Krystel & Danny

Krystel and Danny are brother and sister. When Krystel contacted me about a photo session she said, "I would like to have some pictures with my hero". I thought that was pretty cool!




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SurfFest 2010

For a little more than a week Ron Jon have been putting on a surfing tournament in the area. I thought I'd go by and practice some photography. The waves were not very good. A few things I learned...

1. Bring a chair, because I'm too old to stand in one place for hours.
2. Lots of people say "hey" to you when you have a lens over a foot long on your camera.
3. I need to get a hood for my telephoto lens.
4. I didn't notice until I was leaving that I forgot to put my UV filter on.
5. Watch where other photographers stand to get their shots. I'm happy to say that I must have chose the right spot for my lighting because two other photographers joined me after about 30 minutes (or maybe, the more likely case, they just wanted to be social).

One photographer I saw had to be at least twice my age out there and she was sporting the best camera out there. I would have loved to have her lens, but it'll be a long time, if ever, before I can afford $3k+ lenses. Funny enough, I got the chair idea from her. She used a short mono-pod and shot from the chair most of the time.

The People Who Invest In You

Lately I've been thinking about the people who have invested in me. By "invested in me" I mean those that have either sacrificed for me, was transparent with me, showed me grace (especially when I didn't deserve it), and/or intentionally was a part of making me better than I am.

I'm sure out of everyone I've ever encountered in my life, there are many who probably think they fit into that category and well...they're not. I can think of past bosses, church people (especially those who told me "you have my support"), and even pastors who would probably read that first paragraph and think I was talking about them. The truth is, many of us have had people who we would expect and hoped to have invested in our life, but they didn't. Sometimes it's those very same people who actually hurt and scarred you.

There is something amazing about being around someone who is really investing in you. They love on you in a way that builds you up and opens your eyes to places you didn't know you were capable of. As I think about those God has sent my way, I hope I'm doing the same for others.

So what does it take. . .grace, love, and sacrifice to a depth that I still haven't reached because I haven't given all that I have to give. At least, that's the way I see it.

I know there have been too many times (I'm talking periods of my life, not moments) where I have been without grace towards others and I chose to be condemning or judgmental, even if I was right, grace was what I should have shown; where I have been without love towards others because my idea of love was self-centered, self-beneficial, and self-serving; where I would not sacrifice for others because I didn't care enough to risk myself for them.

I'm so grateful I have people who have invested in me so I can more closely understand that I'm not there yet. There is still many measures of me to give...to strangers, to my church, to my wife...and that full measure will not be complete until I die.

How about you? Are you investing in others? Are you letting someone invest in you?

Outside With The Pups

Why Photography, Part 2

I want to add a little to what I said. There are people who also influenced my decision to enter photography as well. I don't think any of them know they influenced me.

I saw my brother in law, Nathan, connect with a lot of people through photography and because of my love for all things creative I started connecting with and admiring his work, and longing to be creative as well. At first I didn't know my expression would become photography, sometimes I'm still not sure.

I've seen, and still see, many pastors who struggle with getting out of the office and being with people. I had become such a person. I was in the community, at schools, but even that had become a circle of people that I didn't leave much.

The staff at the church where I work have been talking about the subject of connecting with people who don't normally connect with. We've been discussing how we can love on the community. My shyness has been challenged. The excuse that "this is how I'm built" was challenged here. A fellow staff member, Aaron, has had a few awesome moments I'm aware of in the community that has inspired me. None of which I would have never known about if I had not asked; he doesn't brag or boast about these things, he just does them.

I started putting things together and it started making sense and along the way a good number of people have been giving me incredible advice and steering me in the right direction. Thank you!

Terry Kyle Photography on Facebook

Why Photography

It's officially launched. This is a big deal to me. Once upon a time art was huge in my life. It started when I was about 8 years old and I drew Garfield out of the comics of the Sunday newspaper. I remember handing it to my parents and them being amazed. I remember seeing the same drawing years later and it really didn't look like something an 8 year old would draw. Maybe it was the desire to repeat the affection I received over "Garfield" that got me to frequently draw or maybe it was something else, but from that day art became a part of my life.

Most of my early years it was just putting a pencil to paper. Over the next 15 years of my life, you can pretty much name it and I tried it: painting, sculpting, carving, pottery, metal working (although I didn't do much with this), water colors, photography, and so much more (I would love to try working with glass, but that's another blog post). I guess you can say there was a part of me that really wanted to be expressed creatively.

In college I was introduced to website designing. Even thought it was a lot like computer programming, I treated it like art. But I found where I was really limited. I was very competent in the programming, but I had no clue about graphic design. Two girls, Rachel and Rachel, who were both Bachelor of Fine Arts majors got me started in graphic design and taught me the basics. That was all I needed to get started.

A story that I could make a whole lot longer with all the details comes to this. . .

I'm taking what I've learned in 10+ years of seriously playing with graphic design, combining it with years of creative expression, and pouring them deeply into a tool called photography.

Here's the big part! Anyone who knows me knows that I'm shy. Yes I can act very outgoing and extroverted at times (especially if you see the craziness I pull off with my youth group), but deep inside I'm shy. I seem extroverted in unusual situations and introverted in the usual situations. I have a hard time meeting strangers and having a conversation with someone I'm not familiar with. It doesn't feel natural for me and I find that hard.

I'm a pastor. It becomes too easy as a pastor to fill my time only getting to know those who show up at the building and it can become increasingly more difficult to connect with those outside the church. My shyness makes this worse. I'm wanting to use photography to help me with my shyness and to love on people who I don't know and wouldn't normally encounter.

This past Friday I was able to experience that as I offered my photography to a couple for their wedding for free. They asked me at least 5 times how much I wanted to be paid. After seeing my portfolio they expressed they couldn't believe I would do this for them for free. That was a very nice compliment, but it also said that I was getting to love on them in an unique way. An awesome connection was made with this couple; the bride kept talking about wanting to meet my wife as if she was looking for a friend her age (they are the same age). And a lot of our conversation about the wedding, and life, was personal instead of distant and detached. I hope all of my photography encounters are like this.

We Were Never Promised Another Day

On Tuesday I got word that my aunt died. She wasn't really my aunt, but I called the girl friends of my uncle my aunts; there were only two since my childhood. I'm not really sure why he never married her. They had been together since I was a small child. She died because of severe complications with her liver. After going to the hospital from health issues (I'm not sure of the specifics) she was informed of her liver problem then and had to stay for a while. From what I was told, she returned to the lifestyle that gave her the liver problem in the first place and her liver couldn't take it.

This morning I got the call that last night the parents of a former youth of mine died in a car accident. I haven't known Katie long. When we met she was a senior in high school and last year they moved 45 minutes away. I can't imagine what she's going through right now and I know it's going to be hard to return to anything normal.

I'm finding it hard to hold back the tears this morning.

I'm thinking about what if I lost my parents. What if I lost Sarah. What if my life was taken.

"yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes." James 4:14

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is." Ephesians 5:15-17

Our time is so brief. It's easy for us to get caught up in the every day, day in and day out, tasks. It's easy for us to get so wrapped up in ourselves, focusing on our needs instead of being in community with those around us. It's easy for us to take those who are most precious to us for granted.

Say what needs to be said now. Treat them as they should be treated now. Let them know you love them. Let them know how much you care.