Imago Photography

a is for adventure...

2012-01-11T14:35:00.000-08:00

and adventure is for adventurers.
tomorrow i am leaving on a rather exciting one.
as most of you know, i will be in haiti for the next eight weeks loving, playing, teaching, learning and... taking pictures of course. :)
i can't wait to share all of the memories with you when i get back.
for now, i thought i'd share a few sneak peeks of james and krista's wedding.
i will be open for spring bookings in march, so please be patient with me if i don't get back to you right away. i will be ready to roll when i get home! :)
much love,
molly

Haiti fundraiser!!!

2011-12-06T13:57:00.000-08:00

Hello my dear friends!
I want to let you know about an amazing opportunity that God has placed in my life. I’m sure you all remember the earthquakes that devastated the small country of Haiti in January of 2010. Ever since then my dear friends Bill and Janet Montgomery have been making trips to Haiti, laboring beside the people there. They started a mission called Just Mercy and have been working so hard to bring relief to the constant struggle that is life in Haiti.

By God’s grace they have been able to accomplish much in the past year, delivering supplies, constructing shelters and wells, establishing cholera treatment centers, supporting schools and individuals in business so that they are able to contribute to rebuilding the economy. Their mission is to be the hands and feet of Jesus, bringing hope to the hopeless and broken. They are working to meet physical needs, but more importantly, to build relationships through which they can turn peoples hearts toward God.

In the process of their work in Haiti Bill and Janet met a very special Christian Haitian woman named Yvrose (Eve-rose). Yvrose and her husband had taken in 22 children who were orphaned by the earthquake. Bill and Janet were able to help build this large family permanent shelters where they live together and Yvrose teaches the children school.

Now, here’s WHY I’m telling you all of this. In November Janet sent out a plea for several young women to volunteer to go to Haiti to help Yvrose take care of the children and give them the one-on-one attention and love that they desperately need. After lots of prayer and thought I made the decision to go along with my friend Nellie.

Nellie and I will be going to Haiti in January and staying for two months. Our main goal will be to mentor the children. We desire most of all that their hearts would be opened to know God’s love. We will be striving to pass on a Godly example to them as well as teaching them constructive lessons and skills that will enable them to live well. We will also be helping Yvrose with daily tasks like cooking, cleaning, and laundry. In addition, I will be doing lots and LOTS of documentary photography! I will be accompanying Bill on his medical missions into the mountains and bringing back images of what these people are really enduring. My hope is that I can minister to the Haitian people through photography, but also that I can open OUR eyes to the hardships and needs that others are living with daily.

It would mean so much to me and Nellie if you would be in prayer for us, and the people of Haiti, as we try to bring hope and peace to those who are struggling and suffering. Please pray that God will work through us. Pray that He will give us humble hearts of service, and the grace to endure harsher conditions and any frustrations that may arise.
Pray that God will give the children a hunger to know Him and that we will be able to minister to each of their hearts. May He alone sustain us and grow each of us in His grace.

There are so many needs in Haiti! And since it is the season of giving I decided to put one of my favorite prints from Italy up for sale and put 100% of the proceeds toward the work in Haiti. I love this print because it is from one of my favorite cities… Venice! I took this shot as I was floating along in a gondola being serenaded by the beautiful voice of a veteran gondolier. This image gives you a little taste of that experience.

So, if you feel led to support the ministry of Just Mercy, this print might make the perfect Christmas present for someone you love! (Or for yourself!) And you will know that your purchase sent joy directly to the heart of someone in need!

If you would like to know more about Just Mercy, please visit their website here.
And may you know God’s rich blessing upon you!

Size/Price

ben | senior 2012

2011-11-14T19:32:00.000-08:00

i am sooo excited to share this session with everyone because... it's my brother!!! ben will be be graduating next spring. it's so hard to believe that my baby brother is graduating. he will always be a six year old in my mind. ;) ben is a hilarious guy and has a talent for anything musical. he plays guitar, piano and percussion. he is also extremely athletic. he loves playing baseball and he's a total beast at ultimate frisbee. not bad at volleyball either. ;) I can't wait to see what God has planned for him!

skyler | senior 2012

2011-11-08T09:47:00.000-08:00

i was so excited when i got a call from one of ashton's friends asking if i could take his son's senior photos in ashton's backyard. now you all know how much i love ashton's backyard, right? so i said "um, yes please!"
it turned out to be an amazing evening of shooting with some delicious light and, of course, skyler's stellar self. just check this guy out!

the hiebert family

2011-11-01T10:03:00.000-07:00

meet the hiebert family. talk about a c r e a t i v e and p h o t o g e n i c family! they had so many cute ideas and knew exactly what they wanted, which in my opinion turned out pretty fabulicious.

cheryl kaye | senior 2012

2011-10-25T10:30:00.000-07:00

this is cheryl kaye. or 'ck' to most. this girl has been one of my very favorite people since i met her about five years ago. she has the most sincere, beautiful heart for the Lord and for people. she is a faithful friend and encourager. put simply she's just... a m a z i n g! and as if that weren't enough, she has to-die-for curly hair!!!

and she's adorably goofy!
and she has a wonderful smile!

she loooooves her friends and they love her!
and she definitely has the coolest ride e.v.e.r!!! ;)

thank you so much for letting me take your senior pictures, ck! I love you!!!

ashton|rustic elegance

2011-10-18T09:08:00.000-07:00

you know this face. my friend ashton has become a regular on the blog because sometimes we just feel like doing something creative together. :) she just moved into the coolest cabin with the most amaaaazing backyard ever, so of course we had to do a photo shoot. duh. ;) enjoy the sweetness.

ode to autumn

2011-10-12T15:52:00.001-07:00

there is a season for everything under the sun.

there is a season to mourn and a season to dance,

there is a season to drink up peace and dream dreams,
to feel the goodness of earth,
to let the wind comb your hair with wild fingers,
to savor the last sweet drops of color,
to let silence rule the lips,
there is a season to embrace change,
to let breath fill the lungs,
and hope fill the soul.

and it is called autumn.

tuscany, pisa and the cinque terre

2011-10-06T11:31:00.000-07:00

i promised you more italy photos, so here you go. :) i am getting through them rather slowly.

after spending a week in beautiful, but very crowded, rome we were all ready to escape the city and discover the tuscany region. but getting out of rome is much harder than getting into rome. we spent three hours standing in line to get our rental car. our car turned out to be a "three-door" which, with some very clever packing and stacking, just barely fit the four of us and our luggage. once we were finally wedged into the car and on the road we faced another challenge. street signs. in many cases there are literally no signs marking streets at all. and when they are present, they are usually pointing the wrong direction causing unsuspecting tourists to follow them around and around in circles in growing desperation. however, we finally managed to defy rome's evil plot to trap us there forever and made it out of the city and onto the beautiful winding roads of tuscany. we were able to lodge at a luxurious old stone house on the side of a hill overlooking a village spreading down the valley.

we spent the morning there feasting on fresh figs and enjoying a dip in the pool. :)

unfortunately we were only able to stay there one night so we packed up and drove north. we stopped in pisa for a look at that leaning tower.

then it was driving north again.
we finally found our way to the mediterranean coast. we were able to find lodging in a quaint little family owned bed and breakfast directly overlooking the sparkling blue sea!
by the time we were settled into our room the sun was setting, so we found a nice cliff overlooking the cinque terre to enjoy the view. i am a huge lover of sunsets. they are my favorite part of the day. but this particular sunset was by far the most wondrously magical sunset i have ever, and perhaps will ever, experience
the next day we hiked through four of the cinque terre villages.

we hiked through vineyards on the sides of the hills and of course had to sample their juicy goodness!

we hit the beach for some salt water bathing. i have never seen such crystally blue water!

we finished off the cinque terre with some cliff jumping...
and a walk down the via del amore.

a baby face and contemplations on fullness

2011-09-20T19:32:00.000-07:00

i'm sorry i'm late posting today. i spent the afternoon playing with my baby nephew. when you are busy filling up on life the importance of things like blog posts seems to dim.
last week i was struck by the words of a friend who referred to me as "the girl who has everything". i was caught off guard by the extravagance of the description. i had certainly never thought of myself that way. my brain did a double take. the girl who has everything? it took me awhile to accept this idea. but as i held the phrase in my mind, feeling it's weight, measuring it's meaning, i began to see it's truth like the fuzzy edges of focus slowly become clear.
i am complete. indeed, i lack nothing. i am hidden with Christ in God and in Christ i have been brought to fullness.
i need a new camera.
i want a new car.
there are days when my heart is so restless and fitful i can hardly bear it.
fear prowls just beyond sight in the forest ahead called the future.
but it's alright. because i am free. i am whole in Christ.
i am the girl who has everything and lacks nothing.
and i never will. no matter what.
in Him i find my life, my love, my strength, my self. in Him i am complete.

BIG NEWS!!!

2011-09-15T15:09:00.000-07:00

hey everyone! i have something to tell you that's just a little bit exciting and this is it:

it's time for fall portraits!!!

so in honor of this lovely information i am offering...

a 10% discount on all photo sessions booked between now and september 30th!

2012 seniors, now is the time to get your senior portraits done!

and this offer includes weddings too!

just book by the 30th!

(so get busy!)

buongiorno!

2011-09-13T09:56:00.000-07:00

wow! i haven't posted in over a month! i got back from italy last week and i have much to tell you all! but it's taking me awhile to get all my photos edited and organized, so i thought i'd just give you all a little taste. we spent the first week wandering the streets of rome, getting lost but enjoying every minute of it, getting adjusted to the time difference, getting adjusted to everything else, learning how to navigate a grocery store and a metro, learning how to communicate with italians, learning how not to communicate with italians, and so on and so forth. :) italy has such a unique and vibrant character. i loved the oldness of it, the style of the architecture, the food, and (sometimes) the leisurely atmosphere.

i have a few of my italy photos already up in my etsy shop, so check those out too! if you see one you like but need a different size, let me know and i will arrange it for you. :)

we enjoyed lots of fresh bread and fresh mozzarella
and lots and lots of gelato!

and i threw a coin into the trevi fountain so that someday i will find myself in rome once more.
much more to come later!

caio!

cheryl kaye & a small announcement

2011-08-09T12:29:00.000-07:00

ok, announcement first.
i just wanted to let you all know that i am leaving for italy on august 12th and will be gone for three weeks. this is going to be such an amazing adventure and i am crazy excited! however, this means that i will not be blogging regularly for awhile. but i promise to bring back tons of pictures to show you later, so stay tuned! also, i will probably not be answering email and facebook messages regularly either, so if you are trying to contact me please be patient and i apologize in advance for any inconvenience.
now, on to the good stuff!
a couple weeks ago i got to do a just-for-fun shoot with my fellow photogs elizabeth and raven. the loveable ck agreed to model for us. it was sooo hooooot that day! but we had a total blast anyway and cooled of at cherry berry afterward. :)
here are some of the lovely results.
ps - thank you for being such a patient and fabulous model ck! i love you!!!

jacob+cassie

2011-08-04T07:57:00.000-07:00

ok, so i absolutely loved this wedding for two reasons.
reason #1: the people! i always feel so privileged when i get to be around couples who just have that special spark between them. you can see it in their eyes and their smiles when they are together. it is so sacred and sweet and beautiful and jacob and cassie definitely have it!
reason #2: the location! the barns at timber creek, where jacob has worked long summers helping renovate and repair the old barns, is an ideal place for a wedding. so picturesque! i couldn't have been a happier photographer. :)

hannah | shoulda been a cowgirl

2011-07-26T09:24:00.000-07:00

my adorable friend hannah asked me to take some pictures of her with our paint pony, comet. the photo shoot ended with a rodeo in which hannah was bucked off and comet made a beeline to the barn. but, ever adventurous, hannah jumped up shouting "let's do that again!"
that girl.
she shoulda been a cowgirl. ;)

Ronnie & Michelle

2011-07-21T07:37:00.001-07:00

a couple weeks ago i went to denver to shoot a wedding with christina dickson of bride inspired photography. the wedding took place at a lovely little castle tucked away in the mountains. quite magical. :)

hayley eileen

2011-07-14T09:05:00.000-07:00

i can't even begin to describe how much i love this girl. she is a true friend, a lover, a comforter, a thinker, a dancer, and just positively adorable. i don't know how it happens that all my friends are amazing models, but hayley is no exception. i just can't get enough of her lovely face!

daniel+christie

2011-07-06T21:00:00.000-07:00

at first she didn't know what to think of the shaggy-haired new youth minister. it was her last summer interning with the youth minister. the pastor had asked her to stick around and help the new guy settle in. he was a little goofy, but as she listened to him talk his ideas resonated with her. the two had the same heart. the same passion. soon enough they were best friends. for two years they were best friends, never imagining what lay in store for them. until one day daniel began to realize what their friends had known all along. daniel and christie were perfect for each other. but christie still wasn't sure. she took a long weekend retreat in the woods to pray about her relationship with daniel. by the time she returned God had given her an answer, and daniel was ready to give her a ring. and not long after, they were married under a cross on a cliff at sunset. and the best part about this God-written story? it's not a happy ending. it's a happy beginning.

i was so blessed to be able to shoot this couple's wedding! i don't know if i've ever seen two people more in love with each other. these two waited so patiently for each other and for God's timing. and their union is such a beautiful witness to what God can do when you lay your life and dreams and desires at His feet.

we're here for the party!

2011-06-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

it's been a pretty amazing week. first, i got an iphone. yes i did!
i've been envying other people's phones for too long. i decided i had to have one.
and guess what. i loooove it!!!! it's like a party in my hand! :)

the first thing i did was download the instagram app. i've been seeing some fabulous photos from that little jewel and when i gave it a try... it delivered. here are some of the first photos i snapped with it.
how much more fun can you get? (of course it helped that there happened to be a carnival nearby. hehe.)

over the weekend we celebrated brennan's 1st birthday! darcy did a fabulous job on his monkey themed party.

his first taste of chocolate. i don't think he liked it at all, do you? ;)

he got this swing from grandma and grandpa. he likes it too. :)

oh, and by the way...

IT'S THE FIRST DAY OF SUUUUMMMMEEERRRR!!!!! :) :) :)

enjoy!

lights on the water

2011-06-14T06:30:00.001-07:00

last weekend my family went to the wichita river festival to see the fireworks. i love fireworks. they make me feel like a kid. and i also love taking long exposures at night and seeing the beautiful lights and shadows and colors that the dark hides. but i didn't have a tripod so some of these are kind of blurry.

life has been full

2011-06-08T18:05:00.000-07:00

almost too full lately. i apologize, i did not have anything to post here yesterday. so i decided to share and excerpt from my 365 blog.

do you ever have days when everything irks and irritates and annoys?

when serving others with a joyful spirit seems utterly impossible?

when life is piling up and there are too many demands and not enough hours?

when you realize that your soul is forgetting to breathe?

me too.

"self-preoccupation, self-broodings, self-interest, self-love,

these are the reasons why you go jarring against your fellows.

turn your eyes off yourself;

look up, and out!

there are men, your brothers, and women, your sisters;

they have needs that you can aid.

listen for their confidences;keep your heart wide open to their calls, and your hands alert for their service.

learn to give, and not to take; to drown your own hungry wants in the happiness of lending yourself to fulfill the interests of those nearest or dearest.

look up and out, from this narrow, cabined self of yours, and you will jar no longer; you will fret no more, you will provoke no more; but you will, to your own glad surprise, find the secret of 'the meekness and the gentleness of Jesus';

and the fruits of the Spirit will all bud and blossom from out of your life."

- henry scott holland

tehyzon

2011-05-31T10:10:00.001-07:00

last week i got to take pictures of this chica's baby brother, tehyzon. he's a country boy through-and-through. can you say cutie-pie!!! ;)

2011-05-23T18:18:00.000-07:00

last sunday my sister grace and i went to a little park to do an interview for grace's online magazine. it couldn't have been a more beautiful day. if you haven't noticed, i have a fetish for green. :)

be sure to catch miss anneke degraaf in the upcoming issue of generation impact!

stubborn the horse, and the water waits

2011-05-17T12:33:00.000-07:00

have you ever heard the phrase "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink"? sometimes i feel like that horse. stubborn and unreasonable. i know that "He leads me beside still waters". but i refuse to drink.

"He makes me lie down in green pastures". but i refuse to rest.
He offers to "restore my soul". but i am too busy or self-absorbed to receive restoration.
my life feels purposeless, meaningless and useless when i am not drinking, yea greedily gulping in deep drafts of life-giving, soul-restoring water.
let me live in rest and restoration. gratefully receiving the peace and JOY He offers.
peace to trust, even when the road leads through the valley of the unknown.
peace to lie down. to rest my heart and my will in His.
because i was made to know these green pastures.

2011-05-10T11:24:00.000-07:00

one of my favorite things about summer is... the food. yes, i love winter food too, but i lovelovelove the fresh, colorful food of summer. last weekend my uncle was here and he helped us make a tasty little dish called ceviche. it is traditionally shrimp cooked (yes cooked - no heat required) in lime juice. in fresh squeezed juice it will cook in about half an hour. but we tried using lime juice out of a bottle and it took much longer to cook.

peeled shrimp
fresh chopped cilantro
tomato
serrano pepper for a punch
served with sliced avacado... and there you have a fresh, zesty, summer appetizer! it was pretty amazing. :)
another summer favorite. fresh picked strawberries from our garden! oh yes!

looking for light

2011-05-02T18:28:00.000-07:00

life is a quest. a search. a constant seeking for the things that will bring us joy. but sometimes we are powerless to move. sometimes we must sit. and wait. for joy to find us. we must wait for the light to fall on us. in some ways this is the best place to be, because when we are helpless and inactive we cannot claim the glory for the light. we did not do anything to bring ourselves joy, it was brought to us when we least deserved it. so wait. and trust. and soak up every drop of joy that graciously falls on you, however small.

"do not gloat over me, my enemy! though i have fallen, i will rise. though i sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light... He will bring me out into the light; i will see His righteousness." - micah 7:8&9

get your happy face on!!!

2011-04-25T17:03:00.000-07:00

this is officially my favorite photo of the decade. probably of the century actually. maybe my favorite photo i have ever taken. can i just say "I LOVE THIS PHOTO!!!"
why, you ask?
cuz it makes me SMILE!!! :D
and if anyone is interested i just started a 365 project here.

ashton|"fair she was and free"

2011-04-16T12:21:00.000-07:00

"and in the wind she went as light
as leaf of linden-tree"
once again, my lovely friend ashton shows off her amazing modeling skills. i've been planning this shoot all winter, waiting for the woods to turn green. i think it was worth the wait, don't you?

we never, EVER, indulge in goofiness.
;)

a day in the life

2011-04-12T09:04:00.000-07:00

of a baby celeb. ;)
mr. b had his first haircut ever!!!

what a stud, huh!

[an overindulgence of delicious blossomy goodness]

2011-04-05T08:53:00.000-07:00

i love the combination of snowy blooms and golden light with all the loving i can muster. don't you?

every spring i am swept away by the beauty of growth.

growth is the defining symptom of life. yes, the very proof of life.

if growth and continual change are absent, then life itself is absent.

o soul, do not run from change.

do not shrink from the pain of growth.

soon spring will awake in you.

and you will be fully alive.

alive and awake and pure.

guess what! you can now purchase prints of my photos on zenfolio!

may it always be springtime in your soul.
xo
molly

taking zenfolio for a test drive

2011-03-29T20:02:00.000-07:00

yes, i am trying out the elegant, personalized, online photo gallery that is zenfolio. so far i LOVE what i see. check it out and see what you think!

http://imago.zenfolio.com/

it is a good life

2011-03-26T18:21:00.001-07:00

that chooses to trust. that chooses to accept both the good and the bad with open arms as love-gifts from God. both the beauty and the pain. both the easy and the hard. it is all part of the good life that we are given on earth. the first paragraph of an epic story.

may you dwell among the beauties of the good life this week.

spring | spri NG |

2011-03-19T18:16:00.000-07:00

verb - move or jump suddenly or rapidly upward or forward.
noun - the season after winter and before summer, in which vegetation begins to appear in the northern hemisphere from March to May.

so who wants to celebrate spring with me? :)

happy first day of bliss!

i can't wait...

2011-03-12T18:41:00.000-08:00

until these branches are filled with green leaves!

"and after the storm,
i run and run as the rains come.
and i look up, i look up,
on my knees and out of luck,
i look up.

night has always pushed up day.
you must know life to see decay.
but i won't rot, i won't rot.
not this mind and not this heart,
i won't rot.

and there will come a time, you'll see, with no more tears.

and love will not break your heart, but dismiss your fears.

get over your hill and see what you find there,

with grace in your heart and flowers in your hair."
-mumford & sons "after the storm"

anatomy of a smile

2011-03-04T14:56:00.000-08:00

meet my favorite baby on the planet. there are so many things that make life beautiful and my nephew is one of them. i dare you to look at him without grinning.

yep, you couldn't do it could you! :)

yesterday i turned twenty-three. i always thought that by now i would have my life all planned out. i would have everything under control, and i would feel... well, grown up. but God has a wonderful way of changing the plans we thought we had planned. it is, after all, His life not mine.

and His love will never let me go. nothing can stop it. not even the deepest pain. and nothing can change it. not even the darkest sin. and this is how we were meant to live...

surrounded by LOVE.

hello brownie...

2011-02-25T18:35:00.001-08:00

i found her lovely face in a box of junk. she looked like she needed a home so i brought her to mine.

these days

2011-02-19T13:16:00.000-08:00

peace is hard to find.

but when God's passionate love is flung in blazing colors across the sky,

and i am gazing up with eyes not wide enough to see it all,

i know it is out there somewhere.
and we're so close.
so don't let go.
'cause this i know for sure,
there's still hope.

ladies & gentlemen

2011-02-12T13:55:00.000-08:00

happy valentine's day!

this is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. - 1 john 4:10

it snowed

2011-02-03T07:53:00.000-08:00

this week. a heavy white blanket. though i don't think very highly of winter, i do enjoy fluffy white snow in drifts and mounds sparkling in the evening sun. :)

but...

these are the days when i begin to dream...

of sandy beaches and warm sun burning down on my skin. yuuuummm...

i do love getting boxes addressed to me, especially when they contain lovelies like my new rack cards. time to start spreading the word. :)

delightful[ness]

2011-01-29T18:33:00.000-08:00

imagine walking to your mailbox and opening it to find a perfectly ordinary looking envelope. you open the envelope to find a small parcel wrapped in the pages of a story and tied with a crisp black bow.

you peel away the pages to find a disc with your name printed whimsically on the cover. and on the disc are the images of your story.

it could happen to you. :)

looking for a sunset bird in winter

2011-01-22T15:37:00.001-08:00

the west was getting out of gold,
the breath of air had died of cold,
when shoeing home across the white,
i thought i saw a bird alight.

In summer when I passed the place
i had to stop and lift my face;
a bird with an angelic gift
was singing in it sweet and swift.

no bird was singing in it now.
a single leaf was on a bough,
and that was all there was to see
in going twice around the tree.

from my advantage on a hill
i judged that such a crystal chill
was only adding frost to snow
as gilt to gold that wouldn't show.

a brush had left a crooked stroke
of what was either cloud or smoke
from north to south across the blue;
a piercing little star was through.

- robert frost

vulnerable | a story

2011-01-13T10:30:00.000-08:00

my soul stands naked before God in an inner sanctum.
i bask in His presence as it heals the scars and bruises on my soul.
suddenly, the curtain around my soul sways in the presence of another human being.

the peace is broken.
my soul shrinks back in fear and resentment.

“what right has anyone to seek me here!
what right has anyone to breach the peace and comfort of this place!
this place is mine, and mine alone!”

but then i hear a voice call out.
it is a soft voice.
gentle.
itself frightened.
hesitant.
i recognize the voice.
it is the voice of my friend.
for a moment i am relieved.
then i recoil in more violent fear.

“what if Friend should see me here like this?
my soul is naked!
Friend will see my scars… my bruises!
Friend will find the ugliness of my soul repulsive!
i can see the disgust and hatred in Friends eyes even now!
Friend will reject me if i let Friend enter here!”

i am overcome with fear and in that fear i turn to God, with whom alone this place has ever been shared.
surely God will protect me from this Friend turned Enemy.

“God.
please.
won’t you send Friend away?
Friend cannot see me like this.”

“my child.
fear not.
this is the moment I have been preparing you for.
I made your soul to need and be needed.
it is right for Friend to be here.
Friend is just as frightened to be here as you are to let Friend in.
but Friend is here because Friend loves you.
and needs you.
do not be afraid to let Friend in.
it is my purpose for you.”

my soul trembles with dread as i slowly,
slowly,
reach toward the curtain.
there is a moment's hesitation.
a held breath.
a prayer.
and i push back the curtain just a crack.
my eyes, lowered in shame, finally move to meet those of the intruder.
a wave of shock engulfs me.

Friend is before me.
but not the same Friend that i have known.
Friend’s soul is exposed as mine is.
in it i can see horrid disfigurement and pain.
scars, just like mine.
some old and crusted over, some fresh and raw and bleeding.

“Friend!” i cry, forgetting my own shame.
“who did this to you?
i did not know you were hurt like this!
come in, come in!
i will help you!
and see?
God is here!
He will heal you!”

Friend looks grateful, but i can see a strange fear and uncertainty in Friends eyes.

“these scars?” Friend says, “are from the last time Someone let me in.
Someone did not like seeing the ugliness of my soul.
Someone rejected me.”

the sorrow and pain in Friend's eyes tug at me.
despite my own fear i step closer to Friend.

“Friend.
look.
i have scars too.”

we are both still for a moment.
both trembling in fear.
then,
in the silence,
our souls touch.

God, looking on, smiles.
i feel God’s presence more fully than ever before.
in that moment
when my friend and i
touched souls.

hannah | a little naughty, a little nice

2011-01-08T12:08:00.000-08:00

ashton | femme fatale

2011-01-08T11:47:00.000-08:00

this is the first installment of ravishing photos from an editorial portrait shoot i did with two of my fabulous pals this week. stay tuned for part two!

after the last tear falls

2011-01-01T19:25:00.000-08:00

after the last secret's told
after the last bullet tears through flesh and bone
after the last girl walks the boulevard
after the last year that's just too hard
there is love
love, love, love
after the last plan fails
after the last siren wails
after the last young husband sails off to join the war
after the last "this marriage is over''
after the last young girl's innocence is stolen
after the last years of silence that won't let a heart open
and in the end, the end is
oceans and oceans of love and love again
we'll see how the tears that have fallen
were caught in the palms
of the Giver of love and the Lover of all
and we'll look back on these tears as old tales
'cause after the last tear falls
there is LOVE

- andrew peterson

i want it back

2010-12-26T17:29:00.000-08:00

simplicity that is. to simply enjoy what has simply been given. to simply think. simply love. simply breathe. simply be.
ps, i believe in santa again because he brought me these!!! :)
may your new year be blessed with joyful simplicity!

remember that...

2010-12-24T09:28:00.000-08:00

you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. but now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

for he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. his purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. he came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. for through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. in him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. and in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

- ephesians 2:12-22

'there was no room for them in the inn.' - luke 2:7

"all that God desires is to give you His great love, so that it may dwell in you, and be the principle of your life and service; and all that withstands God's desire and His gift is the want of room for it, and for its free movement, when that room is taken up with yourselves." - william bernard ullathorne

He gave up heaven to come to you. will you now make room for Him?

kaycee & savannah | {sisters}

2010-12-21T09:33:00.000-08:00

the hiebsch family

2010-12-14T15:47:00.000-08:00

once upon a time

2010-12-03T20:42:00.000-08:00

there was a very dear girl with a very dear smile. she had a friend with a very large camera. so they got together and had fun. the end.

the rowl family

2010-11-22T16:43:00.000-08:00

you know them. the most beautiful family IN THE WORLD! i love them so much! and check out my insanely adorable NEPHEW! :)

the schantz family

2010-11-18T06:59:00.000-08:00

let go

2010-10-26T09:57:00.000-07:00

I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.
Psalm 119:32

Meghan & Tyler

2010-10-19T18:08:00.000-07:00

victoria & tracy

2010-10-10T19:01:00.000-07:00

i love photography

2010-10-08T17:42:00.000-07:00

because i love God's creation. i love making much of the beauty that floods my eyes and captures my heart. highlighting each exquisite detail. recording it for you to see. hoping you will take joy in this wonderful world that has been made just for you, with love.
why do you love photography?

do not be quick with your mouth,

2010-10-05T10:58:00.000-07:00

do not be hasty in your heart

to utter anything before God.

God is in heaven

and you are on earth,

so let your words be few.
- ecclesiastes 5:2

praise be to the Lord, to God our savior,

2010-09-30T20:50:00.001-07:00

who daily bears our burdens. - psalm 68:19

things that make me happy...

2010-09-29T17:13:00.000-07:00

my camera, of course,

books,

clocks,

babies,

particularly babies named brennan who are my nephew. ;)

what makes you happy?

live pure, speak true, right wrong, follow the King.

2010-09-26T19:50:00.000-07:00

else, wherefore born? - alfred lord tennyson

colorado

2010-09-12T20:59:00.000-07:00

rocky mountain high.

life is beautiful

2010-08-19T09:03:00.000-07:00

diamonds and silk - 8x8 fine art print

2010-08-13T15:36:00.000-07:00

new in the etsy store!!! only $15.00! click here!

do daisies have souls?

2010-07-30T09:25:00.000-07:00

hello everyone! i hope you are all having marvelous fridays and are ready for THE WEEKEND!!! :) i just wanted to let you know that you can now purchase an 8"x8" print of this lovely photo on etsy! click here for more details.

one of my favoritest things

2010-07-26T20:17:00.001-07:00

is taking photos of my beautiful friends. :) last week, hannah, ashton and i went out on the town for an amazing photo shoot! we had so much fun putting on a bunch of different outfits. :) thanks, you two, for putting up with the heat and letting me photograph you nearly to death! ;) it was wonderful spending time with you! love you both!

and the winner is...

2010-07-15T12:44:00.000-07:00

congratulations joanna!!! shoot me an email at williamsonmolly@yahoo.com with your mailing address and i will ship your print asap! thanks again to everyone!
xoxo,
molly

the 'first-ever-fantabulous-exciting-summer-print' giveaway!!!

2010-07-01T13:18:00.000-07:00

hello, my friends! it's july 1st! summer is here! and i think that is a reason to celebrate. so, to spread the summer joy i'm going to give away a free print!!!
here's what you get (if you get lucky). ;) an 8x10 of the image below printed on professional e-surface paper by professionals! :)

ok, i've never done this before, so here's what i'm thinking: if you want to be entered in the drawing to win this photo, leave me a comment on this post. then, exactly two weeks from today (which is july 15th according to my calendar) i will stick all your names in an extraordinary, pink, sparkly hat and DRAW ONE OUT! and that one will be the winner! sound like a plan? so come on and give it a try! you've got nothing to lose! :)
xo,
molly

brennan

2010-06-28T16:55:00.000-07:00

dream, little one. see, the world has just begun.

for a second i thought i saw your eyelids rise.
a moment, something restless caught you by surprise... surprise... surprise...

the wisner family

2010-06-24T14:51:00.000-07:00

the wickham family

2010-05-22T12:11:00.000-07:00

chad & maranda

2010-04-28T20:39:00.001-07:00

it's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see - Henry David Thoreau

2010-04-07T18:38:00.000-07:00

dear people, if you do not like flowers this post is not for you. :) and even if you do like flowers this may seem a little excessive. so please bear with me as i gorge myself on the lavish feast of beauty spread before me.
i know you will, because you are nice people. :)

april's fool

2010-04-01T06:42:00.001-07:00

i have to admit, i am indeed a fool for april! in fact, i'm completely off my rocker, but who can help it this time of year? ;) i hope you all have a wondrous april first!

noir

2010-03-26T17:47:00.000-07:00

so, today i'm all in this vintage black & white mood. you there with me? happy friday all!

ps - is it wrong to trespass on private property in pursuit of art?

Dreams are true while they last, and do we not live in dreams? - Alfred Lord Tennyson

2010-03-14T15:20:00.000-07:00

these things are rather nonsensical, but sometimes the nonsensical things are the things i like the best. i hope you like them, too. :-)

more than life

2010-03-01T19:39:00.000-08:00

hey, forgot to tell y'all, be sure you turn of the music player at the bottom of the page BEFORE you start the video. ;-)

'Beauty is truth, truth beauty,' - that is all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know. - John Keats

2010-02-18T13:29:00.000-08:00

the amount of fun to be had from one little daisy astounds me. i believe i could spend the rest of my life photographing this daisy and not get bored. :-D i'm also having fun with a new texture which i used on the last three photos. i made it by taking a picture through the viewfinder of my vintage brownie reflex.

shower the people you love with love

2010-02-14T13:46:00.000-08:00

i think family traditions are marvelous. and this is one of my favorites: valentine's day seafood feast! we spent the afternoon cooking while singing along to oldies love songs with random bursts of dancing sprinkled in. then we got all dressed up and enjoyed the fruits of our labor. yum.
enjoy your chocolate! ;-)

a snow day...

2010-01-29T16:07:00.001-08:00

is a good day...
for sleeping in.(and also for taking black & white photos.) ;-)

Justin & Lindsey

2010-01-07T12:24:00.000-08:00

My cousin Justin got married on New Year's Day! Woohoo! Congrats you two!

Merry Christmas, Bloggerworld!!!

2009-12-23T16:00:00.000-08:00

Joy to the world!!! The LORD has come!!!

take me disappearing through the smoke rings of my mind,

2009-12-09T16:10:00.001-08:00

down the foggy ruins of time, far past the frozen leaves,

the haunted, frightened trees, out to the windy beach,

far from the twisted reach of crazy sorrow.

yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky with one hand waving free,

silhouetted by the sea, circled by the circus signs,

with all memory and fate driven deep beneath the waves,

let me forget about today until tomorrow.

'people moving all the time

2009-11-29T13:58:00.000-08:00

inside a perfectly straight line.

don't you wanna just curve away?

It's such a perfect day.'

Lee & Sadie

2009-11-19T07:19:00.001-08:00

this lovely couple just celebrated their 18th anniversary. i just have to say that they were so photogenic and fun to shoot with! congrats, Lee & Sadie!

Pajama School promo video contest

2009-11-09T18:53:00.000-08:00

remember back in september when i told you about this contest? well, the entries are in and the judges have judged. so now it's up to all you fans to vote for your favorite. just like american idol, eh? so, in the words of ryan seacrest: "vote, vote, vote!" (profound, i know ;-)

here is the video i entered. vote for it (or whichever one is your fave) here!

Hiebsch family

2009-11-08T14:26:00.001-08:00

you might remember this family from last fall, before their new little miss arrived. of course they are all just as cute as ever! ;-)

reasons i <3 fall.

2009-11-06T16:36:00.000-08:00

so if you know me, you know i'm not all that enthusiastic about winter. and because fall comes before winter, i'm not all that enthused about fall either. so i decided to play the glad game. are you with me? here are some things i found to love about fall. enjoy! :-D

Rowls & Williamsons

2009-11-02T17:16:00.001-08:00

just thought i'd share a few quick shots of some of the most lovely people i know. over the weekend i got to shoot my beautiful and wonderful sister and bro-in-law, and then we snapped a few quick family pics.

the Warren family

2009-10-22T14:43:00.001-07:00

I'm sure you can tell by looking, but this family is soo CUTE!

Scott & Donna

2009-10-13T15:27:00.001-07:00

Brandon & Vanessa

2009-10-08T10:33:00.000-07:00

This couple got married in Maui earlier this year, but I got to shoot their reception last weekend.

Saturday People

2009-09-20T13:01:00.000-07:00

Soo, yesterday me and my peeps went out and took some random photos of ourselves. It was fun. :-D

lost in time

2009-09-15T09:02:00.000-07:00

we're comin' up,
we're buildin' speed,
we walk along
through endless grief.

we walk along
through endless night
and suddenly it's all about to change.

and all i could have been,
and all i would have been
is lost in time.
-Whitley

Pajama School Contest!!!

2009-09-01T07:23:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! My good friend Natalie Wickham has written a really great book called Pajama School. Starting today she is hosting a REALLY exciting contest! So I need you to go here and check it out.

But don't just check it out. ENTER!!!

I'm serious!

GO!

NOW!

Why are you still here?!!!

Just go do it!!!

(hehehe I love being bossy. :D )

The higher you climb

2009-09-01T07:05:00.000-07:00

The more that you see.
The more that you see
The less that you know.
The less that you know
The more that you yearn.
The more that you yearn
The higher you climb.

The farther you reach
The more that you touch.
The more that you touch
The fuller you feel.
The fuller you feel
The less that you need.
The less that you need
The farther you reach.

- Dan Fogelberg

This ^ was a total accident. And I think it's hysterical. :-)

Marcus & Christina

2009-08-18T16:57:00.001-07:00

This is the last wedding post for awhile. Saturday I'm off to Colorado to get me some rocky mountain high. See you when I get back!
bye guys!
:-D

Candid moments

2009-08-13T15:04:00.001-07:00

This is what we normally act like.
(in case you thought we took ourselves too seriously.)

17 In Abilene

2009-08-13T13:07:00.000-07:00

So, here ya go. After two days of running, jumping, laughing, singing, riding down a bumpy, dusty dirt road, singing, laughing, getting dizzy, getting wet, singing, posing, dancing, laughing, changing clothes, changing hair, changing makeup and singing in the closet, this is it. The third annual cousins music video. It's a tradition ;-)
The song is '17 In Abilene' by country singer Katie Armiger. The vocalists are Emily and Elizabeth Folwell. The video is by me. Be sure to scoll down and turn off the music player before you start watching. Enjoy! :-)

Enchanting Emily

2009-08-11T15:33:00.000-07:00

This is Emily. She is BEAUTIFUL and ADORABLE inside and out. :-D And if you can't tell she's extremely photogenic! AND... she's totally available, so if you happen to be a single guy comment here and I'll hook you up. :-D
:mischevious grin:

Lovely Liz

2009-08-11T07:06:00.000-07:00

Meet my cousin Elizabeth. She is SUPER sweet. :-D And did I mention TONS of fun. :-D She is turning 17 in Sept. So wish her happy birthday, folks.

She thought I was funny crawling around on the ground to get the shot. :-)