matt&rachel {wedding teaser}

Well, I completed my very first wedding. I didn't have a second shooter and I was working with limited equipment, but I was very pleased with the results. Congrats, Matt and Rachel! Thanks for everything and God bless you as you begin your lives together :)

{sarajevo: the people.}

the cities, the parks, the mountains, the rivers....all of that makes bosnia beautiful. but what i enjoyed most were the people. i enjoyed riding the tram (despite the sweltering heat and sheer number of people on it) because it felt like i got a snapshot of bosnia (and sarajevo, to be exact). and people's faces tell stories no matter where you are. some are serious, others happy, silly... still others looked mournful, sad and melancholy. i felt that even though sarajevo is rebuilding and appears to be "fine" (it IS a beautiful city, so rich in history), it's people told a slightly different story. you can patch mortar holes, paint over graffiti and rebuild things, but you can't remove the hurt and pain that has scarred people from centuries of war and conflict.

New, exciting things.

Lots of cool things are happening lately. I gonna try and update on everything and answer some questions about my trip.

• I'm shooting my first wedding (as in, I'm the head photographer) tomorrow. Up until this evening, I was freaking out (and I mean f.r.e.a.k.i.n.g). I'm not sure who was more stressed, the bride or myself. What if my images look horrid? What if I miss something? Will I look like a dork snapping away?! Thankfully I can make lists so I don't forget things. I know I can take good pictures. And I already look like a dork most of the time, so tomorrow won't be anything new. I also realized that I can't do this on my own...in order to survive the wedding tomorrow, I'm gonna need to rely on God. I'm going to try my hardest and leave the rest of Him. Also, it helps that the bride has an awesome wedding planner!
• I am going to start blogging my trip to Bosnia. The posts are going to be different then what I've ever done before. I'm looking to be more photojournalistic, so some photos will have pictures and words while others are simply pictures. I will intermittently be blogging them between other posts, so keep checking back.
• Since I'm already on the topic of Bosnia, a lot of people have been asking how I'm doing, what it feels like to be home, etc. And I just have to say, I freaking love America now that I'm back. But I'm also more aware. In Bosnia, I was very conscious of my Americaness (every time I walked past the US Embassy in Sarajevo, I almost always started humming the Star Spangled Banner and I'd talk freaky loud in English) and most people there seemed intrigued about this place I call home. America is awesome, but when I arrived back it was sometimes easy to become agitated and annoyed. Sure we're a rich, powerful nation that exudes much influence around the world and it's easy to become egotistical. As a Christian, I became convicted that my allegiance is to God first and foremost. So, I've become more aware.
• Lots of people have also asked about jet lag. Well, not everyone, but some and so why not talk about it. Everyone has a horror story about this kind of stuff, so I'm going to end on a slap-happy note. When I first arrived in Bosnia, I was extremely jet-lagged and oh-so upset. The six hour time change was kicking my rear and all I wanted to do was SLEEP (been up for almost thirty-four hours), but it was only the mid-afternoon and our team leaders had planned a forty-five minute hike to the top of a mountain to keep us awake. At that point, I thought traveling halfway across the world was the worst idea in the history books. We were falling asleep in chairs, the nearest beds...everywhere. In hindsight, the hike was a great idea because the lookout is where I first fell in love with traveling halfway across the world (and it also gave us this awesome photo where our jet lag was documented for all eternity). The moral of the story? Jet lag is horrible, but worth it. So get out there and see the world!

{zagreb cathedral; zagreb, croatia.}

love ya, bro.

today, i had to make a phone call that i've been dreading for a while now.

i never thought i'd experience this, but when my brothers joined the military i knew the day was coming.

but, it came faster than I thought.

i gripped the phone with my sweaty palms.

a knot formed in my throat.

"hey bro," i began.

we talk.

and then it's time.

i don't want to let go and hang up.

but i have to.

the bus is waiting.

an airplane is nearby, ready to take him across the ocean, to that sandy place.

it's dangerous.

suddenly, war becomes more serious. i thought i had accepted that fact.

but the talk becomes the walk now.

he's leaving.

[see you when you get back, bro!]

kathryn mitchell {2011 senior}

Paul Twins! {newborn shoot}

I've had many opportunities to shoot the Paul family (I photograph their kids so much, I have devoted an entire category to their family!) and I was excited when their newest additions arrived. Little Leah Irene and Nathan John were born on March 17th this year and they are absolutely adorable!

i'm back!

My stat counter tells me that I still have readers! Even after six weeks of nothingness on this blog. Originally, I had planned to schedule posts, but between all the packing and crazyness of leaving the country, I never got around to preparing the posts. I'm getting back in gear and I have to blog some families, infants, seniors and of course - my trip! They will all be coming shortly, so for now, enjoy some Europe photos :)