Photowalk

On Monday, April 22, 2013 downtown Phoenixville was bursting with color as spring made its way through the streets.

Phoenixville resident, Lindsay Brace (19) was found on a side street admiring as well as playing in the fallen petals from a nearby tree.

 Along Bridge Street this brick wall looks as though it too was affected by the spring breeze while in fact it is structurally sound.

Yum Yum Yogurt which opened in March of this year receives steady business as the weather climbs to milder temperatures. 

The sunshine and blooming flowers remind Phoenixville residents of the summer weather that is right around the corner.  In no time at all people will be wearing shorts and running to the beach to soak up the sun.

The Country Church

How To... Photo-Illustration

This photo-illustration was created for use with articles geared towards people who may be addicted to over the counter or prescription drugs. 

 

My initial idea was something geared towards over-the-counter addictions.  As I began to think about and research a few different options regarding a photo-illustration I narrowed the ideas down to what became "Trapped by an Addiction."  Starting with the above photo I began to compile my final product.

My next step was simply taking a picture with my camera of a person who depicted a sense of agony and a desire for help. 

 

 After opening it in Photoshop, I separated the image from the background using the quick selection tool.  

I copied the selected image into the pills picture (also in Photoshop) and proceeded by converting the whole image to black and white as well as adding a shadow under the girl using the brush tool.

I added the final touches by including the text "Trapped by an Addiction" and adding faded gray framing just to give it an extra pop.

The Essence of Photography

A whimsical moment… the height of beauty… a feeling of remorse… a light into a soul.  Each of these scenarios can be fully portrayed by the simple push of a button through photography.   

Photography is an expressive art that not only captures beauty, meaning, sorrow, joy or whatever it is that is being dynamically expressed in that moment but also allows the photographer to get creative in the message that they want to be communicated.  At the end of the day, the meaning is all based upon the eye of the beholder.  Art is an expression that can be interpreted many different ways by many different people and with 7 billion people walking the planet that's a lot of possible interpretations.

These few moments spent perusing this blog will hopefully bring delight to your eye as well as enlightenment to your mind with different approaches and techniques in photography that will enable you to capture any moment in time precisely as you mean to.  

Currently I am a junior at Valley Forge Christian College studying Digital Media with a concentration in photography.  Not only is photography my career path of choice but it is also one of my passions. 
 

 

Buddy Barrel's Return

On Sunday, March 3rd, Buddy Barrel returned to Sunshine Full Gospel Church in Shickshinny, PA after a year of being "on leave" after walking in a local parade on a damagingly rainy day.  Buddy Barrel is the mascot for the Assemblies of God Boys and Girls Missionary Crusade which raises money for missionaries around the world.

Six year old Alyssa dumps all of her pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters that she had saved up throughout the month into the Buddy Barrel offering.  It had been a while since Buddy Barrel was the one who held the bucket so the congregation was very excited to see him resume his position.

Just a few of the kids of S.F.G.C. pose with their beloved Buddy Barrel that they had missed so much.  Pictured from left to right are Alyssa (6), Matt (9), Anita (assistant Sunday School superintendent), Buddy Barrel, Kendra (12) and Zach (10).

Just a Hobby

 Car guru, Jerry Tomassacci of Drums, PA poses for a picture while working on his Saturn Monday morning.

Jerry says that he "enjoys working on cars but just not when it's cold outside." 

With numb hands Jerry had a hard time changing the oil in his car.  Monday's temperatures were some of the coldest on record for this winter dipping down into the teens in Drums, PA.

Monday to Friday Jerry can be found at United Rehabilitation Services in Hazleton, PA doing his job as an Employment Training Specialist.  He helps people with disabilities prepare for and find employment.  Helping people is his passion.

The American Country Church

Today it seems that the "mega" or "modern" American churches are taking over when it comes to public knowledge, news, and popularity.  Are the small country churches still making an impact on their communities?

Sunshine Full Gospel Church, unlike many other small churches, continues to grow in vitality and be a light on Sunshine Mountain.

This little church, located in Shickshinny, Pennsylvania, holds a maximum of 80 people and often teeters in attendance between 70 and 80 on a normal Sunday morning. 

Could this issue of unnoticed or dying country churches be caused by an increased amount of people more willing to stand and admire the little country church from the outside rather than venture in and experience the presence of God inside? It may be small and quaint but "you can't judge a book by its cover."

*Photo four taken in September 2012

Ranges of Emotion

 Definitely one of my very favorites from this assignment.  I don't think my memory card could hold all of the many faces of emotion that my nephew displays.  He is one of the most expressive people I know.  This particular expression is common for him when playing racing games.  He enjoys them immensely but when he wrecks... well, that's a different story.

 This is a common expression of emotion in my dorm room.  They say that laughter is by far the best medicine and I can certainly agree.  Whether it's been a stressful, fun, hard, fast or very long week, my friends and I can always count on having a good laugh when we all get together.  Laughter may not solve our problems (and trust me, we have tons of them) but it sure helps us to relax and enjoy the moment as well as each other.

I have a thing for telling jokes, being goofy and trying to be funny... obviously some don't thoroughly appreciate it.  After telling a dumb joke to my nephew this is the response that I got.  

I guess I should keep practicing my jokes. :)

Everyday Life

A day in the life of a college student... Although many books are recommended, only one is truly necessary. We have so much material to wade through and so much information to learn but when it comes right down to it the most important thing we can do is listen to whispers of God through His word.

Without the encouragement, prayers and support of friends life would not hold the same joy as it does now. We are there for each other whether we are laughing, crying or just having a heart-to-heart talk. God has blessed me with so many beautiful Christian sisters.

To be studious or not to be studious... that is the question.

Never has this verse (Jeremiah 29:11) held more truth in my life than now. If you would have asked me 3 years ago where I would be today, I most definitely would not have answered with Valley Forge Christian College. But God had and still has the most amazing plan in mind. Although I did not see this coming, I would not want to change anything.