Passport photos

Did you know that I do passport photos at Hardgrave Photography?  Passports are not a big part of my business, but I do a few a month. But be prepared for me to be nosy about where you are going. I love to travel and love to hear about other people's travels. The cost is only $15 and takes about 15 minutes.

Tanzania, Africa

Until 2008, I had never been outside of the USA. I had not even seriously thought about traveling to a foreign country - then my life was changed. 

In 2008, my daughter, Natalia, was old enough to go on the church mission trip to Mexico, and I was not going to let her go without me. I had doubts and fears, but I just really wanted to go. I had heard stories from other people that had gone, and it sounded like a cool thing to do. I had also heard the "horror" stories about Mexico, all from people who had never been there in person, and only got their information from the news channels.  I prayed, overcame the doubts, went, and a whole new world opened up to me.

Antigua, Guatemala

I am ready to travel the world now!  Mexico, Tanzania, and Guatemala have already been visited, with plans to visit them all again, and Peru is on the list this year. I had a 85 year old woman come in last spring to have her passport photo done. She told me that she doesn't get to travel much anymore, but keeps her passport up to date  "just in case the opportunity comes up".  I think that is great advice that I will do also.

If you are considering getting a passport, here are a few links you can use to get the ball rolling.

https://www.usps.com/shop/apply-for-a-passport.htm

 

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports.html

Acuña, Mexico

Awards from Arkansas Professional Photographer's Association

Last month, I attended the APPA print competition and educational event "Capture '13". The theme this year was "A Celebration of Excellence", and I am so proud to be a part of this organization and this event.

I made a commitment to myself after I became a Certified Professional Photographer, to continue to find ways to push myself to improve and learn my craft. Although becoming a CPP, or participating in print competitions are not required to be a photographer, it is just not enough for me to be stagnant in learning. So... I enter print competitions (sometimes reluctantly, sometimes with doubt, sometimes at the last minute...)
This year it paid off for me. Four of my prints received merits from APPA. Two received ribbons for Judges Favorite, and one won the Ben Red award for Photo Décor.  My favorite image - Sugar Daddy

 
 

- is one that is dear to my heart, so when it received a judges ribbon from a judge that I have a great amount of respect for - I was thrilled. It is pictured below. This was taken in Tanzania last year while we were delivering water purification filters up a mountain. The gentleman was on his way down the mountain to sell his sugar cane. I cannot even imagine climbing up and down that mountain every day.
The a few of the other prints are going to be entered at yet another print competition in November, so I cannot share them with you yet... even though I am dying to show them off.



En el mes pesado, asistí al concurso de fotografía y evento  educativo llamado "Capture '13".  El
tema este año fué " Una Celebración de Excelencia', y estoy tan orgullosa de ser  parte de esta
organización y esta evento.
Después de lograr el estatus de Certificación Profesional en fotografía, me  comprometí a
continuar buscando formas en las cuales seguir  esforzándome, mejorar y aprender mi arte.
Aunque tener el estatus de CPP, o participar en concursos de fotografía no es obligatorio, ser una
fotógrafa para mí no es suficiente, ser inactiva sobre aprender.  Así... participo en concursos de
fotografía ( a veces de mala gana, a veces con dudas, a veces al último minuto...)
Este año valió la pena. Cuatro de mis fotos recibieron méritos de APPA. Dos recibieron cintas de
la concesión por favoritas de los jueces, y uno ganó el premio de Ben Red - Photo Décor.  Mi foto
favorita- Azúcar Papi - es una que está cerca de mi corazón. Cuando recibo  una cinta de una jueza
por la cual tengo mucho respeto, me sentí muy emocionada.  Esta foto fue tomada  en Tanzania,
el año pasado mientras estuvimos entregando filtros de agua purificada sobre una montaña. El
hombre estuvo caminando bajo la montaña, para vender su caña de azúcar. No puedo imaginar
caminar arriba y bajo esa montaña cada día.
Unas pocas de las otras fotos estarán en un otro concurso de fotografía en  noviembre, así no
puedo mostrarlos todavía... aunque estoy muriendo de ganas demostrarlos.

Africa Trip Post 1

Since I got back from Tanzania, I have been wanting to write blog posts, but honestly, have no idea where to start sharing this amazing adventure. I don't want to write it all at once, too long of a story, and I am still digesting all the information and working on all the images from the experience. Luckily I did write a journal every night so I would not forget.  I guess I will start at the beginning, or at least when we touched down on African soil. Some names have been changed for the privacy of the people that welcomed me into their culture.

　

Arrival at the airport went so smooth it was unreal.  I now officially have a real foreign stamp in 　my passport. ALL six bags arrived in tact with nothing missing except one trunk had lost on clamp.  Dena was waiting for us just out side the door with hugs and instruction on changing money. I handed over my American dollars and got back a whole stack of red bills with elephants on them. 　



Street vendors on a main street in the largest city in Tanzania

The ride through Dar Es Salaam was crazy. There is no place in the US with that sort of driving - I hope to appreciate the OCCASIONAL cut off from now on... I tried to hold in gasps and grips of the seat as Dena made her way through people walking out in front of her, motorcycle taxis (peeki peeki) went between lanes of traffic, bicycles carrying everything - lumber, chickens, apples, etc. 　Daladalas (buses) filled with people edged their way in front of us. On the streets, people walked in between cars, in the side, and up and down the medians. Some women carried stuff on their heads, some had very heavy stuff.

One the long ride back, we passed through villages on the paved road from Dar to Morogoro. Talia tried to fight sleep but ended up sleeping most of the way home. We we're stopped three times at check points, racial profiling feels a little different when you are on the other side you are used to being on. We stopped for a soda, and a bathroom break - I had a regular toilet, Talia got the stall with the "squatty potty" trench. Then we were onward to Morogoro.

The Arc

We decided to eat first at the Arc Hotel  restaraunt. Good fried rice. Then on to Dena's home. We pulled up to the gate, and Seth opened with a big smile, introductions were made, and I learned to say "Habari yako" and response "Nzuri". And to shake hands with the right hand only. (first social faux pas)

Frank came a little while later with our first African gift of Sugar Bananas , which were the sweetest and best I have ever eaten. The peels were very thin, from lack of pesticides and being able to ripen naturally. I immediately smelled of them with a big wiff that filled my nose with the wonderful scent of fresh bananas (second social faux pas).  Frank's gift was very generous, and were straight off the tree at his home. His English was good, but I wished I was more familiar with Swahili.



A small load for this bicycle cart, some of the produce had probably already been delivered.

More to come, but I had to start somewhere.

Healing Water - Easter Portrait Special

It is a rare occasion that I do Easter pictures. But this year is different. We are setting up a cute outdoor tented scene in the flowers to create some beautiful images. Session fee is $30 or $20 and a box of single serve powdered drink mix.
But wait, what is different? This year, Easter portraits session fees and portrait sales will go toward buying supplies for Natalia and I to hand out when we make our journey to Tanzania, Africa in exactly two months.
Last week, I spoke with my dear friend, Dena Moore (http://denamoore.wordpress.com/), who is a missionary there. She had sent out a prayer request for her team and her staff. Many of them had been very sick from easily preventable diseases. Dena starting investigating what could be done about it.  What she found out is that although some of them were using water gaurd tablets for drinking water - they could not afford to use it for the water they used to clean their vegetables. So that is a problem we can help with! The transfoming power of clean water is life sustaining.


photo courtesy of Dena Moore



When we arrive in Africa, we will use the Easter Portrait proceeds to go buy basins to wash food in, cups for each person in a family, soap for food washing, water bottles, purification tablets, and water filters.  Each child photographed here will be asked to color a greeting card for a child we are going to meet, and will recieve a photograph from our trip.

So why the drink mixes? Simple - it makes the water taste better. We know kids are kids are kids, and when something tastes better, or "special" they like it more. Dehydration for any child is a dangerous, life threatning problem. And the best part is YOU can help provide these healing waters, and get beautiful portraits of your own healthy and precious child.