this is the story of my life...

new blog: launched!

2010-01-03T21:45:00.001-06:00

hello friends!
i have switched blogs! please follow me over to my new blog!!
xoxo
caryn

new blog in the works! :)

2009-12-23T20:18:00.003-06:00

(photo of me with one of my roommates, jane)

i hope you are enjoying the winter holidays! i am enjoying the cool weather, sleeping in, lots of hot chocolate with whip cream, finishing books that i start reading, spending time with my family and friends, eating all sorts of holiday goodies, taking long naps....oh and of course doing a little bit of work! freelance workers are never fully off. :) i am working on....(drum roll)......

A NEW BLOG!

get excited. hopefully it will be finished before the holidays are over! i will keep you in the loop!
in the meantime, merry christmas and happy new year!
xoxo
caryn

my adorable family :)

2009-12-05T21:03:00.005-06:00

i love my family. they are:
-silly
-loving
-memory makers
-precious
-forgiving
-laughter-oriented
-unforgettable
-cherished
-MINE.

merry christmas from my family and i.... a-texas sends lots of love!
xoxo
caryn

family photos and giggles

2009-12-01T13:02:00.004-06:00

one monday morning i was able to prance around downtown roundrock with this adorable family. our morning was filled with lots of giggles (thanks to their son who is a born-comedian) and donuts (round rock donuts are the BEST). i did this shoot right before thanksgiving and i can honestly say, i was THANKFUL to take their photos! :)

troxell family

2009-11-22T11:58:00.006-06:00

the troxell family: smart, witty and flexible. last night i went out to their house in south austin and shot away. their little girl, anna was ADORABLE and so much fun to take photos of. i am so glad the rain held out for our shoot. :) what a fun evening!

bryant family

2009-11-20T19:05:00.006-06:00

this was my third shoot of the bryant family this year! being new parents, they wanted photos of them with their sweet little girl, mia, every 3-4 months. it has been really fun capturing little mia's growth and figuring out new ways to portray this delightful family. :)

haley family

2009-11-15T23:46:00.004-06:00

if you don't know the haley family, get to know them. NOW. they are amazing. i met them a while back because i worked with craig at rudy's bbq when i was a jr/sr in high school. my family got to know their family and became friends.

i had the most delightful shoot with them last night. the kids were so well behaved and the parents were totally chill. it was great. mrs. haley is really talented. she made the ADORABLE outfits that her daughters are wearing. i know, they totally look like they belong in a pricey boutique shop. :) on top of that she blessed me with a gift basket for taking photos of them. like i told you before, they are amazing. who does that? um...they do.

thanks for an awesome shoot guys! y'all are wonderful--

e-shoot in NYC

2009-11-15T22:54:00.007-06:00

the day after the wedding (previous post) lee ann, john (lee's fiance), heidi and i took a train to NYC. three hours of giggles and we made it!! basically, fun travels with us wherever we go.
for a few hours we played in the city and took engagement photos. i loved being able to capture lee anne and john's beautiful relationship. they are so in love with Jesus and with each other. it also helped that both of them are really creative, have street smarts and gps phones. :)

that little taste of new york has made me crave for more ever since. i can't wait to go back!
love you guys-
caryn

when your bestie gets hitched...

2009-11-15T22:35:00.009-06:00

i love my friends. i love weddings. i love traveling.
last weekend i was in PA for jen's wedding. it was gorgeous but what was even more exciting was the mini-reunion that took place between jen, lee anne, heidi and i. we all spent 6 months serving in south africa together and we haven't been together since then. it was wonderful!
i love those girls and i loved being apart of jen's wedding.
whoa...good times.

pinson family

2009-11-15T22:04:00.005-06:00

cutesy fam. bright colors. yummy cupcakes.

hottie with a harp

2009-11-15T21:11:00.003-06:00

this is one of my roommates, nat. she is a total hottie. on top of that she has mad harp skills.

we met a few years ago serving in east austin together. she had purple hair at the time, which initially made me want to be her friend. (i mean seriously, anyone with purple hair HAS to be super cool) she is really awesome and i am so glad we are roomies.

a few things i love about nat:
-she is SO joyful
-she loves Jesus
-she is constantly singing beautiful melodies
-she gives the BEST massages all the freaking time (i'm officially addicted...haha)
-her music is soothing to the soul and brings peace to a room

(ok, i could go on forever, but i wont. you get the point. she is GREAT!)
xox
c

a downtown wedding one saturday afternoon

2009-10-26T18:19:00.005-05:00

last weekend i was able to help out a friend as her second shooter. it's been forever since i have shot as a backup and it was GREAT. i was doing what i love without any pressure. how perfect can it get? sure, i don't get paid nearly as much but shoot...it was worth the break! :) i was able to step back and capture things from a distance--more of a photojournalistic point of view.

above are the shots from that weekend:: a couple in love, a catholic ceremony and a downtown wedding. enjoy.

edit.edit.edit.shoot.edit.edit.

2009-10-24T11:05:00.002-05:00

someone once told me that taking photos is only 1/4th of the job, editing is the other 3/4ths. i refused to beleive them. that was ludicrous! if you are a good photographer, i thought there would be less of an emphasis on editing. i was wrong and i can finally admit it.
i don't like altering images--i like keeping them as original as possible, however, editing is good.

editing:
saturates gorgeous colors
takes away acne
brightens cloudy days
changes the mood
trashes the "bad" shots

i spend about 50/50 shooting and editing. thanks to LR sometimes i spend my ideal of only editing 1/4th of the time...but it always depends.

so, for all those who have been questioning me on editing, i like it.
--not a lot of it, but just enough to give the shots an umph--
and for those who question the ethics of editing photos, i don't care. i am still going to edit. :)

hello band

2009-10-16T13:15:00.006-05:00

hello band. hello rain. hello laughter.
what a fun shoot!

bethany+david e-session

2009-10-15T12:46:00.003-05:00

it is so easy to take engagement photos. they are my absolute FAVORITE. it's so fun because i get to photos of adorable couples that are madly in love and have fun with it. oh, and another reason i like e-session the most is because i laugh so much during the shoot! :)

david and bethany's shoot was no exception. we had a grand time despite the nasty weather (what's up with all this rain??). they were so photogenic and stylish--but i am sure i didn't have to mention that for you to notice. david is in med school and bethany is finishing her degree in interior design. they met through a mutual friend at abilene christian university. it only took one date for them to know that it was more than just a fun dating relationship...it was legit. how cute is that?

congrats you lovebirds! i loved capturing your beautiful relationship. :)

puddles everywhere

2009-10-14T17:20:00.004-05:00

this is one thing that happens when it rains for a week in austin:: photographers step in puddles and make fools of themselves. :) the end.

playing in the rain

2009-10-04T23:45:00.004-05:00

the last few weddings i have shot it has been raining...surprisingly, every bride has been ok with that! :) mr. and mrs. dady are an adorable couple. softball and cute dates helped encourage a lifelong commitment. they were both calm, yet giggly, on their wedding day. to be honest, i think the parents were more jittery than they were! despite the persistent sprinkling, they decided to keep the ceremony outside. the guest stood, the pastor speed up the vows and in under 10 minutes the ceremony was over! it was by far the quickest i have EVER been to and they deserve an award for pulling it off! congrats to the daring couple! :)

my father

2009-09-28T10:28:00.004-05:00

my dad: compassionate, loving, wise, godly, patient, technological [geek], generous, selfless, determined, servant, friend, clown, peaceful, and i. love. him.

out of office

2009-09-26T19:25:00.003-05:00

i will be out of office for a little while. unfortunately, i have the swine flu. at least i will have a good excuse for sleeping all day long. :)
love,
miss piggy

a smorgasborg of shots i took this week

2009-09-18T20:11:00.004-05:00

just a few shots from this week. eh... hope you enjoy. :)

team wallace.

2009-09-18T17:27:00.004-05:00

erin+joshua=adorable. can't you see?! erin is a piano teacher and josh is a football coach. they randomly met through a mutual friend a year ago and obviously hit it off. :) last weekend they pronounced their undying love for one another in a little town called wimberley, texas.

the day was rainy and gloomy--two things a bride desperately hopes won't happen on her wedding. on top of that, the cursed drought was broken with flood warnings everywhere. i anticipated a very unhappy bride but erin was still smiling and ready 'rain or shine' to say her vows.

the lighting proved to be a challenge for the formals BUT i was able to push my creative mind to a new level as i tried to figure out to get as much light out of the cloudy night sky. (my shooting philosophy is natural & available lighting only.)

both erin and josh saved their first kiss for the alter--something i RARELY see at weddings. it was such a blessing being apart of their beautiful union. i hope you are blessed by this sneak peek.

:)
caryn

pepperlicious

2009-09-12T10:46:00.006-05:00

meet hilary and travis: a couple that has been waiting for each other from the day they were born. between goofiness and deep thinking, they balance each other out so well. on labor day they were married at a cute venue called kindred oaks. many adventures await this new couple in austin, pennsylvania, and only God knows where else! they are ready to love on people, together, as a team, wherever they are lead. blessings on your new journey!

the new girl in town

2009-09-04T17:17:00.009-05:00

there is a new model stepping out, and her name is avery. she is lovely, with a happy-go-lucky outlook and a daring "i will go anywhere and do anything" attitude. i LOVED photographing her because she really would do anything i asked her to do, which is a photographers dream. :)
i wish you the best of luck sweet girl!

scotland meets california

2009-08-28T21:33:00.008-05:00

scotland meets california and falls in love.
sound weird to you? well, if you know emily and joey's story it wouldn't sound weird. in fact, it's just the start of their love journey.
a few summers back they met while serving in africa. (cool, right?!) chemistry happened and they stayed in touch. in between shared visions and adventurous spirits they realized that only God could have made this match. so they decided to make it permanent. :)

last weekend i flew up to lake tahoe to capture their beautiful union. it was the most laid back wedding i have EVER seen. everyone camped out in the woods--including the bride and groom! the day of the wedding their closest friends and family joined them for a time of relaxation and fun at the lake. no wedding worries, just laughter.

for me, their wedding was refreshing. i love out of the ordinary, and emily and joey most definitely had an unforgettably beautiful day.
i can't wait to hear about your future adventures as a couple! i am sure ya'll will change the world....
love to both of you--
c

lovers and a vineyard

2009-08-28T16:47:00.004-05:00

an adorable couple + a beautiful venue = a DELIGHTFUL wedding! here's a sneak peek from a wedding i shot two weekends ago.

spring break

2009-08-24T10:06:00.005-05:00

so i know that these are super late but here are some shots from my trip to the bahamas during spring break. :)

oh, baby.

2009-08-20T17:43:00.002-05:00

oh, baby! isn't she adorable? blue eyes, spunky personality and contagious giggles. babies are so cute and it's great to "have one" for a few hours during a shoot....then again, it's nice to return the little sweet potato afterward the shoot too. :)

bridals in holland

2009-08-20T17:34:00.004-05:00

bridals in holland with a girlfriend? could it be any better? :) eleanor is a dear friend and obviously beautiful! one day while we were in holland we took a little time to shoot her unconventional, unique and fun bridals. i loved every second!

back from never land

2009-07-29T09:41:00.003-05:00

i'm back from europe! woohoo! in 5 weeks we traveled through: england, scotland, ireland, wales, france, norway, finland, and the netherlands....and i took about 5,000 photos. it was ridiculous. i loved every second and i would do it all over again.

a few favorites:
-accents ( i LOVED hearing them change from place to place)
-pastries and coffee (european coffee shops beat starbucks for sure)
-the rich history
-the beautiful views. at one point in wales i looked around and realized that i was surrounded by a beach, mountains, and a quaint town. what the heck?
-people. in some places (france...cough) people were SO rude that it became funny.
-cultural experiences (like the sauna in finland, swimming in the north sea in norway, tea time in great britain, etc.)

once i finish editing some work shoots i will tackle the photos from europe and post a few!
i LOVE my job and i am so glad to be back home with a schedule booked with lots of goodies.
xox
caryn

off to europe....

2009-06-18T22:08:00.000-05:00

i will be out of the country in northern europe (england, ireland, scotland, finland, norway and the netherlands to be exact) from june 19th-july 25th. feel free to shoot me an email but give me some grace with responding....i am sure you will understand the dilemma i am in: answering emails or exploring the beauty and excitement that lies in european countries. tough choice, i know! :)
photos from my adventure will come soon after, promise.
i LOVE traveling!!!
caryn

it's hot, let's get married.

2009-06-18T21:40:00.005-05:00

sometimes i don't know what couples think when they plan their wedding date. i mean seriously, we know that it's freakin' hot in texas, especially in the summer. so why do couples get hitched? i hope they get a discount or something. it was 102* outside when mary and tim got married last saturday. it was an outdoor wedding, and everyone was shimmering with dropplets of sweat. it was gross and beautiful at the same time. ha!
here is their sneak peek. what a fun couple!!!

L-O-V-E

2009-06-17T16:54:00.006-05:00

jonathan and leslie are a cute couple that met and fell in love at UT. (hook 'em horns!)
we took their engagement shoot around the UT campus and then headed over to a candy shop for some seriously yummy fun. :) here's a sneak peek!

from friends to lovers

2009-06-08T19:16:00.004-05:00

andy and erika are FINALLY engaged! after years of being "just friends" they took their relationship to the next notch towards the end of high school and have been inseparable since then. their wedding is schedule for may 2010--once they graduate from college.

cute history. fun engagement shoot. adorable couple. end of story.

baby anya::4 days old::

2009-06-01T10:08:00.004-05:00

i adore baby shoots. there is something about seeing little humans only a few days old...their tiny fingers and toes are wrinkly and red. their eyes are sensitive to the bright light....and they cry, a lot. this shoot was no exception! first off, baby anya is one of my dear friend's baby. so, before i met her i already loved her. :) she cried, slept, pooped, peed, and spit up several times on their leather chair....all in 15 minutes. morgan and i laughed and unlike many sleep deprived mothers she exuberated patience with her new little one and cleaned up the messes with a smile.
i enjoyed the shoot and left feeling thankful that motherhood is nowhere near my immediate future. :)

a lot like love

2009-05-28T21:44:00.006-05:00

last weekend i shot a wedding in san antonio. the weather was CRAZY all day saturday up until 30 minutes before the outdoor ceremony. the couple decided to keep the wedding outside and it ended up being beautiful. sunny blue skies replaced the dark clouds and rain. it was amazing.

the couple met as freshmen in college and dated for six years. after traveling the world together they finally decided to make it official and flew into san antonion all the way from virgina to make their commitment legit. what a precious story.

i love my job

2009-05-27T13:31:00.004-05:00

photography is such a blessing to me. unlike most of the population, i can actually say that i love my job. i am SO grateful to be able to utter 'thanks' at the end of the day. seriously.
let me tell you 10 reasons why i like my job so much:
1. my schedule is flexible.
2. i meet the most interesting people.
3. i get to travel for some weddings!
4. i am constantly outside.
5. my "office" where i edit shoots changes from one coffee shop to the next & i really like coffee.
6. i get a backstage pass into weddings-one of the most important days in people's lives.
7. i get to be creative.
8. i always leave a shoot with at least one funny or embarrassing story & that makes me laugh.
9. i can help people, organizations, etc. with my skills.
10. i receive joy by using the gifts God has given me.

so yes, those are just a FEW reasons why i really really like my job.
:)
caryn

brad + rachel

2009-05-25T11:05:00.007-05:00

two weekends ago brad and rachel said "i do" in dallas texas. the ceremony was well thought out with a purpose behind every detail. although the day started out with pouring rain by the time they left the church the skies were nothing but blue....what a great way to start out their lives together!

we are family!

2009-05-22T16:59:00.004-05:00

roxy is one of my best friends...she is like a sister to me and we kind of act like sisters. for mother's day rox and her brother's (and sister in law) decided to get some photos done for their mom/grandma. :) the shoot was really fun and filled with little avery-mai's squeals of delight--she loved the peacocks.

bridals

2009-05-20T17:23:00.005-05:00

i absolutely LOVE shooting bridals! they are so much fun. :) i shot rachel's bridals back in march but i couldn't post them until she tied the knot! this past weekend brad and her said "i do" in dallas, texas. i can't wait to post photos from their wedding. as you can see rachel is stunning and super fun. her bridal shoot kept me on my feet and laughing the whole time.

hilary + travis [e-session]

2009-05-18T18:01:00.004-05:00

this couple was so fun to shoot! authenticity, humility, and a love for Jesus shine through there beautiful relationship. we went to several spots and they made the time fly by quickly. the nature shots were my favorites--for sure. i am definitely looking forward to their wedding in september! congrats you two love birds! :)

two hearts, one mission

2009-04-30T22:07:00.004-05:00

jonathan and lauren are one of the SWEETEST couples i have ever met. last spring we were in a community group together and had an instant connection--a love for africa.
they are getting ready to go to north africa for 3 years, so we got together for a little prayer-card photo shoot and lots of fun. :)

soon to be 4

2009-04-27T10:42:00.007-05:00

my dear friend and mentor, morgan, is very pregnant and due in less than a month! i greatly enjoyed our sweet photo shoot this past weekend. her family is filled with joy and exuberates peace. i love being around them. baby photos of their first girl, anya, are due in a few weeks! :)

emily, a senior

2009-04-27T10:31:00.005-05:00

emily is a senior at westwood high school. besides being studious, she is on the lacrosse team and plays the violin. in the fall she will be studying journalism (get it girl) in chicago. we had a splendid time downtown--despite the drunk guys that kept hitting on her. :)

the medina family

2009-04-27T10:17:00.003-05:00

one saturday afternoon a few weeks ago i took photos of the medina family. at the beginning everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong. from weddings taking place at our shooting locations to a sudden outburst of rain...it was quite eventful. thankfully, this family was full of grace and went through the good and the bad with a sense of humor. :)

kids + an author

2009-04-09T09:39:00.004-05:00

this past weekend was filled with lots of photo-lovin'. i had my part 2 shoot with the twins that i took photos of in february. they were spunky as ever. the cutsie with the bear is a model. she adores the camera and can't get enough of me in her face taking "princess photos" of her. unfortunately her brother is a pollar opposite. he loathes the camera and decided to cover his head with his shirt/blanket/toy/hand....ANYTHING so that i couldn't get a photo of his face. this presented a challenge that eventually was overcome through the tickle monster. :)

on sunday afternoon i met with a new christian author, Shametra.
she is currently writting her second book and we did a mini-shoot for some ideas. besides shooting we also had coffee, laughed and shared stories--my favorites! i am thankful for a new friend and can't wait to read her new book!

you+me+baby=family

2009-04-05T13:54:00.003-05:00

i love newborn shoots. this precious baby was 2 1/2 weeks old. her name is mia and she was adorable. i loved our shoot yesterday morning. her little yawns and baby noises cracked me up. oh, and when she peed during her butt-naked shot...that was my favorite. :)
i love babies but i am grateful that i am not in a "mommy stage" yet!

good golly ms. molly!

2009-04-01T17:41:00.003-05:00

i love ms. molly. she is so joyful and cute beyond reason. i wish the web would show how saturate the colors really are because her baby blue eyes are to die for!! :)

nature meets senior

2009-03-23T10:29:00.002-05:00

emily is a sweet friend of mine. her quiet spirit and genuine love are just two qualities that i adore about her. the friday before spring break we braved the rain for some senior portrait fun. i immensely enjoyed our shoot!! wherever emily chooses to go, i am sure she will succeed. selfishly, i am rooting for UT but that is just my biased vote. :)

mount joy+jen+adam=bliss

2009-03-10T16:02:00.004-05:00

a weekend with my best friend, the cold crisp air of mount joy PA, engagement photos and a chocolate factory?!? what on earth! this is my kind of weekend away.

sign my book please!

2009-03-10T15:49:00.004-05:00

whatch out world here comes a new author! tsh is a fabulous blogger (check here out here!) and now she is writing a book! i had the privilege of shooting some shots for her upcoming piece of literature. yay!

a day at the park

2009-02-16T19:03:00.005-06:00

two cutie pies just turned 5 and to celebrate their mama asked me to take some photos! for an hour and a half we skipped around their neighborhood, played at the park and complained about how our feet didn't want to walk anymore. :) needless to say, these twins are completely adorable and flirtatious in their own way with the camera. happy birthday you little munchkins!

a beautiful winter sunset

2009-02-16T18:53:00.003-06:00

i absolutely adore sunrises and sunsets. the most magnificent colors rsvp and they always speak to my soul.

1.3.09

2009-01-10T14:06:00.003-06:00

last weekend a wedding occurred at the allan house in downtown austin. the day before the wedding it rained and the day after it was in the 30's but the day of it was perfect. from hair to boquetts, an amazing band to sparklers....the whole ordeal was a pleasant surprise. the couple danced the night away with their close friends until they zipped away after 11pm. what a fun wedding!! :)

two little love birds sitting in a tree....

2009-01-05T21:27:00.003-06:00

yesterday i had an amazing time downtown with two of my friends who have recently become engaged. what started as acquaintances turned into best friends which now has turned into lovers. besides being so adorable together, the trust and history between them makes this new commitment in their lives SO precious. i am already counting down the days till their wedding--it will be the first wedding that i am not "just the photographer" because i am a bridesmaid, which is so exciting!

asian love

2009-01-04T19:19:00.005-06:00

this amazing couple arrived in austin only a few months before their wedding day.
they met overseas and "fell in love" while toilet shopping. :) i know, i know, VERY unlikely tale!
both of them were completely relaxed the entire day and so fun to work with.

T+L=love

2008-12-31T10:02:00.003-06:00

a few weekends ago i had the privilege of shooting the cutest wedding at star hill ranch (a fabulous venue by the way). the bride and groom were absolutely beautiful. they literally glowed all day with excitement. congrats you two! :) i felt blessed to be part of your "special day."

i will forever love you...

2008-12-21T21:30:00.004-06:00

my grandparents are an inspiration to me. they have been married for almost 50 years!! they were high-school sweethearts which is even more adorable. if you want the full story you seriously have to hear it from my grandma...her details are precious!
i can only hope and pray that my marriage will one day look similar to theirs--standing the test of time and in doing so looking more appealing every day.
the love they share with each other and with all those around them is so beautiful. i am blessed to have them part of my life and i am blessed to spend christmas with them. :)

3+1

2008-12-15T18:52:00.004-06:00

i love family shoots....especially when you can literally SEE and FEEL the love and unity that they posses. it is a beautiful sight to behold. :)
i shot this family at mayfield park last saturday morning. the weather was perfect. it was fun shooting them because the husband/father was like a "big brother" figure to me when i was litte. and now he has a family! wow, time flies!

four little cuties

2008-12-13T18:14:00.002-06:00

this past week i took some shots of these 4 cutie pies. when i was in high school i babysat them and now they are so big [and there is more!].

one year.

2008-12-06T20:13:00.004-06:00

one year.
365 days.
a seemingly long time ago.

i can't believe it. at this time a year ago i was on an airplane heading home after 6 months in africa.
where has the time gone? what have i done since then? have i made a difference here, in america? i mean seriously?
there is something about being overseas that changes you. your view on life and love and compassion is flipped. you have a new appreciation for your loved ones and a new appreciation for complete strangers. every day feels like an adventure. you feel like you are actually making an eternal difference. kingdom work.
and then before you know it you are home. and the desire and motivation to change the world lessens. your focus becomes distracted. you become selfish. i have become selfish. my focus has been predominately on school and in comparison to people daily dying without knowing my savior, school seems like a waste of time.
if this is where God really wants me right now am i using this time wisely? am i actively involved in eternal things or am i here in the momentarily earthly things?
do people see Jesus in me? through me? in my actions? in my words?

i need a break. i need renewal. i need to experience the God that was in africa and the charismatic hallelujah, praise Jesus faith once again.
it is real. He is real. i know it. i believe it.

family lovin'

2008-12-01T19:10:00.003-06:00

this past weekend i had a fabulous time taking photos of a dear family of 7! :) everyone was great to work with. how can you go wrong with a cute family? i mean, seriously!

ding dong goes the wedding bells

2008-11-30T22:10:00.004-06:00

this past week i had the joy of taking photos of the jolly wedding. the weather was perfect, the leaves were vibrant and the couple displayed a deep love for one another.
what a glorious day!

it's a girl!

2008-11-15T02:06:00.003-06:00

i absolutely love taking pregnancy photos. there is something about capturing life within life that excites me. to top off this shoot, i was able to take photos of one of my sweet childhood friends. the conversations flowed as i shot away and before i knew it the shoot was over....but the memories will last and i am grateful for that. :)

calling all seniors!

2008-11-12T23:21:00.003-06:00

hey seniors! first off, way to go for getting this far. :) i would love to help you celebrate your achievements by taking artistic photos for your graduation.
book your fun shoot today!

family fun!

2008-11-09T23:25:00.003-06:00

this past weekend i had a fantastic time shooting the pinson family. the kids were hilarious and we had a jolly time laughing our way through the shoot.
yay for family photos!

one, two, three and four

2008-11-08T23:34:00.001-06:00

i love shooting families that i have watched grow up. about 2 years ago i took photos of this sweet family and this year they came back for another shoot with their new addition. the kids were so obedient and patient that it was easy to take photos of them. i absolutely loved working with this precious family this past weekend!

foxy meets classic...why hello there!

2008-10-27T09:21:00.002-05:00

one of my definitions of beauty refers to my sister. i think she is drop dead gorgeous and i love taking photos of her. yesterday we went on a sister date at the domain here in austin and shot away for 30 minutes. besides getting a bunch of laughs out of the shoot i also got some shots that i love. oh, happy day....

a little bit of st. johns

2008-10-18T15:51:00.004-05:00

st. johns neighborhood is a truly delightful place. the love is obvious and the people are so special. :)

great grandma lovin'

2008-10-18T15:43:00.004-05:00

my great grandma is a precious woman. for being nearly 90 she still has a lot of spunk and some serious attitude. what a character!!

product shots

2008-09-20T15:34:00.000-05:00

BiM active...all the way. :)
check out their sweet athletic product online at: http://bimactive.com

love is in the air...

2008-08-24T15:03:00.000-05:00

this past week i had a delightful photo shoot with kayla and jordan. long time friends and now lovers they plan to wed in november. i cannot wait until their wedding! in between the laughter and giddy young love kisses, i realized that they have something really special...true love. and seeing the way they interact only testifies to their commitment.

rolly polly

2008-08-20T06:14:00.003-05:00

katie and i have been friends for about 10 years now...laughing through life together and at times crying too. our friendship took on a different twist a few years back when our younger sisters joined in our conversations adding even more laughter and joy to the mix.
katie is obviously due any day now and literally glows with the kind of excitement all first-time mothers posses.
we took some photos to capture the new kind of beauty she carries (literally!). above are a few shots....

beautiful people

2008-08-01T13:40:00.002-05:00

in namibia i was able to take photos of the vuuren family. this family was one of the most beautiful families i have ever met-both outwardly and inwardly. their love spoke volumes to anyone they came in contact with, including myself. i already miss them. :)

home again

2008-07-06T19:56:00.002-05:00

i'm home!!! and you know what, it's really good. this time around i was ready to come home, i felt like it was time. my mission was accomplished--taking photos for OM namibia.
2 months, 3,000 photos later, and over 52 hours of flying later i am back. :o)
for some reason my plane stories are always out of the ordinary and quite humorous. for my first 10 hour plane ride i slept 7 hours (which was fabulous) but the remainder of the time i was drying my pants...a huge water bottle spilled all over me as soon as i woke up. and for the second of my 10 hour plane rides the guy next to me would not shut up. seriously, regardless of if i was listening or watching a movie he talked my ears off. thank God he took my tylenol PM for his "headache" or else i am convinced that he would have never passed out long enough for me to regain my sanity. on the other side i am very grateful that he was friendly.

since being back home i have been house hunting with the fam, unpacking, sleeping whenever possible (jet lag kills!) and catching up with life in austin. i am not going to lie- i am dying here because it is SO HOT! going from winter in namibia to summer in texas is a lot harder then i expected. i am sweating gallons of water and as a girl i am disgusted by it.

what's coming up next??? well, tomorrow i start summer classes! wohoo! i am also going in for an interview at a company here in austin, packing up my room, going to some photo shoots, training for a 1/2 marathon (yikes!), and waiting for God knows what next!

thanks for joining me on my second adventure in africa. i SO appreciate you keeping in touch, praying for me and supporting me.
peace, love and austin-
caryn

on my way....

2008-06-29T12:18:00.003-05:00

these past few days or weeks (however long it has been since i last wrote) have flown by SO FAST! in between editing photos day and night, organizing them and burning CD's i have had lots of fun.....
esmari and i had the privilege of eating hunny straight from the comb! it was delicious but a little waxy. *wink* i have really enjoyed my "debriefing," spontaneous conversations, late night board/card games and afternoon naps. i really feel like this past week i recharged...praise God!
it's going to be hard to say by to esmari and ronel. i don't know what it is with me but i can't help myself..i just have to get close to people. even when i know a "good-bye" is around the corner i still feel the need to embrace the time and create new friendships. so yes, tomorrow there might be a few tears but heck there have been lots of laughs these past 2 months! and i have two sweet girlfriends plus a family here in namibia to come back and visit! :)

PRAYER REQUEST:
-flights. please pray that they will all be on time and without any complications!
-pray for they people sitting next to me...that they will be friendly but not too friendly, i kinda want to sleep! which leads me to my next prayer request, that God will conk me out and i can sleep a LOT on both of the long flights!
-my luggage-pray that nothing will break and that no one will steal anything again!! (on my way here my cell phone and small digital camera were stolen. dangit!)
-easy transition back into austin. my family is moving and i start classes a few days after i get back, so i am going home at a slightly chaotic time. pray for patience and peace!

thank you so much for joining me during my ministry in namibia! i look forward to grabbing coffee and catching up when i get back!
peace and love from namibia-
caryn

life as i know it..

2008-06-21T06:52:00.004-05:00

these past two weeks have been great! i can't believe what God had planned for me, because seriously i didn't see any of it coming...isn't that nice? :) for one week i traveled up to swartbooisdrift. it is far up north in namibia. in this photo i was on the mountain on the right (obviously) but if you look to your left on the other side of the river....yep! that is angola! the only thing separating me from swimming over was crocodiles. :)
for several days we camped out by the river. i was surrounded by 200 christians from different cultures, areas, and tribes. it was amazing. some walked and others (like me) drove. it took us over 12 hours to get there from okahandja, but it was worth it!
here are some friends i made! these girls are from angola...they were so beautiful! even though i could only greet them and ask how they were doing in their language ("metta! corra? ehh!" -this is how you pronounce it, i don't have a clue how you spell it in herero!) it seemed sufficient for our little friendship. besides greeting each other we would smile...a lot to get across that we cared for each other and loved each other in Christ.

i wish i could say that the whole trip was wonderful, but that would be stretching the truth a lot. i struggled more on this trip then my entire time here so far. i was surrounded by christians but only a few spoke english and everyone else rambled on in many languages that i could only listen with amazement at. i remember thinking, "how do they make those sounds??" it was very difficult for me. i felt alone and i was THE minority. i didn't like many parts of the trip but at the same time there were moments of utter joy. :) God taught me so much about relying upon HIM not a team or friends or family...nothing but Him. and any struggles are worth being reminded of that important truth.

Preschool ministry:

me- "hello class." all 50+ of them- "hello teacher!!" i spent three days working with preschools here in the squatter camp. besides teaching a little bit i played with the kids, took tons of photos for the ministry and helped another lady prepare an area for toilets to be built for the schools. at first i was hesitant to do the "toilet work" but when i spent 4 hours at the school and figured out that the ONLY bathroom was in the middle of the street on a hump of garbage,(and you know i wasn't about to squat in front of everyone) i decided that it would be nice for the locals and teachers to have a toilet to use! :)

the children were precious. ok, they were wild and out of control but precious too! i loved seeing the enthusiasm they had to learn. there are 8 main preschools in the squatter camp and the teachers charge very little so that the kids can come. (squatter camps are basically a lot of shacks were people live.) the ages of the children are typically 2-9 years old. remember, this is preschool...but still they were all more then willing to learn. one thing that surprised me was how amazed the kids were at my hair. they have seen white people before and i know they have seen blond hair but they were still mesmerized by it! during "recess" i sat on the ground and 30 of them surrounded me tugging my short hair each and every way. haha it was so cute.
it's hard to believe that in less then 2 weeks i will be on my way home. thank you for praying for me and for all the sweet notes of encouragement throughout this time!

PRAYER REQUEST:
-organization, focus, wisdom. i am editing photos right now and there are seriously over 3,000 so i need to have a focused mind. i also need to start organizing all of them and putting them on different CD's for the ministry here. then we will need to choose photos for the OM Namibia website and write snippets about each ministry, etc.
-good time with the Lord. pray that i will be open to however He wants to speak to me and that no matter how difficult it may be, He will continue to shape and refine me.
-anything else the Lord leads you to pray for!

Much love to each of you....
caryn

walvisbay+swakopmund=this past week

2008-06-06T12:21:00.003-05:00

what a week! on monday we drove 4 hours to walvisbay which is on the west coast of namibia. all week i took photos at different ministries and spent time talking to many new friends. :) the above photo is me (at sunset..sorry that it is dark!) while i was climbing a massive sand dune in swakopmund. it took me over 20 min to get to the top and less than 7 to get down. i must say i enjoying going down much better then hiking up! :)

this is ronel, the wife, mother, missionary and friend here in okahandja. we drove together this week to the different ministries and had a splendid time making silly mistakes, enduring long car rides, and awkward conversations. may the Lord bless her after i leave and restore her sanity! haha... we finished our week at a cute little cafe where we took the above photo.

the following photos are from several different ministries that we went to. most of them were children's homes. many of the children are orphans or have been rescued from the hard street life. they were all so precious, beautiful and very joyful. all they need is love--from jesus and others. :)

although it doesn't sound like a busy week it really was! the Lord is always so faithful though and never gives me more then i can handle. i enjoyed visiting the different ministries and capturing what the Lord is at work with. i heard so many amazing testimonies that it was impossible to leave without feeling encouraged and totally amazed with our Lord!

this upcoming week will be interesting! part of the week i will be helping nurse one of the ladies on the OM team here. she had surgery this morning so ronel and i will play doctor this week. i know part of the time i will be taking photos of ministries here in okahandja...mainly preschool ministries that another local missionary has started. otherwise, it's up to the Lord with what happens!

God has been teaching me a lot about patience and walking by faith, not by sight. i wish i could smile and say it has been no problem at all, but that would be a complete lie! i have struggled a lot with what He is teaching me and how He is molding me. but He is so faithful and never ceases to let a day go by without encouraging me in some way, shape or form. He is good and His love has no bounds.

i love each of you and i am grateful for your constant prayers. really... :)
caryn

namibia is "baie lekker" (very good)

2008-05-31T10:23:00.009-05:00

hello from the wonderful country of namibia! these past 2+ weeks have flown by so very quickly. i suppose i should start at the beginning, i hear it's a very good place to start. :)
the flight from ZA to NAM was uneventful. i sat next to a german couple who only new how to say "no english, only german" in english. so, i didn't feel guilty putting on my ear plugs /eye mask and taking a two hour nap. before we landed i looked out my window and was shocked to see nothing. i am so serious when i say nothing i mean absolutely nothing. for a second i panicked, "what the heck am i going to be doing here? ministering to the bushes and sand dunes?" the plane landed in the smallest airport, if you call it that, i have ever seen in my life. there was maybe one other plane in the airport. when i climbed out the airplane i looked at the small air strip we landed on in the midst of a massive dessert of nothingness. windhoek (pronounced vent-hook for all those "dumb" english speakers like myself) welcomed me as best as the small city could, with heat, dust, dirt, and a small smile from the customs lady.

the van vuuren family is delightful. a mix of fun, serious, joy and love flows amongst them. they have been missionaries with OM Namibia for the past 8 years. they live in Okahandja which is a little over 70km from the capital of windhoek. they are local namibians born and raised here. i don't know if it's an insult or not to compare them to another culture, but they remind me of the white afrikaners in south africa. they had a quaint room set up for me. on the dresser was a beautiful sunflower (one of my top favorite flowers ever!) along with a journal they made for me. so sweet. :) that night (friday) i met the 14 person college team from florida. the team had been here already one week and i would spend the last two weeks traveling with them and japie (pronounced ya-pee...him and his wife are the missionaries here). they were nice and i felt grateful to be with some other college students for the first few weeks. that night i packed for the two week trip and went to bed with the wind and leaves lulling me into a deep sleep.

on saturday may 17th we were off! the first day we drove to Outjo which was about 5 hours away. after unloading for our night's stay a couple of us walked around the cute little town until the sunset. because it is winter here the mornings and evening are cold and the sun sets at 5:30 in the evening which is so early for me! on sunday morning the team lead a church program for the kids and youth before we headed out for a short drive to Etosha national park where we spent the night camping. i saw so many animals in the two days we were there. zebras, giraffes, wilderbeast, jackals, ostrich, springbok, elephants, rhinos, etc. monday morning we visited a primary school and chilled with the kids. they prepared the coolest song for us! it always amazes me how africans can harmonize and dance so well! monday night we headed back to outjo for the evening. on tuesday we drove 6 hours to Opuwo which is so far north in namibia that we could have been at the border of angola if we drove just one hour more.

the next 5 days we spent in Kaokoland (opuwo) with the locals. we camped (definition of camping: staying in a tent, boiling water, and living with bugs of every imaginable shape and size) out on this little mountain that overlooked many other beautiful mountains and hills in the distance. it was gorgeous, for real! the main ministry the team did was school programs, which is what the city government asked for. i went along taking photos or would spend time with the locals. a local christian lady named Whatcha was our translator. we hit it off right away and i enjoyed spending time with her the most. she was so encouraging, joyful and funny as all get out! one day i was able to go on a walk with her and talk to people and take photos. that was my favorite day by far! everyone knew her so it was like an "inside" for me...this was such a blessing because many of the leaders there tell the others not to allow the "white people" take photos unless they pay a big price. and shoot, i am a missionary which means money does not grow on a tree for me, even if i am an american. :) there are two main tribes in opuwo, the himba and herero. the himba people dress in their traditional way-completely nude except for a hide skirt. the woman also coat themselves with a red mud from head to toe which acts as a natural sun block and i suppose makes them feel less naked? i am not sure. :) the mud smells awful so anyone not used to it would have to constantly breath through their mouth. the himba people also have their four front teeth pulled out as a sign that they are a part of that tribe. the herero people are completely different. they dress victorian style and wear crazy hats that match the fabric of their colorful dresses. japie said they dress this way because of the 17th century missionaries that came and tried to "civilize" the locals. the missionaries of that time required for the locals to dress in a "proper" way if they wanted to go to church. another distinction of the herero people is that they file a gap between their two front teeth.

on sunday, may 25th we drove back to outjo for the night. the next morning we made the rest of the drive back to okahandja. tuesday morning we "taught" four 45min. class periods of lfe science. basically we just shared about our lives (testimonies) and opened up the remainder of the time for questions. it was really great. there was at first 6 then 3 of us per classroom which made it nice. after the school visit we drove to windhoek where we stayed at a school hostile for two nights. on wednesday morning we went to the hospital and spent time with the kids that have terminal cancer. it was so heartbreaking seeing all these beautiful little black faces of children ages 3-7 that are dying. i pushed back the tears and focused on loving and playing with the kids. i don't think any amount of time would have been enough but the hospital would only let us stay for one hour which went by entirely too fast. the rest of the day we spent at a girls/boys home. the first 20 min it was so awkward. no one told the teens we were coming so basically it looked like we were intruding on their free afternoon. i can understand why they would slam their bedroom doors in our faces and giggle uncontrollably. i begged the Lord to let me speak to some of the girls...and He did. for three hours i talked to two girls ages 13 and 14. their story broke my heart all over again. they were very sexually active with their 28 year old boyfriends, they smoked cigarettes and weed, they drank, they were wasting their lives and yet they professed to be christians. i told them i wouldn't judge them and i still don't...i just see the emptiness that this kind of life has to offer. there is no meaning, no purpose, no eternal joy. i left completely drained. i was emotionally low and felt depressed. may God help them. may He remind me to pray for them and may He provide our relationship to continue through letter writing.

on thursday we spent the morning with a small ministry college called "pneumatics". we just talked with the 22 student there, shared what God was doing in our lives and just relaxed. it was very refreshing and uplifting which was just what i needed! that evening we drove the Florida team to the airport and said good-bye.

yesterday, today and tomorrow i have "off." i have been relaxing, talking to my parents, replying to emails, washing laundry, going on walks, editing photos and talking with ronel, esmari and linda (the other two ladies are also a part of the OM team here.) over a nice cup of rooibos tea.

it has been quite nice to "recharge." on monday we will be off for a few days to Swakopmund and Walvisbay. i will write an update then as well.

PRAYER REQUEST:

-patience. God has really been teaching me about patience since i have been here! pray that He will continue to do so and in those moments of pure frustration he would encourage me!

-health. i have been 100% healthy so far! pray that this will continue!

-relationships. pray that God will continue to bless me with the relationships i have with the OM team. i feel so blessed that ronel, esmari, linda and i get along so well! pray that my relationship with the Lord will only continue to grow!

-pray that i will be sensitive wherever i go and whatever kind of culture i enter into.

-lastly, please ask the Lord to bless the rest of my time here. pray that He will enable me to make the most of every opportunity and take the photos that He wants me capture. also, japie mentioned that i am creating a website as well. so, please pray for help with that! i don't have a clue where to start...but God can bring some website pro along with no problem at all. so ask Him! :)

thank you for your prayers, love, encouragement and support! the Lord is faithful as always!

peace, love and namibia-

caryn

p.s. in the time it took me to write this blog i went through one cup of tea, one cup of coffe, a nalgene bottle of water, one orange and a pack of game biltong (similar but way better than beef jerky)....

ZA

2008-05-14T01:16:00.004-05:00

hello south africa, it's caryn. i know it's been a while but....

I MADE IT! :) it's 8am and i am alive and well. i tell you what, my life when i travel mainly (but also occasionally when i am doing normal things) is so humorous. on my flight from amsterdam to jo'berg i was blessed with sleep for the first 5 hours. it was beautiful. i woke up drooling a little bit with marks on my face from the eye mask. but i didn't care at all. sleep is way better than being glamorous. hands down. this flight i was in the very back of the plane in the window seat with a couple sitting next to me. they were so sweet! they acted like they were newly weds even though they were married for 22 years. we laughed a lot together.

when i arrived it was late. my plane landed later then expected and since i was in the back of the plane well with getting out and passport security, it took me at least another hour to finally reunite with glen and kathe-my other parents. :) we talked for some time before going to bed. i forgot how nice sleeping in a horizontal position is until i laid down and quickly fell asleep.
now i am off to get ready for a day of fun!
peace, love and africa-
caryn
p.s. photos to come as soon as i can figure things out...

amsterdam

2008-05-13T01:46:00.009-05:00

currently i am in amsterdam on a layover. it's a nice day...it would be nicer if i had time to leave the airport and site see! :) but alas, i am here, waiting, patiently.

my first flight from austin to detroit was fine. it was 4 hours long. the lady that sat next to me wasn't that friendly, oh well. on the other row there were two guys that did want to talk to me. we talked most of the flight and i was grateful for the conversation. one was a business man and the other a college student originally from austria. of all places he choose austin to come to because he was tired of austria. go figure. he was really helpful and fascinating to talk to. once he found out my name was caryn he freaked out. he was convinced that his roommate had dated me before. i told him i think i would remember if i had dated someone. ;0)

my second flight wasn't too shabby either. i was on the isle in an exit row. the man i sat next to was very friendly. he was married and had a little girl. he is a college prof and travels frequently to africa for research. pretty cool if you ask me. we have the same flight to jo'berg but i don't think we are sitting next to each other this time. the one downer about the second flight was the guy sitting behind me, he did not care for my reclined chair. i think he was jealous of my seat. :0) anyways. that was my second flight. i did however manage to sleep about 2-3 hours on and off during the 7 hour flight.i am so grateful!

i had plans of doing something, anything here while i was in amsterdam but everything is so expensive i just feel like it is a waste to spend a million dollars on coffee. sorry. they have a little art show that i looked at. it was really cool! i have walked around the airport, freshened up in the ladies room, sat in a coffee shop, called home and talked for 3 min which cost me about $6. inflation is a bother. currently i am tired but if i could leave the airport to travel i think i would suddenly get a burst of new energy. :)

sorry for the long blog. i am a little lonely in this country where most signs are in dutch and all the announcements are in dutch and most people are from other countries, be it india, somewhere in europe, africa, etc. places that english isn't the first language. it's like a sweet little international hub. well, i hope you are good. i think i am going to go people watching now ( well i guess i won't be going anywhere...but i will find a good place to sit and watch the people.) the airport is like the mall on steroids. it's great. some people look totally lost, others look way exhausted, some look like they know the airport too well, others are excited about a trip maybe a holiday, some are stressed out, others look like they are going on their honeymoon, some are old others young...it's so interesting.
have a beautiful day-
caryn
p.s. if anything doesn't make since, well give me grace in the past two days i have slept maybe 5-8 hours.

Hakuna matata

2008-05-11T16:09:00.003-05:00

Hakuna matata....what a wonderful phrase, it mean "no worries" in swahili. :)
i am leaving tomorrow morning! oh my goodness...time has flown by SO fast. i thought this day would never get here and now it's tomorrow. isn't that how life generally goes though?

i want to ask you to pray for me. please do, i seriously need it. and when i say that it would mean the world to me for you to daily pray for me, i really do mean it. God has amazing things planned and by praying, you can be apart of them. ask Him to do BIG things...He will.

i love each and every one of you. i treasure you and thank the Lord that you are a part of my life.
for real.
peace and love-
caryn
p.s. 16 hours till i leave! woohooo!

one week baby!

2008-05-05T13:01:00.003-05:00

woohoo! only one week- actually to be exact, 6 days 19 hours and something minutes (shoot! i was never good at math) regardless, it's SOON folks!

keep the prayers coming! i am almost there with finances! just a little over $200 and i will have the complete amount. praise Jesus! i have no doubt that He will provide the exact amount i need. if He wants me to be in nambia this summer then nothing will get in His way. i love how God works. :) He is the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Provider, Faithful even when i am faithless, Constant, All-loving, Merciful, Understanding, All-knowing, Protector, Abba Father, oh yeah, and my Friend. shoot! my God rocks!

almost everything is ready to go. i have my loot in the corner of my room with my new hiking backpack :) , a bunch of grocery bags full of stuff i am bring for the ZA and namibia teams-things they need that you can only get from the good 'ol USA, and a list of how i might attempt to pack everything. this goes here and that goes in that bag, etc. i can remember last time i left i packed everything by myself the first time. it took me a couple hours and still i couldn't put everything into two huge duffel bags-then my mom came in and the queen of organizing spent a good hour packing everything so nice and neat that it fit perfectly. this time i am bring one bag-my hiking backpack (i decided it pays off to travel lightly) and another bag strictly for the stuff i am bring for the teams. haha...it's going to be full. and i know that this time i wont even attempt to spend half a day packing, i'll just call on the pro and be her little assistant. holy cow, i am really leaving. yippy!

some prayer points:
-finals are almost through! just two more to go and i'll be done on wed. pray that i can focus on the task at hand and finish strong.
-my mom just had surgery to take her gall bladder out. pray for a quick recovery and that i wont get so caught up in what i need to do that i loose focus on what is REALLY important.
-i ordered some stuff online, pray that it will all come in on time! i am a little nervous!
-pray for some good peaceful time with my family before i leave.
-yes! pray for emotions. haha i am just waiting for them to come full throttle. :) pray that it wont be as hard this time around. that God will just cover my fam and i with His amazing peace. as cayley says, "it's only a few days ki-ki! it's not like 180 this time!" pray that i will remember that...that all of us will remember that! :)
-last thing, pray that i will be able to pack everything in the carry on and hiking backpack. with it being under the weight limit. :)

ok, i think that's it. i'll try to write once more before i head out!
peace and love...much love-
caryn

two weeks! :)

2008-04-28T17:31:00.003-05:00

i took this photo yesterday when i was out at a local homeless church here in austin. i thought it was totally appropriate for today's blog because i am leaving in two weeks! yay!

one happy note-
my funding is 3/4 of the way there! woohoo! thank you to everyone who has contributed thus far! i spent a good part of my mornings quiet time praying for each of you. because you are teaming up with me on this trip you are really blessing me. i do pray that the Lord will bless you 10 fold.
prayer request-
for the rest of the 1/4 funding to come in
a great prayer team to commit to daily praying for me
wisdom as i finish finals these last 2 weeks!
and peace...lots of it. ( i leave two days after school gets out-so i will be packing while doing my finals! haha)

thank you for your love, support and encouragement!
africa bound-
caryn

new website! yay!

2008-04-24T21:55:00.003-05:00

i am so happy to announce that....drum roll....my NEW website has launched! YAY! if you can't tell, i am totally thrilled. :) please check it out. many long nights were spent organizing, preparing and waiting patiently for my "baby" to get out there. and it finally has!
thank you to everyone who has so kindly helped me narrow down images, give feedback, etc. without you i could not have done it.
happy happy happy-
caryn

cute senior girls

2008-04-18T13:09:00.006-05:00

this past week i had the privilege of shooting some more senior photos! i had a splendid time on both shoots. :)
the first shoot was with roxanne. she is graduating from westwood high school. she would like to go into communications, specifically using her gift of sign language.
the second shoot was with megan. megan was homeschooled and has been going to acc this past year to get a head start in college work. she has a passion for ballet and would to join a professional ballet company in the future.

two beautiful girls. two wonderful aspirations. i can't wait to see how God uses them in the future!

side effects

2008-04-11T11:40:00.003-05:00

my travel doc told me when i received my yellow fever vaccination that side effects were normal. good to know. what she failed to mention was that they would be disabling. haha. this morning i woke up feeling like i had been hit by a train. thinking that it was more mental-i never want to go to the gym at 5am- then physical i proceeded with my workout. by the time i hit the shower i realized that maybe i wasn't ok. i felt dizzy, tired, achy and slightly nauseous. great. so when i got home at 6:30 i went to bed and didn't wake up until 9. with a fever, headache and loads to do i feel disabled. it's times like these that i have to remind myself that it is so worth it. and i believe that with all my heart. :)

yellow fever, malaria and loads more

2008-04-09T09:52:00.001-05:00

so, this week i had my yellow fever and hep A vaccinations! i also consulted my doc about malaria pills. do you know that some of the side effects include:

diarrhoea or an upset stomach (not necessarily 'disabling'). The disabling 'unwanted effects' can be dizziness, lethargy, insomnia, 'pins-and-needles', severe headache or migraine, uncontrollable anxiety, unexplained depression, and sometimes developing further into symptoms as severe as a violent mood shift, fits and seizures, panic attacks, and serious psychosis ('detachment from reality'). these are the so-called neuro-psychiatric effects.

when I heard about the side effects I thought to myself...getting malaria almost sounds better then these options! I mean seriously, these side effects sound AWFUL! and new studies are showing that ever 1 out of 140 people have these negative side effects compared to the first study that said every 1 out of 10,000 people were effected. BIG difference. my philosophy, be smart, but at the same time if i can keep my body as organic and anti-druggie as possible then i am all for it!

the yellow fever vaccination wasn't too bad. it burned a little but that's all. my hep A was fine too...just a little sting and some soreness.

I have my plane tickets! YAHOO!! I will be leaving on May 12 early in the morning (the day after mother's day). i CAN'T wait...but i have to because i need to finish this semester of school first. since we are on the topic, prayers would be appreciated when it comes to school! i am totally overwhelmed right now. -still- :) on that note i have homework to do!

craziness

2008-04-04T10:16:00.005-05:00

God is so great. this week a bunch of my namibia stuff has been taken care of! this is a very good thing being that i am leaving in just about a month now! time flies...way too fast.
i have been busy 1) with school-heavens i forgot how hard it is! and college is way worse then HS was. i feel like i am either at school or at home doing school work. it feels like a constant wheel of academics. i do want to have a positive attitude but when it is so darn hard and overwhelming it is difficult. i won't lie.
2) with namibia details! yes. this is what i would not mind doing all the time! be it talking to my doctors, scheduling appointments, writing my support letter, looking at the best flight times, discussing different issues with the namibia office or calling old friends from south africa to pencil in a little visit...it all takes time!

life is good though. last night my biblestudy prayed over me and my trip. it was so encouraging. to know that i have even more prayer supporters this time. people that i care about and that care about me. brothers and sisters in Christ who have a passion for missions as well. i have no doubt that they will continue to pray for me, which is a comfort.
some prayer request right now would be:
-peace. shoot i feel like a chicken with it's head cut off. (which i have seen first hand and it isn't a pretty sight!) i am doing more then i have time for right now and i know i need to slllloooowww down. it's just that i don't have time for that! haha so pray for the Lord's peace. one that surpasses all understanding. that i can find rest under His wing.
-time management. when you are busy this is crucial. and i will be the first to admit that i am awful at time managing! i am a devout people-person who believes fervently that relationships are more important then anything else. this is great, but i need to be careful with my time as well. i need to focus when i am doing school and finish well!
-finances. shoot. i need to raise a lot of money in a month. God is in control so i am not worrying but if you could be praying that God would begin to prompt my friends/families heck even stranger's hearts to financially support me for this trip that would be so great.

i think these are the main prayer request. there are loads more so if you want them let me know and i will send you an email for sure! :)
love you all-
caryn

cutie pie

2008-03-26T15:24:00.000-05:00

after chilling with an old friend and mentor on monday i whipped out my camera and took a few photos of her precious daughter. isn't she an absolute cutie pie? oh babies...they are so fun!

way out in the middle of no where....aka, elgin

2008-03-26T15:11:00.003-05:00

here are a few shots from a recent trip to elgin. it was a quaint little (very little) town. i loved how everyone would wave or stop what they were doing to say hello. it was refreshing to be there. :)

artsy sr. photos

2008-03-22T11:14:00.003-05:00

here are a few shots from my photo shoot yesterday. scott was amazing to work with. he is a senior at westwood high school and will be going to UT in the fall. hook 'em horns! :) we had a great time chilling out downtown for this artsy shoot.
peace-

a difference in a week

2008-03-18T15:08:00.002-05:00

st.johns is a little piece of mexico right here in austin. the week of spring break was amazing. shoot-it wasn't easy, but anything worth doing will not be easy. :) the week was filled with little sleep, lots of laughter, some frustration but overall JOY. God was at work and i was able to be apart of it--the team was able to be apart of it. something that meredith, a fellow leader and friend said was, " it is exciting to know that at the end of the day i am weary because i was doing something for the kingdom of God...." she identified what most of us were feeling but unable to articulate. the week was an energy sucker but it was so worth it. to love on those at-risk, neglected and misunderstood kids was worth absolutely anything in the world. God is awesome, He is mighty to save and He is currently at work in the neighborhood of st. johns.

spring break

2008-03-07T11:47:00.002-06:00

well i am off for a week! spring break has arrived! yay! today i am moving into a house in inner city austin. a few other college students that go to my church are moving in as well. we will be working with inner city kids that live in the st. john's neighborhood. i am so excited to be involved in ministry 24/7 for a whole week! i can't wait to see what God is going to do. He has some big plans i just know it!
please be praying for team unity, for God to move, for love to be evident and for all the kids that are coming!! shoot, i am so excited!

i can't wait to update you on what God is going to do this week....
love,
caryn

simply fun

2008-03-02T22:41:00.004-06:00

the shoot started out normal. the kids were clean and just getting familiar with the camera. all was well until i decided to try something new.
imagine, paint dripping everywhere...splattering on the wooden fence, my jeans and the grass. little blue colored hand prints soaking into the cement ground. giggling children ecstatic with the freedom to be messy.
i just finishing editing the photos for a children's shoot i did yesterday. the four year old twins were very energetic, wild, and curious. i LOVED the results. here are a few "normal and painty" random ones i pulled out:

natural beauty

2008-02-21T16:52:00.002-06:00

today my photography class went to the zilker botanical gardens to explore nature. it had just finished raining when we arrived so there was dew delicately hanging on everything. it was beautiful! i had such a wonderful time soaking up my surroundings. unfortunately i rarely take time to "stop and smell the roses" but today i did....and it was worth it!

He is the remedy...

2008-02-18T14:09:00.009-06:00

what an amazing weekend! i started it off with a field trip to Pedernale's National Park with my photography class. if you have never been you must at one point! here's some more info.

it was so peaceful and beautiful - i loved it. God is so real and present in nature. i don't know how anyone could experience beauty without acknowledging a Creator. here are some shots:

i also went to passion this weekend. it is a conference for christian college students. it was awesome to be worshiping God with 6,500 other people. totally amazing!

at the moment i am studying for a test and i am updating my photography website! you heard right, there will be a new c2wphotography.com coming out! i hope to launch it within the next few months but doing a website is hard stuff. :) i'll keep you posted (literally) on the progress of it.
have a great week! enjoy each moment, laugh like a little kid and smile till your cheeks hurt.
-caryn

oh, so classic...

2008-02-09T16:39:00.000-06:00

today i went to the park with my lovely friend and "adopted sis" roxanne. she is a senior at westwood high school and is just as beautiful on the outside as she is on the inside. :)
here are some of my favorite shots....

rumor has it....

2008-02-04T17:06:00.000-06:00

well, there is a little rumor going around that i am going to namibia. :) and i am here to say that it is true! right now i am checking out tickets for mid-may! whoop whoop! seriously, africa is in my blood ya'll and there is no getting rid of it now. >wink<
i just wanted to give you the 411 so you would know what the dealio is. please be praying for all the details to work out. i want to be there for about 2 months and i need some good cheap cheap airfare (you know i like to ride in style). i also need to get some immunizations and little misc. things. luckily it's a while away, but the prayers sure would help starting now.
love you guys-
caryn
p.s. africa baby i am coming home this summer! yay!

school stuff

2008-01-28T13:06:00.001-06:00

the cool thing about studying photojournalism is that i have "fun classes!" this semester i am taking two photography classes..one in digital photography and the other in digital imaging (also know as CS3 photoshop!) unfortunately this blog doesn't support the large files from photos that i edit with CS3 so you will just have to see those on the website. :) here are two photos for one of my requirements.

operation: depth of field.
object: cute antique rings
goal: create a shallow DOF with objects that are appealing to the eye.

color and black/white

personally, my favorite is the black and white version but hey beauty is in the eye's of the beholder! so there you have it.

photography

2008-01-20T22:47:00.000-06:00

here are some more shots.....

so often i take photos of other people that i forget that i have beautiful souls that live in my own house. for fun i took some love shots of my parents. aren't they cute?

this is a sweet family that my mom knows through BSF. last year we had the joy of taking their photos and this year we were able to as well.