Valerie Beth Photography

Kaden H. {Newborn}

2012-01-27T13:07:00.000-08:00

Say hello to Kaden.

I did his newborn photos before he was a week old (back in September). It was probably one of the easiest newborn sessions I've done because he slept more than the other newbies I've taken photos of.

I absolutely adored the faces he made during the session.

(the next two being my favorites).

So sweet. :)

Love this one...It shows his red hair. :)

He's such a cute little ginger baby.

I love the crying shots too...

My favorite photo (below).

Kaden and his daddy.

Zach leaned down to kiss Kaden, I saw it, and just couldn't resist snapping a photo. :)

Congrats Zach and Colleen! (even though Kaden's like 4 1/2 months old already...Haha).

Thanks for having me "shoot" him! :)

~Valerie

Daniel C. {fifteen}

2012-01-25T10:34:00.000-08:00

This is my friend Daniel.

He's a cool dude.

He and his family live in Virginia, almost 4 hours away from us. (We try to go visit them once a year, and they do the same).

This past August, it was their turn to come see us, and Daniel had just turned 15. His mom asked if I'd be willing to do photos of him like they have done every year for his birthday. I agreed, and I don't think I've ever had so much fun during a shoot before. Daniel has a great sense of humor and kept me laughing the whole time. I took him all over the farm (on what was probably one of the hottest days of the Summer). Poor Daniel. It was super hot outside, and I kept making him get up and move...But he was great and we ended up getting some really good shots! :)

The photo below is one of my favorites.

He has such a great smile. :)

We were almost finished with the shoot when Daniel told me that he felt like he had been visited by a "solo paparazzi." He claimed that I took about 50x more photos of him than Sears does. :) I told him that his mom was paying me to take his picture, so he had no choice but to sit there and let me take his picture. Hahaha.
Daniel, thanks for bearing with me and my "shutter-happy" finger! :) Hope to see you soon!
~Valerie

Fundraising and a new blog.

2012-01-24T12:05:00.000-08:00

Hey people!

I have an announcement to make.

I started a new blog called "Steps of Faith."

You can find it here: www.valeriebeth.blogspot.com

I will be using the new blog to keep everyone updated on my trip from April 5th-September 20th.

You can expect to see tons of photos (from Hawaii & other places), read my random thoughts, and be updated on prayer requests. You can also donate money to help with the fundraising for the missions part (I need about $7,500), so please head over there and check it out. :)

I invite you to follow along on this amazing journey.

Much love,

~Valerie

PS. Don't worry, I'll still be keeping this blog (and I'll even post photos from Hawaii occasionally). I just didn't want to post a ton of random stuff on this blog. I'd rather keep this one for my photography business. :)

Valerie D. {Class of 2012}

2012-01-24T10:16:00.000-08:00

Everyone, say hello to Valerie. :)

I've known her since we were about 7 or 8 years old.

She's graduating in a few months, and she asked me to do her senior photos in October. (I'm still getting caught up on blogging my sessions from last semester)...

It had been a few years since we had seen each other, but we had a great time during the shoot.
When we were texting about scheduling the session, Valerie made the comment, "Yay! I finally have another Valerie in my phone!" That comment totally made my day. :) (anddd, I finally have another "Valerie" in my phone too!)
Haha...Anyway, when we talked during the session, Valerie mentioned that she'd like to be a journalist or something of that nature.
Well, Valerie, I wish you the best after high school!
Go make our name famous. :)

Valerie, don't hate me for posting this photo!

I absolutely love it. It's adorable. :)

Ahhh, work it girl! :)

(One of my favorites).

Valerie is a black belt in Tae-kwon-do, and wanted some photos of herself in her karate-gi and hand-gear.

I wouldn't want to mess with her (I think we'd be a pretty even match though...I take martial arts too. Haha). :)

These weapons are called kamas, and Valerie demonstrated part of a kama form for me. This was my favorite photo. :)

Valerie, thanks for having me do your senior photos!

I quite enjoyed seeing you again.

Let's hang out soon. :)

~Valerie

adventure? unknown? sign me up!

2012-01-17T13:05:00.000-08:00

You may have heard the news already, but in case you didn't...

I'M GOING TO HAWAII

I'll be there for 12 weeks of training & photo classes.

and then I'm going on a missions outreach for 8-12 weeks
with YWAM (Youth With A Mission) and University of the Nations.

I will be part of the PhotogenX Discipleship Training School (in Kona, on the "Big Island") from April 5th-September 20th, 2012. Learning about my Savior, bringing hope and the light of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world, and capturing the beauty of God's best-est creations (people), without masking their pain.

I am so excited about this opportunity I've been given to use photography for God's glory, and I believe God has been preparing me for this.

I have to raise $4,000-$6,000 (for the missions part) before I leave in April, so I've decided to use my photography to help raise that money, so here's the deal: $75.00 for an hour (to an hour and a half) photo shoot, and a disk of about 30 of the best photos. All the money (after tithe) will go towards my trip. Please help me raise my support! :) Shoot me an email if you'd like to schedule a shoot - photobyvalerie@gmail.com
~Valerie

Amy M. {Class of 2012}

2012-01-17T09:50:00.000-08:00

When I met Amy at camp almost 5 years ago, I had no idea that we would become such close friends, or that I would be the one doing her senior photos!
Amy is genuine, one-of-a-kind, sweet, friendly, and amazing!
The two of us (both homeschooled, with a LOT in common), really hit it off. Amy's parents own a dairy farm (only one of the many things we have in common), and she loves to work there, milking the cows and stuff (one of the things we don't have in common...haha). As far as I know, she's planning to work there until the right man comes along and sweeps her off her feet. ;) I'm not a huge fan of farming, but she likes it. I really admire her for that.
There is so much more I could say about her, but I'll stop talking and you can just view the photos of my lovely friend. Enjoy my favorites!

I really like the color of her eyes...So blue!

And her complexion? Yep, I'm jealous.

(I couldn't decide between b&w and color).

I kind of adore this photo below... :)

Warning: this next photo is one of my favorites. Gahhh!!!

Andddd ending the post with one of my favorites from the shoot!

Amy, I wish you the best of luck after high school!

Let's get together soon. :)

~Valerie

busy like a bee.

2011-12-24T13:09:00.000-08:00

Hello dear readers,

I realize that it's been a while since I've posted, but I'll chalk it up to finals and Christmas celebrations/preparations (actually...It's just that I'm not good at remembering to blog, and it gets pushed aside). :) Haha, oh well. I had hoped to get caught up in blogging all my photo shoots, but that hasn't happened yet (obviously). Buuut, here's a little update and some photos to show you what I've been up to lately. :)

My first semester as a full-time college student ended two weeks ago. Finals went well, and I ended up with three A's and one B. I am VERY happy with those grades.

My favorite class was Psychology, mainly because the professor, Dr. C, is the best professor. :) He had us do a project he called "Change the World." And this is a photo I took, inspired by him and his project.

Ceramics was my second favorite class, it was a lot of fun!

These are my favorite items I made. I loved learning the pottery wheel. :)

I've started learning how to play the ukulele.

Why ukulele? Because it's such a happy instrument. I love it.

(By the way, its name is Luke the Ukulele). :)

And I've taken up painting.

It's so relaxing.

I've decided that life should be about loving people, not judging them.

I live for my Savior. Yahweh.

My motto: Smile everyday. :)

(Aren't these bracelets the coolest thing ever? You can find them here, there are so many words to choose from, you can choose any color wristband, they're only $5.00, plus a portion of the proceeds go towards building drinking wells in Africa! I got some to give as Christmas gifts this year).

I recently added the Nikon 35mm f/1.8 lens to my camera bag, and I'm loving it! The angle is so much wider than my 50mm, and I can get way closer to the subject.

(I was testing it out on my brother, I love how sharp the photos are). :)

And because tomorrow is Christmas, I'd like to remind you of the real reason we celebrate Christmas. God the Son choosing to come to the world, so we could be saved.

Born in a stable, He gave up everything...Because He loves us.

That's true love, right there. And it's completely amazing to think about.

Well, that's all for right now.

I promise that I'll post again soon.

Merry Christmas, everyone. :)

~Valerie

Snowfall in October!

2011-10-29T15:07:00.000-07:00

I woke up to my 5:55 alarm, but snuggled back down into the covers, not wanting to get out of my cozy bed.

After I finally forced myself to get up and dressed for milking the cows, I glanced out the window, expecting to see snow. It was too dark to tell if it was laying, but I could see snowflakes falling gently through the tree branches.

Ready to start the milking, I walked out our garage, towards the barn.

Snowflakes swirled all around me, pelting me in the face.

I breathed in and let it out, pretending I was a fire-breathing dragon.

In the middle of the lane, I leaned my head back and stuck out my tongue.

The huge, fluffy snowflakes floated down from out of the grey clouds.

Some landed on my tongue,

some on my eyelashes,

some on the tip of my freezing nose.

Feeling like a little kid, I started singing.

"I'm dreaminggg of a whiiiite...halloween?"

Laughing, I skipped a little, and went to milk the cows.

I don't ever remember seeing snow in October before.
Granted, it is October 29th, so it's almost November.

But still. Haha. :)

This is my friend's house.
I loved that the yellow leaves had so much snow on them. It's beautiful!

My mom sent me into town (in the snow! I don't like driving in snow) to pick my sister up...This is a picture of the police station in town.

Our German Shepherd, Daisy. :)

Here's my little brother, being the most adorable brother ever. :)

This photo (below) reminds me of the line from the song from The Sound of Music.

"...Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes..."

(The person in the picture is my cousin, by the way). :)

And I took a picture of myself with snow in my hair and on my hat. :)

I don't know about you, but I could really go for some global warming right now...Hahaha! :D

Wow, snow in October. Who would've thought?

Well, there's only one thing to do when the weather is like this. Go cuddle up with a blanket, a good movie, some hot chocolate, the people you love, and enjoy your evening! :)

~Valerie

Kimberly & Olivia

2011-10-03T19:27:00.000-07:00

Meet Kimberly and her daughter Olivia.

In July, Kimberly and her husband, Chad, welcomed this little guy (Jeremiah) into their family. Congratulations, by the way...He's so cute! :) (More of him to come in another post).

I kind of wanted to experiment with a maternity shoot, and Kimberly was up for it (I should specify...this happened before Jeremiah came). There were some things that I should've done differently, but I ended up with some pretty good pictures. It was definitely a learning experience.

I hope to shoot some more maternity sessions in the future. It was fun! :)

Love.

I also just took some pictures of Olivia...She was so hard to photograph. Every time I would go to take a picture, she moved! I got some pretty decent photos though. :)

(She threw a fit because she didn't want to be in the stroller).

I feel like this post is chopped up, and kind of random, but maybe it's just me. Oh well.

Kimberly, thanks for letting me "experiment" and grow in my photography, by using you and Olivia (and now Jeremiah) as models. It means a lot. :)

I hope you enjoyed these photos!

~Valerie Beth

Sneak peek for Amy. :)

2011-10-01T09:44:00.000-07:00

Last night I had the opportunity to take senior pictures for my best friend, Amy. Let me just say that I had a lot of fun. We've been friends for about 4 years (we met at camp when we were 13, but weren't really friends until the next year). Amy and I are the same age, but she is graduating later than I did, (which is fineee! Technically, I should have graduated this year too).

Well, you'll hear more about Amy in the full post, but for now, here's a little sneak peek. :)

I needed a picture with my best friend, so Amy's sister, Jill (see the last photo), took some. This is my favorite. :)

Then I asked Amy to take one of me and Jill. :)

I love Amy and Jill, and I'm so glad to have friends like them!

Amy, it was so good to see you and Jill (and your mom & dad) last night! Let's not wait until camp to see each other again...Haha, I know we won't.

I can't wait to get the rest of your pictures edited! Hopefully it won't take me too long. :)

Much love,

~Valerie

Quick update.

2011-09-25T19:34:00.000-07:00

Hey there!
Wow, time seriously has a way of flying by...I decided that I needed to let y'all know that I am still here. I haven't fallen off the face of the earth or anything like that.

I haven't blogged lately, but that doesn't mean that I haven't taken any pictures. :)

I was having trouble uploading pictures using Flickr, so I switched to Photobucket, but I haven't had the time to blog since then.

Meanwhile, college classes have started for me, and so far I'm liking it. Yeah, it's the old "community college" thing, but it works for now.

I'd love to sit down and tell you every single thing that went on this Summer (it was marvelous, definitely the best Summer I've ever had...I learned so much).

I hope you, dearest reader, have had a marvelous Summer too.

I promise to do a "real" blog post soon!

(Bear with me, I'm a busy college student and all that. Classes, studying, and family priorities come before blogging). :)

Yeah, so here's one of my recent photos.
Definitely a favorite.
I think I may have to get a large print of this, and frame it...

Hopefully I'll get the chance to blog some of my photo shoots soon, but I hope this satisfies you until then.

Much love! :)

~Valerie Beth

Cinderella

2011-08-01T14:52:00.000-07:00

Last week, I had an awesome photo-shoot opportunity.

A lady from my church needed some shots of herself (as Cinderella) for an event at Chick-Fil-A, and I got the job!

I've always wanted to shoot Cinderella, and I finally got the chance! :)

I loved it.

She was so easy to photograph, and she makes the perfect-est Cinderella, because her personality and looks are exactly right for the character. It's awesome.
Anyway, here are my favorites! :)

I think she looks exactly like Cinderella...

Couldn't decide between color and B&W.

I adore the next two photos. :)

Love.

I asked her to kind of get into character, and show me some of the princess moves and stuff she uses at parties...and I got the last two shots from that. :)

My favorite.

Jaime, thank you so much for hiring me as your photographer for Cinderella! I enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to maybe "shooting" some of your other characters in the future. :)
Much love,
Valerie

Justin and Amanda are married! {second shooting}

2011-07-19T19:23:00.000-07:00

Back in July (July 9th, to be exact), I had the opportunity to second shoot a wedding with my friend Courtney Reese. :) I was so excited for the opportunity! I had been dying to shoot/second shoot a wedding all year, and I finally was able to!

Everything was gorgeous.
The bride and groom were adorable.
The reception was a blast.
It was the perfect-est wedding.
I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. :)

Amanda got ready at a hotel with her bridesmaids.
Watching Harry Potter on the TV, the girls chatted as they did their hair and make-up.

Justin and Amanda. Where do I start?

They are such an awesome couple.

They're fun, and goofy, and real...

...And did I mention adorable?

They love the Lord, and each other.

They opted for a first look, and saw each other before the ceremony. (After shooting their first look, I decided that I'm definitely doing one when I get married).

When Justin turned around and saw Amanda, it was beautiful. There were tears, and kisses, and hugs.

Heck, I was almost crying! :)

Justin asked if they could just skip the ceremony and sign the marriage certificate right then and there!

They were ready to be married. :)

After we were "finished" with the first look portraits, the rest of the wedding party came and we did the group pictures...

Then we did a few bridal portraits of Amanda...

We took some photos of Justin...

And it was off to the ceremony! :)

(The ring-bearer and flower girl were the cutest ever).

At the beginning, before the ceremony began, "In Christ Alone" was played, and they worshipped God, starting their marriage with God at the center. It was completely amazing to watch.

Married!

The reception was great (and the cake was really lovely). :)

Their first dance was so adorable.

They swayed back and forth, so caught up in each other...

...And ended the dance with a kiss. :)

I can only hope and pray that a love like Justin and Amanda share will find me someday. I'm so thankful to have had the opportunity to capture their love for each other.

~Valerie

PS. If you want to check out Courtney's photos from this wedding, you can click here. :)

Go fly.

2011-07-19T19:02:00.000-07:00

Listening to Skyscraper, by Demi Lovato.

Someday you're going to take off.

You're going to spread your wings.

And you'll fly so far away.

You'll go places that I've only dreamed of.

You'll be someone great.
You'll do something that makes you feel important.
You'll meet people that will change you.
You'll understand things that you didn't before.
Someday.
But today?
Today, you're young.
Be yourself.
Seize the day.
Spend time with the people you love.
Learn everything you can.
Grow in God.
And then, when you're ready?
Go fly away,
and reach out to someone.
Change their life.
Be unforgettable.

That's all.

Much love,
Valerie

Celebrate!

2011-07-16T10:57:00.000-07:00

As some of you know, my older sister, Sharayah, and I graduated from high school in May.

(Our whole family). :)

Our parents had a pretty big celebration for us the next day.

It felt like a reunion...Much talking and laughter.

I enjoyed it.

To see all the people, some who I haven't seen in a few years, well, it was just cool.

I also took a lot of pictures.

Here are just a few. :)

(Cake was designed and made by my mom).
I love lemons. :)

Sharayah's table. Thanks to Ms. Bonnie for decorating!

My table. :)

Close up of the camera on the table (above).
I wanted to take it with me. It's from the 1940's, I believe. Made in Germany. :)

Hahaha!
This is the work of my Uncle Allan.
It's supposed to say the 2nd Tuesday, 7:00.
But he switched it so it says 7nd Tuesday, 2:00.

One of the balloons we used for decorations...

One of the tables.
We had about 5 photos on each table of Sharayah and me when we were younger.
I wish I could burn some of those pictures...Haha.

Me and my brother! :)
We actually kind of look alike in this picture.

This is me with Cole.
He's the younger brother of Colleen (one of my good friends).
Colleen says that Cole and I look like we are brother and sister. What do you think?

Sharayah, Gummy (our great-grandmother), and me. :)

After our graduation ceremony, I took some pictures of Sharayah.

Then, before the party, I made my cousin take a few pictures of me. :)

Then, after/during the party, I took a lot more pictures.

This is my friend Colleen (the one that I mentioned before).
She's pretty much the best. :)
(This was taken riiiight before she got her braces off).

Us together. :)

My sister, Melanie. :)

Here's Colleen and her cousin, Evan.

He is so cute...I love those two teeth on the bottom.

When I look at this picture, I can almost hear his belly laugh.
:D

Love this one! I could have taken pictures of him all day! :)

At the party, I also took some pictures of Riley, our karate instructor's daughter. :)

She's so cute. :)

Favorite!

Then, I took some pictures of Emilee, (another of Colleen's siblings).
This girl is adorable.

She's a goofball too. :)

Well, that's it for today!
I hope you enjoyed a little glimpse of our graduation party. :)
Much love,
Valerie

Love. What does it really look like?

2011-07-15T17:31:00.000-07:00

People (myself included) are quite misguided when it comes to love.
We have bought into this Disney-fied (that's a word now, I just made it up), Hollywood-ified, horrid, selfish definition of love. We've turned love into this all-about what I can get out of the other person, how I can be satisfied, instead of being servants and serving everyone out of love.
Disney says that love is being true to your heart and going after something that may be all wrong, but if it feels right, then it's cool.
Hollywood says that if you're "in love" with someone, sleep with them! It's all good. They may break up with you the next day, but don't worry. There are other fish in the sea, find someone else!
Everyone else says that love is whatever you make it, it can be whatever you want it to be.

So...What does love really look like?

How about a short (but very true) story?

"Once upon a time, the King (Jesus) made a long and treacherous journey (from Heaven to Earth) to seek the love of His life (all people). He engaged in a difficult and bloody battle (on the cross) with His Enemy (the Devil) in order to rescue His Beloved (you...me...everyone) from the clutches of evil. At one point, it seemed like He would be defeated (His death), but in the end He was victorious (His resurrection). Now, He stands face to face with His Beloved (you...me...everyone), cradles their face in His gentle nail-scarred hands, and says, "I love you. I chose you. I fought for you. I want to spend forever with you. You...yes, you are the love of My life," while He waits with expectant hope for a response from you...me...everyone."
~Crystal Kirgiss (YouthWalk Devotional)

That's SO beautiful!

I think that just about sums it up.

That's the most perfect love story to ever be written. Ever.

Jesus did all those things for us, because He's head-over-heels for us.

What's keeping you from falling head-over-heels for Jesus?

Think about it.

~Valerie

Love.

2011-07-14T17:26:00.000-07:00

Recently, the topic of love has been on my mind, so I've decided to talk about it a little bit.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (NIV)

"Love is patient,

love is kind.

It does not envy,

it does not boast,

it is not proud.

It is not rude,

it is not self-seeking,

it is not easily angered,

it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects,

always trusts,

always hopes,

always perseveres.

Love never fails."

I have to constantly remind myself of these things.

Love is patient...

God's time, not mine.

Love does not envy...

Jealousy is not becoming.

Love is not self-seeking...

Others before me.

Love keeps no record of wrongs...

Let go of the past hurt and the grudges.

Love rejoices in the truth...
Not evil. Don't rejoice in evil.

Love always protects...
Keep others safe from harm.

Love always trusts...
Be reliable.

Love always hopes...
Be positive.

Love always perseveres...
Don't give up.

Love. Never. Fails.

It's done!!!

2011-07-12T16:27:00.000-07:00

My logo is finished!!!

There are no words for how excited I am right now,

but this may help you understand what I mean...

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, would you like to see my logo??

Here it is!

It's awesome. :)

I had a wonderful designer (Rosemary of Ri Design, look her up).

Oh, and I'm getting some business cards done too.

I'm also super excited about that. :)

Want to see a photo with my watermark?

Sure you do!!!
(This is a girl from my church, I have some photos of her and her older sister to post. They are both the cutest girls ever).

I think I may have made the watermark too big, but it was the first time I've tried it.
Thoughts?
Opinions?
I welcome your feedback! :)
~Valerie

Waiting...For what?

2011-07-10T14:27:00.000-07:00

Waiting.

It's a very difficult thing to do.

For real.

Especially for me.

I get impatient.

And grumpy.

And put out,

when I don't get what I want,

when I want it.

WAITING.

It's something that God has been working on in my life.

MY LIFE.

It's an ever-changing tide/current.

Sometimes it's like a raging river.

Sometimes it's like a lake on a calm day.

I have days when I feel like I'm never going to go anywhere...or be anything...or meet anyone...or do something important...or feel wanted...or feel LOVED.

Yes, I have days like that. Doesn't everyone?

TRUST.
God has everything in His perfect plan.
I have to trust that He knows what He's doing, because He does.
He has everything worked out already, I just can't see it yet.

EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON.

That is all.

It's a long way to the top of the mountain...

2011-07-08T17:50:00.000-07:00

I love this beautiful quote from Kristin Leigh:

I want to be like the peak of a mountain,

not the base.

"It's wonderful up here, but you will have to hike, sir.

And maybe sweat.

And maybe breathe heavy.

And it might not be a smooth breezy path.

I'm okay with that.

Figuring out how to climb will make you a man."

I want to be the top of a mountain.

Anyone can get to the base of a mountain, but if a guy has the endurance, the patience, and is willing to journey up that steep, long, hypothetical mountain to reach me, then I would say that he probably deserves my attention. :)

"If I'm not worth the climb, then you're not worth my time."

I totally just made that up! Catchy, isn't it?

Anyway.......

Note to the guys:
I don't want proud, I want patience.
I don't want cocky, I want character.

I don't want show-off, I want servant.

I don't want quitter, I want endurance.

I don't want perfect, I want complete in God.

I want bravery, honesty, and godliness.

Learn those traits,

and even if you're not the guy for me,

I promise you'll be a better man in the long run. :)

Note to the special guy who will hike to the top of the mountain for me:

If you're really interested, you will have to pursue me.

Don't waste my time if you're not willing to climb.

I won't be "easy."

I will make you work.

But endure the hike.

Be honest.

Be brave.

Be a servant.

I challenge you to be DIFFERENT.

Stand out from the other guys.

Follow God.

If you're seeking Him, you may find me.

That's all, for now. :)

Note to everyone else:

Please read these four posts from Kristin.

They say everything I wish I could say, but can't, because I don't have the words.

Thoughts from a Single: Part 1

Thoughts from a Single: Part 2

Thoughts from a Single: Part 3

Thoughts from a Single: Part 4

Trying to make things easier for you.

2011-07-07T12:44:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

I am getting super close to revealing my logo and watermark!

I am soooo excited about it!!

My graphic designer is pretty cool. :)

Anyway...On to the real reason for this post!

I am now using a custom domain.

What does that mean, you ask?

Well, instead of going to

valeriesphotogallery.blogspot.com,

you can simply type in

valeriebethblog.com

and this page will appear!

It's the same blog and the same person posting, it's just way easier to remember!

I made the change because I decided it would look better on my business cards and it's easier to say to people, "My blog is valeriebethblog.com!" :)

So yeah, that's all for now!

~Valerie

Holidays are for family. {Easter, 2011}

2011-07-05T06:36:00.000-07:00

My family always goes to my great-grandmother's house for Easter. :)

We have a good time.
It used to be just me and my siblings + our one cousin, but now I have a lot of younger cousins (which is very useful for practicing my children photography skills), and it kind of gets noisy at times. :D

Even though everyone gets kind of stressed out to start with (you'd have to meet my family to know what I mean), we always have fun.
There's always laughter.
Always talking.
And food.
It's just a fun time to get together with family. :)
Here are some favorite photos of my family members at Easter this year.

This is my sister Kimberly, holding our newest cousin, Irelynn. Irelynn's expression makes this photo awesome. :D

Cousin and brother. (The blondie is my brother).

Cousin again (his parents don't want his name posted online).

Trysten! This cousin is a major cutie. :)

Mike and Trysten. (Mike is her dad). :)

Brother again (Reagan). :)
\
Cousin Drieden. (He's Trysten's brother).

Gaaahhh! Would it be weird if I said that I want her eyes?? :D

I love her.

Kim giving Drieden a piggy-back ride. Hahah, his expression looks kind of impish. :D

Irelynn and another Cousin (her parents don't want her name posted). Irelynn is Drieden and Trysten's little sister.

I love this one...Again, Irelynn's face makes the photo awesome. :D

Daddy + Daughter. :)

Here's another cousin, Cole. He's hilarious. :)

Me. What? I can't always be the one behind the camera...Sometimes they force me to be in front of it.

And of course, our family gatherings are never complete without Miss Drama getting her feelings hurt.
She makes a really cute sad model though, and she usually doesn't stay mad/sad for long. :)

Last photo. My Great-grandmother (we call her Gummy...it's what my dad called her when he was little, because he couldn't say "Grandma"), and Irelynn.

Hope you enjoyed these! :)
~Valerie

Chris & Melissa

2011-07-02T09:45:00.000-07:00

Meet Chris and Melissa.

I don't really know their "story," but I do know that they make a good couple, and they were extremely easy to work with as far as modeling goes.
(They were the models for the workshop I just blogged about). :)
I love their personalities, and I loved shooting them.
I'm sure they felt a little bit uncomfortable in front of the cameras (wouldn't you feel uncomfortable if you were modeling for 12 new photographers who have no clue what to do?), but it didn't show!
They looked very natural, and were willing to do pretty much whatever we asked.
I couldn't have asked for a better couple.

So I pretty much adore this next picture.

I want this someday.
The I-don't-need-anything-but-you and the I'm-happiest-in-your-arms feelings.
Yeah. I really want that.

I loveloveLOVE the emotion in this picture!!! It has to be one of my all time favorites.

Awww. :)

I didn't mean to make so many of the photos black and white, it just kind of happened. I think it makes the pictures more, I don't know, soulful?
I guess I feel the emotions better when it's in B&W. :)

I LOVE the next one!

And the last two are more "artistic" than my usual style of photography, but I think that they're cool. Somehow the editing and the slight blurry-ness just work. :)

Chris and Melissa, if you read this, I want to say thank you for being awesome models. Especially when us workshop-ers didn't really know what we were doing. :)
You both rock!
Much love,
Valerie

Workshop

2011-07-02T08:36:00.000-07:00

Back in April, I was able to go to a workshop hosted by a fellow photographer friend.

I enjoyed meeting new people and taking tons of pictures.

It was definitely a growing experience for me.

I learned about running a successful photo shoot, which is one of the things I struggled with at the start of my photography journey.

(My photo shoots were really awkward).

April 2011 marked the one year point for me since I've started doing shoots.

I have grown SO MUCH in my photography since then and I hope to grow a lot more in the upcoming year.

Here are some favorites from the day!
Side note: Some of the pictures may seem random, but they're all from the workshop. It's my way of being artistic. Enjoy! :D

This is Anne. She is the one who basically headed up the workshop (well, her photographer dad helped too).

Nikon!!! :)

Have I mentioned that I love Daisies? They're my second favorite flower (after Sunflowers). :)

Here's Anne getting some creative shots of...something.
I don't remember exactly what it was. :)

Some fellow workshop-ers. :)

They'll do whatever it takes to get a good shot, even if it means using each other as a tripod. :D

Here's Anne shooting Melissa.
(Melissa and Chris were our models for the workshop, I have a separate post with their photos).

Anne, thank you so much for having the workshop!
As I said earlier, I learned a lot.
Much love,
Valerie :)

Friendships are from the Lord.

2011-06-29T09:03:00.000-07:00

"Whoever finds a friend finds a treasure."
~an italian proverb~

As I was thinking of a title for this post, I couldn't help but think of Michael W. Smith's song, Friends. I'd like you to listen to it while you're reading this post (if you can multi-task). :)

I made so many new friends at Summer Missionary Training school in Virginia, that at the end of the week, when it was time to leave, I felt like crying because I know I'll never see some of those people again (until we get to Heaven, that is).

It was a bittersweet feeling.
It's something that I've never really experienced before.
I feel like I've lost something very valuable, even though I haven't lost anything!
In fact, I've gained some awesome new friends!
Yes, I can stay in contact with many of my new friends through Facebook (thank goodness for Social Networking), but it's just not the same as Face-to-face!
Going back to that quote at the beginning of this post, "Whoever finds a friend finds a treasure," if that's true, then I have for sure found an awesome treasure in my new friends. :)

Anyway, they (my new friends) have challenged and changed me. I really don't think I am the same person I was two weeks ago.

This past week, I learned what it's like to TRULY love people with God's love, not mine. I mean, I've really struggled with that for a long time...It's not the easiest thing to do, and I'm definitely not the easiest person to change. :) There are still some people that I have a hard time loving, but God is slowly changing my heart. It's the weirdest thing...Okay, so weird isn't the right word, but I'm sure that you know what I mean.

I was so wrapped up in myself, like, how I could be satisfied, what people could give to me, etc., that I didn't realize that all the attention I was giving to ME should have been going to God.
Does that make sense?
In other words, God wasn't my focus.
I went to training camp with the hopes of making new friends, and yeah, I would learn how to teach Bible lessons and Good News Clubs. Because that's always a good skill to have, you know.

But one night in our evening devotions, I was challenged to make God my "boyfriend." (the leader didn't use those words exactly, but that's what was meant). Like, instead of searching for fulfillment in other people, I'm going to give my all to Jesus, and make Him the center of my life.

Which is easier said than done, I've found that out already...But it's all good. I know that God is with me and His timing is best. :)

Which brings me to this: I KNOW without one teeny tiny bit of doubt, that I was supposed to be a Summer Missionary this year and that it's God's plan for my summer.
That has been proven to me over and over in the last month and a half. I didn't know how I would raise the support I needed ($1,500.00), but God provided, and it all came in less than a month!
Then I was all stressed out about my other job at another camp (which ended up not working out anyway).
Then, just last night, I had the privilege of leading two sisters to the Lord.

Yeah, you bet I did a happy dance!!!

I really think that God wanted me in CYIA (Christian Youth In Action) this year, and I'm so glad that He chose to put me there! Not only because I've made new friends, but because I'm starting to really listen to what He has to say, and I'm slowly making changes in my life to reflect HIM more.

And as you think about me throughout this Summer, say a prayer as I'll be working with children through CEF's (Child Evangelism Fellowship) 5-day-club programs.

Pray for each child that comes to our clubs.

We want seeds to be planted and watered.

Just keep me and my summer missionary partner, Brittany, in your prayers, please and thank you!

~Valerie

PS. I feel like a jerk for not posting any photos with this, but I'm having trouble with our internet and uploading photos today. Sorry about that! Check back later this week, and I may have some photos posted by then. :)

Life is crazy sometimes.

2011-06-27T11:18:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!
I bet you're wondering where I've been the last few weeks...
Well, I have been so busy with preparations for my Summer that I haven't had time to think!

I was at training camp in Virginia (all last week) for Child Evangelism Fellowship, to learn how to teach 5-day-clubs and stuff.
I had so much fun!
I met so many wonderful new people, and I made so many new friends. (Photos and blog posts about that will come later).

I'm sorry that I haven't done much blogging, my life is super crazy busy.
I have so many pictures to blog, it's just that I have to find/make the time to do it! :)
So until I can blog all the photos I have taken in the last few months, enjoy these two photos I took in early Spring. :)

Much Love,

Valerie :)

Ryan and Paige {Prom/Banquet}

2011-05-28T12:12:00.000-07:00

It was that time of year.

You know, that time when all everyone is talking and thinking about is prom.

The girls are talking about what dress they're getting, how they're doing their hair, and who they're going with.

And the guys? It's usually not a big deal for them, but they don't want to miss the fun so they'll go.

About a month ago, my cousin, Paige, asked me to take pictures of her and her boyfriend, Ryan, before his high school banquet.

I don't want to say that I jumped at the chance, but I did.

This was my first official shoot for 2011. :)

Enjoy my favorites!

Haha, I love this one.
I call it a "personality picture." :D

And I'll end the post with my two favorite photos from the shoot. :)

Thanks guys for having me shoot you. It was fun. :)
~Valerie

Aidan and Tristan.

2011-05-25T12:22:00.000-07:00

I love hanging out with kids (some people call it babysitting).

I love it.

I love how kids are so honest and how they say the funniest things...

I love how I can just be myself around them.

They don't judge.

I can be a complete goofball, but they think that I'm the funniest thing ever. :)

And the hugs? They. are. the. best.

Here are a few photos that I took of my buddies, Aidan and Tristan a few weeks ago when I hung out with them. :)

Aren't they adorable? Uh...I mean handsome.

I did the next few in black and white because when I was editing them, it just felt right that they should be in B+W. :)

Making a wish! :)

This is Aidan. He is super excited about going into kindergarden this year. :)

Tristan is so excited for his brother going to kindergarden, but I think he secretly wants to go too. :)

This would be me and Aidan being goofballs.
So attractive, I know...Haha. :)

Aidan and Tristan are such great kids.
I pretty much adore them.
I love you boys! <3
~Miss Valerie
:D

A new chapter in my life.

2011-05-20T14:59:00.000-07:00

Today, I graduated.

Today, I said "Goodbye" to high school. Forever.

YESSSSS!! It feels so good to say that!

I wore a white (shiny!) gown and a silly looking hat with a tassel hanging off it (see above), and I walked down an aisle to Pomp and Circumstance. I shook hands, received my diploma (!!!!), and posed for a lot of pictures.

Now I feel like I'm ready to take on the world...Look out! :)
~Valerie

PS. The face I'm making in the picture is my "I-can't-believe-that-I'm-graduating-today!" face.
PPS. THANK YOU to everyone (friends and family) who came to the ceremony this morning! Seeing so many people come just for us made my day. :)

Pretty in Pink {Svea}

2011-05-13T18:37:00.000-07:00

On Easter Sunday at church, Little Svea saw some people in the youth group taking pictures.

She told her mom that she really wanted her picture taken too!

My dad happened to be walking past when the conversation took place, and said something like, "My daughter is a photographer and she has her camera with her today. I'm sure she would love to take a few pictures of Svea."

My dad came and got me...Of course I wanted to take pictures of her!!!

What can I say?

I don't turn down cute (and willing) models!

I went and asked Svea if she would like me to get my big camera and take a few pictures of her in her gorgeous dress.

She shyly nodded her head and went to stand in front of the colorful tulips by the walkway.

Here are my favorites from the 5 minute "session."

I'm like really in love with her curls...And I'm a little bit jealous. :)

Aw, the tulips made the background perfect.

1) I love my new lens
2) I love that Svea wanted to have her picture taken
3) I love that I was able to take her picture

Favorite!

Ohmylanta. This girl is the cutest thing ever.

Is it wrong for me to hope that my kids (if God chooses to bless me with a few children) are this cute? :)

Last one...Svea and her mother.
A sweet mommy/daughter moment.
Can I say that I love capturing moments like this?
Ilovemyjob. :)

it's that simple.

2011-05-13T18:11:00.000-07:00

"Life stinks...But this flower sure is pretty!"

~~~

I want to be a kid again.
I don't want to have to worry about papers, school, or finding a job.
I just want to play outside.
And I want to take pictures.
That is all.
~Valerie

The Voice told me to trust.

2011-04-23T10:24:00.000-07:00

I feel like I've been MIA (Missing In Action) for the last several weeks. :( I've been so super busy without much time for blogging, and it's not going to be any better over the Summer.

Let me explain to you what has been going on in my life the last few weeks. :)

First, I have a 5 page paper to finish for English 101, (I still have 1.5 pages to write before it's due on Monday).

I have finals in English 101 and in Art 101 (Intro to Visual Arts) next week. Lots of studying has been going on. :)

I'm graduating in less than a month, and I'm trying to get all my homeschool books finished.

Then there's my Summer job (which is really what this post is about).

I applied at a place where I would be working for their Summer day camps, and I didn't hear back for a long time after my interview, so I assumed that I wouldn't be working there, and I signed up to be a Summer Missionary with Child Evangelism Fellowship (they really needed people to sign up).

I filled out CEF's Summer Missionary application and I was accepted.

Then on Wednesday, we stopped to get our mail on our way to church.

I had received a packet from the first camp I applied at, it said

"Hello Valerie, We welcome you to our 2011 camp staff!"

and it had my schedule included.

I immediately got a sick feeling in my stomach.

Now I had two people relying on me, and I really wanted to work at both places!

I knew that I would have to let someone down, and that made me sick.

I don't like to let people down.

Mom told me to ask Pastor Brian (my youth pastor) for advice, and I decided I would ask him and some other leaders.

Pastor Brian told me to pray about it, as did everyone else I asked.

I kept praying that a solution could be found easily, and that I could have the wisdom to know which job to choose.

I got a peaceful feeling, and I felt a Voice saying

"TRUST ME."

When I got home from youth group, I asked my dad what I should do.

After some thinking and looking at my schedule, we found that I could possibly work at both places, if I rearranged my schedule at the first camp, and if I gave up going to summer camp for fun.
Sacrifice.

I immediately emailed both employers, and informed them of the situation.
Both were super understanding, and everything has worked out so far.

It looks like I will be working at both places this Summer.

I wrote out my schedule yesterday, and I am going to be so busy!

My sister joked and said that everyone should throw me a farewell party, because I'm not going to be home much. :)

I think I am going to have a blast this summer.

I will be working with kids every week, teaching them about God and about following Him, and I think it's going to be awesome!

I know I'm going to be exhausted, but I know it will be worth it.

I say BRING IT ON. I'm ready.

(Or, I will be ready...Once I finish my 5 page paper). :D

~Valerie

thirty day challenge {day 13}

2011-04-06T10:47:00.000-07:00

day 13: a picture of my favorite band or artist.

This is a hard one too. Why? Because I adore music.
I have so many favorite musicians and bands that I could post, but I guess I have to just choose one.
Anyway, as hard as it is to choose ONE artist, David Klinkenberg is at the very top of my list of favorites.
I love him.
He's a fiddle player (he mostly does sacred instrumentals, but he also does some Irish/Celtic fiddling), and as far as I'm concerned, he's the best! :)

(I did not take this picture, I found it on his website...Link is at the bottom of this post).

I want so much to be able to play the fiddle like he can...Maybe I will be able to one day.
(He's the reason that I started taking violin lessons again).
Practice makes perfect, eh? :)

(Just watch this and you'll see why I love him so much).

Make sure to visit his website, and buy his album(s) on iTunes because he's awesome.
Oh, and you have to listen to his version of Amazing Grace.
It's THE BEST. No lie. :)
~Valerie

Sharayah {Class of 2011}

2011-04-05T14:44:00.000-07:00

If you know me and my family well, you probably know that my older sister, Sharayah, and I will be graduating together this coming May. If you didn't know that, well, now you do! :)

Sharayah was going to graduate last year, but she decided to wait another year before graduating from high school to get some extra college classes on her transcript.

Now we are going to graduate from high school together on May 20th, 2011. That's less than two months away! :D I'm so excited!!

Last fall, I had the pleasure of doing her senior pictures. Though she says that she is NOT a model, I think if she put her mind to it, she would be successful at it...Because that's just her personality. :)

Here are some favorites from the shoot.

Yeah for pretty sun rays on the test shots! :)

So...Her hair looks a little bit wind-blown in this photo (below), but it's one of my favorites. :)

I love how her eyes pop in this one... :)

I love the next two...I couldn't choose between color and b&w, so you get to see both of them.

Sharayah plans on being a music teacher, and she is in the process of choosing a college...

She is really good at playing the piano.
(The edit is a bit funky on the next photo, but I kind of like it). :)

I love this one...I posted it before, and you might have seen it.

Sharayah, you're a pretty cool sister. I really do like you, even if I don't act like it sometimes. :)
And I'm sorry for taking so long to blog these pictures.
~Valerie

thirty day challenge {day 12}

2011-03-29T08:15:00.000-07:00

day 12: a picture of something I love.

I love a lot of things. :)

I think it's kind of hard to just pick one thing that I love.

Anyway...I think I'm going to choose photography.

Bet you didn't guess that! :P

(Photo by Robert Gilhooly)

I love photography.

I don't know why I love it so much, but I do.

I want to do photography for the rest of my life.

I want to get paid for doing something I really enjoy. :)

~Valerie

Emily M. {mini shoot}

2011-03-28T10:51:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago, my friend Emily was on Spring Break.

I haven't had anyone schedule a photo shoot lately, so I asked her if I could do a 10-15 minute session with her (free, of course) while she was on break.

She agreed, and I got to "shoot" her. :D

Emily is so pretty! I think you'll agree with me after you see the pictures. :)

I always love it when the very first photo from the session turns out good.
This was the "testing the light" shot. Oh yeah! :)

Below is my absolute favorite from the session. :)

Props to Emily, because she didn't mind sitting in the street for me. I told her I would watch her back if she would watch mine. We're okay. Neither of us got hit by a car. :)

Here's another favorite. :)

I love this one too! :)

Here's my second favorite from the shoot!
I just adore this photo...Emily is so gorgeous! :)

I love using the brown antiqued presets on Lightroom. :)

I love this one also. :)

What more can I say? I have extremely good-looking friends! :)

Emily, thank you so much for letting me shoot you.
I'm glad that you were up for it! :)
You're a great friend, and I'm so happy that I know you. :)
I hope you enjoy the photos!
~Valerie

thirty day challenge {day 11}

2011-03-28T10:19:00.000-07:00

day 11: a picture of something I hate.

I hate tomatoes.

(Photo found here)

I think they're gross and nasty and disgusting and awful and vile and...well you get the picture.

I just don't like them.

Never have.

That is all.

~Valerie

thirty day challenge {day 10}

2011-03-28T10:09:00.000-07:00

day 10: a picture of the person you do the most messed up things with.

My first thought when I read that ^ was, "Define messed up, cuz I'm pretty sure that I don't do messed up things." :P

Really.

I really want to know what they meant by "messed up."

Is it messed up, like playing tricks on people?

Is it messed up, like just doing really stupid stuff?

Either one doesn't really relate to me.

Sorry,I guess you're not getting a picture for this one. :)

~Valerie

thirty day challenge {day 9}

2011-03-14T08:58:00.000-07:00

day 9: a picture of the person who has gotten me through the most.

This is a tough one...I haven't really been through a lot. Between being homeschooled and living on a farm, I've really been sheltered from a lot of bad stuff. Not that I haven't had my share of problems, but most of them are nothing compared to what some people have gone through.

I consider myself blessed.

Anyway, I guess it would either be my parents and my older sister who have gotten me through my tiny problems. :)

It's a good thing...

2011-03-12T16:03:00.000-08:00

It's a good thing that I come from a good-looking family, and that they don't mind modeling for me. :)

This is my cousin, Paige.

Yes, she has been on the blog before. Several times, in fact. :)

It's just that she's so pretty (and photogenic), and I like taking pictures of her. :)

We did a mini-shoot in the snow, because I wanted to do an "official" shoot with my new lens.

Paige, I'm glad you don't mind being in front of my camera, and you can put up with my random ideas. You're a great model. :) I enjoyed our mini shoot, and I hope to "shoot" you again soon!
~Valerie :)

thirty day challenge {day 8}

2011-03-11T14:17:00.000-08:00

day 8: a photo that makes me laugh.

This photo makes me laugh. A lot. :D

Yes, this is me.
No, I am not mentally challenged. My sister just happened to snap the picture when I was making some strange face. :D

thirty day challenge {day 7}

2011-03-10T04:52:00.000-08:00

day 7: a photo of my most treasured item.

I can't choose.

It's between my Macbook, my Nikon, and my fiddle.

(This is not a photo of my particular camera, but it is the camera body/lens that I use. Photo by tychay on Flickr).

thirty day challenge {day 6}

2011-03-09T08:59:00.000-08:00

day 6: a picture of a person I would love to trade places with for a day.

This is a tough one. I actually like my life, and I wouldn't really want to trade with anyone. :)

Although, I guess if I HAD to choose, I would like to trade places with this lady.

(Image found here: http://www.royal.gov.uk/HMTheQueen/Imagegallery.aspx)

Queen Elizabeth.

Not only would I be able to be queen for a day, but I would be surrounded by those lovely British accents. I also would be able to see the London Tower, Big Ben, Westminister Abbey, and the changing of the Royal Guard. It has always been a dream of mine to go to London.

I hope I get the chance someday. :)

~Valerie

thirty day challenge {day 5}

2011-03-08T08:18:00.000-08:00

day 5: a picture of my favorite memory.

It's story time! :D

In 2007, I went with my aunt, uncle, and cousin to Ocean City, MD for vacation.

My cousin, Paige, and I decided we wanted to pull a little joke on her dad. She had brought along some clear fingernail polish, and when her parents weren't looking, we painted her dad's bar of soap with fingernail polish. Because it was clear, he couldn't tell we had done anything to it. (Earlier, I had made a comment to my aunt about needing to re-paint my fingernails, so when she smelled the nail polish, she assumed that I had painted my nails. Not the bar of soap). :D

Well, during lunch that day, I couldn't take it much longer...I had to find out what happened when he tried to use it. So I said something like, "Uncle Allan, how was your soap this morning?" He replied and said about how it didn't lather up much. He wanted to know if we sprayed hair spray near it or something to make it not lather up.

I about died from laughing.

Paige and I confessed that we had painted it with clear nail polish, and that was why it wouldn't lather. :D

We all shared a good laugh, but little did I know that we were in for it.

Later, we had just gotten back from swimming, so Paige and I put our swimsuits in the wash. We turned on the TV, and we were just chilling on the couch, not paying any attention to what my devious uncle was doing.

He had taken our swimsuits out of the wash, put them in a plastic bag, poured water over them so they were soaked, and put them in the freezer.

When we were getting ready to go to the beach the next day, we couldn't find our swimsuits. Still not suspecting anything, we (Paige and I) asked where they were. Uncle Allan got them out, and they were frozen together in a chunk of ice.

(Sorry for the bad quality of the photo...It was taken with a very lame camera).

We ended up having to use warm water to thaw them out/pull them apart, and Paige and I had to wear wet swimsuits to the beach.

We laughed about it, but let me tell you. We did not try to pull any more tricks on him. :D

thirty day challenge {day 4}

2011-03-08T07:42:00.000-08:00

day 4: a photo of my favorite night.

So I don't have a photo for this one because I didn't have a camera then. :)

It was about three years ago when my family (me and my siblings) went snow tubing with some friends of ours, a girl and a guy. At the time, I had a crush on the guy, but I promised myself that I would just enjoy the evening as friends. It was so much fun. :)

We never dated or anything, and he has since moved away. I haven't talked to him in about a year, but I still remember the night we went snow tubing. I think I always will remember it. :)

~Valerie

Speedy Checkout [Annoying Things]

2011-02-16T10:45:00.000-08:00

In today's Annoying Things blog post, I will be covering the subject of a lovely thing called the "Speedy checkout."

Yeahhhh...They're never speedy.

I can almost guarantee it.

Especially if you're late for a college class.
Then they'll be realllllly sloooow, to make you suffer in agony.

Take an example from the other day.

I stopped at Wal-Mart (that was my first mistake), to pick up a few things on my way to class.

I power-walked through the store, and hoped that I could find everything okay.

I had three items that I was going to buy, and 25 minutes to get to class. There were only three people in the line for the "speedy checkout," so I said to myself, "Self, the speedy checkout will probably get you to class on time, go for it."

That was my second mistake.

I stood in the "speedy checkout" line for almost 10 MINUTES.

It took me 20 minutes to get to class, so I was almost 15 minutes late.

Now I have a strong dislike for "speedy checkouts."*

How do you feel about speedy checkouts?
~Valerie

*If you are a cashier at a "speedy checkout," I promise that I'm not trying to be rude or insult you, I'm just saying that sometimes speedy checkouts aren't speedy, which annoys me. If you are offended, I am very sorry. :)

thirty day challenge {day 3}

2011-02-16T10:37:00.000-08:00

I'm skipping day two for now, because I don't have a current photo for that one. I hope you don't mind if I do it out of order. :)

day three:

a photo of the cast from my favorite TV show.

{photo found on Google}

Yes, I like JONAS.
It's a fun show...and Nick is cute. :)
Don't hate.

thirty day challenge {day 1}

2011-02-09T10:55:00.000-08:00

Y'all know those silly 30 day challenges that are going around Facebook, right?
Well, I've decided that I want to do one, but I don't want to do it on Facebook. I want to do it on my blog. So for the next 30 days (give or take a few, I'm a busy person), I'll be doing the 30 day challenge.
I hope that's okay. :)

day one.
a photo of myself and ten random facts about me.

1. I love photography. But then, you knew that.
2. I love bluegrass (banjo, fiddle, etc) music.
3. I have never had a boyfriend, and I'm (mostly) okay with that.
4. I find out almost everything I know through Facebook.
5. I'm not a huge fan of cold weather.
6. It's weird being one of the oldest kids in youth group.
7. I have a love/hate relationship with iTunes.
8. According to my dad, I'm a nosy person.
9. My uncle used to call me Pete.
10. My biggest pet peeve: When I'm driving at night, and people are tail-gaiting me with their high-beams on. That drives me crazy. Plus it hurts my eyes. :P

~Valerie~

Cousins {Portraits}

2011-02-07T10:51:00.000-08:00

Today I decided to post a couple photos of my cousins. Some of these photos were taken at our New Year's get-together. Some were taken at the hog butchering we did a week later. Enjoy, and happy Monday! :)

Say Whaaaat?

2011-01-31T10:36:00.000-08:00

This is one of my cousins.
He's a goofball...Just like the rest of us. ;)

Happy Monday!
~Valerie

Self-Portraits.

2011-01-30T05:19:00.000-08:00

I don't usually take pictures of myself, because I think it's kind of awkward and weird.

Which is why I rarely can find a photo of me.
But I needed a new photo of me for my Facebook profile, so I did the unthinkable (*gasp!*), and took some pictures of myself. :D

I really like this one.

So this one isn't exactly a "self-portrait" because my sister took it. She did a pretty good job though. :)

Winter.

2011-01-28T16:33:00.000-08:00

Winter can be dull and boring, but it can also be beautiful. :)

You're only 7 once. :)

2011-01-27T12:32:00.000-08:00

I was 10-years-old when my parents brought him home from the hospital. He was so tiny, and I remember changing a lot of diapers that year. :D I also remember when he started talking, and walking, and eating real food. I remember a lot about him as a baby.

Well, he's not a baby anymore, thank goodness. :)
He turns 7 today.

He's turned out to be a pretty cool kid...Granted, he is obsessed with Legos, and he does throw fits if we (his sisters) mess with them, but overall, if we leave his Legos alone, he's cool.
:)

I hope you have a happy birthday Reagan!
~Valerie

Something New.

2011-01-25T18:52:00.000-08:00

You may have seen (if I'm friends with you on Facebook) that I ordered from B&H Photo and Video last week.

I posted again (today) saying that the "super awesome thing I ordered" came, and I would reveal what it is in a special blog post. :)

Are you dying of curiosity yet??

Okay, okay...I won't be mean. I'll show you. :) Here's a picture.

I bought the Nikon 50mm 1.4 lens. And it came today! :D

I've been saving up for another lens since I bought my D5000 in December of 2009, and I finally had enough to buy this lens! I can't wait to do some photo-shoots and try it out. :)

I had to take a picture with it, so here's one of me just messing around with it.
It's shiny. Hehe. :D

So...Anyone up for a photo-shoot? :D
~Valerie

Suitors? I don't have any of those.

2011-01-24T10:06:00.000-08:00

"You don't need scores and scores of suitors. You only need one, if he's the right one."

I watched Little Women (1994) with my sister today. The quote above is from Amy March, the youngest March sister. I liked the quote very much, which is why I wanted to share it. You're welcome. :)

Text Talk [Annoying Things]

2011-01-23T17:54:00.000-08:00

Hello, and welcome to the second installment of "Things that annoy Valerie."

In this post, we will be covering the topic of text talk.

Yeah, you know what I'm talking about.

Or perhaps you don't know what I'm talking about, so, like last time, let me give you an example.

Girl 1: "hay. wuts up.

Girl 2: "nm. u?"

Girl 1: "same. y did u not go 2 da par-t last nite?"

Girl 2: "idk"

Girl 1: "u shud have gone!"

Girl 2: "i kno"

Girl 1: "mayb some ppl will have anoter par-t soon"

Girl 2: "if they do ill go"

Girl 1: "kewl"

Girl 2: "whatev...jk"

Girl 1: "ur mean! lol"

And it goes on...You get the idea.

This "text talk" could happen in an email, it could happen on a Facebook page, or it could happen during a text conversation (this is the most common, hence the name "text talk").

Yes, I admit that I am guilty of using text talk. When I am rushed, I find it easier to abbreviate than to spell out every word. However, I do not approve of its use in everyday language, and I am of the belief that it should be vanquished.

You should know that I will not hold it against you if you use text talk everyday. And I certainly hope you do not hate me for speaking my mind. I am just giving you a little glimpse into my brain by describing the (little) things that irk me.

Anyway, thank you for tuning in today! Come back next week to hear about something else that annoys me. :D
~Valerie

Sick days...

2011-01-20T18:06:00.000-08:00

I hate being sick.

I've been struggling with being sick (cough/head cold) since Sunday, and it has succeeded in keeping me home from church BOTH times this week! I missed seeing my church-friends, I missed hearing the sermons/Bible lessons, and I missed helping in my favorite K-1st grade JR church class.

Being sick is lame. :(

I couldn't skip college classes, so I just had to take some medicine and hope to make it through the day. I did make it, but I felt like crap afterwards. :P

I woke up feeling better today, so I hope I'm on the mend...

Since I've been sick, I haven't posted anything. I don't really have anything new to post, because no one really wants their pictures taken in the winter. :( I'm working on editing (with Lightroom!) my sister's senior pictures, which I took in November or October. I want to get them up in a week or two. :)

For now, I'm sharing a picture of my dear great-grandparents.
I call them GG and Grandpa. :)
He is going to be 90-years-old in about a week!

(This was taken on Christmas Day, at my family's get-together).

I adore them. :)

Maybe I'll have something interesting to blog about in a day or two?
I am possibly buying a new lens for my camera on Monday! That's interesting, right? :P
Hmm...I'll share details in a few days. :)
~Valerie

I'm a college student now.

2011-01-12T10:26:00.000-08:00

It feels so weird to say that I'm in college now. :)

Anyway, yesterday was the first class for Introduction to Visual Arts (I'm taking 3 classes this semester), and they should have cancelled the class because of the snow, but they didn't.

I live about 40 minutes away from the campus, but last night it took me an hour + 15 minutes to get there, because the roads were terrible. I was way late for the first class, because of snow. :( I saw 2 accidents, a lot of tow-trucks, and multiple ambulances.
I never went faster than 25mph the whole time, and I was sliding all over the place.

The instructor let us out early, but it wasn't early enough.
On my way home, the roads were covered with snow, and the snow was freezing on my wind-shield, with the defroster on.
Yeah...It was that bad.

I'm so thankful that I made it home in one piece, and I hope I don't ever have to do that again. :)
~Valerie

PS. Tomorrow Nick, (the computer guy) is coming to upgrade my computer and install Lightroom! I can't wait! :D

Melanie {mini-shoot}

2011-01-09T16:21:00.000-08:00

Back in the fall, I took some pictures of my sister, Melanie. I wanted to take some pictures of her, and it ended up being a 10-15 minute shoot, but I'm quite happy with the photos I got. :)

She has a lovely smile. :)

I love this last one...It's probably my favorite. :)

Thanks for letting me practice some new poses on you, Mel! :)
~Valerie

Annoying Things

2011-01-06T19:16:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone, and welcome to the first installment of "Things that annoy Valerie."

(Do I need to explain? The title says it all).

During this post, you will be introduced to my sarcastic/snarky side. I am sure that some of you are thinking, "How is that possible?" and/or "How can this be? Sweet, innocent Valerie? No, it must be some mistake." Ooooh, I assure you, it is possible, and it is no mistake. My dark side has been waiting, just waiting, for the opportune moment to bring on the sarcasm, and absolutely terrorize the un-suspecting, innocent, and less-snarky blog go-ers. *Insert evil laugh here* Muwahahahah!

*Clears throat* Ahem. Yeah...

Let's move on to the annoying things, shall we?

The first thing on my list is...Blogs that play music. Oh, I think you know what I'm talking about, but if, by some chance you don't know what I mean, here's a paragraph that will help explain the annoying-ness of it.

Picture this.

You have your favorite iTunes playlist blasting while you're checking your Facebook, when you decide to click on that link for a photo-blog your friend shared. The page loads when *BAM* your ears are greeted with a horrifying mash-up of Taylor Swift (your playlist) and the music that is playing on the blog (The Beatles, Mariah Carey, take your pick). Whatever it is, it does NOT sound pretty. Deafened by the awful racket, you almost knock yourself out as you're scrambling to turn down the speakers. You quickly exit the web-page with the blog, and as your heartbeat returns to normal pace, you make a mental note to yourself:

1. Use extreme caution when visiting blogs,

and 2. Always have one hand on the volume control.

Perhaps this very thing has happened to you.

Your dreams were probably haunted with the awful noise, and you might not have been able to sleep for days...

Or, perhaps your blog is the one that plays the music...And I hold no hard feelings against you for it, but music players on blogs do have tendencies to give one a mini heart-attack, as I described two paragraphs ago. Can you understand why I think it's annoying?

Anyway, thank you for tuning into today's episode of "Things that annoy Valerie."

It's been delightful. :)

Come back next week to hear my thoughts/sarcastic comments on other annoying things!

~Valerie

PS. I'm going to be re-doing the "Portfolio" page, because the upload quality of Blogger stinks. So if that page is missing, don't freak out. It is a temporary problem and it will be returned to (better-than) normal before long.

PPS. If anyone has any suggestions for a title for this little series(?) I'm starting, I am open to suggestions. Something that would sound better than "Things that annoy Valerie."

On 2011 {& favorite photos from 2010}

2011-01-01T12:59:00.000-08:00

**Warning: There are a LOT of photos in this post.**

Happy New Year!

I cannot believe that it's 2011...

It seems impossible. I feel like 2010 just started, but now it's over.

There are some things that I wish I could change.
I can't go back in 2010 and do it over, but I can change 2011.
When it's 2012, I want to look back and honestly be able to say that I have "no regrets" and that I "did hard things" in 2011.

I honestly can't believe that I'll be graduating from high school in 5 months...I thought it would take forever to get through 4 years in high school, but here I am. 3 and 1/2 years done. I'm down to the final stretch, and I can finally see the light at the end of the long tunnel! I'm a college student (at our local community college), and I start classes in a little over a week. I'm looking at an AA (Associate of Arts) in visual arts, but I don't know for sure. I'm just trying to follow God wherever He leads me. :)

I have some big dreams/goals this year. These are just some of them, in random order.

Shoot (or second shoot) a wedding,
do some interning/second shooting with other photographers,
learn more about post-processing,
buy the 50mm 1.4 lens for my camera,
learn more about posing people,
get Lightroom up and running,
buy a car,
lose 10 more pounds,
get a summer job.

I realize that there are a lot of big things on that list, but I'm dreaming big. Why? Because God is bigger than all those things! :)

Oh, you are all probably getting tired of my ramblings. On to the real reason for this post. I saw Carlotta's "Favorite photos" post, and I thought it would be lovely to do one of my own. So here we go... :)

(December 2009)
I'm starting with some pictures I took in December because they are some of the first photos I took with my D-SLR, and I want to post them. :)

(January, 2010)

(February, 2010)

(March, 2010)

(April, 2010)

(From my first photoshoot...Karlee's senior session).

(May, 2010)

(June, 2010)

(July, 2010)

(August, 2010)

(September, 2010)

(October, 2010)

(November, 2010)

(December, 2010)

Shout out to everyone who encouraged me last year (2010) in my photography:
To my Mom for driving me to the photography class in April
To those who comment on/like my photos when I post them on Facebook
To those who offer tips and tricks for shooting on their blogs (J*, Katelyn James, etc)
To the special lady who allowed me to "tag along" on an engagement session :)
To another special lady who let me play with Lightroom for like 2 hours at camp :)
To yet another special lady whose generosity I will never forget
To the guy who made my day with his encouraging phone call last June
To everyone who trusted me enough to schedule a session even though I was clueless
To my siblings/cousins/friends who put up with me always taking photos
To God for providing the equipment necessary for this dream (Macbook, D-SLR, etc)
To anyone I might've forgotten...

THANK YOU!
I appreciate your encouragement a lot. Probably more than you will ever know. :)
I wish you all the best.

Please follow along with me as I grow and try to follow God in 2011.

There are some major changes coming for me this year.

And I have a feeling that it's going to be one wild ride.

I hope you're ready for it...Nah, I hope I'm ready for it. :D

Much Love,

Valerie

LR3

2010-12-30T04:53:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone!

I just had to share this news with you. :)

My Christmas gift to myself came yesterday.

Any guesses as to what it is??

Nevermind...I'll tell you!

Lightroom 3!

I'm so excited about it!

My computer is getting memory added and some other stuff done, (and I bought the student version, so Adobe has to verify that I'm a student), but I should be able to use it by next week!

I can't wait!!! :)

~Valerie

Favorites

2010-12-25T17:10:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone has had a fantastic holiday...I know I have!

I wanted to share some pictures of my favorite presents this year. :)

Sometimes it's the small things that bring the most pleasure...This necklace is from my grand-dad, (I picked it out, but he bought it for me). :) I'd have to say that it is quite possibly the best gift I've ever received.

This is also from Grand-dad...But I didn't know he had gotten it for me. :) It's a tiny violin ornament. It's super cute, and it means something to me because I play the violin (I like to call it a fiddle). I took lessons for almost 4 years, and have been playing for a total of 7-ish (maybe closer to 8) years. So this is a favorite gift too. :)

And because I couldn't take just one picture of it...Here is another photo that I love of the tiny fiddle. :)

And this is David Klinkenberg's Christmas CD. :)

This CD makes me feel like I've died and gone to Heaven...I'm not even kidding.

Every track on the CD is just so relaxing. The guy can fiddle! I wish I could play like he does...

And did I mention that he's handsome?? :)

I recommend this CD for anyone who likes relaxing fiddle music.

(I really want to get his two other CD's, but until I get money for that, I'll settle for watching the videos of those songs on YouTube).

Oh, and because my mind works randomly, I thought I'd tell you that it's been a year since I bought my Nikon D-SLR, Brady.

I can't even say how much I've learned about photography since then. I mean, I learned to shoot in manual, I learned what makes a good portrait, and every time I pick up my camera, I learn something that I didn't know before! :)

Yep, I think that's all for now, but I have a lot of posts to write this week, so keep checking back!

Again, Merry Christmas! Enjoy the evening...

~Valerie

Solo.

2010-12-24T09:19:00.000-08:00

My sister, playing the grand piano at HCC.

There are more from that shoot to come... :)