Kijk 1 - weekly update/photo challenge

So, I've decided to start a sort of weekly photo challenge for myself. This idea came from a couple of influences. One is a blog called LLYMLRS written by Lily Melrose, who lives in London. I don't remember how I came across her blog, Pinterest may have been involved... but anyway, I'm obsessed because I seriously miss the UK since studying abroad there a year ago and her blog reminds me a lot of being over there. It is a fashion blog, and I loved the way people dressed across the pond, so it just gives me my daily dose of UK fashion. Love it. Anyway, she does a really awesome self-portrait every Sunday. The other influence is one of the girls pledging my sorority, Heidi, who is taking a self portrait every day of 2012. Talk about perseverance! She is so creative, and really good with a camera, so every portrait is amazing and completely different than the others (you can see her photos here). So cool. While I don't have that kind of stamina to take one every day, I think I can challenge myself for one a week right? OK, so here's my challenge to myself: take a self-portrait once a week as well as a picture of someone or something that was a big part of my week/something that stood out and share some highlights from the week along with them.

I've decided to call these posts "kijkes" which means look in Dutch. When we were little, or if we were around my Oma and Opa or other Dutch friends, if we were to take a picture, whoever was behind the camera would say, "kijkes hier jonges!" (translation: look over here kids).

Now, why do I want to do this? Well, a few reasons. I have a really awesome camera [whose name is Waldo :)] and I love taking photos! I'm pretty much self-taught and doing this will force me to take more photos, on a more regular basis, and therefore improve and get better! I also just thought it would be fun :)

SO. Here's my first portrait. This was kind of a quick decision to do this challenge, so just a portrait for this week, but I promise something meaningful from the coming days will make it in the next portrait post.

 

--> -->

-->

--// It was really hard to take this picture haha. I left my tripod at home in San Diego, which is not so helpful when you decide to start a photo challenge in Long Beach. So, I was definitely sitting on the floor with my camera on 2 pillows on a chair and used my wallet to get the lens angle right... talk about make-shift! I actually really like how it turned out tho :)

--// This week is test week. Thankfully I'm 2 down with just 1 more to go. 

--// As tired as I was last night after studying, I wanted to read a little bit of a book I'm going through entitled God's Passion for His Glory by John Piper. I literally read 2 paragraphs and my mind was blown. Chew on this epic tidbit: "I suppose it will not be denied by any, that God, in glorifying the saints in heaven with eternal felicity, aims to satisfy his infinite grace or benevolence, by the bestowment of good [which is] infinitely valuable, because eternal: and yet there never will come the moment, when it can be said, that now this infinitely valuable good has been actually bestowed." (quote from Jonathan Edwards as found in God's Passion for His Glory by John Piper, pg 37) 

WOAH. 

and I will leave you with that. 

love, 

emily xx