Portraits

What is your favorite form of photography?

 For me, it's portraits. 

I want to capture the faces. But not only the faces. Also the living, breathing people behind those faces. I want to capture the personality that shines from them and makes them who they are.

For one of my college classes, I am making a slideshow of some of my favorite portraits that I have taken. And while I have them all together in one place, I thought, why not post them on my blog too?

 So in a couple days, when I have time, I'll be posting my favorite portraits.

Check back soon!

Need some color in your life?

It has been looking so dreary lately, with all the leaves turning brown now.

All the plants have reached the end of their lives too.

And to make it worse, it just keeps raining.

I thought we could all use a touch of springtime beauty.

So here it is, in the form of a shot from one of my senior shoots.

A Picture of the Heart

I want to share a picture with you.

But this one is going to take a little more work for you to see.

You can't just scroll down the page and look at it.

In fact, you have to close your eyes to see it.

Let me explain.

One evening this week, I went with some members of my Bible study to minister at a youth shelter. It was an experience I will never forget.

Those kids at the youth shelter--they basically have nothing. But they are some of the sweetest, dearest kids I have ever met.

We shared a devotion with them, as well as a snack. And they kept thanking us over and over again--for coming, for the cupcakes, for the juice and chocolate milk, for everything.

There was one girl who said she loved to sing. So we asked her what she liked to sing. And she offered that she would sing for us, if we wanted her to. Of course we said YES!

So later, between rounds of dominoes, she got up to sing. She stood there for a minute, kind of nervous in front of all of us watching her. And then she opened her mouth and started to sing Amazing Grace/Swing Low Sweet Chariot.

And we just sat there in awe. I have never heard a more beautiful sound in my life.

There was this young teen, dressed in shelter-issued clothes, fingernail polish partly chipped off. Her eyes closed and her face filled with the intensity of her song. The high-ceilinged, echoey gym filled with the beauty of her voice. In that moment she was the most beautiful person I have ever seen. And she held me captive, even after the last note faded away.

That is the picture I wanted to share with you.

It may not be a picture that can be viewed on a computer screen or printed and put in a frame. But it is etched on my heart. And sometimes the pictures of the heart are far more precious than the pictures of a camera.

East Broad Top Railroad Part 2

Here are some pictures from the train ride.

The inside of the train car was beautiful.

 

And so was the scenery we passed.

And then our train ride was over.

East Broad Top Railroad Part 1

A couple of weekends ago I had the opportunity to stay with a friend who lives in Huntingdon County. When she said that she lives in the country, she wasn't kidding.

Well, on Sunday we went to Orbisonia. 

Never heard of it? Well, maybe you've heard this:

It's America's oldest operating narrow gauge railroad.

(Yes, I love history.)

At first the railroad only hauled coal. 

These are some of the cute little coal cars that were used.

And then the EBT started offering passenger service.

The EBT was made a National Historic Landmark in 1964.

It remains the most complete and authentic narrow gauge site in America and the last original narrow gauge east of the Rockies.

And today it brings joy to people like me with its sight-seeing rides.

Here are some pictures from the station:

And then we boarded the train...

This is the friend who I was visiting.

And this is another photographer friend of mine who came along for the weekend too.

The conductor punched our tickets and we were off!

to be continued...

Little Sweetheart

Remember my niece?

The precious little girl whose first photos I took?

So little and new.

Well, here she is.

She's getting big so fast it makes me want to cry.

She really smiles when you talk to her now. And yesterday she was talking to me. I have no idea what she said, but I'm sure it must have been important.

Scottdale Fall Festival

It's the season for fall festivals. 

Like me, you've probably been to a million of them. Or the same one a million times. When I think of a fall festival, I think of loud music, yummy food smells, and lots of booths full of cool stuff that people made and hope that you will buy.

Last weekend was the Scottdale Fall Festival. I've gone to it every year since I was four or five. So I never feel too motivated to go anymore. After all, there can't be much of anything new. But I went. And this year I took my camera. Instead of looking at the big picture like I always have before, I focused in on the details. 

And it was really fun. It's amazing how much you miss, every day, year after year. I saw a side of the festival I have never noticed before. (And the compulsion to buy all the cool stuff for sale is not quite as strong when I have a camera in my hands. Not quite.)

How often do you see a basket full of funny things with eyes and tails? 

Yes, we bought some of the yummy fudge. It was amazing.

 

And despite the fact that I was being very strong, I ended up buying two of these beautiful pendants.

I had to have a souvenir of my trip, didn't I? :)

I Heart Faces-- Beautiful Eyes

Every week I Heart Faces has a photo challenge. This week's is "Beautiful Eyes."

My niece's eyes are some of the most beautiful I have ever seen. Big, blue, and deep, like the ocean. 

When she looks at me with those big eyes, I have a hard time saying no to her.

And she knows it. 

Find more beautiful eyes at I Heart Faces

A Little Girl's First Portrait Session

Since this is my first RLK Photography blog post, I wanted it to be about something really special. So may I present....

My sweet baby niece.

I had the honor of taking her first portraits this week. And as you can see, she was a great model.

Slept the whole time.

And looked absolutely precious.

I love her so much.

And so does her big brother. He completely adores her.