I was so excited when Brittany and Justin called me to schedule their portrait session. Wait, you thought? No, these aren’t the Brittany and Justin the world knows! (code name: Mickey Mouse Club)

But for these two, you can notice that there’s something really intriguing about them that makes you become friends with them. It might be their dashing, amazing looks or their playful personalities.  Maybe it could be that they wore matching white shirts during the shoot? I can tell you that it is neither of those answers. I have known Brittany for about 3 years.  Three weeks ago, I was given the chance to hang out with her and Justin together.  I immediately noticed their common strong bond with faith in Jesus Christ. When two people know they really like each other and God is in the middle, and God comes first in each of their hearts, the bond that they share with the same love for Spirit West Coast and The Rock Church can never be broken.

Brittany and Justin first met on a missions trip to Mexico a few years ago. As they were telling me, Brittany “sort of fell for him”. After working together to build a few homes for the needy, they ended up going their separate ways.  Brittany lives in Coronado and Justin lives in Texas. Through the weeks of late night phone calls Justin ended up coming to Coronado for a short summer visit. He obviously had to return home for college. I started to laugh out loud when Justin told me that for Valentine’s Day he surprised her by sending her a box of “hair products”.  When she started to open the box and thought she would get a better gift, Justin jumped out of the closet in her room and made her hair stand up, she was so scared!

Well, in the past few weeks the Lord has kept this amazing relationship going between these two. Justin recently moved to Coronado and finally they can have the day-by-day relationship they have wanted so badly since the first time they met. As a fun gift to Justin a few days after his arrival and 2 days before their 1 year anniversary, Brittany called me to book a portrait session for the two of them.

The day couldn’t of been any better! Our light was amazing. The sunset was breathtaking with amazing colored clouds all around us, and most importantly, these two were ready to have some fun! We went shooting near Petco Park at one of my favorite shooting locations, Cafe Noir. This place not only sells amazing coffee and treats, it looks like an old mansion out of the 1930′s. They have some really funky textures for backgrounds and that is something I really love when working a portrait session!

During our session, we walked past the newly opened and amped up Hotel Indigo. I have been itching to get inside the lobby to shoot on their amazing sofas. Well, they denied me access which is fine. I still know I will shoot inside there one day! So a quick story… I walked in to ask the front desk manager if we could shoot inside the hotel. When the manager looked up, it was the one and only Deiter from the MTV show, “Laguna Beach”! I watched this show a few times. … okay, I will admit I was kind of really into it and I knew exactly who he was! Even though we couldn’t get inside, we still had a blast shooting outside on their awesome walls!

At the end of the night, who can resist the idea of In-N-Out Burger? It was so much when we were able to relax over my favorite menu item: #2 No Cheese, grilled onions, extra-burned fries, protein-style, animal-style. Right as we were about to leave I couldn’t resist snapping a few shots of these two enjoying the moment!

A few times a month I am given the opportunity to speak to a local youth group made up of 6-12th Graders. The incredible group of about 30 students meets weekly to bring together praises for Jesus Christ. It’s surprising how deep these students are wanting to go! Last night the Lord blessed me with an amazing lesson that really challenged the students to take a step of faith into a place where they normally would never go, to encourage themselves. Yet, it’s a place where they would trust Jesus no matter what. Based on the conversations that continued later into the night, a few students decided instantly to change from a non-Christian-based college that they would be leaving for in a few weeks and now attend a Southern California Christian College.  A few high school students now started a girl-only worship band, a junior high Bible Study was started.. by the junior highers on their own!!!

For this week’s devotional, I really wanted to personally share my lesson with you and I pray that it speaks to you as much as it has to those 30 students!

Imagine yourselves as a plant. That may seem sort of weird but we are all “planted” in the Lord’s eyes. God treats us every second, like a seed. We are planted. Then we grow up and we learn information and grow into plants that have knowledge of the world and Jesus. On our journey of growth we face challenges and opportunities to step out and take risks that teach lessons and give rewards.

The journey of a plant is when it starts in a box and the roots can’t exceed the box’s walls. Eventually, even water has no impact on the plant and it begins to wither and die.

We have many boxes in our lives that we are always growing in. These can include churches, friends, schools and jobs that we start out in.  We begin in each of them as a small plant and over time,  we grow and get bigger until eventually the growth is on pause because our roots can no longer spread.  As a plant, we cannot continue to grow until we are transplanted into a bigger box. When we were originally a small plant, we were in this big box and we all grew at different times (some faster & some slower).

If you don’t give it all to the Lord and allow him to re-plant you as your grow,  when you choose all your decisions… the roots hit the walls of the box you’re in, they take less water, and you start to wither.  We like where we are, we are so overjoyed by our current place that we don’t want to move onto a bigger box that would allow stronger growth and blessings from the Lord.

Giving your life (box) up to the Lord in those times allows you to become stronger because once you are in a bigger box, you become a small plant again and you are given more room to grow.

This could mean a life experience that creates growth: moving churches or schools, creating a new direction in your photography career.

When we allow the Lord to re-plant us into a new place, we need to remember that we have some work to do on our part. Our role becomes the fertilizer to our plants and they are the following:

1. Stay in constant Prayer through out the day
2. Find a local Bible Study that will challenge you and keep you on the solid rock
3. Join in your local Fellowship, encouraging one another
4. Attend a church that has the deep Worship that your heart desires to where you can freely lift your hands
5. Join or Create an active Ministry in your life that allows your heart to give out what the Holy Water Blessings that Jesus pours onto you, spread onto others

Philippians 4:19

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus

Romans 12:6-8

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his^[a^]faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach. If it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

So often, we try to “be the plant” and “the farmer” and we attempt control of all areas at once. It’s impossible to do this. After a few weeks, you’re going to feel such weight on your shoulders that will throw you down. Once you allow God to be the farmer in your life, the plant grows to become so strong, wise, rich and godly. I want you to look into your life right now and really see if you control your life so much that you don’t know what to do with yourself.

I meet so many photographers every week who are frantic to get things done. They feel lost and have this guilt trip that they won’t ever book another client. Throw that all away and stand in one box with Jesus. Let him handle your business in such a way where you know he has control and allow him to bless it immensely!! Jesus made photography, the cameras, the clients, the backdrops… why don’t we give it all back to him. We can’t steal what is his in the first place.

God Bless You!

A little over a year ago, I was honored to shoot Rudy and Allison’s Wedding where I was the videographer. Their wedding was incredible and brought together the love they immensely share when they are next to one another. When I first started in Wedding Videography a few years ago (before I ever thought of doing photography), Rudy and Allison were so gracious by allowing me to shoot their wedding and capture those moments that would live forever. Well, imagine being their videographer a few years ago, and today they call me to say they have been following my website and love that I have become a Coronado Wedding Photographer.   They wanted to have me come up to their amazing location where we did a great Diamond Bar portrait session.

It was sort of crazy thinking about it as I drove up to Los Angeles to meet with them.  I was their “video guy” and now I am so blessed to be shooting their one year marriage-anniversary portraits! It sort of felt like I was kidnapped, but in a good way! Don’t think they are crazy or anything. They told me they already had a spot picked out and everything, so we park the car, walk for about 10 minutes, and there it is— hold your breath: a crazy photography location that I have always wanted to shoot from!  We ended up in a long grass, open field surrounded by trees! I have been wanting so badly to shoot in an open field and these two made it happen! It took me a few minutes to grasp the amazing-ness of these two incredible people and the jaw dropping location. Once I was able to jump into the moment with them ,we just kept having too much fun!

The more I got to spend with them last weekend, the more I realized how incredible it is to have the opportunity to see the same two people who are madly in love, from two lenses.  It has shown me why photography, to me, is so much cooler to work with! I love capturing those split second moments that video totally misses, and that photography can always capture, if you’re there at the right moment. And yes, they are incredibly beautiful people!

Rudy and Allison, you two are such incredible people and I thank you for kidnapping me to this amazing location and helping create such an amazing Diamond Bar portrait session. I am so looking forward to seeing you two again soon, and can’t wait to shoot with you some more!!

In my own words, Nick Vujicic is one incredible man. Being born without limbs, he has endured not pain but blessings from God to send him around the world. His story first touched my heart during Spirit West Coast 2009. Yesterday, I had the honor of once again hearing his amazing testimony at my home church The Rock Church in San Diego. It’s amazing how we as human beings find ourselves in situations that twist us a wrong way or when we are physically hurt by a loss or pain… we end up walking into a corner and we feel we can’t do it anymore. Why do we give up so easily? Nick’s story shares that through his incredible journey of speaking to over 3 million people face to face. This week I feel led to share the video with you and allow you to grow into the idea this week of “When you fall down, do you not only get up.. do you allow God to take over in that moment?” That is something I have been thinking a lot about this week. Do we fall into the world or fall into God’s arms and always allow him to be our cradle to fall into? Do you give your Joy, Happiness & Thanks to God in the hard times and the good times?

I saw Nick Vujicic twice this week. The first time was during Harvest Crusade at Anaheim Stadium where 126,000 attended & 11,969 were saved!

The one thing I took most from Nick’s story is that no matter where we are in life, no matter the difficulties we face in life God wants to use all those things for the GOOD of his Kingdom! We all are different, God knows that and he will use you & me to teach others how to rejoice everything they have for him! Look at Nick.. the man has no arms & no legs and he can operate normally AND he has more Joy in his life now than anyone with limbs ever can. The reason he has Joy is he has asked God for arms & legs multiple times and God said no. When God says “no” to a prayer, he isn’t saying “No” to us individually, he is preparing our hearts for something bigger. God is using Nick’s story to glorify the kingdom through speaking and leading souls to becoming saved. You have a special characteristic that Jesus gave you and God is waiting for you to start using it for him.

Isaiah 40:31

But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

www.lifewithoutlimbs.org

The Alfano family has already held this title in my mind, but as I look over the results of our photo shoot, I think they just became officially certified as “a perfect family”. I may be a little off in some other people’s minds, but look at them! So good looking, so happy, it couldn’t ever be any better.

About two weeks ago, I went through a bunch of my favorite San Diego networks on social networking, letting a select group of people know that I was searching for a few families to receive a free portrait session. The return that the Lord blessed me with, after posting a free San Diego Portrait Session, was all worth it.  I got an email from the dad telling me a little about his family. I learned that he is a CDR in the US Navy and that he has three amazing children and an incredible wife. Well, Mr. Alfano I couldn’t agree with you more. Military families deserve photo shoots like this from photographers. As a whole, the US Military continually helps us to survive, and the least we can do as a way of giving back, is to take them on a shoot.

The shoot was incredible. We met at the big fountain in Balboa Park.   We decided that shooting on the Balboa Park trails and in Balboa Park Rose Garden would be perfect places to compliment their amazing style. It was so much fun! I completed most of the shoot on one of my favorite lenses, the 85 1.8, and I captured a few moments through the 35 1.4L.

When I start shooting, I love to pick out something in our surroundings that we can have some fun with. It makes the couple, family or model totally calm down and they get to laugh.  Their on-camera worries go to a complete minimum. I am not going to share exactly what that was, but to the Alfano family… you know you’re laughing as you’re thinking of it once again.

The Alfano children were amazing. The three children are 6,9,14. Each of them loves to be silly in their own way. The 14 year old, loved pulling her siblings into the shot, which made it so easy to shoot everyone! The first person who comes to mind as I think back to the shoot, is the 6 year old. Wow! He was too much fun! Everytime I would look back, he would make a silly face at me.  Then I would throw one back at him.   We decided to make fun of each other. He loved being on camera and I can tell in about 10 years he is going to be a complete ladies’ man. It couldn’t have been more perfect!

When I was 6 yrs old, I too loved to swing on my parents arms. I convinced the parents to do this for the camera. Check out this awesome mid-flight swing shot I captured!

I would love to send a huge Thank You to the Alfano Family. You guys are so great!! I loved every moment that we were able to share and I am so excited for the next time that we get to work together!!

When I was 13, I was riding my bike to a friend’s house. The scene was on a busy street, hundreds of cars passing by. The crosswalk light told me to go. I woke up and I was on the ground, my bike was bent up next to me. I was carried onto the sidewalk by a few observers. The story was that when I started to cross the intersection, a non-looking driver turned on red and ran me over. Years after the physical experience  I had to deal with pain throughout my body. Two years ago, I was led to a man named Hal who is 92 years old and continually prays for healing to come upon anyone he lays his hands on. I walked into his house in Coronado, CA with pain. Once prayed for, I was able to walk out by the grace of the Lord, pain free. To this day I am still pain free and can be a walking testimony to the power of the Holy Spirit.

Some of us may be dealing with emotional or physical pain. When we deal with pain, it’s something the Lord never wants to see us go through.   The hand of God is always wanting to grasp us and deliver us  to healing through the Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 1: 3-8

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.  And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

I’ve seen so many run away from the Lord in troubled times instead of going to Jesus, the one who will provide all comfort. They decide to run away because they feel emotional hurt and physical pain. We question the Lord’s plan.

Psalm 9:10

And those who know your name put their trust in you,
for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.

In times when I have wanted to run away,  felt troubled and lost,  I have chosen to just ask the Lord for guidance through prayer:  What shall I do? Where shall I go? He puts me into a place of hope and love, placing people into my path that are willing to help me and guide me toward a place, knowing that everything will be alright in the future.

Psalm 55:22

Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.

The Lord is always ready.  He is always near and his arm is stretched out next to us, ready to catch us and heal us in those dark times. It is always hard to overcome something, the world can shout things onto us that put us into pain.  But Jesus died and rose again and he is next both you and me all the time. We just need to step out in faith and trust his divine plan.

James 1:2-4

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

There will always be someone wanting to pray with the power of the Holy Spirit who is called to help us in troubled times. There are always others with us who are fighting the same battles, who are always looking for help at the same time.

God Bless You.

If you want more information on the man, “Hal” who prayed for me. Please visit his website: http://www.howtoheal.org/

For the past month or so I have been checking out some of the best Photographers in the world through an amazing website that my good friend and incredible Southern California Wedding Photographer Scott Anderson started. Scott Anderson is best known for his incredible marketing & developmental work with the industry leader, Pictage. If you are ever on the prowl to find some inspirational and amazing work from photographers around the world, Folio Hunt is the place to be! They keep up with posting multiple times each week putting them in the category of becoming “incredible bloggers”!

One recent morning, I woke up to find out that Folio Hunt had selected my work to become one of their featured photographers! I am so excited to get some exposure into the community and way excited to share the news with everyone!

I would love to personally thank Scott Anderson for this amazing opportunity! I would love to invite you to view the listing by clicking here

Proverbs 3: 5-6

Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight

Look into your heart when you have an idea and a great plan and you start to live it.  Is the Lord  a part of this plan?  It is so easy for us to take control of our photography, businesses, situations with clients, friends and family. I have experienced a great deal with this when I’ve gone as far as possible with controlling a situation and making it all mine. At those times, I never asked the Lord for help. I eventually fell apart, felt like I was torn, lost, and I had no clue where to go from there. When our plan falls apart, we ask the Lord, “Where are you God?” and “Shouldn’t you be there with me for everything?”

Matthew 7:9

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?

What areas of your life do you feel you need to hold onto too much? Are there areas that you feel, “I created it so it’s mine”? Do you live it out as if you won’t ever let it go? Letting go of something can always feel good and we aren’t throwing it away. When I have made the choice to give up things that reflect large areas of my life over to God, he doesn’t steal them from me… The Lord takes in these things He has been given,  and He multiplies them. He leads us to become stronger and better at what we do. He will bless us with the mindset when we shoot a portrait session or a wedding, and when we feel our business is “ours”.  It is really His creation and we are the chosen stewards for His creation. The Lord’s plan never fails and He will guide our businesses to become better than they ever could be.

In the video above, “Seventh Day Slumber’s Surrender”, the focus is on two people. They have everything you have. They take the time to build their souls, love, business, and work… into the world and not put it all into Jesus. Everything is placed into this box in an open field. They made a choice to act as many of us do. We follow God, we know he is there and he loves us. Yet, everything that he gives us we put back into the world.  We fail to give him all the glory and we never speak up enough for Him. In this video, the box is destroyed and the two people lose everything. It is revealed at the end that they had a “Plan B”: they could have trusted the Lord all along.

Within your photography and your business, are your efforts placed on the solid rock? Have you given these things to the Lord? Do you have stuff that you hold onto and don’t want to put in another set of hands, even the Lords? Jesus is waiting, he wants to take what he has already blessed us with, and build upon it like we never could have. I always felt a burden on my shoulders to make the next business decision and it made me tired. I know that I can do what I am best at and since giving it all to the Lord in Jesus’ name, the burden is lifted and it’s Gods!

What is stopping you from giving God all the glory in your life?

You are welcome to place prayer requests and thoughts in the comments below.

God Bless You.