I am going to post a blurb here on the family blog but will be sure to post more on the photo blog too.
Today I got the opportunity to practice my photography again by doing my 1st guy senior photo shoot. I was SOOO nervous - about it being my first time photographing a senior guy, about the horrendous weather, about my skills with indoor shoots ( not so good last time), about just about everything.
I know that I have been given this gift to be able to share with others. I do not have this gift or watch it develop because I am awesome or wonderful - it has all come because of great blessings.
My main goal with my photography is to be able to use my gift to serve others and bring them happiness, not myself. My goal is to be friendly, efficient, professional.
With these things in my heart and mind I knelt for prayer before the shoot today - knowing I couldnt do it on my own, pleading to have the weather behave, knowing I was so terrified to need to an indoor shoot and knowing my skills arent good enough to do that yet.
I was given more blessings, tender mercies, and miracles today than I could ever deserve - starting with exactly 90 minutes of dry weather! (I schedule all my shoots for 90min) The weather went from blowing and rainy yuck to misty rain to nothing. When we were just on the outside edge of that 90 minutes the wind and rain started in earnest again. This also happened with a shoot I did last week. It really was a miracle.
I was also blessed to have a very positive experience with the young man I did picts for. He was really great to work with and I think we both had fun. I was blessed with the end result of some pretty amazing picts to be able to give to him and his family (watch for them to post on the photo blog) as well.
During a couple of lulls in the shoot (clothes changes) I was able to just sit - with my heart overflowing with gratitude for the amazing gifts that had been given. I couldnt say "thank you" enough. It also gave me a chance to review picts already taken and have some quiet moments to be open to more ideas or inspiration - which I definately received.
Today was a day of receiving and giving gifts. It amazes me that I continue to receive such tender blessings as today when I know I am so undeserving. Even so, I am truly grateful for them and for the opportunity it gives for me to learn and for my testimony to grow stronger even through little things like taking pictures. It fills me with untold joy to be able to share those blessings and learning and strength with others - their happiness is also my own. What a marvel and wonder that is.
2 comments:
Wow! This is so great, and I think you are soooo deserving. What a geninuely good person you are, Rory! I think Heavenly Father gives us these feelings about our talents and gifts to keep us humble. I don't remember a day of my mission when I didn't wonder if I'd still have the gift of tongues that day. It was such a blessing, and I knew it wasn't anything I did to be able to speak a language like that.
I'm so glad things went well for you!
You go mom!
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