lack of an earring? That lost (and found) earring was a source of several answered prayers that day!

This is the pathway that all of the guests took as they drove back to the wedding site.
Since I was privileged to also stand up with Hannah, the credit for this image and the next one belong to Jesse Fabish, Jake's brother. Thanks Jesse! This is one of my favorite wedding party shots ever!
Look at that light!

Leaving through a shower of rice! On their way to Anne(with an e)'s very own Prince Edward Island! Doesn't that just make your heart smile?

Now presenting

2008-06-06T14:04:00.000-07:00

On a beautiful weekend in May, I had the privilege to be a part of this special couple's wedding day... you may have "met" this couple before, via their engagement photo shoot last year. At that time I had heard that they had a mutual passion and talent for singing. We all had the pleasure of experiencing it that day. They treated the whole audience, on their wedding day, to a song that they sung to and for each other. Tears came to my eyes as I listened to them declare their love, through a song, during the rehearsal.

The much anticipated and planned for wedding day is here!
Kaila looked like a princess.

Wouldn't you agree?

The prince...
I love it that the flower girl happened to be passing through on this one.
One of the many sweet guestures from Dustin to Kayla that day was a surprise trip in a full size tour style bus. It's their dream to someday ride in one of these full time, and with God's blessing I have no doubt that they will. So what a fitting "first ride" together.
The first dance. Congratulations Dustin and Kaila. You are a gifted and special couple to so many people. The love and grace of God was shining bright through you both on that day and I know it will continue... to bless others and glorify the matchless name of our Saviour.

kickin' around downtown

2008-04-29T07:01:00.000-07:00

Last week, Jake and Hannah and I went downtown Louisville and wandered around to take some engagement pictures. We laughed as we realized how hard we were looking for old, grungy alleys. All due respect to the committees committed to updating downtown, but we prefer the falling down part of it! :)

Jake and Hannah have been long time friends of mine and are getting married next month. It was a privilege and of course tons of fun to "have them" for an evening! I look forward to your wedding!!

Just as were finishing up, using the night life of the city as the background, a security guard stopped us and asked what we were taking pictures for. Apparently deciding that engagement pictures were a good cause, he used his keys and passes to get us up onto the roof of a 5-story building. It made for really cool pictures and even better memories!

Tim and Melody

2008-04-23T14:41:00.001-07:00

It was a pleasure to photograph Tim and Melody's wedding day. They got married in Wisconsin on what turned out to be a snowy day in April!

The bride was beautiful...
The groom was handsome...
There were plenty of light hearted moments... They were so laid back and easy to work with! What more could you ask for?
A few tears were shed as Melody's dad walked her down the aisle and also officiated the ceremony.
The waiting groom...
Textures are all the rage in photography these days... so I am experiementing with them a little bit. I love the feel of this shot.
Tim will stand by Melody, in sunshine and in snow!
Thank you guys for being so easy! God bless your married life together!

Looking back...

2008-04-08T14:42:00.000-07:00

I am home now. From a land of poverty to a land of plenty, from the starving to the overfed. What a contrast! Looking back over my pictures, I knew I had to post one more time about India. It is a special, unforgettable place.
We took a field trip with the younger grades of school to this Tibetan town. The first thing you see as you get near is this towering, gleaming, gold statute. This sign preceding your ascent up several flights of stairs to this idol reads, "This statute of the lord Shakyamuni Buddha has been most graciously consecrated by his holiness, the fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet." A visit to the slums. Girls as small as this precious one are forced into a life of thievery and "garbage-picking" just to survive.After thirty minutes of folding and tucking, I have a whole new appreciation for the women who wear sarees daily!

Our whole "family".

Rishikesh... along the holy Ganges river. The Taj Mahal. Quite impressive, but does not qualify for the most memorable moment in Agra. We had the opportunity to stay with a high caste Hindu family for the weekend. Their hospitality was phenomenal. However, the beds were infested with bed bugs and I left with hundreds of "souvenir" bed-bug bites. The India Gate. On the way home, I had a long lay over in Amsterdam and took the train into the city. It was the first time I have set foot in Europe and I was not dissapointed. It was just as I had imagined! Tall old buildings along the canals, bike propped up in quaint doorways, cafes on the corner... I love this shot of a woman entering her streetside apartment.

I am glad to be back, but will miss much about India. And from the bottom of my heart, thank you for all of your support.

Cultural Submersion 101

2008-02-16T03:33:00.000-08:00

These last few weeks have been ones of diversity and many cultural experiences, like attending our first arranged-marriage wedding. The ceremony was much like a "Western wedding" but can you even imagine what must be going through their minds?
Cynthia, the beautiful bride in the traditional red langa...
Which of these don't belong?
Nibha, Liza, and Amanda all dressed up in our best kurtas.

Who knew that henna could be used not only for tattoos, but also for turning light brown hair to bright orange?! Thankfully, this "herbal treatment" washes out with time.

Ajay, one of the precious faces that we are privileged to see and love every day.

Sumit- how could your heart not melt with this smile! Doesn't he remind you of a teddy bear?They may not be able to speak our language, but aren't they cute? This is Deden, a Tibetan, in nursery class- learning Hindi and English (besides Tibetan) at the age of four.

Motion sickness wasn't our biggest concern as we followed this road up the side of the Himalayas...

But the view from the top was worth it!

Tuesday is the day that the traveling outdoor farmers market comes to the village of Selaqui.

We love the colorful bangles, but our choices were limited due to our "fat" American hands.
Indian spices by the kilo...
Since coming to India this is the most out of place that we have felt. We were the only two white people that day and maybe any day judging by the stares. Notice the admirers in the background...

Kids, cows, and kurtas

2008-01-25T05:14:00.000-08:00

Welcome to India, the land of diversity. Below is a glimpse of what we experienced as we saw India for the first time.

Just another of the many means of transportation here in India... Shishya School... where we spend our days teaching 40 4-year-olds that don't speak our language!
Another game of football (soccer), a favorite among the boys along with cricket and volleyball.

This is also at the school, the campus is absolutely beautiful.
Frieda McRae... our most kind and generous "mom" while we are here and the founder of Shishya school and orphanage. Here she is modeling a scarf knit by my friend, Rebecca.
A common scene on the streets of India... there is no "private property" here. Street-side vending makes for great sales.

Amanda and I had our first Indian shopping experience the day after we arrived. Here we have just stepped out of the "trial room", sporting our "ready-made" (as opposed to the normal fabric-to-tailor stores) kurtas. The good news is that when we come home, these can also double as costumes for any Old Testament plays.
We have not been dissapointed by the food here. An interesting fact: there is no such thing as curry here. It is a combination of spices... very tasty! This is Raj Kachouli... a mixture of yogurt, chick pea, lentil, mint, chiles, and potato in a shell of fried Cream of Wheat. A peanut stall. Here you see the peanut vendor roasting his peanuts for his pushcart.
The epitome of India...

Fort Myer's Beach

2007-12-06T06:17:00.001-08:00

My brother, Brett and his beautiful wife Callie were married on the white beachs of Fort Myer's Florida on Sunday. It was a very small, meaningful wedding. There were more than a few tears shed as we watched them exchange vows to love and cherish forever...

Can you tell a wedding by the shoes? I think so... but this isn't quite fair, because Callie was barefoot most of the time, but aren't they georgous? This was the spot where Brett first saw his beautiful bride in her wedding dress.

They are so happy...

One last sunset picture

Congratulations Dustin and Kaila

2007-12-06T06:12:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I was in Northern Indiana and had the privilege of meeting and photographing Dustin and Kaila. They are getting married in May!

Dustin and Kaila were so fun and easy to work with! I look forward to their wedding.

Chad and Laura in Winona

2007-10-02T07:04:00.000-07:00

Chad Rassi and Laura Clemmer were married last weekend at a small, very meaningful wedding ceremony followed by a reception for all their friends, complete with a chocolate fountain and coffee bar!

They say that you can tell a wedding by the shoes. I believe them! Check out the heels that Laura wore all afternoon...
At Lake Winona. It was a beautiful day, there was a nice little breeze. Perfect!

Chad and Laura are so sweet together!
What a cutie!

The ceremony site...

The Rebelution

2007-09-18T05:57:00.001-07:00

This past weekend we attended the rebelution conference with about 60 people from church, and I was privileged to be one of the (many) event photographers. It was a great experience, and here are some of my favorites... Joel Harris led us in worship.
Alex Harris talked about the "myth of adolescence".
And Brett Harris encouraged us to "Do Hard Things".

Visit thier website for many more photos and great resources.

On a day in August...

2007-09-04T05:35:00.000-07:00

On a beautiful summer day, Jay Kinsey and Bekah Hamilton were married in the lawn outside of the farm house where she grew up. It was just as she had always dreamed... From lots of family and friends to help her celebrate, to her walking across the lawn and down the aisle just before sunset to live bag pipes playing Amazing Grace to her handsome groom waiting!

But before this, we were treated to a lovely rehearsal dinner, put on by Mrs. Kinsey...
Bekah and the bridesmaids... only missing Mrs. Hamilton-her maid of honor. In the last few minutes of being Bekah Hamilton....

Beautiful reception!

Wedding in Wakonda

2007-08-28T06:52:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Rey and Liz Sanchez who began their new life together this past weekend at a lovely wedding set in the forests of Camp Wakonda. I was privileged to be a bridesmaid and photographer, so the credit for many of these images goes to Jesse and Jake Fabish.