Make it Snappy: May 2015

So as most of you know we had our last day of Monday school this week. It is bittersweet when school ends because you have to leave a lot of friends and fun classes for the Summer, but the upside is... SUMMER. Here are a couple of pictures I got on this sunny last day in photography class.

Good bye photography buddies! (Well not really since we are going to plan lots of photo shoots)

I love you all soooo much. Keep up the photography.

This is one of my favorite pictures that I've taken all year.

YES. It's blurry.

YES. She is in the center of the photo.

YES. The background is too bright.

But do you want to know a secret?

Photography isn't just about the settings on your camera. It's not just about the composition in your photo. It's not just about the rule of thirds, or all the editing tricks. It's not just about everything we've learned this year. Yes, those things make pictures even better, but it's not the best part of photography.

THE VERY BEST PART is capturing a moment.

It's grabbing ahold of something that you want to last forever. Something that could end in a moment and never reappear. It's stealing those mere seconds away from the rest of the world and keeping them for yourself.

This is Julia.

Over the past few years I'd been hurt over and over again by carless friends, by people I had to force myself to put space in between, by those who had no idea what was really going on inside of me. I was scarred and lonely and afraid. Yes, God was and is my very best friend, but I longed for a Godly friend who would love and encourage me. Someone who would draw me closer to Christ. I prayed for two years. I would cry in my bedroom when I was alone because I felt strange and unloved. I felt different. I would see people with best friends everywhere I looked. In every conversation I had I would acknowledge my deep down longing for a friend.

That's when God gave me Julia.

Last summer I was invited to a party by Julia and her sister. Just a cute little summer sleep over to hang out and have fun. I wasn't exactly close to Julia, but I had always said hello to her when we saw each other in the halls at school.

So I decided to go to this party.

God was so kind and gracious to me. At this party I gained not only one, but two friends because I also got close to Emma. Julia and I stayed in contact the rest of the summer through texting and I was extremely pleased and surprised to find her and Emma both in my photography class. We've grown so much closer and I thank God he brought her and Emma into my life. He's also brought one of my close friends even closer to me because she grew closer to Him. (That sounds odd, what I mean is my friend and I weren't very close but then she developed a closer relationship with God and then we became closer because of it)

Thank you to all my friends who love me, are patient with me, and help me to learn and grow. God bless each one of you. I am praying for you.

I think that is why I like this picture so much. It reminds me of all that God has given me. He has given me joy, love, and friendship.

NOW LET'S GO ENJOY SUMMER!!