Life as a Suzal

I have been good friends with the Garwoods for quite a few years. I was on a Missions trip to Croatia with Tom when he got to bring his now 4 year old son home from Africa. So it was very special when I got to meet the latest Garwood addition, Finnegan Seamus, a few weeks after he was born!

Sadly it got too hot - 109 degrees - so I only got one good pic of baby. But I love how these came out, thanks Garwoods for takin’ the heat!

Tom and Yetta, thank you for the huge blessing you are to me!

My FAV! Don’t they just look like they’re from a storybook? :

Hunter has the best smile!

Today was a hot day. An extremely hot day. After about five minutes of picture taking, Tom, Yetta, and I looked at eachother and said, “whew!” Yetta later told me that it got up to 109 degrees in the shade where we were. However, the intense heat did not stop us from getting some very FUN family photos! I love the Garwoods!

Here’s a preview and I should have more up in a few days!

What does one do in Venice Beach? My friend Crystal and I have been brainstorming doing a photoshoot at the beach that’s a bit different than a regular, “it’s me” photoshoot. I call it a “rEAL lIFE” portrait session. The idea behind it was capturing true moments in a unique setting. Different points of view, things one would see and do in a specific place. Almost a commercial feel. The fact that Crystal skim-boards made it even more fun!

Usually my shooting is pretty spontaneous. But before shooting this session, I wrote out the composition of specific shots I wanted incorporating a girl at the beach, a skim-board, the crowd, etc.

And coincidentally, her birthday is tomorrow. So Happy Birthday Lil Sis! I <3 you!!!

Well, it’s finally come to that point. My big brother, or “brutho” as I like to call him, is getting married. His wife-to-be was hand-picked for him by his two younger sisters as soon as they met. They just didn’t know it. Travis is not only my brother, he’s my close friend. He’s steady, honest, and hilarious. He’s a great listener, loves his family, and his Lord. Rosalie is darling. Also a close friend. She has the cutest expressions and a very giving personality. I can’t wait to see how God works through them as a married couple!

Bubs, you’re finally gettin’ hitched! Thar! Roseeeee, our scheme worked! Yay! ; ) Much, much, much love to you both.

Aren’t they just too cute…

*FAV!*

Feets!

Rosalie’s laughing was just too adorable. I guess Trav’s humor is funny to her, too.

I have never seen my brother with such a “Look what I have that you don’t have” expression. And Rosie’s is pretty much the same..!

I specifically took this picture for my hubs. It just had Lukas written all over it.

Tiptoes!

Awwwwww

Soon to be Mr. & Mrs. Green!

On the fourth of July of this year, more happened in my family for celebration besides fireworks. Or maybe I should say a different sort of fireworks occurred. Am I hinting deeply enough yet? Ok, here’s another… Lukas and I are expecting an addition to the family. No, we’re not expecting a baby. But I’M GETTING A NEW SISTER!!!

My brother, Travis proposed and was accepted by Rosalie Mae on July 4th, 2010 in Atlanta, GA to the excitement of family and friends. Yesterday I had a lot of fun going to the beach and hanging out with them as well as taking some engagement photos. So enjoy the preview, the appetizer that I hope makes you hunger for more, I know it does for me!

Last Saturday, Lukas and I did a fun Photo Shoot at a friend’s Studio. It was kind of like the Contrast Concepts shoot we did last fall, (minus the bride aspect /props) but in an indoor type setting. We had a studio director, videographer, shoot stylist, makeup artist, three photographers, and four fun models. It’s just such a fun experience having a bunch of creative people working together in one place and I love it!

All to say, at the end of the shoot I wanted to grab just a couple close up shots to see the difference with studio lighting than the natural lighting I usually use. Compared to my other Headshots, these are so…I don’t know,  clean!

Make sure to check out Lukas’ site for a different take on the shoot!

And this one just for fun!!!

I haven’t been shooting much since returning home from Resolved, which makes me sad because I don’t have anything too colorful to post on my blog. But one thing I do all the time is design wedding albums. I LOVE it. I feel like it’s a whole other side of the creative art of photography - narrowing down pictures from the story of a person’s day to beautifully compile their wedding story.

Today I got to do that for my deeeeear sister in law, Jules!! The especially-specially-special thing is that Lukas and I started dating about five months after Julia’s wedding, so I didn’t go. Now I love her like a sister (wait, she is my sister!!), so going through her wedding day and designing her album was almost like I was there too… well and at least now every time she looks through her album she’ll know my love and care went into making it ; ) Ben & Jules, you guys are too cute; it was hard to choose everything!

Here’s a little snippit!

Here are 15 Resolved Quotables that stood out to me from this year’s conference from our speakers, Rick Holland, C.J. Mahaney, Al Mohler, Steve Lawson, and John MacArthur. Can anyone get all 15 right? Leave a comment and see!

1. “Jesus is not your therapist, Jesus is not your coach, and Jesus is not your guru. Your self help manager. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords…Jesus is not your homeboy.”

2. “You put your weak life into His strong hands, and He will uphold you”

3. “Too many of us want the public without the dedication of the private”

4. “The faith that fizzles before the finish had a flaw from the first”

5. “…You can get it that wrong, and you’ll end up in hell. You can get it almost right, and still end up in hell.”

6. “These men all have letters after their name. Mine come before.”

7. “We used to beat up guys like that”

8. “True Christians are distinguished from unbelievers, true Christians are distinguished from nominal Christians by their obedience to Christ.”

9. “I fear that many Christians have a tame and domesticated understanding of what it means for Jesus to be King.”

10. “What we want is an experience so that we will not have to keep ourselves in the love of God.”

11. “…On the other hand I’m fighting with everything I’ve got for the protection of the the truth in the life of the church in the world.”

12. “I pray that we are never unamazed at how MUCH the LORD has done for us!”

13. “Gazing at Christ’s beauties, his glories, his excellencies, elevates the soul to higher vantage points so that you can see and worship Him more clearly.”

14. “It’s really important to get Christ right. Who is he?”

15. “If you don’t experience joy, find something to repent of.”

I just have to laugh at this.  One of my friends told me she even lost her shoe in all the rumble!

Enjoy…!

Lurking behind the seemingly peaceful doors, thousands of people lie in wait…

Ok guys! Ready for this?! You know what to do!

Mike and Mark open Pandora’s box…

And the beast emerges!

They’re free! But little do they know…

…that they will have to stop again. And these guys in green mean business.

Yes, yes, yes, everyone has to stop.

Now listen to Mark.  Ok, we’re going to do this walking.

Listen everyone! Say it with me, waaaallllkiiinnnnnng.

No, no, you can’t go off to the right. Stay straight.

The fierce guys in green keep it all in control.

Walking, waaaalllkinnnng…

Then a gust of air blows with a mad rush to get seats! Bibles are thrown, people jump on chairs and fall to the floor, shoes are lost! People lay across seats desperately clinging to their hope of sitting near the front…

And that’s what it’s like to get seats at Resolved. Or you could just come a little late and get stadium seats in the back. Kudos to Mark, Mike, and the fierce guys in green who kept everything under control at yet another year of Resolved.

A few weekends ago, we made the long treck up to Oregon to go to our good friends, Jeremy and Jessica’s wedding! It was my first time in OR which was very fun and exciting. But along with the feelings of excitement and happiness, a deep sinking feeling dwelt in the pit of my stomach. You see, this was to be my first wedding shooting by myself.

Lukas was a groomsman in the outfield, so I was up to bat. After praying and praying my nerves would calm down, and I would be able to think quickly to get my settings, the big day came. God was so kind and everything went great! I didn’t trip over the bride and groom, I didn’t sneeze loudly in the middle of the vows, and I didn’t drop my camera up on stage.  Whew!

It was one of the funnest weddings ever!!!

Be sure to check out Lukas’ site for more pictures, and the Slideshow!