Feb
24
2013Confession.
I was once a perfectionist.
I might have scorned anyone who told me that my most beautiful moments are the messy everyday vulnerable stories.
I was sixteen when that wall of perfectionism fell hard and nearly crushed me. A relationship that I had invested everything in had failed. Most of my friends had graduated or moved away that year. I had gained a lot of weight. Taken a lot of antidepressants. I was weak. I was lonely. I felt lost.
I was lost.
Still, I tried to pull myself up. Tried to aim myself at a dream. Any dream: writing, photography, a new relationship, making the Socastee Singers. Really anything that would show the world that I was okay.
I wasn’t okay.
That summer I was invited to a youth camp with a full scholarship. I jumped at the chance to go.
I really don’t remember much at all about the camp. Vague memories. I only had two pairs of shorts that fit. I went canoeing. I participated in my very first ropes course. I didn’t know anyone there almost at all.
But I do remember crying that ugly cry. You know the one? Snot all over your face, loud sobs, mascara trails. And it was at that very moment that I received the most extravagant gift I’ve ever received.
Whoever was up there was telling me that I didn’t have to be perfect. That I was okay right where I was in the center of this mess.
Why? Well, because I was loved. Unconditionally. So unconditionally that my Lover was willing to die for me. In fact, Jesus Christ did die for me. He lived perfectly for me so I could still bring glory to Him in my mess by His grace alone. I didn’t have to be a perfectionist and seek glory for myself. I had a bigger purpose than living just for me.
I still get goosebumps telling this story. Telling you about the best Gift ever. Nothing can top this good news. 🙂
I’m telling you this now for a couple reasons. First, I want you to hear the gospel. The truth that Jesus died for you because he loves you so that you could be free from perfectionism. In fact, he fully intends to use your messes as gifts to others.
The second reason is that my motivation for giving has changed. Before I was a reformed perfectionist, I used to give gifts because I wanted you to love me. Now I give gifts because I am loved and I want to share that joy of being loved with you.
So tomorrow I’m offering you a gift to give to others. I can’t wait for you to open it and share 🙂
Feb
23
2013I relish gift giving. It’s my love language. I hear love this way because of what mama did, but my own gift giving is different.
I study those I love. Study their likes, their dislikes, what makes them laugh, what would make their life easier, and their stories. And when I give a gift it’s an almost perfect match to my perspective on who you are.
Really, I’m a little obsessive.
For instance, I just give my sister this hand embroidered mustache sampler.
This is the pattern link… I didn’t take a picture of her sampler 🙂
I giggled all the way through stitching it while my husband rolled his eyes and my mom gave me the “You’re making her What?!” face. My sister about fell over laughing when she received it and announced that it’s getting a prime location on her gallery wall. I can’t even fully put into words how I knew this would get her so tickled… but I knew.
Or when Karen was going through her miscarriage journey while our church was studying Philippians, I pulled out a random slab of wood in our shed and made her wall art with the following verse because she and her husband were clinging to this verse.
The first gift I ever gave was in 2nd grade. It was a simple note to the shyest girl in my class who was having the hardest time connecting with anyone else. Her name was Erin. So I wrote her a secret pal letter. I kept at it for a few weeks (despite my really scary/mean 2nd grade teacher standing up in front of the class and demanding to be told who wrote it!) until my messenger accidentally shared my name. Erin was welcomed into my rambunctious circle of friends. Perhaps it was just the gift she needed in that season?
I’m not telling you these things in pride. This is just how I love. I study and I gift. But mostly I study until I’m ready to gift 😉 When I finally am confident enough to give you that obsessively sought/made gift, I know that the receiver can feel my love. I know that they feel like I’ve taken the time to understand them and wrap up something that shows my affection. And that fills me with joy.
Tomorrow you can read about the greatest gift I’ve ever received and on Monday I’ll be sharing a gift with you. Why? Because while I haven’t had time to intimately study all of my readers, I’m pretty sure I know something that you’ll be excited to receive… and be able to give away yourself!
But, first, what’s the best gift you’ve ever given? How about the best one you’ve received?
Feb
22
2013I’m about to launch something that is super exciting to me here at Quiet Graces Photography. It involves giving, which is my primary love language. So over the next 4 days, sit tight with me and share a few stories about gifts and the love that gives them.
First up for me, a story about why I love gifts so much, inspired by Lisa Jo’s Five Minute Friday Prompt and my very own mom.
Start.
We didn’t have much at the beginning. But we never lacked. Mum worked late hours while we ate Hamburger Helper in the evening with Grandma. But Mom always brought us little trinkets from the gift shop she managed. Little things that said a simple “I love you,” to two little girls with big dreams.
Mum gifted us toys, and clothing, and handmade dresses. When my parents couldn’t afford gifts for us at Christmas, she gifted us with the humility of putting our names on Angel Tree lists so that we would still have gifts. She may or may not have worn the same jeans for all 10 years that I can remember while she loved and gifted us what she saw fit.
When we were older and finances had leveled, Mum let us pick our own angel tree names. She freely helped any of our friends who were going through hard times. She gifted us concerts and sleep overs and laughter.
In college, Mum gifted me a gas credit card so I could spend my summer earned money on things that I needed and not worry about paying for gas. And bags and bags of quarters so that I could wash my laundry and share with others.
The gifts weren’t what mattered, in fact most of them I can’t even remember, but I do know each gift was wrapped in her love.
Stop.
Feb
19
2013
Shutter Speed Assignment Images
This is just a friendly reminder to critique each others’ images in the Flickr group. If you’re posting there, take the time to critique at least one image per class member Our class is small so the time commitment there is maybe 10-15 minutes. But more importantly, when your’e critiquing other images you’re learning to articulate what you do and do not like about images; this makes you a better photographer. And by critique I don’t mean “Great job!” Really work a bit to use the Oreo Method we talked about in our first assignment. Tell them why it caught your eye, one area you would do differently/could use improvement, and one thing they really rocked at. It’s just three sentences 🙂
And if you’re new to the class, please jump in on the current lesson and work backwards if you want. There’s no grading and no roll call, do what you can with each week’s assignments 🙂
Those things said, here’s a sampling of what class members produced this week!
1. Freeze the Action (Fast Shutter Speed)
Amanda froze the action of this mother/son duo with this beautiful sunlight streaming down. I think jumping was such a fun idea for this age that sort of fears the crazy lady with the camera. I also love the lighting here!
2. Don’t Freeze the Action (Slow Shutter Speed)
Jessica got her camera as a Valentine’s present! How sweet! So at the time of this image she’d barely held it for three days. I’m so glad she has the courage to jump in on this (Actually, I’m still humbled that I have a ‘class’ at all!). This is an image of her daughter being pulled in a makeshift sled. The captured motion makes me feel the shrieks of joy.
One word: Dreamy. I’m so glad you went for the ultra slow shutter speed, TeddyBouch! It’s a great exposure and I always adore images of the red tail lights where you can’t see the car. There’s just this lonesome feeling about how fast time really does pass right before our eyes.
3. Give Panning a Try (Slow Shutter Speed)
I love this panning shot by CraftLea. I love the colors, the fabulous blur on the couch, the tack sharp hair, the giggles she must have been hearing. But mostly I like how this is such a metaphor for mothering: how we can freeze just a momentary memory, but all the moments just keep on going as the kids keep growing.
Andrew isn’t entirely new to the idea of panning. He does the camera motion all the time only with a very fast shutter speed to freeze the action. His favorite subjects (birds) lend themselves well to this technique with a slower shutter speed, don’t you think?
I may or may not end up being at fault for TeddyBouch getting a distracted driving ticket. Ahem. Very creative use of the panning technique!
Aperture: What is it?
When we looked at how cameras work, we defined aperture as “the hole that lets in light,” and really that’s what it is. Aperture is an opening (usually where the lens joins the camera body) that controls the amount of light that enters the camera.
Aperture is deceptively simple, but understanding how aperture affects your final image is pretty difficult because of the ridiculous amount of vocabulary connected to it! In fact, the sheer amount of vocabulary is going to tempt you all to skip reading this, but don’t give into temptation! If you do, you’ll have no idea how to complete the assignment!
Read More»Feb
12
2013Okay so we’ve tackled one of two harder points of the exposure triangle, now let’s hit the easiest: shutter speed. I promise this concept is so much easier to understand than ISO. Plus you won’t have to deal with any crazy family skin tone metaphors. Ahem. But first lets have a look at some of the results from our Camera ISO assignment!
Camera ISO Assignment Recap
Not many of the participants were able to get their images in the Flickr pool in this one week assignment period. If you didn’t get your assignment in “on time” (or are joining the class late), feel free to add it to the pool for constructive criticism when you finish.
Image 1: A subject in bright sun around noon.
Amber tried to capture the glory inherent in ice crystals on a branch in full sun. ISO 400. She used a higher ISO here even in the shade because of the reflection of all the white snow.
Image 2: A subject in bright sun, but located in the shade (under a tree, in a shadow, etc)
Chickadee by Andrew. ISO 1250 taken in the shade. He’s a cute little birdie.
Image 3: A subject inside the house in the evening or in an area of the house where light is limited.
My daughter Aeralind in low natural light coming from a window early in the morning on a rainy day. She hasn’t been receptive to having her photo taken recently so this is a rare treat! ISO 3200
Image 4: A subject outside shortly after the sun has set or if you’re feeling brave loooong after the sun set.
My favorite from this assignment is from Amber who says “I do not know how to use any settings on my camera other than auto and the setting that is currently being covered in the class.” Well, just telling her to change her ISO and point it at the sky and she created this great image! Do you see the airplane! So cool! ISO 3200
Shutter Speed: Definition
Time to jump into this week’s lesson.
Read More»
