I lost my both kids to school this year. Instead of posting pictures on Facebook, I thought they deserved their own blog post.

So far it hasn’t been that bad. It’s only the second day, but still. Baby steps, right? It’s alot quieter around the house, and alot cleaner. I miss them so much!! But seeing their excitement makes everything worth it.

 As promised, here is one of the many posts I have to blog for you guys. I finally got my computer back after it being in the shop this week. Yikes, I didn’t realize how hard it was to go without all my folders, files, and random things I save on this hard drive. With that being said, I am thankful to have it back and have the files available again to share with y’all.

Meet Nolan and Caroline. These were such cute kids. Nolan didn’t really want to have his picture taken, so we bribed him with everything from Popsicles, Play dough, bubblegum, sandbox time. Anything we could think of for him to sit and smile! It worked, most of the time anyway.

Enjoy! Lots more to share with you guys in the next week!  

I finally finished editing Cassie’s shoot!! FINALLY! And here it is to share with you!

Cassie and I went to Gettysburg for this shoot, and being unfamiliar with that area, we drove around for awhile looking for a nice grassy weedy field to shoot in. You would think it wouldn’t be hard to find something like that in..hmm..say, Gettysburg!! But we did drive around for quite awhile. We finally settled on a place, and went straight into the weeds. It was perfect timing, because the sun was setting, and giving me the perfect sun-setting light I was going after.

When I came to edit these, I wanted to try new things. I have very specific recipes I use in Photoshop to achieve the look that is Ashleigh Schwindt Photography, but with this batch, I wanted to ditch all those, and play around with new actions. I tried to add more blue and purple tints, as well as pop the greens more. I even played around with my B&W recipes, and I definitely found one that I will be keeping in my collection from now on!!

Thank you so much for being the perfect hippie model Cassie. You did such a suburb job, and I had a blast taking your picture! I have loved getting to know you more these past few months, and look forward to all the future times we will have together.  You are beautiful inside and out.

Enjoy!

 Soooo……Last night……Probably the most unproductive shoot of my career so far. : (

Cressa has been trying to schedule something with me for months, and just time constraints and busy schedules have kept it from happening. We finally finalize something for Monday night, but I had a family emergency and had to reschedule. Fail #1. We plan on getting together Wednesday to make up for the missed shoot on Monday. I was ready, I spent the day formatting all my CF cards, charging my battery, setting up my bag with all my lens. It was gonna be a great shoot! I say, ‘Hey, let’s go to Renfrew, because there’s a lot of options there, and we can get lots of different shots’. So we meet in Waynesboro, and I go to get my camera out of my bag.  Put my baby lens on, open up the card slot…and it is empty. Completely 100% empty. Fail #2. Get the 40D out quickly and check that one for a card. Empty. Again. Search all the pockets, and zippers, and everywhere in my car, and in my pockets. Not a card. Not one. WHY OH WHY did I format everything today of all days?!  So I walk over to Doug and Cressa in shame.

“Did you forget your camera, Ashleigh?” “No, just the cards I need to save any pictures I shoot” My head promptly falls even lower. We decide that I will run home and get the cards and come back. I think, ‘Im sure there’s enough sunlight left. I will make it back in time’. So I run over to my car, and use my RSX to it’s full potential. Get home, grab all the cards, and head back. Meet them back down in Waynesboro again, look up at the sky, and see lots of grayness. Lots of it. And when I say lots, I mean, not a little, but lots. You can just FEEL the rain in the air.

We had about 5 minutes until it started POURING down rain!! And I mean POURING! So after forgetting the CF cards, driving to and from to pick them up, cutting our time short, we end up with rain. I got about 15 pictures taken. Hence, the Take Half.

Doug and Cressa, so sorry for everything. But I completely 100% promise to make it up to you :) Here’s what we got last night! Enjoy!

God’s love is an unconditional, unquestionable factor in my life.  It can be that factor in yours too.

This is OUR opportunity of a lifetime. Me for, to share all the grace and love and patience and mercy God has given to me with you. It is my responsibility to pass forward the great news of God’s saving grace. It’s your opportunity to experience it. To be forgiven, saved, and never abandoned.

I’m not trying to be preachy, or throw Bible verses to you. I just want to share with everyone who reads this, and even if it’s one person, that God is magnificent. God is capable of everything we can’t even imagine. He has taken my messy complicated self, and walked me through so much. He wants to take all of our messy complicated selves, and make us whole again. I can’t explain it, I can barely describe it. But God loves you, and wants to know you. Be under a rock, or on top of mountain, God wants to talk to you at any level.

Lord, use me to spread Your name.

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As I pray, and wait upon you Lord.

I know your grace, In love I am restored.

As I think of all You’ve done for me

The mystery of Your love.

Who walked upon the sea?

Who lived to die for me?

You, Lord….You are Lord

As I look upon You, I am changed.

And though I fail,

Your faithful love remains

As I sing and worship You,

I find again no words describe Your love.

Who walked upon the sea?

Whose love has covered me?

You, Lord….You are Lord.

Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah!

There is none like You.