Pressing Upward

"Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, 

& that seek him with the whole heart. 

They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways. 

Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. 

O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!"

(Psalm 119:2-5)

Dear Friends,

During the month of March this is my prayer and my goal. I desire to focus on deepening my relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ; I want to seek His Word diligently and love Him more! This month, I am taking a break from internet with this in mind, but will have a few scheduled photo posts. It is my goal to spend more time in His Word and presence these next few weeks. Will you seek the Lord this month with me? Would you like to give up something this month that you enjoy doing or eating to show the Lord that He is important to you? He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him!

God bless you,

Enduring Love {My Grandparents}

Last spring, I enjoyed a "mini photo shoot" with my grandparents.

"Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not.

Charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.

Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own,

is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil.

Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth.

Now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; 

but the greatest of these is charity."

(1 Corinthians 13)

Winter Scene {Snowflakes}

When we had a snow storm a few weeks ago, I decided to try a new challenge: taking pictures of snow flakes. While I did not capture the intricate detail of the flakes as I had hoped, I found that the simplest things can be so incredible, when noticed through the eye of detail.

"For he saith to the snow, 

Be thou on the earth; 

likewise to the small rain, 

and to the great rain of his strength."

(Job 37:6)

Learning and Growing {Camera Gear}

When this appears at your front door...

You know fun is inside! 

This past Christmas, my parents gave me a very kind, thoughtful, and useful gift: an external flash. Thank you mom and dad! I really like it and can't wait to learn all the options that the flash offers. I have found that it is similar to the manual settings on a camera: so many settings...and I have to learn what they mean.

Another recent addition in my "camera bag" (which I don't yet have...hmm) was a Zeikos battery grip. The extra area for grip that it offers is very "handy," although it does add bulk to the camera.

One of my goals for 2011 was to read about ten photography books, and so thanks to my mom's inter-library loaning skills, I have so far delved into Understanding Exposure and Understanding Shutter Speed, both books by Bryan Peterson. The former was very helpful and explained the basic principles of photography in a very understandable way. I would highly recommend it (although I would suggest you use parental guidance, as there are a handful of inappropriate images). The latter book deals with just what the title suggests, and it is also interesting.

Applying one of the techniques that Understanding Shutter Speed teaches

Yet another one of my goals for the new year (I did have a lot of them, and no, they were not all camera-related) was to upgrade my camera body when a "good deal" presented itself. And that happened fairly quickly!

For now, I plan on keeping my old Canon model as a back-up and for everyday use...advice from Dad!

My next goal? Lord willing, I would like to pay for my new equipment with what photo shoots come along this year. In the mean time, I am trying to learn all I can; I am so thankful for all the ways God has allowed me to learn and expand in photography.

A Godly Couple {Mr. & Mrs. O.}

Thank you for your godly example and pioneering spirit. What a blessing it has been to know you. God bless you!