Sweet Cousins...I Don't Know What To Do With These, But I'm Thrilled!!!

At our family Thanksgiving get together, I took a few shots of my niece and our cousins. I can't believe how grown up they are, and so beautiful!
Here's a sepia tone...


Also, tonight I visited a dear friend of mine who is a photographer from back home, and who is also one of my mentors. She has been working professionally for several years now.

Last month I called and told her that I had been praying about doing a little photography part time on the side. Her reply was, "I've been waiting for your call". :) She said several months before my call, God had put it on her heart to mentor me, and give me her starter lighting kit. So now that I am in town visiting family and friends, I was able to meet up with her and pick it up! YAY!

Here it is...I have no idea what to do with it yet, but I'm thrilled about it!



It has two reflector umbrellas with lights, and one tall light that can be raised up high and cast down on the subject or used to cast light from behind the subject.





I'll have to take a photo of it later after it is all set up. It needs bulbs... but HEY, no problem!!! :)

Also, after I got home, my mother-in-law said she had some tripods I may want. One of them is really cool...like retro baby blue! HA! Both were my late father-in-laws...when he owned a travel agency here in our hometown. These are very special to me for this reason. He and I shared a love of music and photography. :)

Here are the tripods:







I'm stoked!!!

Even though I do not have a DSLR cam, she was so encouraging. She started out with a Fuji...about the same grade camera that I have (which is a Kodak P850), and produced beautiful photos. Since her business has grown, she has upgraded to a Nikon D200. Yet, she said she did weddings and put out some great photos with her Fuji.

It was refreshing to spend time with her, and she never once said I couldn't do this without a dslr ;). She shared photo editing tips (she has CS2), business and volunteer ideas. Oh, we compared my gimp editing program with hers, and there was not much I couldn't do on gimp that she does on CS2. We were amazed...

For those who do not know about it...GIMP is FREE!

What blessings from the Lord!

Thank you to those who have prayed for God's direction for me. It seems as though things are beginning to fall into place...
:)