They're here!

I've wondered for a while now when I should make it official. This business and I have had what you might call and "on and off" relationship. Ask John, he only had to ask me out like four times before I would commit. :) I've gotten quite a bit of experience in photography and have loved every minute of it. While I am passionate about taking pictures, it has taken me some time to commit to the business relationship. Well, last week I ordered business cards. They arrived today and I'm so excited! This may not be an exclusive relationship (meaning, I need to get a job. Haha.) but I'm just going to throw it out there and say... We're in business!

family

I'm going home tomorrow for Thanksgiving break and I am just oh so ready to spend some time with these people that I love. Look at their smiles, their laughs. I expect nothing less from this next week. Its going to be a refreshing time and hopefully push me to finish strong! <3

Close to Home

This summer has flown by. With work and taking a class, spending time with family and friends, and John, getting oil changes, going to Great America, driving to Michigan and Ohio, a little camping, and not cleaning my room...

I haven't taken very much time to take pictures just to take pictures. But this past week I took a lot of pictures. A lot. I'm working on a video for my church that will be pictures of people and places around town, accompanied by Brandon Heath's "Give Me Your Eyes." The lyrics in this song are really powerful. If we could look through the eyes of Jesus for just one second, what would we see? Granted, these pictures were still for a project, but something about being in Antioch - basically my backyard - made it personal.

After shooting a lot in the downtown area and around schools and shopping centers, I went to Open Arms Mission because it is a place my church has been involved in and invested in over the years. I'm ashamed to say that it is the first time I've ever been there. I planned to go right when they were distributing food, thinking thats when there would be the most people there. And there were a lot of people. A lot of people just looking for something to eat. A lot of people with smiles on there faces.

I'm not sure what I was supposed to take away from that but I know it is more than just some pictures for the screen on Sunday. Something about the need that is right in my backyard. And the joy that these people have. And the sacrifice that the people at Open Arms make and have made their life. Something. I don't really have a conclusion to this... It's hard to not wish it were the beginning of my summer again. To spend a little time with some of the people at Open Arms. To just spend some time there. Not that the things I did were bad or not meaningful. Not at all.

Just something to think about. Something to do about.

She was so excited to have her picture taken. I think she might have thought it was going in the newspaper. No... just my blog. :)

I bet he has some good stories.

It's been awhile...

Yes, almost the entire summer has gone by without a single post... I'm not sure what it will take to get me to keep up with this thing, but I really do have good intentions. :)

Here are a couple pictures I took at a cookout we had at our house for my mom's side of the family. Summertime is always busy and always full of family, especially because my grandparents are in town and make an effort to see all of us. Which I like. I can't believe it is almost time for school to start again... I wish it were the beginning of summer right about when we were having this cookout! Although, it has been a good break. Anyway, picture time!

These two guys are dangerous when together.  Haha. If they could, they would play all day long. Non-stop. It's great.

I absolutely love this picture. John, thanks for getting it. :) Yes, we did get some posed photos after this, but this is my favorite. 

Puppy!

So, apparently I'm going to have to really work to post on this blog more than once a month.... I just forget about it and its the last thing I remember to do. I'll work on it. :)

For spring break this year, I was able to go visit my sister and her husband in Arizona. It was a blast! This post will barely even touch on the extent of the trip but I wanted to show off their adorable new puppy. His name is Zeus and he is a Mastiff puppy. He is only 12 weeks old but check out the paws on this kid! He's going to be huge. His top favorite things would include: sleeping, snoring, chewing toys, more sleeping (which always includes snoring), and just lots of playing. Oh and he has just recently found his bark. Fun. :) Anyway, here are a few pictures of this puppy that will not be puppy-size much longer.

First Step.

Here it is. My own photography blog. I've put it off for way too long and after listening to my mom wish for me to create a blog in order for her to be able to see my work, I've decided to go for it. That and I think it will be fun!
 
This past year I have absolutely loved shooting with film. I've decided that some day I will have my own darkroom in my home. We'll see if that ever happens. :) Here are some images I took with my Holga last weekend on 120mm film that I developed in my school's dark room. Each and every Holga is a unique camera and being that I had never taken pictures with it, I was so excited to find out what they would look like. I was so pleased! I still have a couple rolls of black and white film that I am looking forward to developing but these are the images from my color rolls. I hope you like them!


On Saturday I went to Chicago with my boyfriend, John and some friends of ours to ice skate in Millennium Park. Aside from it being absolutely freezing outside, it was really fun. This is an image of the amazingly complex Zamboni. Check out the vignetting! I love it.   

I thought it was really neat being able to skate right in the midst of all the incredible buildings. 

I had no idea how these images were going to turn out because of it being dark. I think its really cool! Kinda spooky. 

These last few are from my hometown. Sunday afternoon was so sunny and bright. It was perfect to try a roll of positive slide film to cross process. I need to scan these images into my computer again because I think the color got a little messed up, but I still like the effect of it. :)