Cayla Ames Photography

What The Banner Has Taught Me... (Final)

2008-12-09T13:40:00.000-08:00

The Banner class has taught me much about journalism that, although I have taken a journalism class before, I had never known before. It helped me better understand how to write in a journalistic manner, since it is so different from writing a standard essay. Also, the class introduced me to the AP stylebook, which I had never heard of before. This book is full of the most correct and accurate way to write certain words, phrases and numbers to ensure quality when writing a newspaper.
Since I became involved with the photography staff on the Banner, I have become more aware of how important a photograph is to a newspaper story and what it contributes to it. I have learned how better to tell a story with a single or few photos and how it is vital that the reader understand what the article is talking about solely by looking at the photo.
Overall, this journalism class has taught me community. Multiple times throughout the semester, me and my peers would be reminded by Professor Pearson and the editors that they were there to help with writing the articles and give advice when needed. Along with them, my fellow peers would be willing to lend a hand anytime and assist another writer with their article. Community in the Banner is strong and it doesn’t go unappreciated.

Jasmine Star Photography.

2008-10-29T17:04:00.000-07:00

First off, Here are my 3 blogs of interest that I enourage you to check out:

Jasmine Star Photography: http://www.jasminestarblog.com/ (Fantastic photographer!)
Hiding Place: http://letitia.wordpress.com/ (Letitia, the owner of this blog, is a good friend of mine and her blog always enourages me! She writes well and always has something wise to say :)
Boomama: http://boomama.net/ (she is just downright hilarious and I love the way she writes!)

Jasmine star photography is one of the first blogs that I started to get frequently updates from, via the “feeds”. Every time I see that her blog is updated, I get so excited, I just want to grab a warm cup of cocoa, put on good music and sit at my computer filtering through her images. Jasmine is a photographer that I aspire to be someday. She is based in Orange County, California and her work is simply amazed. Every wedding, engagement session or anytime session is even more unique than the last. One of the things that truly stands out about Jasmine is her storytelling. On top of being a fantastic photographer, she is a great writer. She doesn’t just show the pictures, she tells the story behind the photo’s so that by the time reader is done reading and looking at the pictures, he or she will think that they actually know these people, or at least will have a desire to know them!
Another aspect about Jasmine that makes her photography stand out above the rest is that she lets her readers in on how she creates her beautiful photos. She tells of how she edits different photos and what in-camera settings she used. She doesn’t leave her readers in the dark, but lets them become part of the experience so they, to can go take great pictures without being a “pro”. Being an aspiring photographer, this is great advice and an excellent learning tool and I experiment with my own camera and editing software.
Photos aside, Jasmine is transparent. She lets readers in her personal life and isn’t afraid to share her struggles and bad days with them. For example, her mom is going through a difficult time health wise currently, so just today Jasmine posted a blog entitled “hopeful” that described her being worried but having faith has her mom goes in for surgery in the new future. This gives Jasmine a chance to share her faith, as she is a Christian. I admire her, as she balances work, her faith, and family. She is definitely someone I look up to.
More about her photo’s, Jasmine always finds the perfect light, the perfect setting or the perfect angle to shoot. She’ll shoot an engagement session or a wedding one day and it will be spectacular. The next day she’ll post photo’s up from another shoot and it will be different angles and styles that I didn’t see in the previous post. I love how she gives each couple their own “style”. It makes each shoot so much more unique and valuable. Even if she shoots at the same venue more than one time, she tries and finds different places to shoot in the venue then she did last time. Her creative spirit inspires me to think outside of the box when I am shooting.
Jasmine Star photography is definitely a photographer to check out and keep up on because she knows photography in a very distinctive way. Her photos never cease to take my breath away.

"Wait"

2008-10-09T21:47:00.000-07:00

Here's a poem that my bible study group from back home emailed me. I really like this poem because so often we struggle with this issue of patience and waiting when it comes to decisions in life. We think we know what's best a lot of the time and forget that God sees the bigger picture and knows what's best for us. And during our period of wait - whether we're waiting for our career to take off, a spouse, or whether we should switch majors or not - we can use the opportunity to grow in our relationship with God and get to know him in a more intimate way.

"Wait" - by Russell Kelfer (although this is a slightly revised version)

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried
Quietly, patiently, lovingly, he replied
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate
The Master said gently, "Child, you must wait."
"WAIT!," you say, "Wait!," my indignant reply"
Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!
Is your hand shortened, or have you not heard?
By faith I have asked and I'm claiming your word!
My future and all to which I relate
Hangs in the balance and you tell me, 'Wait?'
I am needing a 'Yes' or a 'Go ahead' sign
Or even a 'No' to which I could resign.
And Lord, you have promised that if we believe
We need but to ask and we shall receive.
And Lord, I've been asking, and this is my cry,
I am weary of asking, I need a reply!"
And quietly, softly, I learned of my fate
As my Master replied once again, "You must wait."
He seemed then to kneel and His eyes met with mine
And He tenderly said, "I could give you a sign…
I could shake the heavens and darken the sun,
I could raise the dead and cause the mountains to run,
All you seek I could give and pleased you would be
You would have what you want…
But you wouldn't know Me.
You'd not know the depth of my love for each saint
You'd not know the power I give to the faint
You'd not learn to see through the clouds of despair
You'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there
You'd not know the joy of just resting in Me
When darkness and silence is all you can see
You'd never experience that fullness of love
As the peace of My spirit descends like a dove.
You'd know that I give and I save for a start
But you'd not know the depth and beat of My heart
The glow of My comfort late in the night
The faith that I give when you walk without sight
The depth that's beyond getting just what you ask
An infinite God who makes what you have last.
And you never would know
Should your pain quickly flee
What it means that, My grace is sufficient for thee!
Yes, your dreams for that loved one
O're night would come true
But the loss, if you lost what I'm doing in you.
So be silent, my child, and in time you will see
That the greatest of gifts is to get to know Me.
And how often may My answers seem terribly late
My most precious answer of all is still, 'WAIT!'"

Isaiah 40:8

2008-10-06T21:48:00.000-07:00

Isaiah 40: 8

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

Live Your Purpose

2008-09-23T16:42:00.000-07:00

CBU's theme this year is "Live your Purpose". This goes hand-in-hand with our university mission statement, Matthew 28:19-20, engraved under on the globe in front of the school. I believe that it's important for CBU to have a "theme", so to speak, for the year and I think that they picked one that is pertinent in everyone's lives, especially for college students. Entering college is the beginning stages of entering adulthood. We're given much more independence, allowed to make many of our own choices and along the way find out more about ourselves. College isn't all about the books, it's about shaping us into the people that God created us to be.
CBU's "Live your Purpose" theme helps students find their purpose here during college and beyond. Through the bible study and small group atmosphere that the university provides, CBU truly strives to help you find and live our your purpose. Finding your purpose is important, especially at this young age, because it sets up your course for the rest of your life. If you find that your purpose is teaching, then CBU can help get you plugged in helping at the Academic Resource Center teaching other students who are seeking help in certain subjects. If your purpose is oversees missions, getting involved in International Service Projects at CBU is how to live out that purpose.
Living out your purpose during college will prepare you for life after college and will allow God to work in your life to bring Him glory.

Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

RCC student competition: Brides Through the Ages

2008-09-23T15:49:00.000-07:00

This past sunday my good friend and roommate was a model for the Riverside Community College student competition. Her aunt and 2 other friends were part of the team that created Cecily's look. The women each had 30 minutes to do Cecily's nails, hair and makeup and then the judges judged each category. Some of what the teams created in that span of time were pretty amazing...themes ranged from candy to ocean. I've never had the opportunity of attending a fashion competition before, so this was all a new experience for me. Check out some of the photo's below!

cecily getting her nail's done...

Makeup...

Hair

Pinning the veil to her hair...

the back of her dress...

we were making her laugh after sitting through the competition for 5 hours...

Welcome!

2008-09-11T21:20:00.001-07:00

Welcome to my blog! Here I will post photographs that will give you a little insight into my life as a college student and aspiring photographer! Stay tuned! :)