"Fall For You"

Once again, LHS Leadership puts together a great dance. Ever since last Homecoming's success, I was determined to never miss a dance after that. Up until 30 minutes before the dance, I had planned on not going. Not because I didn't want to, but because I wasn't too excited about the price. I mean, seriously... 15 bucks for a school dance. I wasn't about to be robbed. After my friends reminded me about how much fun I had at the last dance, I still wouldn't budge. However, I couldn't let my friends go to the dance without taking some pictures. So I offered up my services for the night.

It was 10 minutes before I was about to drive over for pictures, and I think I might as well see if Sarah has any dresses that I can use, just in case I have to go for Yearbook. So I find a dress and I eventually decide to attend the dance...and I got Sarah to come too, BONUS!

Before going to the dance, a group of my friends and I went to Chang's Mongolian Grill. One word yum. It turned out to be a great night, and I thank Sarah for having so many dresses in her closet for me to choose from.

My Baby...

When asked what brand of camera I want to upgrade to, the person asking looks at me with disappointment when they hear my answer. "My dream camera is a Nikon!" Most, actually all of my friends who are professional photographers have, use, and recommend Canons. One such photographer pushed for my reasoning behind wanting a Nikon. And this is what I said:

It's has little to do with quality, name brand, or price. For me, it is all physiological. It all started with my brother, Spencer, and his passion for photography. Spencer had a nice Nikon when I was a little kid. As my own passion for photography grew, so did my desire to test out his Nikon. He never let me touch that camera. And since he took it everywhere with him, I couldn't even sneak in his room and look at it while he was away at school. Years passed and not once had I held that camera. I never looked at a camera in the same way that I looked at a Nikon camera. My parents had noticed my ability to take good photos with the small, family snap-and-shoot camera we had at home. So they said they would pay half the price if I wanted to get my own camera. I didn't have the money for a Nikon, so I settled for a camera that looked similar to Spencer's Nikon....it was even black like his. A couple more years passed and I had fallen in love with my camera. I had brought that camera with me everywhere. That camera went through hell in my possession (sorry for my choice of word, but it is the closest word that comes to what it was like for my camera.) That camera has been dropped while hiking and rolled down the side of Montana and Wyoming's snow caped mountains. It's been on roller coasters, bike rides, snow boards, and more. Don't get the wrong idea, I loved that camera and took care if it like I would my own child...minus the rolling down a mountain part. It has been with me during the best times of my high school life: my first dance, championship lacrosse game, first trip to the Portland Saturday Market, sister's wedding, and even the midnight showing of Twilight. I never expected to get an upgrade anytime soon. But then I saw it on April 14 2009. The Nikon D5000. Ever since then I would dream of having this camera.

And that was my reason for wanting a Nikon.

Every weekend I would pass the Nikon station at Costco, and have to pull myself away from the cameras so I could go home.

Three weeks, straight, before Christmas I made sure to let my parents know just how much I NEEDED this camera. A line I would often use was "I will never progress in photography if I have the same camera the rest of my life. Do you want me to progress?" When I was feeling bold I would pull the What-Would-Jesus-Do line. I even gave a speech about the comparison that could be made between the boy in The Christmas Sweater novel and my need for this specific camera. ( Read The Christmas Sweater and you'll understand.)

It was two days before Christmas and I was sure I wasn't getting a Nikon D5000 anytime soon. Boy was I wrong!

On Christmas Eve my dad came in from the car and said "Lizzy, will you go get the rest of the groceries from the car?" I went out to the trunk and froze. I was in shock. If it wasn't for the light-headed feeling I wouldn't have remembered to breath. Lying in the back of the trunk was a box, in that box was my new baby.

I ran into the house screaming, and I sat on the kitchen floor hugging the box that held my long awaited treasure.

Thanks Mom and Dad!!!

Park Pics

These are the pictures from the Hillsboro Library park.

XC Meet #2

I feel like an over obsessive mom when it comes to Sarah's Cross Country meets. We all see those moms at a game that get out of their cars carrying a camera, dinner-in-a-sack, jacket, unfoldable chair, umbrella, first aid kit, and the occasional poster saying "Go Billy!" I use to think wow I feel bad for the kid who has to deal with that. But now I understand the thrill that drove Super-Mom to such measures.

Ever since Sarah's first Cross Country meet I fell in love with being one of the spectators. As much as I would love to be out there running in the mud and rain, I think, in this case, being on the sidelines could be considered a workout as well. I've learned to come prepared for exercise. Once that starting gun is shot for runners to go, and I've taken as many pictures of Sarah as possible before she's out of sight, I have to run to the next best spot for another glance of Sarah as she rushes past. The secret to being where the runners are every chance you get, all you have to do is follow the coach.

I'm a little embarrassed to confess that I can be very aggressive when it comes to getting to the best-picture-spot before the professional photographer takes it. I know, about half my friends are professional photographers and y'all are prolly scowling at me right now. I cant help it. My little Sarah is growing up and I need every picture I can get.

Anyway, I'll be turning over my obsessive parent role back over to my parents when Lacrosse season starts, but for now it's all mine.

Sarah

A week or so ago I went to Rood Bridge Park with Sarah. I, like always, took my camera along. It was a sunny day and I had 5 minutes to take pictures of Sarah before we left. Before you see the pictures of Sarah I have a job for you. Call my parents and say "you know Lizzy is a darn-tootin good girl, and she really deserves a Nikon D60. She gets amazing grades and she has been a great friend to all, so you should really buy your daughter a Nikon D60 soon, she will grow as a daughter of god with it." Saying this to my parents would really help me out. (I am counting on YOU!)



Oh and by the way, if Jen Preece or Missy Cochran are reading this blog, I would just like you both to know that your photography is AMAZING and it inspires me.

Photographer for a brother

If anyone is anyone they know my brother Spencer. He is the world's best photographer and filmer. Liberty high school's film/photography room is named after him, "Spency's Room". When he went to LHS he was known for his talented and funny personality on LTV. Many of LHS's teachers love Spencer. He graduated in from LHS in 2007. He then went to Utah and helped with the making of a comedy movie called "Gentleman Broncos". The director, Jared Hess, is the same guy who directed "Napoleon Dynamite"and my uncle Duff Rich is a movie producer that made both of these movies. The actors you should know that are in the movie are; Sam Rockwell, Jennifer Coolidge, and Jemaine Clement. The movie will be out in 2009. Spencer is now attending PCC, and lives in Rock Creek Oregon. I have grown to love photography as well and I am taking a Photography class at LHS. If you ever see me you should ask me to see his book of photography.