Oh Snap! Katie Edition

Hey Katie! Thanks for being with us today.
Thanks for having me, Sarah! Nice idea!!

Okay, let's get started:

How did you get started into photography? And how old were you?I really picked it up end of last year and started a photography blog in March. 

What was your very first camera?
A power Shot A3100 IS Canon camera.

Who or what inspired you to take up this hobby?
My Aunt and her awesome camera!! ;)

What kind of equipment are you using right now?( camera,flashes,lens,etc.)
Canon Rebel XT. EFS 18-55 lens. 50mm with macro. 35-135mm. I also have a macro extension tube and macro lenses I can screw on the lens itself.

Are you self-taught, or have you had classes?
I’m self-taught [up to 6 weeks ago.] I’ve just started photography classes.

What is your favorite subject to shoot? (landscapes, profiles, artistic shots, candid moments,etc)
Probably landscapes and artistic shots. I enjoy shooting “blind-shots” too.

Do you have any professional experience?
Nope. =)

What is your method for getting new tips, techniques, or new information?
Either by playing with my camera, from friends who have done it longer than I have, or my Aunt.

Do you, or have you sold your work?
No, just given when asked. =) But that is a possibility for the future.

Show me one of your favorite shots you've taken. (I know it's a tough question.....)
Yeah, it is! =)….But here are 2:






Which of these would you label the photographer side of yourself as: Passionate, a wanna-be, obsessed, artistic, avid, a newbie, a photo-holic, or a die-hard?
Artistic for the first one, I enjoy taking “interesting” shots. =) And the second, probably artistic/passionate.
I really like using a natural lighting, [for the lighting I do.]

For how many years have you been interested in this sphere of art?
A few years.

Now for the big question: is it Canon or Nikon? (or neither :P) ;)
CANON!!! =)

And the last one.....
Why do you love photography, and what is your purpose for doing it? :)
I love photography because I love Christ! I love taking pictures of His creation and sharing them with others! Every time I take a picture of a flower, leaves, bugs, animals, you name it! I thanks God for the opportunity I had to snap a picture of His beautiful creation! God said, we were made to glorify Him! That’s one way I glorify Him….through the snap of a shutter!!

My name is Katie Wilson and I am 19. I’m the second oldest of 9 kids and the farm manager for Full Quiver Farm. I love the Lord with ALL my heart!! I love photography, as you know now! ;) Here are a few other things I enjoy…Volleyball!! =) Music/Guitar. Riding horses. Square dancing. =) Working with my Dad and brother, Will… and I have a few more! =) Thanks, Sarah for having me! I’ve enjoyed reading the others. Here is my blog for those who haven’t seen it! : http://mylifethroughthecanonlens.blogspot.com/
~Katie

Okay, cheerio til next time, you guys! :)

-Sarah

Oh, the fun to be had......

 Hey everyone! This post is to notify you all about some fantastic things going on over at The Inkpen Authoress. :) Rachel's having a blog party!!! xD And to quote Eloise, "A party you're not part of? What fun is that?" ;)

 The Blog Party

As part of this grand event, there is this really cool pair of fountain pen nib earrings, 

that could be your's free of charge!

  The Wonderful Giveaway

And what's a blog party without a contest? :) Click on the link below and check out all the info.

The Contest

 So, there you go! Please make sure and check it out. :)

-Sarah

Oh Snap! Beth Nell Edition

 

Hey Beth! Thanks for being with us today. What do you think of this cool weather?
It is my pleasure! This cold weather is great-but I am very much looking forward to spring time :)

 Okay, let's get started:

How did you get started into photography? And how old were you?

I was 9 when I got my first long narrow barbie camera...and I remember just loving the fact that I had my own camera and could take pictures that would be mine. It got lost one day and so I used disposable cameras, and many of then at that, until I was 16. I just loved the fact that I could push a button and have memories stored. Permanently! That love has just grown over the years.

What was your very first camera?

My first was the barbie camera and then I saved up for so long to get a digital point and shoot Pentacle camera :)

Who or what inspired you to take up this hobby?
Nobody really inspired me. Just the fact that there is so much freedom with what you can photograph and how you can do it has just always made me want to take pictures and capture memories.N

What kind of equipment are you using right now?( camera,flashes,lens,etc.)
Right now I shoot with a Nikon D90(praying for an upgrade :)) and a 50mm 1:8, 85mm 1:8, 18-105 mm and a zoom lens all Nikon brand. A Nikon Sb600 flash and other such things. But those are my primary things that I use.

Are you self-taught, or have you had classes?

Self taught. Though I have plenty of books and Dvds...I just prefer learning by experience and by being with others that are more knowledgeable.

What is your favorite subject to shoot? (landscapes, profiles, artistic shots, candid moments,etc)

People

Do you have any professional experience? 

Yes.

What is your method for getting new tips, techniques, or new information?
Being around others who know what they are doing :) shadowing photographers and following photographers blogs! :)

Do you, or have you sold your work?

Yes, I have.

Show me one of your favorite shots you've taken. (I know it's a tough question.....)
I currently don't have access to any of my photos and certainly not any of my absolute favorite, but here is one :)

Which of these would you label the photographer side of yourself as: Passionate, a wanna-be, obsessed, artistic, avid, a newbie, a photo-holic, or a die-hard?

Someone who wants to learn to the best of my ability and glorify God with anything that I/my camera may produce.

For how many years have you been interested in this sphere of art?

Quite a few :) avidly since I was 16 so 4 years :)

Now for the big question: is it Canon or Nikon?(or neither :P);)

Definitely Nikon :)

And the last one.....

Why do you love photography, and what is your purpose for doing it? :)

I love it because God has created so many beautiful subjects to be captured. And I love that I can bless others by giving them photographs that they want to keep and can use.

Hi, My name is Beth Lay.

Nestled in the valley of the Blue Ridge Mountains I live with my husband Brandon and our one cat and a donkey. I am striving to be a homemaker that glorifies my husband and my Heavenly Father while teaching violin and reaching out to neighbors. Photography is something I love to do and hope to explore more and more as the days go by.
Her Blog:

Her Photography Blog

:) Thanks so much, Beth!
-Sarah

Little Notes :)

Dear Churchill, thanks a million for staying quiet last night! 

I really needed the rest. :)

Your new sis

Dear Jack Frost, you've got an open invitation here in VA...just sayin'. 

Come and stay as long as you'd like!

Very Warmly...

Dear Latin II, you're a very fun and challenging subject 

and I have a feeling we'll be great chums.

Tu amo ;)

 Dear crazily untuned piano, I've gotta say, you're pretty pathetic.:P

Quite Flatly...

Dear camera, *sigh* Where to begin? I apologize for my

desertion and promise I'll pick you up this week.

Your's til the shutter closes..

Dear Jo-Jo, I was a lonely alto today.... Missing you lots and hope to see you soon! ♥

Lots of Love!

Dear hair, you really vex me. Please grow a tad more before needing to be trimmed again, 

or else you'll stay in a continual state of just-below-the-shoulderness. 

Closely attached...

Dear Winter, Where are you? Why can't I find you? 

Why have you gone a--wayyy? ;P

Ever Hopeful...

Dear Mail-lady, I'd love to get something interesting in the mail...

wanna put a good word in for me?

Thanks!

Dear Amazon Gift Card, you were a delightful surprise and 

have given me a lot of possibilites! Fun, fun, fun! xD

Still shopping...

Dear Lemon-pepper chicken, I will fix you for dinner soon, I promise!

Continually Craving...

Dear January, you sped by like lightening! I've had bunches of fun with you

and hope to enjoy your last week just as much!

Time flew by...

Dear brain, I could use some inspiration just about now...please respond a.s.a.p.! 

Densely...

Dear Abigail, thanks for the amazing weekend and the introduction to contra! :)

Pluffily...

~Sarah

{p.s. If you are a bit confused by the first letter, we have dubbed our new puppy Churchill Sherlock Lewis. C.S. Lewis. Goes by Churchill ;) }

Since a picture's worth a thousand words.....

"Think Pink: A Better Way of Life"

Because we could all use a little more pink in our lives!

(Singing "Defying Gravity", I'll warrant)

Isn't Gracie the cutest? :) [This is one of the tamer outfits she puts together. :P]

Oh Snap! Ampersand Photography edition

Hey Sarah!(by the way, I love the name! ;) Thanks for being with us today.  

Okay, let's get started:

How did you get started into photography? And how old were you?

It was very serendipitous, actually. I was out of highschool, working a part-time job, studying music theory, and praying about what to do with my life. Photography was kind of one of those “huh, I think I'd like to do that someday” things in the back of my mind, but I never seriously considered actually doing it, you know? But it was one of those things I just thought I might like to try. Not long after that I started what would be a three-year stint in full-time ministry. The desire to pursue photography consistently swelled inside of me, but whenever I had time to pursue it, I was broke, and whenever I had money I was working crazy hours and had no time. By the time those three years were up, I was 22, the desire had grown into a passion, which grew into a purpose, and I was determined to pursue it. So I bought a camera and dove in headfirst.

 

What was your very first camera?

I had some little point-and-shoot film camera when I was in high school… I think it was Fuji? I have no idea. My first "real" camera was a Canon 30D. 

Who or what inspired you to take up this hobby?

I love people, and I love communication, and photography seemed to be a very natural way to merge the two loves… and it's much more than a hobby for me. =) 

What kind of equipment are you using right now?( camera,flashes,lens,etc.)

Canon 5d Mk2, Canon 30D, Canon 20mm f/2.8, Canon 50mm f/1.4, Sigma 50mm f/1.4, Canon 85mm f/1.8, Canon 135mm f/2.0, Canon Speedlight 580EX II 

Are you self-taught, or have you had classes?

Mostly self-taught, but I took some workshops through the Institute of Photographic Studies (IPS). If you're looking for a basic, "everything you need to know about photography" class, this is it!!! 

What is your favorite subject to shoot? (landscapes, profiles, artistic shots, candid moments,etc)

Brides. 

Do you have any professional experience?

Yes, I'm starting my fourth year as a full-time, self-employed wedding photographer.  

What is your method for getting new tips, techniques, or new information?

Watching other people and hearing them explain it. 

Do you, or have you sold your work?

Yes and yes. =) 

Show me one of your favorite shots you've taken. (I know it's a tough question.....)

Which of these would you label the photographer side of yourself as: Passionate, a wanna-be, obsessed, artistic, avid, a newbie, a photo-holic, or a die-hard?

None, actually. I would label myself as a professional. Photography is my job, not the thing I think about day in and day out. I think about marketing and to-do lists way more than I think about photographic techniques or cool things to try. And I'd always prefer sitting down with a person and talking heart-stuff over coffee over taking their portrait. Yes, I'm passionate about photography… but I'm more passionate about God and the Gospel. I'm more obsessed with doing well in business than I'm obsessed with photography in itself. I'm definitely a die-hard, but since it's the thing I do all the time and have to do all the time (or I won't have house, car, or food), I've grown past the "I want to be known as a photographer" stage, and I'm now in the "I don't want to be defined merely by my camera" stage. =) 

For how many years have you been interested in this sphere of art?

I've been interested in it for about ten years, I have practiced it for five. 

Now for the big question: is it Canon or Nikon? (or neither :P)  ;)

Canon. Alllll the way. =D 

And the last one..... 

Why do you love photography, and what is your purpose for doing it? :)

Photography is all about seeing people as God sees them. I whole-heartedly believe that every single person is made in the image of God, and reflects a bit of His glory. When I look at a person through my camera lens, I have the precious opportunity to look at them they way that God looks at them, and to document that individual beauty that reflects His glory.  I shoot weddings because I love marriage, and I love marriage because I love Jesus Christ. I also love weddings because I love love, I find joy in contributing to other peoples' happiness, and because... well, I just like pretty things. 

Hi! My name is Sarah. I'm a portrait and wedding photographer in the Northern Virginia-ish area. I'm passionate about God, light, people, and love, and obsessed with just about anything pretty, or textured, or vintage. I love photography, and coffee, and meeting new people, and... lots of other things.

  Website // www.ampersandphoto.com

 Blog // www.ampersandphoto.blogspot.com

Facebook // www.facebook.com/Ampersand.Photo

Twitter // www.twitter.com/scdanaher

~Sarah

The Little Things in life....

 Today I'm linking up with "The Little Things" photography challenge over at lucia,etc. 

 

I was excited about this particular challenge, because first of all, if it has to do with photography,  you can count me in! ;) Secondly, I really liked the subject.
There are so many beautiful, intricate, and wonderful things in God's creation that are easily passed by, just because of their size. Think about a dew-drop on a rose, a spider web, a baby's feet, or a snowflake. I am constantly in awe of the Lord's creativity in *every* piece of His handiwork! :) I can get so much joy from catching one of His little treasures; and you have to remember: They are everywhere! You've just got to notice them. :)

James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

Have a great Sunday, you all!
~Sarah

Nonsensical Girl! ;)

Prepare yourselves for a very...interesting post. I [Rachel] have invited Sarah to take part in a strange sort of post. It'll start off like any other story, only we'll alternate writing sentences....almost like a madlib. I'll write a bit and then ask Sarah for a sentence or word, and her's will be given and written down without knowing anything that's already on the page. :) Black words are mine. Blue are Sarah's. Ready? :)

Once upon a time in a land not so very far away in a place not at all metallic for this sort of creature lived a....Echidna. It was uncommon for echidnas to live in The Forest of Never-Never because they were the favorite food of...Cabinets. Every evening the cabinets would tramp about holding their sabers in their earlobes and making terrible noises. The echidnas would hide, being careful to not make a "squish" lest the cabinets hear them.
But one Perforated evening in March, Edmund, the last and onliest echidna in the kingdom decided he had had Opaque. He crawled out of his bungalow, intent on killing all the Cabinets before he returned. He had nothing but the Cellos on his back, and a dangling spear that he had tied to his left fore-leg with a piece of parliament. Thus it was that Edmund sallied diagonally through the Forest of Never-Never to seek his revenge.
Near 5:45 Edmund reached the first of the Cabinets' hotels. There was no one about the place, save a noisy cabinet-sentry who appeared to have been drinking too deeply of the Barley-Juice. Edmund gathered himself and sprang at the sentry, knocking him backward into a puddle of tentacles. It was evident that the sentry was agitated. He would trouble Edmund no longer. Edmund flew through the chimney and alighted on the parlor sheet-music. Ah, so this is what the Cabinets did with all the diamonds they stole from the pantries of his people! Edmund ground his elbows in fury. He would leap every last cabinet on the place or die in the memory. But then, just as he had risen from the ground and taken his brass knuckles in his paw, a faint beep told him that he was discovered. And that, my dear hopes, was the end of this spotted warrior. Many Moons  may Edmund-The-Spotted live on in our chins, and may we fort-nightly remember his blue quest.

The Purse

:D I love keeping people in the dark! Sarah was a prime subject, because I didn't even let her know the barest bones of the plot of this story. :D Oh my goodness! This turned out funnier than I thought it would. ~Rachel

P.s. It's twice as funny reading it aloud. :) 

All I have to say is.....

AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! xD 

I am totally in love with our new design, beautifully done by Bree! Thank you so much for giving our blog a wonderful makeover! :) So what do you guys think of the new look? Please leave us a comment and let us know!

Hairstyle Tutorial: Free-fall Curls :)

No matter what anyone says, I am still of the opinion that gently curling hair is one of the most beautiful ways to wear your hair down. It's so feminine and timeless.

Now, I know that most people are not endowed with this perfect sort of hair that is neither too kinky or stick-straight. I have never dealt with kinky hair so I'm afraid I can't help you sorts much, but I have developed a way for people with straighter hair to get curls without having to use curlers, or a curling iron. Bear with me. :)
Curling irons are terrible for your hair (not to mention a pain for anyone trying to do their hair independently) because they basically fry each strand of your hair. Now and then it isn't a problem, but if you are in the habit of frequently using a curling iron your hair will end up frizzled. Yeah. Not so much.
So here's how to get soft, gentle curls:

Start with clean, slightly damp hair. (Not too damp, or else you'll have to have it up for much longer.) Beginning with medium-sized strands of your hair, wind them around your fingers and into coils (rather like a curler-shape), then pin down. You can pin them flat or leave them standing up. If you do this step neatly, you can achieve this sort of look:
I love this method of curling my hair because it is perfect for wearing throughout the day. If I put it up in the morning, I wear it through the afternoon, and then if I'm going out in the evening I let down the coils and voila! We have lovely, soft curls! :)

There are no tangles or curlers-getting-stuck using this method, and it is fairly easy to do on oneself. Here are two pictures of the process. (Pardon the lighting--the camera battery was dying and I didn't have time to be choosey.) You can spray your hair after you let it down if you'd like. :)

Tips about this style:

Tip One: The longer you leave the coils up, the tighter the curls are.
Tip Two: This style is a great base for some of the historical styles I've shown you how to do.

I hope you enjoyed this hairstyle tutorial! :) ~Rachel

A Happy-ish New-Years-ish sort of Post

 First let me say....

HAPPY NEW YEARS!!!!!!!!

I am still trying to grasp the fact that the holidays are over!! :P But either way, we are officially in 2012 now. So, that brings up an interesting subject....what are you calling it? Are you going with the more traditional, "Two-thousand and twelve" or the trendy, "Twenty-Twelve"? :) I have a feeling I'll be using the latter.....but we'll see! I hope you all had a great New Years' Eve, complete with family, friends, games, snacks, sparklers, and fun!:)

You can't truly bring in the new year without Sparklers!!! Right? :)

Bop-it is a great game to play in a group setting!!! :)

 

Oh, and I really hope all of you were sports and stayed up til Midnight at least. ;) I, for one, didn't go to bed til 2:00! :P 

*the* ball! We do like to see it go down, but have found through the years that it's best to turn the TV on at the 1 minute mark, and turn it off as soon as the count-down's done! :P

 

How many of you have made any resolutions, goals, or the like for this brand new year? In our family we pick a few goals for the year---and we try to categorize them either physical, spiritual, or I guess you'd call it "intellectual". (any sort of skill, project, educational type thing would go into this one) 

Anyways, have a great night, and we'll see you guys later. 

~Sarah

*WOOOOO-HOOOO!!!!!!*  Bye-bye 2011!!!!!