It's what the Bible says that matters

"I have what the Bible says I have."

 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Gal. 3:29)

"I can do what the Bible says I can do."

 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.(Philippians 4:13)

"I am what the Bible says I am!"

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8: 37-39)

Outside of the Bible are lies and deceptions! 

Don't be tricked!

Read the BIBLE and know the TRUTH! 

And the TRUTH shall set you FREE!

God's Love in You!

1 John 2:15-17 (The Message)
Don't love the world's ways.

Don't love the world's goods.

Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father.

Practically everything that goes on in the world

—wanting your own way,

wanting everything for yourself,

wanting to appear important—

has nothing to do with the Father.

It just isolates you from him.

The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—

but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.

It's amazing how different God's Love and Human Love are.

You want to know the secret of a long-lasting relationship and a succesful life?

Have God's LOVE in you!

Picture source

Snooty, Yet Warm

David Honl has just started shipping a gold-interior version of his popular 8" speed snoot, dubbed the Honl Zebra 8. When the light passes through the snoot, it bounces around and picks up the warm color -- similar to using a warming gel on your key light.

Which makes it great for for lighting human beings, especially those from Great Britain.

It's a store-bought homage to an old trick I first picked up from my friend Chris Usher. He used to scrounge manilla folders when shooting biz portraits in an office. Just roll 'em up and make a warm snoot with a rubber band.The effect is similar, albeit less efficient.

Oh, and thanks to users having hacked the original use of the snoots, they now do double duty as bounce reflectors when attached in the manner shown in the photo up top.
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:: Product Page ::

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peace out

credit:: gabrielle kai

Put a Li'l Boom in Your Pocket: The Matthews Scissors-Clip

I had a few people ask about how I mounted the SB-800 in the ceiling for the John McIntyre photo last week. I used a Matthews Scissor-Clip, a sweet little light stand / cable clamp made just for suspended ceilings.

Hit the jump for more info and pics. Read more »

Unconditional Acceptance

Breakfast at McDonald's


This is a good story and is true, please read it all the way through until the end! (After the story, there are some very interesting facts!):


I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree.


The last class I had to take was Sociology.


The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with.


Her last project of the term was called, “Smile.”


The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions.



I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway. So, I thought this would be a piece of cake, literally.



Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald's one crisp March morning.

It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son.



We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then even my husband did.

I did not move an inch... an overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved.

As I turned around I smelled a horrible 'dirty body' smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men.

As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was 'smiling'

His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance......

He said, 'Good day' as he counted the few coins he had been clutching..

The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman was his salvation.

I held my tears as I stood there with them.

The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted.



He said, 'Coffee is all Miss' because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm.

Then I really felt it - the compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes.

That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me, judging my every action.

I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray.

I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue-eyed gentleman's cold hand..

He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, 'Thank you.'

I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, 'I did not do this for you. God is here working through me to give you hope.'

I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son... When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, 'That is why God gave you to me, Honey, to give me hope..'

We held hands for a moment and at that time, we knew that only because of the Grace that we had been given were we able to give.

e are not church goers, but we are believers.



That day showed me the pure Light of God's sweet love.



I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand.

I turned in 'my project' and the instructor read it.

Then she looked up at me and said, 'Can I share this?'

I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class.

She began to read and that is when I knew that we as human beings and being part of God share this need to heal people and to be healed.

In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald's, my son,the instructor, and every soul that shared the classroom on the last night I spent as a college student.

I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn:

UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE..

Picture from here.

Blog Out Loud wants YOU

I've received many emails over the past year asking how one could be a part of the Blog Out Loud S.W.A.G. bags {if you haven't heard, they kick some serious ass} .

Do you have a great, hand-made product that you'd like to promote? A little nibble of your creative genius you like to share? Our audiences are rich with various creatives, bloggers, writers and folks just like you. This is an excellent opportunity to get your beautiful work into the hands of the folks who matter and will make a difference.

If you're interested, drop me a line and I'll fill you in. And mark your calendars for March 4th, San Francisco. More info to come.....

stylin' with elodie rambaud

Come rest your weary eyes, It's been a long week. Or maybe you're like me, and just want a purpose to your procrastination. Whichever, here ya go - some hot, french, interior porn, from French stylist Elodie Rambaud's website.

the bookbook, protects you from that which blows

Your Macbook can take some serious blows. A slip off the table at the Java Hut, an errant trip over a cord, sending yourself and your precious lap top reeling. Death to the Macbook can come swiftly and without warning.

Twelve south {the genies behind this design} claim the glories of their product are three: to protect from the blows of life, to disguise from computer thieves by turning your precious lap top into what appears to be an antique, leather bound book and finally raising your rad factor, 10 fold by making your lap top look like nobody else's.

That's right, no two are a like. And all for around $80.00

like it? go here

via josh spear

Amaison Gourmet shop

If you've ever experienced Amsterdam, you know these people have the design thing down. long time. Amaison gourmet food shop's concept was based on the idea of being your grandmother's kitchen, trying things as she cooks it and taking it home.

The Design group concrete used a 'house shaped building' block as the core design element to every aspect of the design in the space.

I'm hungry.

design:: concrete

quiet sky

Japanese artist, Misa Tanaka creates these vessels by fusing porcelain and glass, aptly entitled: Shizukana Sora:: Quiet Sky.

Two-Light Portrait: Climber's Hands

One of the more common questions I get asked is, "How many flashes should I have?"

Obvious answer: As many as possible -- but that's just me.

But the majority of what I shoot is done with two lights, so that is what I usually recommend for people starting out. And I really enjoy finding ways to exploit two light sources (plus ambient) in as many ways as possible.

Keep reading for a quick walk-thru at this shot of a rock climber's hands. Read more »

::chelsea cardinal::

Great pen and ink, watercolor illustrations by Brooklyn artist, Chelsea Cardinal.

Cardinal, an illustrator by study, works as a designer for GQ magazine, creating beautiful art at night. I'm really inspired these days by the laying down of an image via ink combined with the looseness of watercolor.

I think those of us who are 'illustrators' can, pretty easily create art that looks like the subject. That's just what we do. But the real talent comes in with "what you do with it"; how you make it come alive with personality. It may be through the line weight {am I getting too technical?} or even the humor of the line laid down {too esoteric?}

My own work has always been so tight and when I've tried to be less so, I'm never happy with my results {perfectionist in me}

An approach like this combines both the exactness that I like but with an unpredictability {the hand lettering aspect is fantastic as well}

her paintings are pretty great too:

She sells prints.917-804-7992

along the same line:

sujean rim

caitlin mcgauley

more things to do on a rainy day....

Stumbled across this great, DIY blog tonight. The girl is fearless with her cheap, diy projects. And when I say cheap, I mean, she didn't want to foot the bill for an electric saw to build a pelmet box, so she used FOAM CORE. Foam core and DUCK TAPE. And it turned out amazingly, well:

Oh, and here was the thing that piqued my interest initially,

A small Bombay chest from Homegoods, that she silver leafed. Really easy project. Don't go over to this blog until you have some time. And when you do, search her DIY section. You'll be headed over to craig's list and your local craft store, faster than you can say 'Eddie Ross'

oh, and if you're in that DIY kind of mood and somehow missed Jennifer Boles' {Peak of Chic} bathroom re-do. Go check it out. You'll be warming up your glue gun with a whole new gusto.

and to add to the list, another elegant and spine tingiling DIY project by Patricia {Mrs. Blandings} here

Promises: Are they really made to be Broken?

I'm sure you heard a lot of these lately. For Filipinos, I'm sure you've been bombarded with a lot of these. In every commercial break, you find Politicians advertising themselves. In every front page of a newspaper, surely one part talks about a politician and on what he really plans to do. In every Billboard, or footbridge, we see these as well! And yes, even in Facebook invites from your friends asking you to support these "presidentiables" are everywhere.

Hmm...Can we really trust and believe everything they say? Can we really trust their "promises"?

I hear a resounding, "NO WAY!"

That's understandable.

How many times have we been betrayed by these politicians? We trusted Erap to be for the "mahirap" but the records would say he'd been the most extravagant President this country has had. We trusted GMA in Edsa 2. I can no longer count ho many times she betrayed the Filipino people.

This situation is not just true for politicians. Remember the time that your friend didn't show up on your agreed time? Remember the time that your partner didn't do what he promised to do?

I am a victim of broken promises. I'm sure you are too.

But here's the GOOD NEWS:

2 Corinthians 1:20 (The Message)


20-22Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus. In him, this is what we preach and pray, the great Amen, God's Yes and our Yes together, gloriously evident. God affirms us, making us a sure thing in Christ, putting his Yes within us. By his Spirit he has stamped us with his eternal pledge—a sure beginning of what he is destined to complete.

AMAZING!

What does that mean?

It means all promises you can read from the Bible, they can be real in your LIFE!

Just believe and then it will happen!

The politicians, our friends and even our family can fail but Jesus will never fail! Praise the Lord!

You can read this previous post for further reading: Believe in God's Promises

color bath

Last week we sat inside and watched as the rain came down in torrents.... five days in a row. The sky was dark, there was thunder {unheard of}, power outages, threats of tornadoes {at the beach...think on that for a moment} high winds tossed bougainvillea up and through the, stuck-open, sky light pasting my floor with wet pink papery petals.

I realize that most of you are in the dead center of 'winter'. And that this is the part when it becomes mind numbingly bleak and begins making even tempered people grouchy and unreasonable. And that my winter, with all of its greenery and blooming flowers and sub par rain fall averages, is almost an obnoxious mockery.

I ran across photographer, Debi Treloar's work over the weekend and thought, with all of its bright warm energy, that these would make for a great little 'welcome to your week' posting.

Here's to being hopeful that spring is 'round the bend.

and if you're needing more, warm-the-cockels-of-your-winter-bound-heart visuals check out: absolutely beautiful things. Anna's posts always make me happy.

Out Standing In Their Field

A little Monday morning fun, courtesy the London Strobist Meetup Group. If you are in London and looking for some interesting folks to shoot with, give them a shout and find out when their next meetup will be.

One of countless homages to the original photo by Joe Rosenthal, I still love this one. Honestly, sometimes it amazes me what this website has spawned. And of course, click the pic if you want lighting info for the flashes you can't see in the frame.
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Couple of quick notes on the original, which was of course a bit more serious:

First, Rosenthal's photo, Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima, was the most published photo in the world until it was eclipsed in a single day by Bruce Weaver's shot of the Challenger explosion.

Second, my wife's grandfather was standing at the base of Mt. Suribachi when the flag was raised. He's no longer with us, but he always held me spellbound with his remembrances of that and many other of his experiences.

(Photo by David Woof.)

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peace out

greens, originally uploaded by _chiaroscuro_.

loving. living. small. give away

Are you a small space dweller and loving it? Run over to my friend and Blog Out Loud co-founder's blog, loving.living.small - the blog that's all about small space dwelling with big design- and tell her about one of your favorite tips for living small. If you win you'll receive the, not yet released, DKNY fragrances; Delicious Candy Apple. Not just one, but the trio of scents.

A suite of sweets for your little suite...loving.living.small

Way Cool, Ultra-Light Stand Hack

UPDATE: Peter has updated the pole light stands for use with BIIIG MODS.
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Are you weight- and space-conscious with your gear when you travel? Do you typically shoot indoor, with small lights?

Hit the jump for a very ingenious DIY solution from Swedish photographer Peter Karlsson. Read more »

Non-US Reader? Consider GPP.

In America, we are lucky enough to have a near-continual smorgasbord of photo workshops and seminars from which to choose. Unfortunately, this is not always the case for those of you who live elsewhere.

If you are reading this from Europe, the Middle East, the Subcontinent or even the Far East, make the jump to see several reasons to strongly consider making a trip to Dubai this March.

If there is no way in heck you would ever jump on a plane to the Middle East, probably best to skip the jump and avoid the temptation. Read more »

fold school

patience and a lot of time on one's hand. Paper art has been around for over a thousand years, finding its roots in Japan, but rarely getting the mention that it deserves. Folded, cut, pasted, prodded, carved or quilled....these are all, so, completely off the hook....

Bovey Lee, Jolis Paon,Brian Dettmer,Richard Sweeney,Bert Simons, Su Blackwell, Yulia Brodskaya

images from web designer depot.com