Made In HIS Image...

To me, there is nothing more innocent or blissful than a bride on her wedding day. Every girl knows that the bride has probably been planning this day since she was old enough to formulate thoughts and understand beauty and love. Everything has been planned for months. The cast is nervous and giddy. The curtain is about to rise and for two people a new voyage is about to begin. As a photographer, this is a moment unlike any other. It is sink or swim. A wedding is nerve wracking because it is an even that will never happen again. A bride will only walk down the aisle once. The first kiss will only happen once. That garter will only be tossed once. And the bride's mother will only gleam and be puffy and red like that for one day. If a moment is missed at a wedding, the photographer might as well plan on hearing from a lawyer...or at least an angry groom or tearful bride. The great photographers are the ones whose personality, joy for life and shear exuberance for the profession shine through in every photo.

This is one of the many joyous and beautiful things about being a wedding photographer. I have the priviledge of photographing people on the happiest day of their lives. For Jasmine Starr (http://www.jasminestarblog.com/), the joy is simply that...capturing a moment that will bring back that same smile for years to come. Jasmine has such a bubbly, joyous and personable spirit that makes her a joy to be around and it shows in her gorgeous photographs. Meeting her personally was a great priviledge for me. Her love for Christ and for other people makes her one of my favorite photographers!

Photographer David Jay is all about taking the techniques and beauty that he has learned and applied and spreading it to other photographers. In a digital age, his company creates many electronic resources for photographers to help them expand their companies. One such invention it ShowItFast Websites and Slideshows. David has been known for pioneering the way in the world of marketing for wedding photographers and the beauty of the showit fast websites now avilable to photographers truly is a mark of his creativity and innovation as well as his consideration and desire to help other. Open Source Photo is a blog to help photographers discuss and get answers to some of their technical problems as well as help with Showit Fast products.

There is a simple beauty in the human spirit. I think is part of being made in the image of a holy and perfect God. To photograph people, in my opinion, is the closest I can get to showing a fallen world what God looks like. The innocence of a child. The gleam of a groom. The pride of a mother or father. The tenderness of family. These are all qualities found in the Holy Trinity and yet so often we miss them in every day life and in each other. The Travel Photographer (http://thetravelphotographer.blogspot.com/) has done a wonderful job at capturing the beauties of the world and documenting the people they meet and see along the way.

A camera is a beautiful gift the art of using it is a blessing. A mirror into the supernatural.

Loss of a brother...loss of a nation

Ever have a close friend who suddenly backs off? It is a little awkward and sad. I just had that very thing happen to me. It's hard sometimes. A friend can even be doing the mostly godly thing and what even you know he (or she) is supposed to do, but when you lose a brother (or sister) it is still hard.

That point aside...

I would like to mention the spiritual state of our nation and the role of Christians in it. I recently began asking a few of my fellow students around campus about what the most important issue was to them in the upcoming election. I got many different responses. "The economy, the war, health care, abortion, etc." Interestingly enough my pastor recently spoke on the same topic.

My pastor stated that, "God is not interested in the state of our comfort." God is not interested in our financial state. He is Jehovah Jireh, the God who always provides. He is interested in children whose hearts are turned towards their heavenly Father. I think it is interesting how sometimes we (Christians) seem to forget about the sovereign power of God to accomplish his perfect will in our lives and in our nation. We become ultra absorbed with politicians and their issues that we forget that indeed "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will."

All for now...

A not-so-awesome surprise

I came home today from my last class today tired, but good. It was a gorgeous and hot day here in sunny California today...and I looked cute (which is a rare plus). Although homework lay ahead of me, I found myself in good spirits. As I opened my apartment door, carrying a package from my mother (for which I was overjoyed), I noticed a foreign object on our kitchen table. I approached the object with curiosity and excitement. It was a single red rose with a note attached. Being the romantic that I am, this new find made me smile. I don't know why, but I instantaneously started hoping and wishing it was for me. The handwriting looked familiar so, why not. The note read this:

Distance can be a terrible thing, my love.
Missing you and thinking of you.
I love you.
Your Invisible Boy.

I immediately decided to search my apartment for my roommates to find out whose it was. They all had significant others that are over on a recent basis. None of them were at a distance so, I thought maybe...just maybe, it was from the man I love. He is at a distance. Our relationship is (somewhat) on hold. So I started hoping and praying it was from him. It wasn't. The rose was not for me and it certainly wasn't from him. My heart sunk.

Ever have that happen to you? Unexpected disappointment?