best face of may {i heart faces}

This was my sister's "can you please stop taking pictures of me now" face.  :)

becoming like the flower

I see them through the viewfinder of my camera.  There is a space between me and them that is hindering me from seeing their true beauty.  It's not until I put my camera down and just look, I see their true beauty.

She and I took over fifty pictures of those flowers that day.  We laughed as people stared at us and the cameras around our necks.  We talked about anything and everything.  Sharpening each other.  Like iron sharpens iron.  But what we didn't know, and what we are still learning, is that we are becoming like flowers.

Beautiful, gentle, strong.  We are becoming the girls God created us to be.  Together.   

We are determined to be the girls who are not looked at only through a camera lens, but the girls who are looked at with respectful, interested, honoring eyes.

We want to be the girls who aren't sold for $2.95 instead of their $8.50 original price.  Because, you see, Someone has already made a purchase before us.  He was the $8.50 that was sold for $2.95.  He was and is the One who is teaching us to become like the flower.  My question to you, girls, is this:  Do you know Him?  Are you striving to become the girl He wants and created you to be?

a little housekeeping

1.  New design.  Love it or hate it?  I, personally, am in love.  Sometimes, when I have nothing to do, I will go and just look at it for a minute.  :)

2.  Button.  Very excited about this!!  I finally made a blog button.  I'm not completely happy with the way it turned out, but, it's good for now.  You can grab it on my sidebar if you want!  Also, would you comment and let me know if you put it on your blog?

3.  Pictures and Words.  I forget that this is the "topic" of my blog.  I feel like I've focused a lot of photography the past couple weeks, so I am going to be writing things soon.  Just words, with the occasional picture thrown in.

i really can't wait for summer.

As I've experienced those first few days of summer, I am starting to remember.  I love summer, but I also hate summer.  Love it because, quite simply, it's summer!  Hate it because after a while it becomes boring.  Since I live in the country, away from a lot of people, it gets a little quiet at my house. 

But for the moment, I am loving summer, even though it's been raining most of the time.  I can't help but think of our vacation a month ago.  The pictures of sun and water and beach bring back wonderful memories.

I can't wait for that summer sun that waits for kids to come play in the sprinkler or build a fort.  I can't wait for the bike rides and ice cream.  And, I can't wait for swimming pools and bathing suits!

Remember this picture?  I love it! 

And this.  This right here is the essence of Charleston. 

What are your summer plans?



lovely photo wednesday

I love flower pictures.  A lot.  Especially with my 50mm on a small f-stop.  Lovely bokeh is produced!  :)

p.s. Anna Gray is having an awesome giveaway here!

thankful

thankful

for chalk-covered baby sisters

that after last night, there is no more school

(that is, besides the lovely math my mom is making me do)

my camera

ice cream during school

ice cream in general

sharpie pens (best.thing.ever.)

the comics

garage sales

the time to sit down and write

thankful for dressing up

for notebooks that call to me to write in them :)

for very intrigued kittens

summer

summer jobs

exciting news

a garden

summer {again}

friends

finally being able to play soccer

what are YOU thankful for today?

also posted at Sealed for Redemption

inspired by finding joy: friday favorite things

siblings {click and capture entry}

Similar to Kiley, I am in love with this picture.  It is one of the few of my sister that I have taken where she is standing still! :)

i'm a photographer

I call myself a photographer - not a professional, but an ever-learning photographer.

I carry my camera around like a mother carries a newborn baby.

I experiment like a mad-scientist.

I capture scenes like any artist does.

I photograph babies

and bumblebees

and converse-wearing ballerinas.

Oh, and don't forget the bokeh.

And often, on that rare occasion, I lend my camera to begging siblings.

I watch them trot off, happy as can be with a new gadget that they get to hold.

But, I don't leave.  I keep them in my sight.

And, when they've held that camera for just a little too long, I'm often the one begging to have it back.

Literally.

Because, I do not believe I could go through a day without my camera.

of shadows and silhouettes contest

Wow - I've been gone for a while.  My computer had some viruses, so I wasn't posting or uploading any new photos.  But I am back!  I will be posting either tonight or tomorrow with lots of pictures!  :)

From Under My Little Umbrella

new giveaway winners

Since the winners of two items in the giveaway did not contact me, I picked two new ones!

So...the winner of a custom header made by Grace... HOPE

And the winner of a necklace made by me... RACHEL

Winners, please email me here!  

blog party - pretty in purple

I've decided to enter this - there are some great prizes!  :)

Favorite thing about summer?  No school!  I can be outside, read any book I want, and have tons of free time to do the things I don't have time for during the school year. Plus, this year, I might get a job.  That's good - right?  :)

Twilight fan?  No, not at all.

Favorite quote?  "To lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer's day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time."  Sir John Lubbock

Best thing that ever happened to you?  I accepted Jesus.

Think of every place in the world possible...which of those places would you go to?  If I could, I would go everywhere!  But, my top picks would be England, France, and Ethiopia!  :)

Favorite food?  I don't really have a favorite.  I'm not a picky eater.  I really like watermelon, corn, and burgers in the summer though!

What type of music do you listen to?  Mainly Christian.  Sometimes I listen to Taylor Swift.  :)

Flipflops, bare feet, heels, or flats?  Barefeet!

Skirts or jeans?  Jeans.  I like both, but wear jeans way more often.

Fresh or saltwater?  We go to a clean lake in the summer, and I personally, like it better than the ocean. 

Skittles or M&M's?  Skittles!

Are you a morning person or more of a night person?  I'm both - if that's possible.  I love to stay up late, but I can't sleep past 10 am even if I want to.  

So, your best friend is talking to a new girl in school...the new girl asks who you are...what do you think your best friend says?  First, I'm homeschooled.  Second, I hope my friend says something true.  :)

Gotta tic?  You know, biting your nails, scrunching your nose, etc.?  I pop my knuckles a lot.  I'm trying to stop though!

Pen or pencil?  Pens.

Paper or plastic?  Can I say both?  It doesn't matter to me!  :)

There you go!  Hope you learned a little about me.  Head over to My Mismatched Life and enter! 

giveaway winners!!

It's time to announce the winners!  Thank you everyone who entered - I hope you had fun!  (Selected with True Random Number Generator.)

*Winners, please contact me by the 15th.  Because Blogger was down, I am extending the time!*

Winner of Allie's earrings



Emma Marx



Winner of a custom header by Grace



Pralinka



Winner of a necklace made by me



~Lauren



Winner of a custom button made by Danielle



Madie M.



Winner of a template made by Megan



Kristen

Winners, please contact me within the next 48 hours, or else a new winner will be selected.  Thanks again to everyone who entered!  Who knows?  I might do another giveaway again!  :)



my favorite photos of the week {so far}

mhmm..gotta love the sunflare!

this was a total random experiment, but it was so fun.  :)

why the {so far}?  because there are always more, my dear friends, always more!

p.s.  Only two more days to enter my giveaway!

giveaway announcement...

Hey everyone!  I wanted to give you a quick update about the giveaway.  First of all, thank you so much to all of you who have entered!  Second, please please please make sure you are a follower of my blog before you comment.  This is mandatory to win, and a few of you have entered, but not followed my blog!  Thanks!  :)

mondays

In my house, Mondays are some of the best afternoons.  For me, a warm, sunny afternoon=picture taking!  I, personally, love taking pictures that crack me up!  Such as this...

And this...
(I think he's pretending to eat leaves.  I really don't know why.)

Other times, I just take photos of the most random things.  Like peas in the garden.



 But, it's always the most fun to take pictures of my siblings.  They're the best subjects!  :)  I'm entering this in Allie's Happy Monday photography contest!

Have a lovely Monday!

i want to be a dandelion

I want to be like a dandelion...

I want to bloom where I'm planted.

And, after a time, when I face trials

And I learn,

I want to venture out on my own.  I want to find my own way.

And when I learn what it means to be free, I want to come back to your arms, where you hold me tight.  Though it sometimes feels like those arms might be holding me too tight, I will always, always, come back to them.  I will always come back to the place I was planted to grow some more.  Because, I can never learn enough from you.  I will always love you.

giveaway!

Only two people have entered the giveaway so far!  Go enter!  There's still lots of time!  :) Click here!

100 followers giveaway | CLOSED

Well, it's that time.  The time when almost every blogger gets excited about having 100 followers.  Thus, they decide to hold a giveaway.  Today, I'm that blogger!  :)  I didn't get this up as early as I had planned, so now I actually have 106 followers.  Thank you so much guys!  So, let't gets started...

what you can win:

This pair of earrings by Allie

blog

etsy

A custom header made by Grace

blog

website

This necklace made by me

(This one is mine.  You will get a brand new one that looks exactly like this.)

A custom button made by Danielle

blog

website



This blog template made by Megan

blog

These are great prizes guys!  So, do you want to know how you can win?

Mandatory (in one comment):

Follow A Story Told in Pictures, and tell me which item in this giveaway is your favorite!

Additional entries (in separate comments):

-Follow allie photography

-Follow grace loves the beatles

-Follow Paper Heart

-Follow Me. That's all I have to be.

-Put the giveaway button on your sidebar

(Found right at the top of my sidebar!)

-Have my blog link on your sidebar or blogroll page (I am making a button soon!)

*Make sure you put each one of these in a different comment!*

That's it!  You have seven ways to win!  The winner will be announced on May 12, 2011.