Christmas Eve 2011

The Christmas Eve worship service at EBC is one that I look forward to and treasure each year.The fifth Advent candle is lit, and special music is shared by members of the congregation.

This year, Pastor Nate led the scripture reading, along with Natalie and a few high school students, then Pastor Steve shared a message.

The service closes with candle-lit caroling.

Joy to the world! The Lord has come!

Christmas Vacation

Finals are over and my month-long vacation between semesters has begun! I'm enjoying sleeping in, reading, watching TV & movies (which I never have time to do), Christmas shopping, parties, and...baking! I haven't baked a single desert since before classes started in August. It was the first thing I did after exams last week!

Warm, moist chocolate cake!

What is your favorite Christmas desert?

Friend [frend] noun

1.A person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.

2.A person who gives assistance; patron, supporter.

3.A person who is on good terms with another;a person who is not hostile. 

I have some rockin' awesome friends!

Last night in class my instructor asked what was on my Christmas wish list. Until that minute, I hadn't given a Christmas list the merest thought. With finals looming, my "wishing" has revolved around my GPA and all the studying necessary to finish the semester strong. 

Then I saw THE LIST. And I knew immediately what I want need for Christmas:

 These mugs, designed to look like actual Canon lenses, are a must-have for any photographer. 

(hint,hint)

Bethany

Christmas Kids

Five kids and two dogs. I didn't get any perfect poses but I think I captured their personalities.  :)

Tea for Ten

Occasionally someone will walk up to me and say something along the lines of, "I think I met your sister...what is her name?" I always laugh. I have 5 sisters...who are some of the most amazing, beautiful, talented young women ever, who know me better than anyone else.With 3 of us plus my mom in college, and living over 40 miles from my family, spending quality time together doesn't happen very often. When some good friends-with a few amazing, beautiful, talented young women of their own- came up on vacation I tried to find a way to get all of us together. The Four Seasons Tea Room in downtown Houghton was the perfect location! With a prior reservation for ten they were able to get all of us at one table and we enjoyed an unforgettable 2 hours, laughing, talking, sharing, sipping a bottomless cup of tea from the more than 60 choices on the menu (Vienna Opera Ball was a favorite!), savoring the delicious quiche, soup, and salad, and treating ourselves to a delectable desert of cake, scones, and lemon curd. An added bonus was a local musician providing live music!

Bekah, Marianna, Molly, Kendra, Linda, Grace, Amy

Cliff Hike

The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is a beautiful place to live!

With my school schedule this Summer, I didn't accomplish any of the adventures that are perpetually on my Summer-in-the-Keweenaw list, such as visiting Isle Royale or hiking in the Porcupine Mountains. I did have the opportunity to go hiking one Sunday afternoon near where I live, and I was struck once again by the awesome beauty of this place I call home!

We found this old stone tower and a stone foundation. I'm not sure what it is from, but there is a lot of mining history around here. After the hike we enjoyed a nice dinner at the Michigan House.

Andrea & Joel

Photo credit Seth Haley

I met Andrea in 2002 when, through a mutual friend, we ended up on a week-long trip to Colorado and back. 12-hr car rides tend to be a great way to get to know someone, and Andrea and I were immediately friends. We haven't had many opportunities to see each other in the 9 years since, but we've stayed in touch and have always been able to reconnect.

A little over a year ago, Andrea struck up a conversation with a stranger manning a concession booth at a music festival. That conversation led to quite a few more, and a year later Andrea and Joel pledged to love and cherish each other forever. I was privileged to not only attend the wedding, but capture a few memories for Andrea and Joel. 

Until this year, wedding photography was, quite honestly, something I never considered doing. The majority of the wedding ceremonies I attended while growing up began with the officiant announcing that the bride and groom had requested no photography at either the ceremony or reception. When I first was asked to shoot weddings, I felt a certain amount of anxiety: What exactly was "wedding photography" and how did photographers do it?! A highlight of the weekend was observing professional photographer and fellow IPS student Seth Haley at work.

If I had a photo niche...

"A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you the less you know."

If I would choose one photographic style to pursue, it would be silhouettes. Silhouettes have fascinated me from a very young age. Perhaps it is the aura of mystery the surrounds a back-lit subject, perhaps the limited opportunities for great silhouettes, perhaps the neglect silhouettes receive in the world of professional and amateur photography. 

Natural-light silhouettes at sunrise or sunset are among my favorites. The small details intrigue me, details that would possibly be lost in a full-color shot. 

Sometimes I use poor lighting as an excuse to hide an imperfect photo in a silhouette. The first wedding ceremony I shot this year had one wall composed almost entirely of windows--talk about a challenge! This photo of the bride ended up being one of my favorite shots of the day. 

Greg and Kathy

I've had a camera in hand-or at least within reach- most of my life. I've photographed people of all ages in many situations. This Summer I realized that, in the tens of thousands of pictures I've snapped, one element was missing: an engagement shoot!

A few weeks later, Greg and Kathy asked me to do their engagement photos. I couldn't have been happier! It was an honor to capture their joy. 

Look for wedding photos in March! 

Welcome...

...to the new (and hopefully improved) blog! My goal is that this site will be more user-friendly, have less objectionable content than the host site of my previous blog, and, most of all, be a place where I can share my photos. Stay tuned!