Oct
01
2013
I’m spending each day here in the month of October writing about finding beauty in the everyday mess. Before you think I’m an expert on this topic, let me confess: I’ve likely already lost my temper, prayed that I could have a solo vacation, and held back frustrated tears this morning. I’m far from having this mastered. I’m writing here transparently so that you and I might grow in seeking His daily extravagant beauty. So pull up a chair and get ready to dive into the mess with me, knowing that somewhere in this mess is a beauty that only God can craft.
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The sun is hardly over the horizon as I sit here to type. Just a few rays of it are falling gently on the preschooler painted bird feeder. It’s empty and begging to be filled.
I look at that bird feeder and I see myself.
That large part of me that wants to be filled. The part of me that would like to wear a nice new shirt more than 3 times before it’s stained forever. The part of me that wants to be pretty or well liked or hired. The part of me that wishes I could write better or keep my desk clean or keep all those objects I lose from being lost. The part of me that wants more obedient children or a husband who listens to my dreams. The part of me that cries.
When I’m empty like that bird feeder, my heart is begging for more.
My heart was made for more. But just like a high heeled shoe would look silly inside the bird feeder, none of those things will fill me properly. A bird feeder was meant to hold seed and I was meant to hold seed too: the growing and change producing seed of the Word of God.
Becoming content where I am with my stained shirt and my screaming toddler carried on my hip football style isn’t a matter of filling my world with new circumstances. I’d still be an empty bird feeder in a different tree. New circumstances will not satisfy an empty heart: only the love of God through his Word will fill it.
The mess transforms to beauty only when we dip down and drink of Christ. When we bow before Him begging: “I can’t see the beauty here. I’m poured out and empty serving here. I’m wanting more. Fill me with more of you so that I can see the beauty you’re creating in and around me.”
What feels like a personal crucifixion is the Lord working redemption in us. Redemption requires us to bow low and to beg to be filled:
Only dead and empty things need the redemption of a filling with God’s words to treasure this one beautiful messy life.
Bow low with me? Beg Him to help you see the beauty He’s weaving right here, right now in this messy one life we’ve been given.
Oct
01
2013Free Beginner Photography Class Final Project
For the remainder of the year, I want you to pick a project or subject that sort of encapsulates your mission statement or gets you all excited. Then we’re going to compose a photo essay of 10-15 images around our subject. You can use pictures you’ve previously taken or you can do a brand new series. Use your big DSLR or use your phone camera. It’s all your choice.
When you post your images to the Flickr Group, you’ll simply give a brief description of what you wanted to accomplish and we’ll give critique on your work based on that statement.
Here are some ideas for final projects based on things I’ve noticed you guys capturing:
- My town: your view of your world.
- Never lose hope: on a transition of unwanted/broken things into beauty
- Tender Girlhood: on the innocent musings of your little girl
- I’m glad they haven’t broken a bone: on the incredible feats of your little guys
- Running Behind my Husband: on your view from behind your running buddy.
- Motherhood: These are my days. The Glorious and mundane intermingled.
I’m going to jump into this final project with ya’ll. That last topic is mine (though you’re welcome to steal it!). My vision is a series of both self-portraits and portraits of my surroundings and surrounding people all in black and white. I’m going for raw emotion here. It could get a little crazy… but at the very least, I will start appearing in my family images. Woohoo!
Gratitude and Upcoming Class Work
I’m so thankful for the folks who have stayed the course. Things slowed way down in the Flickr Group over the summer. I really struggled to keep writing because I wasn’t seeing your work and comments on this series of posts were few and far between. A couple of you (you know who you are) kept me going with your enthusiasm, emails/FB messages, and encouragement. Thank you!
That said, I’m going to give this class a break for the month of October. It’ll be a chance for you all to catch up on work from the summer, and begin work on the final assignment. It’ll also give me some space to write, photograph, and soak in my 31 Days to See Beauty in Your Mess series.
Class will jump back into session in November with a bit of basic information on the types and uses of editing software. Thank you for your grace in both enjoying this class and waiting through this October season of growth for me. I’ll see ya’ll in November when hopefully the Flickr Group will be bursting with goodness from all of you once again and I’ll start right off by sharing your images in this space.
I can’t wait to see your growth and your vision for the art you were made to create.
Sep
30
2013Half an hour ago I removed a dead chipmunk from my patio table where my daughters had “rescued” him and proceeded to continue coloring.
I can’t make up these things if I tried!
Did I mention this was the third dead rodent the terrible trio of my gifting cat and curious girls have surprised me with in the past three weeks? At least this last one didn’t make it into the house.
Needless to say there’s a large quantity of everyday mess at my house. Yelling Mama, stinky diapers, unkindness, bloody noses, cheerios on the floor, masses of selfishness, dirty breakfast dishes still piled high on the table, and a dead chipmunk–> and all those in the last half hour alone.
For the next 31 days I’ll be writing about seeing the beauty in these everyday messes. How in the busyness, in the chaos, in the laughter, in the tears, and all the dead chipmunks that God leaves at our doorsteps, we can still seek to see the beautiful grace the God gives right here. Right now.
Won’t you follow along? I’d love to hear about how you see beauty in your mess.
Below are all the posts in the series.
Day1: Wanting to Be Filled
Day 2: When You’re Drowning in Laundry
Day 3: When You Feel Like You’re the Only One
Day 4: When You Need Someone to Lean On
Day 5: When You Want to Give Up
Day 6: Let Go of Perfection
Day 7: Not by Faith
Day 8: Don’t Rush Through the Waiting
Day 9: Simply Confessing the Mess
Day 10: When it’s Time to Take a Break
Day 11: Open Your Hands to Receive
Day 12: When You Ask for Help
Day 13: The Little Things
Day 14: When We Fail
Day 15: When You Can’t Seem To Make Order from the Chaos
Day 16: Beauty from Ashes
Day 17: How to Hit the Reset Button
Day 18: Making Memories
Day 19: You Don’t Have to Enjoy Everyday
Day 20: Our Hope in Glory
Day 21: It’s all a Mess, but God
Day 22: When You Can’t do Anything Right
Day 23: How His Love Empowers
Day 24: Diving In
Day 25: How Beautiful are the Feet
Day 26: When You’re Changed
Day 27: When there is No Rest
Day 28: On Chasing Dreams
Day 29: When Sleep is Short
Day 30: Hospitality in the Mess
Day 31: This One Life
Sep
27
2013Photographers are a lot like parents: we pretend we don’t have favorites when in reality each season has it’s own favorite session (or child if you’re a parent).
This is my favorite Taylors SC Newborn Photography session of 2013 so far.
I’m not sure if another session from this year will be able to top it (though if you’re the competitive type, please book me and try to top it!).
Right before this session, I was able attend a newborn posing workshop that totally changed my perspective on posing and editing. I left changed and empowered with just a few simple tools that were game changers for me. I had a vision for where I wanted my photography to go and then I booked this session.
I also had the privilege of working with siblings who were older than my typical 2-3 year old siblings. This meant they could follow directions well for the elusive sibling shot. So exciting!
Chelsea is a dear friend and mentor (though I’m not sure she sees herself as that) with three older children. I adore her.
Baby Elliot was a sort of welcome surprise. And folks, he had rolls. I have never seen such a chunky adorable baby. He was just 6 days old and had the roundest pot belly and rolls on his legs and arms. He was nearly 10 pounds at birth! But Elliot was also one of the curliest and sleepiest babies I’ve ever had. He was such a joy to photograph.
While I was posting a few sneak peaks on Facebook, Chelsea wrote me these sweet words.
“Last night was a rough night and the morning has continued that pattern. But then I saw the latest picture and it just made everything better. I told you that your talent is a blessing. Thank you!” ~Chelsea
Folks, I nearly cried! I needed this affirmation so much during the season surrounding this session. Here’s the image that I posted that morning.
Okay… prepare yourself for the explosion of photos to follow. It’s too hard to pick just a few favorites from this session!
Just a visual reminder that this pose should always be completed in Photoshop.
As you can see, Dad’s or my hands never left Elliot unsupported.
And as another note: not all babies find this position comfortable. Elliot simply loved it as you can see by his smile!
Sep
24
2013Back in our Storytelling with Images series I challenged you to change perspective. Today I’m going to come back to that briefly with a short definition of each possible shooting perspective.
Eye level
Eye level perspective occurs when your camera is on the eye level of your subjects.
Above
The Above perspective occurs when you are shooting down on your subject.
Below
The Below perspective occurs when you are shooting up at your subjects.
Framed
The Framed perspective occurs when something in your image literally makes a frame around your subject.
Hidden
A Hidden perspective occurs when you place something in the fore ground so close to the lens that it blurs out making the viewer feel like they are peering into a secret world.
Close-Up
Close-Up perspective form images with little background details outside of your subject. This may be a macro shot or a tight portrait.
Wide
A Wide perspective contains lots of background detail to assist in telling the story.
Vanishing Point
(Obviously, I don’t use this perspective much… it’s kinda hard to see/nail. But there’s clear examples in Brooke’s Class recommended below.)
Vanishing point perspectives place the subject along a leading line that ends abruptly right into the subject.
Why Just Quick Definitions?
The reason I’m only giving you a quick definition is that there’s the great free e-course by Brook Snow on Photo Perspectives. I really admire her work and this course is simply beautiful! Sign up and enjoy 🙂
