Photos by Alicia

Another year of adventure

2011-12-31T11:45:00.000-08:00

Most of my activity this past year has been on my tumblr blogs: passing the time away (my personal blog) and sing of His justice (my missions blog), leaving my blogspot rather neglected. A lot of people don't read this blog anyhow, but I thought it would be nice to continue the pattern and post a reflection on the last year, and I'm not going to say any resolutions because let's face it--I never stick with them! But here is a look at 2011:

2011 was a year of excitement and yep, another year of adventure! When 2010 had ended, I definitely had NOT EVEN ANY CLUE of what the next year would hold. By December 31st, I thought the next year was just going to be another year with the only exciting thing that was going to happen was me graduating college. I thought that all the year held was

graduating college, have tearful goodbyes to my friends in California, and moving back to Kodiak until I could save up enough money to move BACK to California. I had no idea that the Lord was going to bless me with a boyfriend that I fell in love with, a new passion for missions, a love for India, 3+ months in India serving people I fell in love with, and then ending off with an engagement! It certainly has been an exciting year and a year I'll never forget. And this year, I'm ending it off by saying --I can't WAIT for what 2012 holds!

Some of my favorite memories from the past year...

Last year was surely one of the best! Let's see what 2012 brings!

Starting the year off right

2011-01-01T18:17:00.000-08:00

Bringing in the new year was amazingly amazing last night. I spent the night dancing, laughing, taking photos, and spending it with people I love into the wee hours of the morning.

Last night was St. Innocence's annual Stomp --a night of Russian folk and traditional dancing and games open to the community for a New Year's celebration. It is called stomp because when the clock strikes twelve they release a mass of balloons from the ceiling and everybody stomps on all the balloons. It's just a huge celebration spent with wonderful friends and people from all over the community. This year the venue changed to our Catholic School's gym, which was a much larger area for dancing, food, and hanging out. This bigger area also allowed St. Innocence to do an awesome job decorating, with couches, hay stacks, and a special Arabianesqe fort for people to rest. There was also a fireplace! It was pretty amazing and though I felt super old being there, it was a great night dancing, and I was able to borrow my friend's camera for the evening to get some great shots. After the swing dancing competition my friends and I went to my friend Dan's house to take a hot tub (that wasn't very hot) and share some champagne and laughter. We ended up staying up until about 5:30 just playing cards and having a great time. I loved spending the New Year with my best friends.It was a great night spent with great people doing great things.

Here are some of the photos from the night. Happy New Year!

Another Year...

2010-12-31T20:55:00.000-08:00

"What do we leave behind when we cross a new frontier? Each moment seems split in two: Melancholy for what was left behind and excitement for what lies ahead..."
{Che Guevara}

Some of my favorite photos and moments from this last year...

A lot has happened this year. And what a year it’s been. And though it's sad to say goodbye to all the goodness of 2010, there's only more adventure ahead. So here's to another year of adventure!

I feel like I write these kind of posts a lot.

2010-12-28T04:49:00.000-08:00

Yep, yep, yep. You know. Another post stating the fact that I'm horrible at blogging. And we've all heard it before. I'm super busy. I hate organizing. Html takes too long. blah blah blah. So what's new? haha

But really, I have basically fallen off the face of the blogging world and for that I'm deeply disappointed in myself for. I mean I don't know if anyone really reads this blog or who actually wants to read about my life or keep up with my photos, but as I look back at former posts it's just nice to remember. Things I was thinking. Stuff I was going through. Projects I was working on. It's just nice.

So, as 2010 is coming to a close, with only a few days to the year left, I am going to make one goal and one goal only (actually pertaining to my life and not just spiritual goals that I make all the time). Call it a resolution or what you will, but with this year is coming to a close and my college career nearing the end, I really need to get in the habit of putting more of an effort with my photography. And this includes taking the time with my photos and being comfortable with the whole blogosphere thing. I want to grow in my skills, in my knowledge of photography, in my diligence, in my work. And I want that to be displayed. This time next year, I want to see how I have grown more as a photographer and as a networker. A businessperson if you will. I don't want it to be another "hobby" that I drop when the expense gets too high or my life gets busy. I have been in love with this for so long and have put so much time into it, I know for me it is a way of life. I'm passionate about photography and being able to tell a wonderful story through my lens or being able to capture a person's essence. Reaping souls, as it was believed. I want to start getting serious.

So if you haven't noticed there has been a change to this blog. I've put effort and so much time into making this blog have a touch of Alicia. I mean its not perfect, but it's all I have for now, and I'm rather pleased with it. So with 2011 coming closer, I want to get in the mode of starting it off right. My resolution is to actually try. To not get lazy. And get serious about my photography. I will need to blog along the way. To think and let my thoughts be known. To keep on top of editing my photos and putting them on display. Not only to put my work out there, but to show how much I've grown. To you and to myself.

And I hope, whoever you are, that you'll join me in my journey.

Hiatus

2010-02-13T10:00:00.000-08:00

As I've said before I really am a horrible blogger.

I don't think its so much the writing that gets me, but more so the posting-organizing photos, html, all the hub-bub of blogging. But for anyone that actually keeps updated with this, I'm actually enjoying my time in Israel, studying abroad and loving every second of it. I go into Jerusalem just about every week and have been to Tel Aviv and Central Benjamin, visiting such places as Jericho and the Judean desert. The Lord is showing so much to me here and growing me a ton. I haven't kept note of my adventures in vain, I actually have a correspond Photos by Alicia blog -- http://pba-theisraelexperience.blogspot.com So if you're ever compelled take a visit and check out some of my adventures. For now photos by alicia will be on hiatus until I actually talk some of my classmates on doing a photoshoot or I have time to post old photos. Until then. Shalom.

Recent Edits

2009-12-25T23:07:00.000-08:00

So it's Christmas break and I haven't posted anything for a while. Probably because I was always super busy this last semester, and if I wasn't I just wanted to hang out or sleep. Now that it's break though, I have a bit more time, at least this week anyway. Still have work to do to get ready for Israel in the spring, but I do have the time. So, here are some recent edits I did of my friends' recital photos. Brighton is my wonderful, beautiful roommate, and she and our friend Courtney had their recital this past October. They sounded wonderful and were so cute, especially when they sang together! They're lots of fun to be around, and it definitely showed in the batch of photos and in their recital. Melody is another good friend and is having her Senior Recital in the Spring. I'm super bummed I'm missing it, but I know she'll do wondefully. She has such a great voice, and is so cute. I'm gonna miss these girls this next spring! Anyhow, here are some of the long lost pics that I finally got around to editing. :]

{Brighton}

{Courtney}

[Courtney and Brighton]

[Melody]
{Dave Tuck was doing most of the picture taking. Mel had asked me to come along to take some shots as well and Cesar was helping out Dave with the lighting, so here he is doing just that}

[I take pride in capturing souls]

2009-11-12T13:55:00.000-08:00

Pictures are my life. People are my life.
Taking pictures of people in my life. Even better.

A few months ago my best girlfriends and I took a trip to Ireland to visit one of our other best friends.
We had lots of fun touring castles and old mansions and sitting in little pubs and cafes all over in Ireland.
Just talking and laughing and of course, me taking pictures of it all.
It was fun to be with my girls for a few weeks after missing them for a whole year.
One of the days we did a shoot and I'd like to post some of those photos here.

Here some favorite pictures of some of my favorite people in one of my favorites time of life. :)

[Jenny]

[Bre]

[Heather]

[Us]

after the fire

2009-11-03T21:19:00.000-08:00

Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, "May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them."
Elijah was afraid and ran for his life.
When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die.

"I have had enough, Lord," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors."
Then he lay down under the tree and fell sleep.
All at one an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat." So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. There he went into a cave and spent the night.
And the word of the Lord came to him: "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
He replied, "I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."
The Lord said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord,
but the Lord was not in the wind.
After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake
After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire.
And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

Recently my life has been go and go and go. I feel as if I haven't had to slow down and even reflect on anything that I learned in a day, let alone reflecting on the Word of God. I have been so consumed with my friends, my homework, my job, my photos, but haven't had time to be still. Like Elijah, I've been on the run. I've felt down trodden. Overwhelmed with life. I may not fear for my life like Elijah did when Jezebel sought to kill him, but I sure feel like I've had enough. I feel that I would want the Lord to just rid me of all these burdens and responsibilities and bring me back to Him right now. Of course, I'm not suicidal or anything, but I just long to feel at peace in the presence of my Father. To not be discouraged in my zeal for the Lord. But I know, I do not have to be in heaven right at this instant to gain that peace. I know I do not have to be where He is to be still. The Lord calls me to go out and stand in His presence. Not in the wind. Not in the earthquake. Not in the fire. But in the silence, by a gentle whisper. The Lord desires that I am in His presence in the quiet. Away from the noise of homework. Away from the noise of work. Away from the noise of campus life. Away from the noise of this life. He beckons me in silence. He keeps my heart and soul in peace in His presence as He is here with me. He calls me to "be still" and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10). To be still and wait patiently on Him. For it is in the stillness of being in His presence that I may hear His Word to comfort my soul.

I pray that I may be able to be in the presence of my Lord in the quiet. Gain peace and rest by the gentle whisper of His voice. That I take the time to get to know Him more. Grow close to Him and find my refuge and my strength in Him in the stillness of life. Thank you Lord for sending your Son Lord so that I am no longer under your condemnation and am able to have peace. No longer do my bones have to waste away. No longer do I have to fear or feel burdensome, but I can find comfort in you Lord. I can find rest. Thank you Lord for speaking to me in the silence.

[Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls...]

[why hello]

2009-10-31T10:51:00.000-07:00

I am a horrible blogger

oh but how I surpass at wasting time.

yes, how wonderful.

2009-10-30T03:17:00.000-07:00

I really enjoy taking pictures

One photo can just capture so much
--tell a story of it's own,
without ever uttering a word.

and as much as I love writing,
I don't need ever inspiration
to take a photo.
All I need is my camera
and the impulse to click.

Desire
to capture that perfect moment
where happiness and emotion reside,
and beauty and truth lie
to rest their stature for a shot

I can never run out of words
to say with a photo

I can never say too much
for it all speaks for itself

[some of my favorites that each have a story to tell]