Grandma

I had my camera with me on a recent visit to my Grandma's apartment. One thing I'll always remember about Grandma is all the little trinkets and antique objects that she has laying around. Here are a few of my favorite shots...

And on to some photos of Grandma. She just recently completed several weeks of radiation treatments on her right eye. She's a trooper at 94 years old!

10,000

My two year Blog-iversary is coming up in July. And as of this week, I've had over 10,000 hits on my blog. Whoa.

Two years ago, I challenged myself to be a better photographer... To soak up all knowledge that I could, to practice and practice and practice until setting up a good shot became second nature, and to make myself vulnerable by presenting it to the rest of the world via this blog. And I think it worked.

I'm excited to see what year three has in store for me...

Here's a shot of a pretty weed that I took out in one of my favorite fields...

View more nature shots on my Facebook Fan Page.

Moments

I was recently inspired to write a poem.

I haven't sat down to spill out my thoughts in quite some time,

so I mentally detoxed and wrote this poem,

which just so happens to be about photography.

So I am sharing it with you.

Enjoy.

~~~~~~~~

.frozen.

my eyes crave
to capture the fleeting,
that which can be invisible

others pass by
with nary a second glance,
too consumed by the obvious.

they are oblivious of its powers.
but oh, it whispers to me;
enticing, alluring, demanding attention

it stops me in my tracks,
takes my breath away.
there before me…

the moment.

it is beautiful.
it is raw.
it is enchanting.

and I capture it.
frozen.
for me.
for you.
that moment in time.

memories fade,
become vapors in the wind,
but to remember
is to embrace time,
frozen
in a photograph.

hold it tenderly in your hands.
see it with eyes of gratitude.
absorb its significance.
cherish
the moment.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Here are a few recent Moments...

Reflections

I like to write. I've kept a journal since my senior year of high school. There's something about seeing my thoughts written down in my own penmanship that makes me feel reflective and nostalgic. This evening I ventured out to Barnes & Noble to pick out a new journal. My last one, full of three years of The Life of Jen, is nearing its last pages. I read through my last year's entries this week, and they made me realize a few things...

*God is good. My journal is another source of communication with God--it's where I voice my prayers, my hurts, my gratitude, and my dreams. It's very humbling to read back and see how God has answered my prayers and calmed my heart when needed. Sometimes it's too easy to forget His faithfulness. Reflecting on my writing also made me feel a connection to the book of Psalms... The Psalms are about people, their struggles, and their joy of living life under God. It is poetry and prayer to be set to music and worship. (My favorite is Psalm 139.) I hope that if my thoughts and words were set to music, that they would be just as honoring to God as the Psalms...

*Memories fade. In flipping back through my journal, there are several times where I went for months without writing. And it made me mad. What did I miss out on remembering? It bothers me, because I know that I have a horrible memory. My journal and my photographs are some of the few ways I really truly remember special moments in time. One day, when I'm old and wrinkled, and with the help of these precious memory-savers, I hope I can remember exactly what I was thinking and feeling during those special times...

My new journal...

My life in words...

"Write while the heat is in you. The writer who postpones the recording of his thoughts uses an iron which has cooled to burn a hole with. He cannot inflame the minds of his audience."

~Henry David Thoreau~

Happy writing!

P.S. Also picked up Crazy Love and Wuthering Heights at B&N (and yes, I will be reading Wuthering Heights in my very horrible, really really awful, British accent just for kicks)... Dreary, rainy days call for good reading...

Birthday Girl

So today I'm 28. I think it's going to be a good year. 

Here is one of my birthday gifts to myself... Only the most amazing chocolate chip cookies in Springfield. If you want some, contact this dude. His wife sells them. John was my lender when I bought my house. All his clients receive a box of these scrumptious cookies when they close... My first memory with my new house was sitting in the middle of my living room floor and eating one of these cookies. They're a little nostalgic for me... :)

Random Jen Facts:

*I was 10 lbs 3 1/2 ounces when I was born. All weight was stored in my cheeks. I looked like a chipmunk preparing for winter...

*The first thing the doctor said when I was born was, "Put her on the floor and let her crawl to the nursery!"

*Some of my nicknames, thanks to Dad... Jennifer Jump-Up and Fer-Fer. To this day, he still calls me Fer-Fer.

That's it for now... Responsibility is calling my name; i.e. I forgot to renew my driver's license and I have 50 minutes to do so...

Thanks for all the birthday wishes!! I am uber-blessed!

Sisters

My dad's mother, my Grandma Alverta, is 93, and her sister, Nadine, is 97. They are best friends. It seems like every time I see them, they are holding hands or whispering to each other. I treasure every moment I get to spend with them, and the older I get, the more I realize that my photos of them are an extension of my memories with them... 

Time is short. Photos last.

In Front of the Camera

In preparation for 2010 and the launch of my new Images by Jen Photography website in January, I decided it was important to get some professional headshots for my bio page. 

The beautiful and talented Tiffany Kelley of Hollister, met up with me on Sunday and we roamed around the Branson/Hollister area on a cold, windy December afternoon so she could grab these shots. I met Tiffany on Scott Kelby's 2nd Annual Worldwide Photo Walk in downtown Springfield in July. We had lunch together with some other local photographers, swapped business cards and went our separate ways. I contacted Tiffany shortly after that and we've gotten together several times to hang out and talk photography.

I warned Tiffany that I feel like a big goober in front of the camera, but despite this fact, she managed to capture me in a way that's truly me... and that's what makes a great photographer! Thank you, Tiffany!!

Here are some shots you may see in the near future on my site...  Please click here and here on Tiffany's blog to view them larger and in full detail.

Which one is your favorite? Let me know what you think!

I've always wanted a shot of me in a field like this next one. Yay!

Happy Camera

I went to Lawrence Photo last night so that they could ship my camera body off to Canon for repair. When I was explaining what happened, Jerry took off with it and came back a minute later with words that were music to my ears... "There's no need to ship it off... it's fixed!"

He straightened up the mirror that had gotten misaligned and ended up saving me some moolah. Gotta love that. If you haven't checked out their store, you should. Lots of goodies that you need. And printing services. And camera and lens rentals. And they host classes for photographers. Check out their site.


The only bad thing for me is that the store is dangerously close to my house. Hence, my new purchase last night of some light reflectors and diffusers. Who knows what the next visit holds...

Grateful

I'm back from Brazil... Still trying to process things and get my thoughts together. It's hard to put into words how to describe the best week of your life!

God always uses these mission trips to Brazil to remind me how unbelievably blessed I am. This morning, I woke up two or three times thinking "I have an amazing bed to sleep in." Such a simple thought, but the reality of it was multiplied tenfold since for the past week, I have been surrounded by people who have nothing...

So those of you who are living in the United States, lay your worldly desires aside and realize that you are incredibly, abundantly, undeniably BLESSED.

More to come...

Get Out.... of the Country!!!

I will be gone to the beautiful country of Brazil from August 8-17. I promise you many pictures and stories when I return!

Deus e Bom! (God is Good!)

Just an update on Brazil... 

My Brazil mission trip is only two weeks away, and I am happy to say that God has provided me with the exact amount needed to take care of the expenses of my trip. I've had 9 sessions since my first post about Brazil, and I have a few more in the works prior to when I leave. I've also had the financial support of a generous friend (you know who you are!). As they say in Brazil Deus e Bom!

In the back of my mind, I know I've questioned the fact.. "Why don't you just use the money you have in savings to finance the trip?" But at the same time, it's the same premise of why we are physically going ourselves to Brazil to build the church instead of just sending the money.. It's in the physical act of working toward a goal, with God being the ultimate provider. And it's no different in my case.. He has instilled within me the passion for photography and he has placed people in my path who are willing to be a part of my experience. 

God provides.

I've obviously had quite a few sessions pretty close together, which means I've got some major editing sessions in my near future--Curtis & Natalie's Engagement session, Liliana and Girls, little Joanah and Jae, and the Evans Family. I'll be occupied with Brazil August 8-17, but I promise I'll have the other sessions edited and up for viewing as soon as possible.

I'll end with a picture of a cross a Brazilian friend carved for me out of Brazil wood.

I'm Pumped!!

I just had my first photography workshop tonite at Lawrence Photo and I. AM. PUMPED!!  I've done enough research online, in magazines, and books to have a good grip on the technical side of things, but I know I have a lot more to learn!

A special shout-out to Tracy and Christine from Harrison, Arkansas. It was great to meet both of you.. you are so sweet!! I'll definitely be keeping in touch.

I'm also in the list-making mode right now of things I want to accomplish this year in photography. Give me a little more time, and I'll have a list to share. By posting it, I'll at least have a tad bit of accountability...

This is random, but as of right now, I've got these special dates popping up in my head...

*July 12--My one-year pix-iversary. Last year at this time, I started freelance work for pay. I love looking at those pictures and seeing how far my work has developed and matured!

*July 18--My two year house-iversary. Yes, two glorious years ago I purchased my first house. And I still love it. And I haven't burned it down yet. Or gone bankrupt. Therefore, I consider my house-buying venture a success!

*August 6--My half-birthday. I never celebrate my half-birthday. Ever. But this year I will get to celebrate it right before I leave for Brazil. Ahhh Brazil. What a sweet half-birthday present!

*September 13--(I think. or maybe it's the 19th. I better double-check because there might be a reward involved. Heck, I'll even take a cookie). My three-year anniversary at American Family Insurance (Go ahead.. sing that jingle in your head... ... Good job.) The David Potter Agency. On Sunshine. Don't forget that.

*September 19--(I think). My Canon 40D's one year birthday. Whoa. One year with a DSLR camera and your life will be changed. Forever!

I feel like I could write a novel tonite, but I'll stop here.

And because a post is not complete without a picture, here's one from Close Memorial Park that I took on Saturday...

and one from Nathaniel Green Park..

Live & Learn

I'm doing a couple new things this week that I'm excited about.

**I'll be going to a Photography Workshop at Lawrence Photo on Thursday hosted by Tamron. I'll be learning about exposure, lighting, composition, and post-processing techniques, for landscape, wildlife, and nature images. I don't really have any expectations about this class, but I have no doubt that I'll come away learning something new, since I've never officially had any photography classes.


**Another new thing that I'll be doing is going on my first Photo Walk. Over 60 photographers from Springfield will be meeting downtown on Saturday, July 18 to join in Scott Kelby's Second-Annual Worldwide Photo Walk. People from all over the world are joining to photograph their cities. It will be a fun way to meet some other local photographers, find some new spots downtown, and do some networking. I'll let you know how it goes!

One Month Countdown

Today is officially one month until I'm off to Brazil for my fourth mission effort. It's slowly starting to sink in!We're still in need of toys to pass out to the kids, so if you have some to spare, I would be happy to take them off of your hands!

Here's one of my favorite pictures from Rio Branco 2006. Even stickers bring smiles...

Looking forward to engagement and family sessions this weekend, so stay tuned! I will be starting to edit Robison wedding pix next week!

Thanks to all who have joined my Facebook Fan Page. If you're on Facebook, just search for Images by Jen Photography and receive photo updates and info on specials!

Brazil Update

I just got done posting the Stone/Jeffries pix to Facebook. You can see the rest of their photos on my Flickr account.

I will be finishing editing Kacey's pictures by the end of this week. Can't wait to show you more!

A Brazil update for you... I'm happy to say that with the last five sessions I've had, I've hit the halfway mark for the money needed for my mission trip to Brazil in August. I've still got about $1,200 to go, so if you're in need of some family, senior, engagement pix.. you name it... I'd love to talk to you about it!

Have a great day!

Get a Grip!

My beloved camera, My Canon 40D will be having its one-year birthday in September. Needless to say, I am very overprotective of it. So overprotective, in fact, that I was hesitant to take it to Brazil with me in August for several reasons:

1) Where we will be in Brazil is very dusty and dirty and hot.
2) Nice items that are left unattended have a tendency to "walk away," never to be seen again.
3) I may not have enough muscles to carry it with me all day long. It's not light as a feather!
4) I want to be able to interact with the people and not worry about it getting damaged.

However, it's been on my mind a lot lately that I might regret NOT taking it with me. And a good photographer friend of mine reminded me last night of the same thing. So everyone, I am pleased to say that my 40D will be joining me in Brazil!! One huge benefit of having such a nice camera is the battery life. It can last a long time without needing to be recharged. And I was just informed that a battery grip would be a great addition for me, and would also allow me to have a battery backup, if needed.

Here is a pic of today's purchase. Not only will it benefit me overseas, but it's a great thing to have for photo shoots here too. It houses the camera's battery and provides an additional grip for vertical photos, along with a shutter release.

I love me some pictures.