why is it doing that?

that's what the little girl asked.  "why is looking at the water like that?"
the lady answered "it's just like a kitten. it likes to play."

and all i was thinking was that if we ever come home with a kitten that has to be put behind bars so it doesn't eat us, we came home with the wrong kind.

friday night football

last friday matt and i went to my younger brother's football game and man, i love high school football. don't get me wrong, college football is fun, a lot of fun, but high school football is honest in a way college ball never will be. the game was played on a field that lacked real goal posts, had a tiny score board, and bleachers that were only three feet high in the pouring rain. a man even brought out his drumset to give the impression of a band. it was a small crowd but the fans that stayed were devoted to the team and even though the game didn't end the way we wanted it to, it was still a great night. 

                             

destin

we loved you.

thanks for making our last few days of summer absolutely wonderful.

stop + look

it was weird driving out there by myself. usually, i would be in his truck, with the windows down, my hair in my face, music blaring, him holding my hand. loving it. but not last night. last night i went out there by myself. it was a little weird and a little scary. i didn't let myself think about that for too long though. i couldn't. the reason i was going out there was to take photographs.  the whole drive i saw things that might look good in a photo, but then i wondered if it was something that i thought i should take a photo of or, if it was something that i needed to take a photo of. regardless though, i didn't pull over. again, i was too scared too, too scared of not being able to get the right photo, looking like a freak. (i care way too much about what people think of me.but, then again, i was on the side of the road, with a camera, at dusk....creeper!) i finally arrived and got out the car. focus. breathe.
  
first click. not right. adjust - everything manual. shutter speed. f-stop. click. blurry. zoom. focus. click click. new subject. click. not there yet. different white balance. click. wait a second. stop. look. new angle. click got it.

practice here

i knew that i needed to photograph something. i just couldn't figure out what the something was. sometimes (ok, a lot) i struggle with the subject matter here in starkville. i want something new, to my eyes at least. matt once asked me if i could photograph any place in the world, where would i. africa and new york. that is where i want to photograph. cool, he said. practice here so you can take photos there. 

and matt, thanks for driving around with me.

that day.

this day is that day. the day where i am frustrated with stupid, insignificant things that matter next to nothing in the grand scheme of things. this day is that day. that day where i want the throw my hands up in frustration rather than worship. this day is that day where i want to be done learning lessons and just know it already. this day is that day where i want to be successful rather than wondering if i'll be. this day is that day, the day where giving thanks in all things matters most.

competition photos

hey y'all!
hope you're monday is off to a great start! i'm thinking about submitting some photos to a competition but i wasn't sure which one(s) to (or, if i should at all). the thing is that the deadline is tonight.... soooooo, if you wouldn't mind telling me one you like best, i'd greatly appreciate!
thanks!!

{ 1: bridesmaid, 2: chess players, 3: coke, 4: cows, 5: camera man }

independence day