Clint and I are back from an amazing trip to Siguatepeque, Honduras. Our hearts and minds are still in a bit of a tailspin from the journey. When I set out to create a Portrait of Providence I did not know exactly what it was going to look like. We are still processing so many of our experiences but the thing that we were both struck by the most  is the MIGHTY work that the Holliday family is doing with Providence World Ministries. I know that they are objecting to such praise and attention because they are true servants who “do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit but in humility consider others better than themselves” (Phil 2:3).

I have been attempting to organize the many, many (2,449!) images that I took on our trip. I chose the above as a little sneak peek sampler at random and was struck by the thought that each image is in a way a portrait of the Holliday family. The first image IS their sweet family and the rest are people that in some way are being served by their family. The orphans, the school children as well as their families, at church, and in the village, the Hollidays are working as the hands and feet of Jesus.

 Israel and Hollie Holliday and their four children, serve as missionaries for Providence World Ministries, at La Providencia orphanage in Honduras. Clint and I are headed there this week for a visit. He will be building a brick oven (and anything else that needs to be done) while I photograph the families and school children of Providence.

La Providencia is a special place and not what I would typically think of for an orphanage. I copied the following from their site:

La Providencia places the orphans into family homes with a set of parents and seven siblings, and the families of 10 will be together for the entirety of the children’s educational lives. The children will also “inherit” a grandmother (from the widows’ home), aunts, uncles, and cousins.

  ”Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10 is one of my favorite verses-  God’s grace abounds in my life. It is my hearts desire to celebrate families with photography.  Our family pictures provide me with so much encouragement- I can’t wait to photograph and celebrate the families of Providence by gifting them with portraits. I cannot see a small child without thinking of my own boys. I love them so very much and am so very grateful for their lives. It’s with a mother’s heart that I see all of God’s children and yearn to serve them. 

I have been brainstorming ways for my photographer buddies, and blog readers to help. There are so many! First, we can use your prayers for: safety, good health, and that our work be glorifying to God. I’ll be posting more after returning from our trip. Some of my most fabulous girlfriends are hostessing a super fun benefit for Providence. Lots of amazing door prizes, and cool items for sale (like 147 t-shirts!) and photography sessions up for silent auction, all to help the families. I am very happy to say that White House Custom Color (the best print lab in the whole world) has already donated seriously reduced print rates for the portraits being sent back to Honduras! 

Looking forward to sharing the portraits soon, and giving all of you photography lovers the opportunity to help with this exciting endeavor!

 I had the pleasure of photographing the Holliday’s last year when they were at home visiting family in Tennessee.  This image of Hollie is one of my favorites. She is beautiful, and the example that she sets as a wife, mother, and Christian woman is inspiring. I cannot wait to visit her next week, and Lord willing have some of that goodness rub off on me

Horray for Camille! She is beautiful, talented, smart, kind and caring. These are what I call, middle school senior portraits- she will be making the big change from eigth grade to high school next year. She is so fun-lovin’ and darn cute!

Last fall I donated a gift certificate to a silent auction benefiting Providence World Ministries. I was thrilled to learn that the winning bidder gifted the Oatsvall family with the prize. There is so much to say about this family that I don’t even know where to start! Gwen and her friend Suzanne (two moms with thirteen kids) started 147 million orphans, an organization that speaks up for those who cannot speak for themselves. The Oatsvall’s are in the process of adopting (again), and this week they got the call! meaning she will be traveling to Uganda to have her court hearing concerning the adoption of Joseph and Daisy. It is a long process, but Lord willing, will result in bringing her babies home. I absolutely cannot wait to celebrate this family with photography! Gwen said that she gets goose bumps thinking  of Daisy and Joesph being in their family portraits. Me too!  I share this good news so that you can join me in praying for this family, and the 147 million orphans around the world.

If you love our T’s… get one! The money helps to feed children in need, Amazima Ministries, and raise awareness of the orphan crisis.

Today’s fancy camera tip: How to take portraits of your own two children together… Yeah, right. I wish that I could offer that advice!

The first one  is my favorite… Me: “James Henry, will you please sit by your brother so that I can take your picture.”

JH: ”Eli, take picture with James.”  You can see James (the red train) by Eli’s foot- and then Eli is looking at me as if to say- “Do you really think this is going to happen?” The last grouping is a lil sampler to show the process. James Henry started way out in the field and eventually made his way back. Ahhhh, at least E stays in one spot.

 I love a little photo journalism, and I love, love images of my boys playing together. I try to be nonchalant about it without my flash, so in the first three I turned up the ISO to 1600. I had a pretty big aperture (f 2.8) and very slow shutter speed (1/50 and 1/25 in another). I am surprised that there is not more motion blur. I usually try not to go under 1/100 sec, especially for children.  Anyway,  I was laying on the ground and therefore steadied my camera a bit that way. I have a problem with camera shake so I usually try to lean on something for support.  The last image of Eli standing, woah! Is that my baby? pulling up?! I did use my flash for that one. Oh, and I was using my wide angle 16-35 mm lens, hoping to show more of the room.

Gotta go lower a crib mattress with all of this new pulling up going on… That Eli will be running away from my camera before I know it!

Hello! I will be in Douglasville, Georgia for sessions in March. Please contact me to reserve your preferred time. See y’all real soon!