In the Stillness

What's next?!  Where to now?!?  This picture was actually taken about three years ago when my family took a train into the mountains to go skiing.  I was sitting behind my sister, Jackie, watching her stare out the window into an old rustic looking train station.  At the time I thought it looked cool and artsy, just a fun photo.  It's definitely not a great picture by any means but looking at it now it still looks kinda cool I think.  Sitting in trains, cars, planes, or buses this is what you usually would find me doing...mostly because I get car sick if I don't just stare out the window...but watching Jackie just stare out the window through the lens of my camera put the image in a little different perspective.  Getting lost in your thoughts as you watch the space outside whiz by you is mesmerizing and addicting.   

 This picture I took on one of those days I was just out shooting and playing around with all those buttons my camera has:-)  This is just one of the many beaches I could visit while living in Pensacola.  Okay, so there are many things I miss about Minnesota and the weather is definitely one of them; however, after living here a year I can honestly say that the winter weather here in Pensacola isn't "that bad:-)".  This picture was taken on one of those winter days that aren't so bad!  There was no humidity, sun was shining and there was a cool breeze.  The temperature was a balmy 40 degrees and I can say in all honesty that it was gorgeous and I was happy to be a Floridian.

Hahaha-okay, so maybe i'm laughing to myself right now; however, if you remember or read my first post I mentioned that I took my camera out and found some wooden posts to photograph!  Well, here they are.  There are actually a bunch, but these are two of my favorite.  Yep, wooden posts with some dumb seagulls inhabiting them:-)

An Amateur

Taking pictures is something i've always loved doing.  People tend to make fun of me because I show up to most things with my camera.  They also like to tease because there have been many times where I will just get in the car with my camera and drive until I see something pretty or picture worthy and i'll park my car and start shooting.  Yes, this even consists of getting out of the car to take pictures of posts (wood posts)...yes, wood posts that have bird poop all over them:-)  When I do this it's generally a good time to just play with my camera and figure out what all the little buttons do!  I had fun taking pictures of those wood posts that day.  I've always been one to take pictures of very random things as well as people, animals, or landscapes.  My favorite thing to photograph is events like family get togethers, days at the lake, when I babysit, or celebrations of sorts, or even when I'm meeting up with friends who have kiddos i'll usually always end up with my camera in hand.  On rare occasions I have had people call or ask me to take pictures of them or their children or some event that they might be having.  Moral of the story is that I love taking pictures...and most of the time there are fun stories behind the pictures or meaning.  That being said, I thought it might be a good time to start putting some of my favorite pictures up for ya all to see.

Disclaimer:  I didn't go to a school for photography, nor did I take a class on "how to take pictures 101," or "photography for dummies," I simply learned myself...by doing exactly what I described above.  I love to play with my camera and it's always a bonus when I learn a thing or two each time I take it out:-) I don't pretend to know what i'm doing every time I go out and shoot.  In fact, more often then not I have to re-adjust settings, lighting, aperture and shutter speeds and so on just to create that 'perfect' image.  I'm no pro, just a girl with a camera capturing God's creations.

God gives us perfect moments all day and every day, but to the average eye it's hard to see those moments.  It's hard to recognize those moments when we are speeding through our days.  We forget to freeze time every once and a while and soak it all up, God's glory and grace that is.  We forget to remember the perfect moments when they fly by.  However, when looking through a lens things seem so much more clear and suddenly those moments, God's perfection and pure image, stand still for just that split second and with just one little click of a button that moment can be remembered forever.  Looking at pictures reminds me that God really does bless our lives all the time, the pictures won't let you forget.  It could be a smile, a flower, rolling tides, giggling faces, a warm hug, a colorful sunset, a football game, a birthday cake, holding hands, feet in a puddle, or somber look, or a panting dog that remind us that God's creations are everywhere and always perfect in His eyes.