We got totally High Key at the club last week ago!

Models: Cyn Renteria, Brittany, Tommi Stugart

As per usual, I didn't waste any downtime and did my own thing on the side: (tough job, but someone's gotta do it!) 

Wrapped up with some promotional shots for Under Armour of which miss Cyn is an endorsed model! 

Recently I read a book called The Bronze Bow, and watched a miniseries dramatising The Bible, and I was struck by the thought of how wild it is that at one point in history, it was actually possible to just walk up and physically touch God...  or see Him walking down the street... or go to the market to hear him teach.  It's kind of hard to fathom (in somewhat the same way as we tend mentally to picture the 18th century in black and white) because we're so used to thinking of God, experiencing God, and encountering God in such abstract terms.

And I bet it never occurred to most of the people in His proximity that if they just touched Him, they would be healed, if they just knew Him, their very lives would be transformed for the better. They never grasped the magnitude of what they were in the midst of - the magnitude of what he was destined to do on the cross. That billions people for the rest of the freakin' HISTORY of the earth would yearn for the ability to have what was within 2 yards of their grasp. To be able to look into the face, the eyes of God... the creator of everything. 

Then I realized, it's not so different now, sure we can't physically touch God, but He's closer now on this side of the cross than he was then. To hear Him these days, you most likely have to hear His worlds through fully human intermediaries rather than direct from the source, but it's no more difficult to listen to Him. 

Tangential thought: Or CAN'T we physically touch God? All good and perfect things come from Him, so when a couple shares their first kiss as husband and wife, when a newborn cries out for the first time, when it snows and school gets cancelled, are those not all manifestations of God? Is God not omnipresent in them all? All we have to do is ask and accept Christ's presence in our lives, and it's as if we're the beggar who decides that in fact, yes he IS tired of being lame, and gets up and walks, even dances in the light of new life. 

But wouldn't people have reacted differently to Christ walking down the street if they'd have known he was God - and that following his way no matter the cost would ensure you're set for Eternity? What lengths would they have gone to, to be in His presence? What excuse would have been good enough to justify NOT reaching out for Him? What would have been MORE of a priority? How many would have eagerly jumped in to carry that cross even two steps? What lengths do we fail to go to  in our own lives because we don't realize the magnitude of God and his presence in our lives? 

But yeah, we as humans haven't changed that much. We often don't realize the magnitude of the God who is in our very midst. Instead of getting up from our fishing nets, and getting in earshot of Christ, we sit at our coffee shops, behind our computers, at our various diversions - and we miss the opportunity. Sometimes however, we forget to recognize God in the mundane, in the fact that He is within us and all around us.  I mean I guess maybe we have a tendency to be unaware of the magnitude of God- or more likely I'm sure there's an extent to which we're by nature incapable of grasping that - but you can't have read this far in my blog post and be unaware anymore- so where do you go from here? 

I sure hope you know God, because He's pretty awesome, and He knows you.  He's no less alive now than 3000 years ago, and He's within reach. 

Last weekend I had the pleasure of photographing my dear friend Shirley and her little ones Michael and Joanna. in McKinney. I've known Shirley for about 4 years now working varsity football games selling tickets for FISD. It was wonderful to see the love she has for her kiddos discovering a new and lovely new facet of her.

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KiranPhotography was proud to be a sponsor of the 2013 Fields of Faith Event, gathering primarily middle and high school students from around the North Texas area to enjoy an evening of food, fellowship, worship, prayer, and fun!

© James Netz -28062

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Venue: Tribute Golf Club Ballroom

Catering: Tribute Golf Club

Cake: Natalie Bakery Plano, TX

Photography: KiranPhotography

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Pragnesh Shah, realtor for Keller Williams celebrated his 50th birthday at the Tribute last week, and we were there to capture all the excitement! 

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Got to spend some time with a lovely young couple Kat & O, both MMA fighters over in downtown McKinney. Loved the playfulness with which they interacted with each other and with me. 

We started out in studio for a few: 

Then we headed outside to enjoy the wonderful approaching Autumn weather. 

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So I think I can officially call it: for me, this was the best summer of my life thus far. It started off with an awesome experience getting to photograph for Willie Nelson & Family. 

I then got to travel to Uganda to be a part of my church's mission team and help people find and follow Jesus Christ. 

Upon returning, I decided to make a major life change, which I'll discuss in a future post, and mentally, spiritually, emotionally, it put me in a completely different realm of happy. 

I think in large part this summer rocked so hard out of comparison. It's kind of strikingly astounding where my life is in relation to where it was a year ago during what was probably the worst summer of my life. 

Heck I even got to ride in a hot air balloon! 

The last week of the season I got to see Mumford and Sons in Concert with my buddy Josh, and now I have sweater weather, hot chocolate, and fireplace to look forward to... my favorite time of year! 

Life is good. God is good. Kiranphotography is good. 

A couple years ago at the Plano Balloon festival I met Loren and Luc Goethals, a couple who runs a hot air balloon ride. They'd offered to take me on a ride and expressed interest in me doing some photography for them. We kept in touch and tried to arrange flights over the past couple years, but no luck. 

Then a couple months ago in a conversation with my friend Brittney, she said one of her "life goals" was to go up in a hot air balloon ride. Well, I knew I had to make that happen.  With great luck, Loren messaged me and said they had a flight open on Sunday. As lucky also had it, it was Brittney's birthday weekend!

Well, it was an early morning getting up at 5:30 to pick her up at 6:15 to be on site at 6:30. My excuse to get her there for the big surprise was that we were going to do a sunrise photoshoot, not entirely false, I just left out the fact that it'd be at 3000 feet of altitude. 

Everything went off with a hitch; her face when she found out was priceless - I think she was in shock. 

We arrived to an empty field in McKinney and got to setting up!

Entire Air balloon fits in this little bag. 

Perfect 72 degrees with no wind for our lift off. 

Had to make the portrait session happen: 

And away we went! 

Two other pilots flew alongside us. 

Upon landing, we were treated to snacks and mimosas by Loren & Luc to celebrate a great flight! They were so kind and took such great care of us!

So happy to have been blessed to bless my friend!