Kelly Lynn Photography

Baptism Site of Jesus Christ

2012-01-27T10:10:00.000-06:00

We took a family vacation to Jordan recently and what an incredible blessing it was to see the site where Jesus was baptized. It brought the words of the Bible to life and nearly took my breath away. Simply awesome to think about walking on the same path Jesus walked.

Mark 1

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

¹ The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, ² as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way”— ³ “a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’

⁴ And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁵ The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. ⁶ John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷ And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. ⁸ I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

The Baptism and Testing of Jesus

⁹ At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰ Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. ¹¹And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

¹² At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, ¹³ and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

Dubai Fish Market

2011-12-30T23:52:00.000-06:00

We took an outing to the Dubai Fish Market this week and although the smell might turn some folks away, it's worth the experience. Shrimp, crab, kingfish, hammour, stingray, shark; you name it, they've got it! The seller's are proud of their catch of the day (as you can see below). Next to the fish market is the fruit and vegetable market offering what I would consider "fresher" options than some of the grocery stores.

Newborn Babies

2011-12-28T00:58:00.000-06:00

I've had the pleasure of doing a few newborn photo shoots in December; what a treat! There is something special about those first few weeks... so sweet, so innocent, so precious. I just love being around itty bitty babies! Here are a few favorites from the two darlings I photographed:

Sand Mountain

2011-11-10T10:28:00.000-06:00

With the luxury of having my mom in town we were able to take a mini vacation to the desert. We stayed at the Tilal Liwa Hotel just outside of the Liwa Oasis which hugs the empty quarter of Saudi Arabia. Most amazing was Moreeb Hill, one of the tallest sand dunes in the world measuring 300 meters - a sand mountain! The sand glowed in cinnamon and apricot colors, truly breathtaking.

Burj Al Arab

2011-10-29T13:00:00.001-05:00

After a nearly six month hiatus from blogging due to the birth of my son in the US, I’m back in Dubai and back online! Today my mom and I had traditional high tea in the Sky Bar at the top of the Burj Al Arab. Coming in just one meter short of the Empire State Building, the Burj Al Arab is the tallest hotel in the world. They claim their private fleet of Rolls Royces, butlers for every two-story suite, and helicopter transfers from Dubai airport make it the world’s only 7-star hotel. Pictures are of the view from the Sky Bar, and views of the rooms from the lobby.

Musandam Peninsula

2011-05-14T01:07:00.001-05:00

My dear friend Danyelle came to visit for a few weeks recently. We took a tour via a dhow through the Musandam Peninsula in the Strait of Hormuz. Highlights of the trip were seeing the famous Telegraph Island used by the British to relay the first telegraphic messages from Karachi to London in 1865 and getting up close and personal with a sea urchin. Pictures below are of the Telegraph Island, the sea urchin, and the steering rod of the dhow.

Got Grass?

2011-05-03T00:47:00.002-05:00

My dear friend Danyelle is visiting from the states so we ventured out for a desert safari over the weekend. A desert safari includes dune bashing, camel rides, shisha, belly dancing, henna, and a lovely arabic dinner. Unfortunately, I got denied from the dune bashing due to pregnancy so I hung around the waiting area and snapped some photos of a baby camel eating grass and a falcon. Falconry is a popular pastime here in the UAE.

Hatta

2011-04-10T11:51:00.001-05:00

A mini vacation to the mountains sounded refreshing so on Saturday we took a trip to the Hatta Fort Hotel in the Hajar mountains just an hour outside of Dubai. The Hajar mountains are beautiful! As a bonus, along our drive out I was able to capture a random camel on the side of the road, something I've wanted to capture since we moved here. Yay!

UAE Camping

2011-04-02T10:36:00.001-05:00

It has been our intention to go camping since we moved to Dubai but not until this weekend did we finally make it happen. We camped on the beach at Al Aqah near Dibba, located on the opposite coast of the UAE on the Gulf of Oman. Beach camping was fun but quite different than the woodsy camping we are used to in America. The highlight was taking a walk on the beach to watch the sunrise. In Dubai, the beach gets the sunset so this was a special treat.

Dubai World Cup

2011-03-28T12:18:00.001-05:00

On Saturday we had the pleasure of viewing the Dubai World Cup from a suite at Meydan. The World Cup is very Kentucky Derby'ish sans the betting. It's the "richest" horse race in the world with the grand prize at $10 million dollars. I'd say the best part of attending is people watching. In fact, the best dressed lady gets a Jaguar!

Little Bit of Mexico

2011-03-12T10:19:00.001-06:00

Regardless of where we are living I crave Mexican food. Thankfully, Dubai has four Mexican restaurants. Maria Bonita is a favorite with great salsa and an authentic feel. Last night we indulged with fresh guacamole and virgin margaritas.

Animal Sanctuary

2011-02-19T10:39:00.001-06:00

We took a trip to the Animal Sanctuary and Petting Farm outside of Dubai today. What a treat it was to get to feed and pet so many different animals; all who have been donated or rescued. In addition to what you would expect at a petting farm (goats, cows, horses, ducks, chickens, cats, dogs, turtles, birds, etc) we came in close contact with an anteater, a monkey, and a peacock. I highly recommend the trip for those with kiddos in Dubai.

Doggie Day

2011-02-04T09:35:00.001-06:00

My daughter really loves dogs, especially german shepherd dogs like ours. When she sees them she squeals with delight and claps. Given this love, we thought it would be fun to take her to the Dubai Dog Show today. There were literally thousands of people and hundreds of dogs. The crowds made it difficult to catch the shows but we did catch a glimpse of the police dog show (picture below) which featured several german shepherds, our favorite breed. What is your favorite breed?

Floral Explosion

2011-01-17T10:41:00.000-06:00

When we first moved to Dubai during the peak of the summer heat I noticed patches of sandy dirt along the roadways; it was somewhat depressing to say the least. However, as the weather cooled those sandy dirt patches became flower beds. It makes driving so much more pleasurable! This image is of some flowers alongside a busy road.

5 Story Indoor Christmas Tree

2010-12-28T22:48:00.000-06:00

I posted recently about seeing a 4 story tall Christmas tree at the Dubai mall but I was incorrect, it's 5 stories! It's a beauty, the picture does not do it justice.

Spice Souk

2010-12-26T04:33:00.000-06:00

On Christmas day we took a trip to the oldest souk in Dubai, the Spice Souk (market). It felt as though we were in a different city because it was such a contrast from the mega malls. A variety of fragrances and spices from frankincense to saffron is available in the souk. The saffron is priced very low compared to America. The rich colors of the spices made for great pictures.

Santa in Dubai

2010-12-22T23:44:00.001-06:00

We took a trip to Ski Dubai yesterday in an effort to make it feel more like Christmas. Unfortunately, children under 3 are not allowed (huge bummer). Instead of playing in the snow like we planned, we had dinner at a restaurant looking in on the play park and enjoyed watching Santa and Mrs. Claus play with the children. They even came over to the window to say hello to us.

Middle East Christmas

2010-12-20T22:57:00.002-06:00

Given it's the Middle East I was expecting little, if any, Christmas decorations but I've been pleasantly surprised with the amount of decor at the malls. The Dubai Mall has a four story tall Christmas tree that I plan to capture by the end of the week. This picture is at Mercado Mall.

When Life Gives You Lemons....

2010-12-13T04:37:00.001-06:00

Make lemonade right?! This is a photo I took for my photography course at Gulf Photo Plus. It got a nice review from the instructor so I thought it deserved blog exposure.

Camera: Canon
Camera Model:Canon EOS 5D
Focal Length: 105
Shutter Speed: 1/25
Aperture: f/4.0
ISO: 320

Jebel Hafeet Day Trip

2010-12-03T11:48:00.001-06:00

We took a road trip today to Jebel Hafeet (translated the welcoming mountain) and Al Ain Wildlife Park and Resort. It was immensely refreshing to get out of the city, hike to the tip top of one of the highest points in the UAE (4,000 ft), and then spend the afternoon at the zoo with our sweet daughter. Called the greatest driving road in the world by Edmunds.com, the Jebel Hafeet mountain road leading to the top has 21 corners. In the picture below you can see just a small portion of it and the Green Mubazarrah park at the bottom. The second picture is of my husband at the top of the mountain looking out to Oman.

Egyptian Adventure

2010-11-29T04:30:00.000-06:00

Recently we took a family vacation to Egypt. Specifically, we went to Cairo to see the Pyramids and Luxor to see the Valley of the Kings and the temples. Seeing such beautiful sights, nearly 5,000 years old, almost takes your breath away. These places were old when Jesus was born! I also enjoyed thinking about the story of Moses floating down the Nile as a baby only to be taken in by a Pharaoh; could he have lived in one of the temples we toured? This picture is of the West Bank and Valley of the Kings at night from across the Nile. More Egypt photos can be viewed on my website gallery.

Beach Camel

2010-11-12T04:46:00.001-06:00

At the beach today I saw this camel giving a tourist a ride and I thought it would be a perfect image to depict Dubai.

Partly Cloudy

2010-11-07T06:29:00.001-06:00

This is far from a compelling image but I felt a huge urge to take it because it's the first time I've seen significant clouds in about three months. It seems like 99 percent of the time Dubai has very bright and sunny skies. What a delight it was to have a bit of shade from clouds today!

Spain or Afghan Pomegranate?

2010-11-02T07:17:00.001-05:00

What I find most interesting about grocery shopping in Dubai is the produce labeling by country. Why is a pomegranate from Spain less expensive than one from Afghanistan? Is a golden apple from USA better than one from France? My husband even sometimes inquires about our produce.... "where's this pineapple from," and I can answer "it's from the Philippines, honey". It's fun to think about where the produce we eat comes from.

Graffiti

2010-10-23T23:54:00.002-05:00

It's rare to find graffiti in Dubai but I thought this was worthy of a picture because it says something worth repeating.

Cycle the Beach

2010-10-21T00:09:00.001-05:00

Being a cyclist myself I was excited to find a bike and walk path literally on the beach in Dubai. What a great place to cycle and run! Unfortunately, the path is only one mile long so for cycling it is not ideal. As of early 2009 Dubai had big plans for pedestrian and cycle tracks. I need to investigate further to see if the plans actually came to fruition.

Sharks in the Mall

2010-10-13T05:07:00.001-05:00

The Dubai Mall located at the bottom of the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa, is a sight to see. The mall is so over the top it's like visiting Disney World for adults. Inside the mall is an Underwater Zoo and Aquarium. I took Eden to see the fish today in celebration of her 8 month birthday. This is a picture from inside the aquarium tunnel looking up at what I believe is some sort of Plecostomus with hammerhead sharks swimming about.

Depth of Field, Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO

2010-10-04T23:41:00.000-05:00

I took a photography course at Gulf Photo Plus this past weekend and throughly enjoyed it. Although the concepts were basic, it was a good refresher on how to get back to using my camera creatively. The good news is I have the perfect subject to capture... my beautiful daughter!

Camelicious

2010-10-02T12:00:00.001-05:00

It's true, camel milk can be purchased at the grocery stores in Dubai. Today I had my first taste. Not too bad, but I couldn't get the image of a camel out of my head long enough to enjoy it. Tomorrow I'll try it in my coffee. The Green Prophet website, an environment news site reporting on the Middle East, lists six "green" reasons to drink camel milk. In fact, it's considered to be the closet substitute for mother's milk. Should we replace baby formula with camel milk?

The Wheels on the Bus

2010-09-27T03:09:00.001-05:00

Go round and round.... in America and in Dubai! As you can see from the picture, the school buses here are not much different from North America; big and yellow. However, they do seem to be a bit shorter and the windows have curtains. This bus was parked near the Jumeira Baccalaureate School.

Starbucks is on Every Corner

2010-09-25T11:03:00.001-05:00

Starbucks is on every corner in America and in every mall in Dubai. I find it comforting to see American brands here. Being able to grab a coffee at Starbucks or an egg mcmuffin from McDonald's makes me feel a little closer to home. This picture is of the Starbucks located in the middle of the Mercado mall. In the picture you'll see a mix of cultures; Arab men in traditional dress (dishdasha), a woman in jeans, and a lady ordering at the counter in a tank top. Dubai is truly a melting pot of cultures.

Good Price

2010-09-21T08:00:00.003-05:00

Walk past a carpet shop in Dubai and I can guarantee you will hear "give you good price." The dealers say it with such conviction you almost believe they are making a special deal just for you. Persian carpets are quite beautiful, especially if made with silk. This is a picture of a carpet shop at the Blue Souk in Sharjah.

Concrete Construction

2010-09-18T10:41:00.005-05:00

The material of choice for construction in Dubai is concrete. It's strange to see houses built with concrete blocks instead of wood beams. The only negative I see with the difference (assuming it's not an area prone to earthquakes) is the inability to easily hang pictures and artwork on the walls. I've been told the trick is to use velcro. This is a picture of a home under construction at sunset. If you look close, in the upper righthand corner you'll see the moon peeking out.

Austin in Dubai

2010-09-16T05:06:00.005-05:00

On our very first drive down the beach road near our house in Dubai I noticed how each light poll had an advertisement. Perhaps it isn't a direct correlation, but when I saw these Oakley Lance Armstrong advertisements I thought of my beloved Austin, Texas and immediately felt more at home. In the background is the Mercado Mall. Mercado is a small scale mall in Dubai but it is unique because of the Tuscan and Venetian architecture.

Prayer

2010-09-13T02:43:00.004-05:00

Last week in celebration of Ramadan we had a traditional iftar feast at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding. It was fascinating to learn more about the culture and taste traditional Arabic food. Before the feast, they prayed and allowed us to photograph. The photo below is of the men; women pray in a separate room. The call to prayer occurs five times a day. In fact, I can hear it from inside my house. Although hearing it can get old, a reminder to pray is good, so perhaps I should use it as a reminder for myself.

Dubai Life: Trinkets

2010-09-08T06:16:00.005-05:00

My family moved to Dubai, UAE in August. As we start this new chapter in our life, I've decided it is a perfect time to focus on my love of photography. One of the ways I plan to do this is to begin a weekly post with a picture depicting life in Dubai: Dubai Life is the title of the series. I started taking a few shots this week and I'm excited because I can feel my creative energy returning.

Similar to seeing margarita pitchers or falsa blankets at mercados in Mexico, these little camel trinkets seem to be at all the souqs in the Middle East. I'm looking forward to seeing a real camel in these parts. In fact, they even sell camel milk at the grocery stores!

Princess

2010-04-23T07:26:00.002-05:00

My princess Eden was born on February 13, 2010 at 11:55 pm. Such an incredible blessing and such a life change! What a joy it has been to have a little princess to entertain every waking minute of every day. She's only 10 weeks old but she already has such a personality. She thinks I am hands down the funniest person in the world! My heart sings every time a look at her. I've only done one photo shoot with her since birth but hope to start doing them at least monthly, definitely will shoot some at her 3 month mark.

Old Texas Barn

2009-12-01T17:27:00.003-06:00

Sadly, I've neglected posting for quite some time. Not necessarily because I wasn't taking pictures, though that is certainly a part of it. Mainly because I became lazy with my picture taking and busy with everyday life. It's amazing how much time being pregnant can take up in your life and boy am I in for a surprise come February when our little girl arrives! Regardless, no excuse is a good one. I love taking pictures, and I love sharing them so here's a picture of an old barn in Texas that I shot while visiting the area over Thanksgiving.

Beer

2009-05-05T19:23:00.005-05:00

We went on a little weekend getaway to Charlottesville, VA to get out of the city. Even with the rain, it was such a lovely trip with several fun stops; White Hall Winery, Monticello (home of Thomas Jefferson), and Blue Mountain Brewery. Shenandoah and Blue Ridge Mountains are simply good for the soul... ahh, love it out there! With the new brew making in our household, it was fun to make a stop at the little brewery to drink yummy beer, inspect the hop garden, and dream of owning such a place.

Domestic

2009-03-22T20:05:00.004-05:00

My sweet Allen turns 30 this week. For his birthday I baked him a homemade yellow cake with homemade chocolate fudge icing. For those who know me well, that word homemade may come as a surprise. However, in an effort to be more domestic with my impending marriage and new wife duties, I've started a tradition of baking a treat every other Sunday after we go grocery shopping. It's actually been quite fun and I love hearing Allen tell me how wonderful my treats are. I've made lemon bars, peach tart, jelly thumb prints, a white cake with white icing (my favorite, it tasted like wedding cake) and now Allen's birthday cake. I think I like this baking thing.

Winter Wonderland... in March!

2009-03-02T18:50:00.005-06:00

Last night the Washington, DC area got dumped on with approximately 6 inches of snow. It was the first real snowfall of the season. This was especially fun for Tellie; she loved prancing around in it and even liked eating it.

Merry Christmas; I'm Getting Married!

2009-01-04T07:49:00.004-06:00

I realized today that I have severely neglected my blog since beginning my new job. It's been a month and a half since I posted and what a month it has been! On November 25, the love of my life asked me to marry him - YAY! We went to Indiana for Thanksgiving and Texas for Christmas. In Texas, we signed the contract for where we will get married - the WB Ranch. Here's a picture from Christmas and a few of the WB.

Inspiration

2008-11-16T16:23:00.005-06:00

This weekend was spent attending DC Foto Week events. Yesterday was an artists' talk by David Glick and Colin Winterbottom on the Lenscape exhibit at the Zenith Gallery. Today I was blown away by a round table discussion on photography as a global language at The Phillips Collection. Five Iranian photographers from ArtBridge joined William Christenberry on a discussion of the role of art in Iran. Truly incredible.

After feeling inspired by all the creative art talk, I took a couple quick shots as I was walking back to my car. I leave this weekend feeling blessed to live in a vibrant, cultural melting pot of a city where there is so much opportunity to grow and expand.

I love the two men in the bottom right of this shot:

United States Capitol

2008-11-03T17:44:00.005-06:00

Recently, I've had the pleasure of entertaining three special visitors in D.C. - Kara from Texas, Candice from California, and my Mom from Indiana. Doing the "touristy" thing with visitors is a great way to experience living in a new city. I went on two different US Capitol tours within a week; one with the office of the senator from Utah and one with the office of the senator from Indiana. Must say, Utah's intern did a much better job of detailing the beauty and history inside the Capitol then Indiana's intern! For those of you who haven't visited Washington D.C., our Nations Capitol, it's a must see... one of those "things to do before you die" tasks! I've been here two months and have barely scratched the surface.

Ms. Tellie

2008-11-01T20:29:00.005-05:00

Dogs make the best friends! This is Tellie; she has been a part of my life since last January when I took her in as a foster with the German Shepherd Rescue group of Austin. She was left in a hotel room and taken to the local shelter (who could leave this beautiful dog?!). When I took Tellie in, I knew it was different from other dogs I had fostered... we had an instant bond and I just couldn't let her go.... so I officially adopted her in February. What a joy it has been! I can't think of a more loyal companion. Not to brag; but she's got to be one of the smartest, sweetest, most well behaved dogs I know. Like all dogs, she does have a few quirks: she goes bonkers if someone new comes to the door, it's her protective instincts kicking in, and she doesn't play well with other dogs, especially if they are aggressive. Her vocabulary is immense - just to name a few: breakfast, dinner, outside, truck ride, bed, treat, salami, sit, down, place, off, back, and catch. Recently I've been trying to capture a good shot of her that I can enlarge and frame.

Hello Fall

2008-10-14T15:52:00.004-05:00

Hello Fall, I've missed you. We've been apart for 8 years; I'm so happy to have you back! The one and only thing Austin could not provide (outside of family of course) was a beautiful fall. Ahh, the bright colors, the crisp air, apple cider, cinnamon spice, and football.... does it get any better? This afternoon I drank apple cider and captured the start of fall in my yard with a beautiful fallen leaf on the lawn and the mums on my front porch.

Bloodiest Day in American History

2008-09-30T09:49:00.004-05:00

Recently we visited the Antietam Battlefield in Sharpsburg, Maryland. If you've ever been to a Civil War battlefield you understand the eeriness and silence that is felt. At the Battle of Antietam, 23,000 American soldiers lost their life in a matter of hours - it was the bloodiest day in American history. On a positive note, the battle was considered enough of a victory to give President Abraham Lincoln the confidence to announce his Emancipation Proclamation.

Cool bonus pic taken by my sweetie while we were hiking.....

Little Kid Football

2008-09-11T16:25:00.003-05:00

Have you ever been to a minor league football game? It might be the cutest thing I've ever seen! I had no idea how incredibly cute it was until Saturday when I had the pleasure of attending my nephews game in Tennessee. From the cheerleaders chanting in their sweet southern accents to the boys playing football like men.... these kiddos are only 8! GO HAWKS! Here are some photos:

3rd Place Winner!

2008-09-01T08:52:00.003-05:00

I won 3rd place out of 1200 on a photo submitted to Pampered Puppy! The prize is a Rhinestone Bones Collar & Lead... how fun is that?! Tellie will look so cute in it, hopefully it will be pink. She is VERY excited about our win and her new sporty gear, although it might be because I was squealing about it!

Practice Models

2008-08-25T10:38:00.005-05:00

On Saturday I went to my favorite Texas winery, Flat Creek, with a few friends. I brought my camera thinking I might be able to get some practice shots in... and thankfully, Kara and her new friend Andrew totally played along! They were perfect models for my practice session... you would have thought it was a real engagement session! Shout out to Kara and Andrew for letting me use them as practice models!

Guard Dog

2008-08-22T15:52:00.005-05:00

My sweet Tellie is like many German Shepherds, a guard dog. Since my roommate moved out and I've let her have access to the front bedroom she spends literally 80% of her day guarding the front window. Many times she is so tired she just props her head on the window sill so she can still watch but get a little rest at the same time. Here are some shots of her in action today, keeping our home safe!

The 1947 House

2008-08-17T19:37:00.004-05:00

It's a done deal - I sold my beautiful home in Texas and bought a home in Alexandria, Virgina outside of Washington D.C.! We closed on Tuesday and immediately got to work on the inspection items that needed attention. First up - plumbing leaks... did I say leaks (per the inspection report)? I meant gapping holes!
How on earth could this happen I thought... after all this money we paid for this place and now a $2,000 plumbing bill? You've got to be kidding me! So after two days of buyers remorse and 8 contractor appointments including a plumber, electrician, window replacer, basement waterproofer and a masonry man I came to the realization I just need to embrace the 1947 home and love it for what it is... my new "home" which just so happens to be 61 years old!

Humbled and Inspired

2008-08-09T21:23:00.010-05:00

God has blessed me with the most amazing week... I have listened to more outstanding messages and speakers in the past 7 days than I have heard in my entire 30 years of life! I am humbled, inspired, and in awe of our Lord. It started last weekend with a 2-day Beth Moore seminar Friday and Saturday coupled with amazing fellowship with my dear friend Danyelle. Then I listened to a powerful church service Sunday about a Soul Reveloution, a beautiful small group (aka bible study) Monday sharing our favorite Bible verses and then it ended with the Leadership Summit Wednesday - Friday. The Lord is calling me in the most beautiful ways! And as in typical God fashion, it's perfect timing with my life transformation happening! He is so GOOD!

Perhaps the most significant message He delivered to me this past week is about Justice in this very broken world. Gary Haugen, president and founder of International Justice Mission in Washington DC spoke at the Leadership Summit. Not only did his message ignite a fire in me, I also bought his book Just Courage: God's Great Expedition for the Restless Christian and finished it on the plane up to DC today.

Gary put it so perfectly... "What is our Savior's definition of significance? To our culture, it's success, wealth, safety, and so on... but according to Christ, significance is found in transforming people's lives through love. Sometimes the will of God is scary because he is asking us to choose between a life that looks successful and a life that is actually significant, between a life that wins the applause of our peers and a life that actually transforms lives through love." Ohhh, isn't that so beautiful!?!?! And scripture to back that thought... "For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it" (Luke 9:24 NRSV). Whew... chill bumps! To go deeper, read the Gospel texts (Matthew 19:16-30; Mark 10:17-30; Luke 18:18-30).

Please sit down before you read this: There are 27 million slaves in the world today! Perhaps you don't believe me? Google it! Sick isn't it?! International Justice Mission is a human rights agency that secures justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression. IJM works in communities in 12 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America to secure tangible and sustainable protection of national laws through local court systems. They are doing truly amazing work... work that our Lord is passionate about... work that He calls us to do!

Please educate yourself on this injustice - an injustice many Americans turn their backs to and share the news with others! Awareness is the first step in ending slavery, sexual violence, and other acts of violent oppression!

I will never be the same after this week. Thank you Lord!

Indy 500

2008-07-28T12:36:00.006-05:00

For the past 5 years I have returned to my hometown of Indianapolis over Memorial Day weekend to attend the Indianapolis 500 - the Greatest Spectacle in Racing! Although I grew up in Indy, I wasn't overly interested in the race until I was a 500 Festival Princess in 2000... and since I left Indiana, something about returning for the race each May really feels like going home. Love it! Anyway, I forgot to post some shots from my trip this year so here they are and I even threw in a few bonus pics of me in 2000 - ha ha! As you can see, that year was the only year the pace car was not a convertible... what a bummer that was! If you are curious, Danica #7 is my favorite driver.

My Future Home

2008-07-20T12:05:00.004-05:00

It's official - I'm moving to Washington, DC; capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790. It's full of history and rich in culture. With a population of 5.3 million, it's the eighth-largest metropolitan area in the country. If all goes well with the purchase of the house (which at this point it seems it will) I'll be living in Alexandria, VA near Old Town. Old Town is by far my favorite spot in the DC area, at least what I know of the DC area thus far.

All this equals BIG CHANGE in my life. In addition to the move will be finding a new job and marrying the man of my dreams!

While I was there for the home inspection last week I took a little trip via metro in to the city center to grab a couple shots. A large thunderstorm was approaching as I was running back to the metro...

Shot Nerves

2008-07-11T16:59:00.004-05:00

I'm heading to DC tomorrow to be in person for an inspection on a home we are looking to purchase. We love the home but we know there are likely a few "problems" due to the first contract on the house falling through. Today, I had an appraisal on my property in Texas that is set to close at the end of the month. All this home selling, buying, inspecting, appraising and working with lenders/title companies has got my nerves shot! I am reminded time and time again how much I love not working during this transition time of my life. God really keeps pouring his blessings on me! Here's the house... oh and don't you worry, I'm planning to take hundreds more on Monday!

Family Love

2008-06-30T13:38:00.007-05:00

I LOVE my family! It's plain and simple and not uncommon to love your family but I just felt like saying it to the world today. Like every family, we have our oddities - but that's what makes us so great. Not working has given me time to visit with family more than I normally would have. In the past month I've gone to Indiana, Florida and my sister and nephew came to Texas - LOTS of precious family time!

Fishin' Tale

2008-06-18T11:53:00.004-05:00

Sure, you've heard em' - long winded tales about outlandish fishing trips.... but boy do I have a good one for ya today! We just returned from a trip to Florida to visit family and on Monday instead of going to the beach we decided to head out with no plans and simply "find an adventure"... we wound up going on a private chartered deep sea fishing trip; no one else showed up to fish, so it was just the 6 of us! Along the way we caught a Trigger fish, a Lemon Shark (very tasty, we had him for dinner) and a Goliath Grouper (when I say Goliath I mean it; 67 in long and 54 in girth!). AND just to top off our perfect fishing tale, we had a perfect storm on the way back in! Now how's that for a fishing story?!

Dog Owner Dilemma

2008-06-05T12:16:00.005-05:00

I ruined my sweet, beautiful, fluffy German Shepherd Dog, Tellie. In an attempt to bring her some heat relief in this 100 degree Texas weather, I came up with the oh so grand idea to get her groomed today. For some reason, the fact GSDs aren't ever really formally "groomed" never crossed my mind until after the fact. WHAT WAS I THINKING?! I'm devastated... will her hair ever grow back as beautiful and fluffy as it once was?

Before

After

Road Kill or Pet Possum?

2008-05-30T19:08:00.005-05:00

You've gotta see it to believe it, but my dear friend Laurie has a pet possum. She has the biggest heart for all of God's creatures, even those most find disgusting (including me). In fact, when we were growing up her mom would rescue possums, ducks, raccoons, and basically anything that needed rehabilitation. It's sweet in a way... but you've gotta admit, it takes a special kind of heart to want to pick up a possum off the side of the road that has been hit by a car!

Open the Eyes of My Heart

2008-05-18T21:17:00.003-05:00

"Open the eyes of my heart Lord, open the eyes of heart... I want to see you"

He certainly opened my eyes this weekend! I am fresh back from one of the most powerful weekends of my life. Ministering right in my own city opened my heart in a new way; a few of the most impactful moments for me were...

Laying floor and painting the patio for a new community center on the most crime/drug ridden corner in Austin (12th & Chicon). This place is gonna be incredible and help to push all the nasty out - it's across the street from Mission Possible.
Sleeping on that same crime ridden corner, on the same floor where our homeless neighbors sleep on Tuesday nights at Mission Possible Community Center.
Loving on, singing songs with, and encouraging children from several Austin projects to sign up for summer Church camp.
Bringing food to and sharing fellowship with Ora - an 85 year old who has lived in the community since 1970.
Walking the streets of downtown Austin on Saturday night to meet and befriend the homeless.
Worshiping with an African American Church (Greater Mount Zion) that filled me with the Spirit more than I can even explain.
Praying at the Austin House of Prayer where you can pray 24/7/365 (side note, drink Cielo Water - it funds the Austin House of Prayer!)
Meeting even more new homeless friends at Church Under the Bridge this morning and sharing the message of hope.
Lastly, most certainly not least, growing/building new relationships with the men and women of Gateway.

Last night before I went to sleep I opened my Bible and stumbled upon Mark 4:30-32 "What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade".

I pray many mustard seeds were planted over the weekend! :)

Search and Rescue

2008-05-15T22:51:00.006-05:00

Tonight I did a preliminary photo shoot with the Travis County Search and Rescue team. These folks do great work - and it's all volunteer! They are updating their materials (brochures, website, etc.) and need new pictures. Next Thursday I'll do more shooting for them so hopefully I'll get some cool action shots... and as y'all know from prior posts, I love shooting dogs so this is a fun project!

Farm to Plate

2008-05-12T09:09:00.008-05:00

Yummy, scrumptious, delicious and refreshing are just a few words to describe the food and wine at the Farm to Plate event last week. Famous local chefs from area restaurants (Hudson's, Lake Austin Spa, Fino, etc.) took the fresh food from the area farms and made scrumptious delights and local wineries served refreshing wine. Yumm, my mouth is watering thinking about it!

Save a Buck

2008-05-09T09:17:00.004-05:00

I'm a sucker for saving a buck. I LOVE coupons. Call me frugal, call me thrifty, call me what you will.... but I get a thrill out of saving money, even if it's just a few dollars. Perhaps it's because I remember my mom cutting coupons and bringing her coupon book to the grocery store every week - or maybe it's the idea of if I can save money here... I can spend it over here....

Proctor and Gamble had several coupons in last Sunday's paper for items that just happened to be on my grocery list. I had no idea P&G made so many different products, did you? When it was all said and done, I saved $5.60. Some might think the time to actually cut the coupons is not worth the $5.60 saved, but to others, that amount might account for a full hour of wages.

So I'd like to give a shout out to P&G today, keep the coupons coming!

Keep Austin Weird

2008-05-07T22:40:00.005-05:00

Keep Austin Weird is the slogan adopted by the Austin Independent Business Alliance to promote small businesses in Austin. However, the slogan has been adopted by the people of the city as a saying that promotes Austin's unique cultural identity. Tonight, at the Farm to Plate event, I experienced "Keeping Austin Weird" with one of Austin's finest.... DOGS! Meet Gracie:

Archi-TEXTURE

2008-05-07T10:46:00.005-05:00

Architecture is radical, isn't it? It's one of those little things in life that most people pass up and don't take time to appreciate - kinda like roses right, ha! I was looking through my Cabo pictures and realized just how cool some of the shots where when looking with an eye for texture... or architecture...

Regarding not yet posting my Cabo pics - just chalk it up to me being a fairly new, what I would consider bad, blogger. I figure it's been more fun to post little by little instead of all in one big post.

And the good news is I'm working on a REAL website with galleries and hope to have it up soon. I bought a domain name yesterday: www.kellylynnphoto.com... there's nothing there yet but I'm excited about the prospect of it.

Renew - Refresh - Restore

2008-05-04T13:48:00.006-05:00

Doesn't the title of this post relax you?! That's the title of a women's retreat I just returned from.

It's a yearly women's retreat with Gateway Church. I worked most of the weekend on solitude with God, it's a practice I hope to continue daily. The weekend was full of worship - and we sang my favorite song several times: "Call Me Yours" - lyrics included below. There was a beautiful outside sanctuary... it's where I captured the cross photos.

With my eyes I will look for you; with my voice I will sing to you; with my heart I will freely give you all my love
My thoughts will dwell on you; and my time needs more of you; and my soul longs to know more about you God
Oh I need you like the ground needs rain; like the sun shines on the fields and plains; you care for me and call me yours; like a ship that sails across the sea; your waves and winds are guiding me; you care for me and call me yours; call me yours.

We Won... Again!

2008-05-01T15:16:00.006-05:00

Honorable mention in the April Pampered Puppy contest... top 120/1300! (7th one down on the page, the GSD) Must be honest, I didn't really try this time - in fact, I submitted a photo from the same day of the photo I took that won honorable mention in the March contest. However, given I will have loads of free time starting next week (that's right folks, no longer employed with a regular paycheck) I should have lots of time to get a good shot of Tellie. Let's hope I win the MAY contest... that seems like a good goal to set for May. Humm.... what other goals should I add to the list?

Ranch Livin'

2008-05-01T09:04:00.009-05:00

Over the weekend I visited my man's family ranch in Bosque County. There is just something about ranch livin' (or vistin' in my case) that sooths the soul. A few shots I snapped while I was there:

It's Not Easy...

2008-04-20T19:12:00.014-05:00

Wedding photography that is... I was a second shooter last night for the first time ever, here are the top 10 things I learned:

1. I have a LOT yet to learn
2. Wedding photography is HARD WORK... after 5 hours I felt like I did after a 10 hour waitressing shift
3. My camera is heavy or I need to learn how to hold it properly (hand is still hurting)
4. I need another lens (70-210mm, or something similar)
5. I need a good off camera flash
6. I need a battery grip for more camera time and perhaps it'll be easier to handle the camera
7. I'm not yet quick enough with manual settings
8. When you are a little girl you adore your Dad and Grandpa :)
9. Kids are SO cute at weddings and easy to photograph
10. Love is sweet...

And special thanks to Jay, the real photographer, for inviting me to tag along (shout out to Studio J)! Congratulations Michelle & Dave - may life bring you pure happiness!

Here are a few of the more than 400 pictures I took:

The beautiful couple.....

This was such a sweet family moment right after the ceremony, it reminded me of when my parents got married....

The cute kiddos...
The details....

Until next time....

Sunrise

2008-04-19T08:35:00.003-05:00

Geez, I promise to post Cabo pics, it's been two weeks and I still haven't done it yet - I really need photoshop at home! I figured I might as well post a few more from Cabo even without touch-ups... I got up three of the four mornings to watch the sunrise... and man was it worth it! Check it out!

My First Wedding Shoot

2008-04-15T11:07:00.004-05:00

Ok, not exactly, but it will be my first time to be at a wedding taking photos (as a tag along / second shooter) of folks not in my family or circle of friends! My photographer friend, a REAL photographer (i.e. gets paid), invited me to join him this Saturday at an absolutely gorgeous spot for one of his weddings - Nature's Point in Lago Vista. I'm so dang excited!

Are Dog Photos My Calling?

2008-04-09T20:18:00.005-05:00

For some reason I seem to do very well photographing dogs... maybe it's my calling! Everyone needs a good picture of their best friend right?! Here are a few cuties I found while roaming the streets of Todos Santos, Mexico.

27 Years of Marital Bliss

2008-04-08T21:24:00.003-05:00

My awesome parents came to visit me last week and I snapped a few shots of them - they are coming up on 27 years of marriage! I took these photos at a Flat Creek Estate Winery. It was an overcast day and I should have done a better job with camera settings... and to top it off, I haven't touched them up with photoshop yet... but hey, let's remember, I'm just practicing! :) Thanks for coming to visit Mom and Dad - I love you!!

Cabo Wabo

2008-04-08T21:05:00.002-05:00

I literally just walked in the door after returning from a quick mini vacation in Cabo San Lucas... wow'zers it is gorgeous there. What an amazing place to practice my photography, the colors were incredible - I took over 170 photos and I promise to post several but here are two favorites; I was playing with light and shutter speed (still don't have that flash!). More to come by the end of the week hopefully - I can't wait to share the beauty of this place.

This is a picture of the resort at night; the sky looked black to the human eye (2", 5.6)

The bar at the Hotel California, yes THAT Hotel California (1"6, 5.0).

Kara Turns 13

2008-04-03T20:58:00.002-05:00

Ok, so maybe I got those numbers transposed (sorry Kara!). She had a lovely birthday gathering with wine tasting from France, Italy, and Spain. And as per all of Kara's parties, the famous pastry chef, Amy, made a delicious cake. I decided I wouldn't try and recreate this one. Last party I went to Amy made a scrumptious pumpkin coffee cake that I tried to recreate and long story short I wound up with a new oven as I blamed my cooking failure on the old age of the oven - ha! No photoshop'ing was done on these images and I don't yet have a flash so I can't claim they are the best pictures ever but they do a fair job of capturing the evening. Happy Birthday Kara!

We Won!

2008-04-03T15:56:00.000-05:00

I entered a photo of Tellie taken with a borrowed Canon Rebel and won top 200 out of 1600 in the pamperedpuppy.com contest: http://www.pamperedpuppy.com/contest/200803/winners/honmen24.php

Now I'm inspired to keep shooting Tellie with my new camera and win this thing! One of my very first pictures taken with my fancy Canon 5D:

I'm a Big Girl Now!

2008-03-24T11:56:00.002-05:00

It's official - I purchased my first "real" big girl professional camera today! It's a Canon EOS-5D with 24-105mm lens. Whoo Hooo! I'm shaking in the knees with nervousness and my heart is pounding with excitement. This is it... it's the real deal, I'm joining the ranks of "professional photographers". Ok, so I'm not getting paid yet but I am ready to practice for when the opportunity comes!

Seattle

2008-02-26T10:59:00.000-06:00

Welcome to Seattle, Washington where the sea breeze blows briskly and sculptures shine bright. Seattle is a lovely city full of quirky people, out of this world seafood, and beautiful art. My photos were an attempt to capture the highlights of the city mainly focusing on those features Seattle is known for: the infamous Space Needle and The Public Market.

Whistler

2008-02-26T10:34:00.001-06:00

Welcome to Whistler, Canada touted as North America’s top ski destination and home to the 2010 Olympic games. Unfortunately, the day I brought my camera out the weather was not cooperating but I still managed to capture the essence of Whistler which embodies a quaint village among breathtaking landscape.

Vancouver

2008-02-26T10:09:00.000-06:00

Welcome to Vancouver Canada, our gateway to Whistler! Although we were only able to experience the city for 24 hours, we were able to taste the most delicious lattes on the planet and walk across the Capilano Suspension Bridge. Built in 1889, the bridge sways 230 feet above the Capilano River.

Winter Adventure

2008-02-13T21:27:00.000-06:00

Up Next: Photos from my winter adventure trip to Seattle, Vancouver and Whistler 2/16-2/24 -- I'll be taking loads of photos, stay tuned!

What's Your Passion?

2008-02-11T17:13:00.000-06:00

After decades of loving photos - both shooting them and looking at them for hours upon hours - a little prayer, and three sessions with my professional coach, I have chosen to explore the world of photography and go deeper. Why? Because it's my passion! I always knew it, I guess I just needed a professional to point it out. So as I embark on this adventure, I figured a good place to start would be to begin a blog as so many photographers do... and start posting my work. So here goes world... my very first photos which happen to be of my foster dog, Tellie (she said she would give me lots of kisses as payment).

What's your passion?!