The Fall Retreat

The Summers HF - Goofy, originally uploaded by | Orthogonal Photography |.

This past weekend was the Illini Life Christian Fellowship Fall Retreat. Tammi Smith, the speaker for the retreat, was a fantastic educator and was really able to bear her heart for us all in a way that affected many people. We had a really cool group of new people come with us on the retreat as well. This picture is of the all of us posing at the end for a goofy group pic. This group has really become quite the family for me (outside of my real family) and I can't wait to see how God blesses this group.

The retreat topic was "Now and Forever" and it focused on the wounds in our past and the lies they make us believe now as well as the habits we have now and how they will affect our future actions. Now, there was a lot more depth to the weekend, and hopefully I can get some more thoughts after I look at the notes some more.

Kinda wish Brett was in Green Bay still?

Just saying...

Broke

Broke, originally uploaded by | Orthogonal Photography |.

I don't typically do people photography, although in the last month or so, it has been a much larger focus. This image was sort of a quick potshot initially for a video I made with my buddy Ryan for our church


Alan and Ryan's Day from Alan Hable on Vimeo.

You remember Alan and Ryan's Day don't you (this is just me trying it out on Vimeo this time.

I looked at it a bit more and decided to polish it because I really liked the feel of the image.

Anyway, Fall Retreat is this weekend. I'm bouncing out of here in about an hour's time. Enjoy your weekends and I'll be back.

A Troll's Perspective

A Troll's Perspective, originally uploaded by Orthogonal Photography.

This shot is from my framing and vantage point assignment in my photography class here at the U. I really like it. That's about it. Taken underneath the bridge at Crystal Lake Park with a film camera and printed on black and white. Man, I really do like the magic of film.

Brandon Heath

I, as of late, have had a love-hate relationship with Christian music. The musical styling has tended to be, in my opinion, stale and a bit too much like late 90's pop. So I find it interesting to be writing about Brandon Heath.

For whatever reason, in my mind, this artist seems like a guy who has a unique enough styling to stand apart. Now, this is going off of just 2 songs of his that I have, and 1 more that I've heard on the radio. They have a certain moving nature to them that really builds throughout a song, and for me, it is good enough to listen to.

The song "Give Me Your Eyes" has had the epic feel as I've work it out on my iPod. I recently (read: today) saw the music video for this song and found it equally powerful (am I cheesy...maybe). This screams James 2 to me. And not just for the monetarily poor, but those of us who are needy, those of us who are "poor in spirit"

5 Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him? 6 But you dishonor the poor! Isn’t it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? 7 Aren’t they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear?

8 Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 9 But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law.

So consider checking out more of Mr. Heath, as I know I will. And let us really learn to slow down and love. Because we are accelerating past not only our lives, but the lives of those in need.

Brandon Heath - Give Me Your Eyes from Brandon Heath on Vimeo.

Government subsidized health insurance

If we do end up with gov't subsidized health insurance, or universal health care, does that mean, when I see a person smoking or eating too much, that I should be able to tell them to stop, because they are affecting my taxes? While I do believe everyone deserves fair treatment and health care, this method seems to reduce personal accountability and will force people to try to get others to stop.

The goverment helping health care and having others keep individuals accountable have the potential for better national health, but again, at the expense of individual freedom, much like a smoking ban causes.

Thoughts?

What Punctuation are you?

You Are An Exclamation Point

You are a bundle of... well, something. You're often a bundle of joy, passion, or drama. You're loud, brash, and outgoing. If you think it, you say it. Definitely not the quiet type, you really don't keep a lot to yourself. You're lively and inspiring. People love to be around your energy. (But they do secretly worry that you'll spill their secrets without even realizing it.) You excel in: Public speaking You get along best with: the Dash

What Punctuation Mark Are You?

Alan and Ryan's Day

I'm a professional photographer

So, as of today, I am now getting paid to shoot pictures. Very little pay, but exciting nonetheless. Last night, I went to the first night of the Pygmalion Music Festival in Champaign. There, at the Canopy Club, I took the rented Canon 5D (which I severely coveted) and the rented 50mm f/1.4 lens to the show and started to click away. There was some great music and times from the likes of Common Loon, Coco Coca, Elsinore, Decibully, and Times New Viking. I truly enjoyed Elsinore (who I have seen before) and their sound. Decibully had a really neat epic sound, and Times New Viking had enough energy to fill the whole club. In any case, I digress...

Beth of Times New Viking plays the keys and sings at the Canopy Club on Wednesday night.

I shot a whole bunch of pictures, had to sort through them, choose about 25 photos to give to Buzz Magazine, who is my employer for the semester. I had to wait a few hours, but low and behold, my first images are on the217.com! Check them out here. The four images in the slideshow aren't my favorites, but is still really exciting to see them online. Let me know what you think. Soon I'll also have some other ones on flickr to be seen by any of y'alls.

And be sure to check out the new bands!

Camera on Film

Camera on Film, originally uploaded by | Orthogonal Photography |.

So, what you are looking at is one of my first prints I have ever made. This was all me from loading the film, to setting the shutter and f-stop to playing the light in the right direction to clicking the shutter to processing the film, to printing the negative onto the final sheet, to scanning it onto my computer, to uploading it unedited to flickr.

This is my digital camera having a picture taken of it by my film camera. I like how it turned out, other than the amount of dust all over the picture. I still have a ways to go and a bunch to learn, but this is an exciting prospect to see my handiwork having some fruit come out of it.

If you feel saucy, let me know what you think, and click the picture to see more pictures from the first printing project.

Watching Sports

Saturday, I feel like I entered a new era in my Illinois sports watching.

1)  I went to the Illinois vs. Louisiana-Lafayette football game (which we looked awful in).  This was the first time I'd been in the fully renovated Memorial Stadium.  It seems as if the old Illini watching is long gone.  The students are now completely content 

to be placed in the end zone, the boosters have their seats in the boxes, and the Chief no longer graces the field.  It is a definitely different climate than 5 years ago when I sat in the second row on the forty yard line chanting "Fire Turner!"  Overall, I think the new look and feel is a plus.  I just hope that we don't forget the things of old, like where students used to sit, the fact that die-hard fans deserve a seat too, and the Chief.  Now, I'd say, regardless of your opinion of him, you should not want to forget, just as you don't want to forget any other tradition or monumental change.

2)  As I ramble on, I also will say I went to the Illinois Legends Alumni basketball game.  That was truly a treat.  It was a lot of fun to see so much talent gathered on one floor at the same time.  There are many fine memories in that group of people.  The thing that has truly changed though, is once again, my Freshman year, I saw those 'legends' playing their way to a 37-2 season and a 2nd place finish in the nation.  Now they were back for the new freshman who might not even know their name, yet sit in the Orange Krush ready to cheer them on.

I guess the point of this whole exercise is to say that I feel older, and I hadn't written in a while

Other Notes...

• Green Bay looked pretty good/bad in a victory over Detroit, and Aaron Rodgers looked quite solid.
  
• Brett Favre looked good against New England, considering the lack of pass protection he had.
  
• Carlos Zambrano pitched a No-Hitter against the Houston Astros.  Seems like a good momentum builder as we hope to look towards October baseball.
  

Today, we are free

Today, we are free, originally uploaded by | Orthogonal Photography |.

I think I am quite the un-patriot, but it is important to remember those who died in the tragedies of 7 years ago. And to realize that today we are free. Now, I don't mean our country, although that is important. I do indeed mean our status with our savior. Recall that freedom today as you remember the tragedies of September 11, 2001

New York City

This summer, after my time in Alabama, and before my glorious return to Champaign, my family took a vacation. It was one of our epic vacations too. We have this nomad tendency, where we can't just stay in one place. We like to go around and hit up many locales. This trip was definitely as epic as any other. We went east, and quite a bit north. It was my first big trip with my Rebel, so you know I was going nuts shooting everything in sight. I'm sure you're hear more about it and see more pics in the future. Today, however, I finished editing pictures from our time in NYC with my new copy of Adobe Lightroom 2.0, and I wanted to get some up to be seen. So, without further waiting, here are a few of my faves from NYC...

This first one is on our way into Manhattan waiting to cross the George Washington Bridge. Strong color treatment that I've been trying that I think creates almost a drawing/painting effect.

If I had to show you the BEST 5 pictures, this one would be in it, but I love the juxtaposition of the boat. This was on the ferry on the way to the Statue of Liberty with the Brooklyn Bridge in the background.

This was on a bus tour around the city. It is one of Donald Trump's buildings, although it is not THE Trump Tower. I love the reflections in the building, and slight color treatment to pull more contrast out of it.

This one is from walking around the city the first evening. The Empire State Building can be seen and I love the setting. Neat city.

For some reason, this picture really pops to me when I see it. I think it is the reflection of the buildings and the genuinely neat skyline. This is in the business district of NYC on Manhattan.

So, those are 5 pictures from the New York portion of our trip. More to come, I promise. There will also be a more extensive NYC collection on facebook or flickr in the coming days, so I'll try to let you know about that. Let me know what you think of these though. I definitely need and want feedback on the pictures I take (both good and bad).

The Parks

Another news story for you today. Buzz Magazine today had an article in it addressing an issue that I had just heard about this past weekend. The Governor of our fine state of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, has passed down a ruling closing 11 state parks and 13 state historical sites. These sites are primarily in the heart of our great state. Some are in our very capital, and are old stomping grounds of the inspiration for the state motto, Abraham Lincoln.

Now, I am all for small government, but one of the things I really do enjoy about taxes is the resources they give us and help protect. There are plenty of other ways to cut our bloated government without taking away valuable resources to the heartland as well as historical sites to help us remember how we got here. Obviously, I am definitely affected by this myself by the closing of Weldon Springs State Park, a favorite place to go for day camp and in evenings with my family.

Now, I definitely believe a couple of courses of action are required. While I definitely am disappointed at the ruling of Rod, I believe that we need to pursue all avenues. The first is to petition to him. To show to him that the heart of this state matters. The fact is, as Governor of Illinois, he doesn't even spend his time in the capital of Springfield, but rather in his Chicago home. This is intensely disagreeable and disregards a standard asked of a public servant. A public servant who is to serve the ENTIRE state. If he will not budge, and allow for a funding solution, then I believe it is the call of those that want a park, to push for a park in their own means. Perhaps this means charging user fees, but it will allow us to preserve the nature we so dearly love, and the outdoor recreation we need. As Barack Obama is encouraging parents to tell kids to turn off the tv and go outside, we are, in Illinois, taking away the outside...

Please consider writing to the Governor with me as this person has. Take the initiative to help preserve the entire state of Illinois, from the Northeast, which gets most attention, all the way to the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers.

Email Governor Blagojevich here.

A news article for you guys

This article I read in the Daily Illini today definitely has me thinking differently about the world today. It is full of adventure.

Cloaking a possibility!

U of I MechE Professor references Harry Potter!

Sound bends around pillars!

Silicon is now used in breast implants!

Read on for the exciting conclusion!!!!1!

UI researchers to develop an invisibility cloak

The Cultural Christian

I started to re-read Romans today, as the last time I read it through was quite a while ago. It really is a fantastic book, laden with different facts, ideas, etc. As I read today, this passage really stuck out to me...

For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the Jewish ceremony of circumcision. No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not a cutting of the body but a change of heart produced by God's Spirit. Whoever has this kind of change seeks praise from God, not from people.

-Romans 2:28-29, NLT

Now, I'd be willing to guess, if Paul were alive today, and writing his Epistle to the Americans, it might go something like this

For you are not a true Christian just because you were born of Christian parents or because you have gone through the Christian ceremony of baptism. No, a true Christian is one whose heart is right with God. And true baptism is not an immersion in water, but a change of heart produced by immersion in God's Spirit. Whoever has this kind of change seeks praise from God, not from people.

-American 2:28-29, speculative

I know I can be guilty of just assuming that if I call myself a Christian, that it works as a cover all for me and my life sometimes. Perhaps I need to check and make sure that my life, as well as my heart, are in line with God. I think this is good advice for a nation that calls itself Christian and goes to church because it is 'what we do.' Let us change our hearts...