Happy New Year!

I know...a little bit late...

It's been awhile. But I think I'm finally starting to feel re-energized in the creative areas of my life. And I think I'm also finally learning to take the pressure off a bit. Everything doesn't have to be perfect! Just honest and real.

And so...I start a New Year with excitement for the creative freedom that is ahead!

I promise I have more posts coming and I'll do a better job of updating this blog, including new photography and perhaps adding in some more of my personal life and goings on in that area. We are in the midst of finishing our basement so I'll definitely share that along the way and when it's all finished.

For me though, I must keep those 'things' in perspective. Because they are just 'things' and yes, they make life a little more interesting and comfortable but in the end, they are still things. What matters more is God and family. So, my point being that I don't want 'things' to become the focus of this blog.

Speaking of God, he's been doing great things in my life lately. And so much of that is because I think I've finally...FINALLY am learning how to just give it all up to Him.

Also, we have another exciting trip to Ecuador planned with our church to visit our Compassion Canada sponsor children & their families again March 4th-12th 2013. We are extra excited to meet our new sponsor girl, Yinca!

I'll leave you with a new favorite song...Ho Hey by The Lumineers. You know when sometimes you just hear a song and you know you want to listen to it over and over? Yep, that's this song for me right now.


Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.
—Psalm 29:2

T-Minus 5 days (and counting)!

'Til we leave for Quito, Ecuador!! :D

So I've been mulling around with the idea of shooting some film along with my digital images. I grew up with film. I worked with film way (ok, maybe not WAY--like 1989--all right fine...WAY WAY) back in high school in photography class. We'd head out on our photography assignments with our Nikon film camera's strung around our (oh so young!)necks and then it was back to the darkroom to process the film and prints ourselves. It was SO cool. And you had to know what you were doing back then, not like with today's digital SLRs and the auto settings. Nowadays it's shoot to your heart's (or memory card's) fill and then plug into your computer and BAM there's all your shots ready to be manipulated however you see fit.

Don't get me wrong, digital and all it encompasses with photo editing software has it's place, but there's something to be said about the timeless feel of film. There's something to be said about not knowing what you're getting until you receive your processing back from the lab--it's like Christmas opening up that package! And I'm also not saying Auto settings and digital make for good photography--at the end of the day no matter what type and kind of camera you are using, I fully believe it is the photographer and not the camera who creates beauty and art.

Here's an example of the amazing quality of film. (Now mind you, this is Jose Villa's work and he's AWESOME), but still it's film and you get the idea...


Copyright Jose Villa-Jose Villa Blog

So, besides the Nikon D700, I am in the market for a film camera. I'm looking at either the Contax 645 or the Mamiya 645AFD. The Contax is quite a bit more expensive than the Mamiya but I'm still leaning towards it for a variety of reasons. The whole aspect of adding some film shooting back in to my work is really exciting!

I'm also committing myself to taking my camera (any camera) out and just shooting randomly. I've become too focused on 'managed' shoots like fashion or even weddings to some degree. I need to let myself be a bit more free and just shoot for myself. So, when I return from Ecuador I am going to make sure I fit time in each week to do just that!

Speaking of Ecuador, things are coming along great for that and I'll be doing plenty of shooting there as well. Can't wait.

Until next post...here's another of Ines. I'm so happy with the portraits from this shoot:

SO excited!

Okay so I've been eyeballing a very lovely specimen for a long time now and I've finally decided to just go ahead and bite the bullet. I wanted to make sure that photography was something I really enjoyed and wanted to do for the long haul before I REALLY started acquiring the more...well..pricier (not to mention brand new) equipment. So without further ado I present to you what I am planning to add to my arsenal in April:

The Nikon D700

LOVE!!



I cannot WAIT to get my hands on this baby! :D And even better I'll have it in time for my weddings this year. Yay!

Unfortunately this means I have to sell one of my other two cameras. It only makes sense to keep my other Nikon as my backup because it can share all the lenses/flash/batteries of the new Nikon. So I must sell my beloved and first DSLR the Sony a300. It is an AWESOME camera, such ease of use for someone just getting in to photography yet it takes professional-grade photos in my opinion. Hey, it's not the camera who makes great images it's the photographer! But still...doesn't make me want the D700 any less! hee!

But I digress...

Still prepping for the Ecuador trip. This is going to be one fabulous trip! I will be taking a TON of pictures so stay tuned.

Here's one of my favorites from a recent fashion shoot with Ines. SO pretty!


Still working on the rest and also 'freshening up' the website.

B.