FREEDOM!

What does freedom look like to you? Can it be captured in a photograph?

In honor of Independence Day, I'm sponsoring my very first Laurie Heath Studio Blog Photo Contest. You're invited to submit your own favorite original FREEDOM! photo to be voted on by my faithful blog readers along with all of the family members and friends you can direct my way. The photo receiving the highest number of votes will earn a free portrait session with yours truly!

Here are the details:
* email a photo you've taken to laurieheath@sbcglobal.net by 8:00 pm on Monday, June 30
* visit the blog beginning Tuesday, July 1 and email me your vote
* send a link to my blog to everyone you think would be interested in voting
* voting will close at 8:00 pm on Thursday, July 3
* the winner will be announced at 10 am on Friday, July 4

Just to get your creative juices flowing, here's the first FREEDOM! image that popped into my head, one of my all-time favorite photos featuring one of my favorite little girls:So how about you? What's your favorite picture of FREEDOM! ? I can't wait to see it!

ETA: Wow, how exciting! Five entries already as of Saturday afternoon! This is going to be a lot of fun, so hurry up and jump on the bandwagon!

I made a new friend this week! Emma Jean and I were already connected, thanks to her grandson and my daughter, but we had never gotten to know one another. I'm so glad you called me for new publicity shots, Emma Jean -- now I can admire you from up close rather than from afar! May your dedicated, faithful service continue to enrich our community for many years to come.

Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.

Galatians 6:3-5 MESSAGE

This past week I had the privilege of meeting 10 talented young photographers who are exploring photography with me in a teen summer class at Brazosport College. The BC campus provides terrific landscapes and interesting details in all sorts of nooks and crannies, so we won't be lacking in subject material. Here are a few of my own favorite shots so far, including a glimpse of the next generation of photographic artists!

Stay tuned for details about upcoming classes for grown-up photographers...

Here's a tongue-twister for you: Piper Park is perfectly precious!
It's always an honor to take newborn portraits, and it's even greater when mom and dad are in the picture, too. Bonds of love start forming before new parents really even know what to do with these gifts from God, and I love catching private little moments between babies and the big people who are ga-ga over them:

Welcome to the world, sweet Piper. Thanks for opening your big blue eyes just long enough for a few photos!

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us,

that we should be called children of God!

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God;

and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

1 John 3:1 and 4:7 NKJV

If you're ever looking for a fun time, pick up your camera and go find the Swindell kids. Their dad asked me for a new set of portraits while everyone was gathered for a certain youngest sister's AHS graduation. Here are the three original siblings, re-enacting their favorite photo session antics for probably the millionth time in their years of growing up together:

Next we attempted a formal portrait, but the two newest Swindells insisted on adding their own brand of silliness to the shot:

The two Wheaton grads flashed their school sign while the Aggies and Aggie-to-be WHOOPed it up:

These two faces have helped make Wonderfully Made what it is today! Their engagement portraits have graced my business cards and website for more than two years, and now they've become just a boring old married couple:

Thanks for a fun, spirited morning, Ann, Michael, Christine, Steven and Fallon. It's a joy to see how beautifully the Lord is knitting you into one family, and I really would have been happy to play around under the trees all day long with you!

I will go where you go,

I will live where you live;

your people will be my people,

your God will be my God.

Ruth 1:17 CEV