Terra Richards Photography

What began as a joke in conversation among friends over coffee a few weeks ago, has sprung into an action plan the Lord has deeply rooted in my heart.  We were hanging out in a Starbucks in downtown Fort Worth, when Josh mentioned something about our alarm clock.  Curtis stopped him laughing and said, “ya’ll have an alarm clock?”  To which we both replied, “yeah, don’t you?”  Teasing led to Curtis doing an impromptu survey at the coffee shop, asking patrons if they use an alarm clock or the alarm on their cell phone!  This was crazy…we had no idea the world had progressed without us, when patrons, both college age and our parent’s age, looked at Curtis as if he were asking if they mail their bills with a stamp…who does that?  So, Josh, stuck in his ways, still uses his alarm clock that my parents bought us for Christmas many years ago…I have since reverted to trying to use my alarm clock, about as comfortable with it as I was the first year of auto-deposit of my paycheck.  Fearing my battery will die, I can’t see the time in the middle of the night…but I have had lots of fun with waking Josh to quacking ducks.

 Then, I was reading through my mail a few days ago and the Union Gospel Mission newsletter arrived.  I always go to the NEEDS section to see how we can help.  I noticed the first thing on the list was alarm clocks/watches.  I guess we take it for granted that everyone has a cell phone, when in fact, cell phones are still a luxury item that we all possess and are in no way a necessity of life.  However, alarm clocks help us to wake up on time to get started on a productive day.

 So, why am I telling you this?

 Because, I am asking you to join with me in collecting items for the Union Gospel Mission of Tarrant County for their Christmas NEEDS.  If you email or call me (817-371-4799) I am happy to come by your home to collect your donations.  And when you are giving, remember that our own Savior gave us his best…so do not just dig at the back of your closet.  If you have a new pair of shoes that you have been intending to wear for the past two years…give.  If you are out shopping on Black Friday, pick up some socks and underwear or an electronic game for a teen.  I am sure there will be many crazy deals this season. 

 I will  be collecting donations through December 5 and then delivering them to the UGM.

 You know how good it makes you feel to put on your best attire…imagine living on the street and how much it would perk you up to know that you were given someone’s best…not their leftovers.    Of course, I know that most of our “old stuff” is like new to anyone else, so all donations will be greatly appreciated.

 Many, many wishes for you and your family and safe and wonderful holiday season.  How blessed we are.

 NEEDS

Alarm Clocks/Radios

Watches

Men’s and Women’s clothing – all sizes

Socks and underwear

Bras

Games and electronics for teens

Children’s toys and clothing

Shoes/boots

Coats for men, women, and children

A very dear friend of mine signs all of her emails “Let your light shine for Him today…” – I love it…and it fits perfectly for my post today.  I promised a while back to start handing out some photo-tips…for FREE!  Wow, you can’t beat that in today’s economy!  I know most of the general public thinks custom photographers have lots their minds with their prices these days…but let me tell you there is ALOT that goes into creating the images that you see – beyond the one to two hour session of shooting.  I think I would have loves being a film-shooter…you get your shots in the camera, ship them off to the lab…and you’re done!  No sitting at the pc for hours on end editing, cropping, resizing, sharpening for print, sharpening for web, blah, blah, blah…

Where was I?  Oh yes…light.  In my most humble opinion, I believe a photographer’s best tool is light.  Yes, a good camera, the right lens, and some computer stuff to go along is helpful, but if you do not know how to see light, and use it…you end up with a backlight (dark front…meaning your child’s face is dark) subject.  So, my number one asked question is how do I get the color in my child’s eyes?  So, here is lesson #1 of how to use light to get bright colored eyes.

Take your child into their room and face them away from all windows, like towards the closet or something.  See how their pupil dialates large and the iris gets really small?  Now, take them towards the light (a window.)  Go at a time of day that the light is not making bright spots on the carpet…just filtering in the window.  In other words, when the sun is on top of your house or on another side of the house than the window you are facing.  As you bring them closer to the light, notice their pupils get smaller and the iris gets bigger…and NOW you can really see those baby blues or big brown eyes!

See, if you shoot with a flash in a dark room, the pupil doesn’t  have time to dialate smaller with a flash of light.  But shooting with natural light in a well-lit room…allow the iris to be larger and reflect the light…producing a beautiful colored eye.

…and isn’t it wonderful how God speaks to us in so many ways…just as the light brings out the beauty in our eyes…if we turn our lives towards Him…and let His light shine through us…we become more beautiful as well.

I love that God blessed me with two wonderful kids…if I thought I could handle it I would ask for more!  Not just becuase they smell good, they give great hugs, they are funny and I get to see my husband’s sweet spirit recreated in my son or see my mother’s charitable heart for all wild animals in my daughter…mostly I love that I am blessed with kids because of the new way God has allowed me to see Him through lessons with my kids.  I have learned more about Him in the last four years than I did in the last 24 years of following Him.

It was Tuesday morning and much like most men, the first thing my son thinks of when he wakes up is food.  Our morning greeting goes something like this. 

Open door.  Enters mother.  Son lifts sleepy head from laying on belly position and begins rubbing eyes.

Mother: Hi baby.

Son: Hi.

Mother: Did you sleep good?

Son: I ca-cakes.  (translation: I want pancakes, please mommy.)

So, I carry him to the kitchen and open the freezer only to realize we are out of frozen breakfast items.  So, I close the freezer to be greeted with a small monster.  Full on fit…head spinning…spitting…I ca-cakes…I ca-cakes….

I noticed a banana on the cabinet (little Z LOVES some nanas) – so I decided to make homemade pancakes (okay from Bisquick mix) with bananas.  I quickly grab the ingredients, frantically showing him the picture on the box to assure him I have not forgotten his wish for pancakes.  But he is now hanging from the handle on the freezer screaming and tears flowing…snot on the way.  I keep saying “look baby, bananas and pancakes!”

He finally gives up on me and goes to the playroom to pout, thinking for sure I am never going to feed him.  All the while, I am at work in the kitchen whipping up something way better than frozen mini-pancakes!  This is a HUGE hot, pancake, filled with real bananas, topped with syrup!  Yum, right?

I am finally done, the pancake is ready to eat and I go get him from the playroom.  I sit him at the table and I even made me a banana pancake to enjoy with him!  He digs in…smiles and says “yum!”

Lesson learned: So many times God asks me to be paitient, wait on His perfect timing, trust Him that if he feels the birds of the sky and clothes the lilies of the field…won’t He surely take care of me, too?  Yes, so often, I follow His lead half-heartedly or I go kicking and screaming when I pray for something that doesn’t come to pass.  When, all the while, God is in the kitchen cooking up something better than I could ever dream up…and He wants to be there to join me when I get to enjoy it!

I am humbled…again.

All the rain has babies backing up around here!  It’s hot and sweaty today, just capturing the beauty of newborn-ness…man, how can I not want another baby???  Little Miss K – modeling my friend Kari’s amazing little hat that she makes (www.kariwoodstudios.com) She was a sweet, tiny little girl, that messed up my schedule and her mom’s by arriving four weeks early.  Praise the Lord, she is healthy and home with mommy and daddy   Thank you for allowing us to capture this precious time!!!

Today was a busy day at the studio…I am not sure if I like mini-sessions or not…hmmmm!  I prefer to give my undivided time to each of my clients and today it was in and out all day…but we did get some great images, nonetheless   I ended my day with a full session with the most fun family from Colleyville, I can’t wait to share their images.

I am so honored to have been a part of capturing this family for two years now.  It is crazy to realize how quickly my own children are growing, but when I only get to see my little clients every few months…I realize just how fast it really is going by!  This Mom has amazing taste in clothes and talented in how to put together outfits, if you ever need ideas, I am happy to share their family session with you.