One of the best days of the year is Easter. Who doesn’t love little kids dressed up in their new dresses and suits? Besides cute kids, I love Easter because it reminds me of the price that Christ paid for our sins. I often get caught up in the “busy-ness” of my everyday life that I forget how blessed I am to be forgiven of my sins (past, present, and future) because He died on the cross for me. Completely undeserving of that forgiveness, I am humbled by the love that pours out of Jesus and into my heart.

I love my church. No, I REALLY love my church. Back in college, I was introduced to The Rock Church and have been going ever since. I’ve followed The Rock from SDSU to Ruffin Rd to Point Loma. It is the first church that I proudly call “my church.” As a Rock Photographer, I had the opportunity to help out on Easter by shooting the Easter family portraits.

Like I said earlier, getting to take photos of little kids in cute Easter garb? I’m SO there.

My favorite picture of the day.

Helen and her family. We serve on the count team with Helen.

Our friend Mikey.

In between services, the photographers had a little bit of fun. Here are a couple of shots that the Youngrens shot of us.

Aw yeah…

We’re a Canon commercial! (Well, except Trevor’s Nikon in the middle…) Can you find me?

Being baptized is a public declaration of one giving their life to Christ after accepting Him as your Lord and Savior. Adam and I were baptized together a couple of years ago and being able to witness many others giving their public declaration was an amazing experience - especially when it’s your closest brother and sister in Christ, the Galangs. I have long wanted to help photograph a baptism event, but for whatever reason or excuse, I haven’t been able to get to one. I find it mildly amusing that the ONE time I actually went was the same date that Vaness and Daniel chose too.

It was an honor to be able to capture this moment for the many people that made their declaration along with the other Rock Photographers. Not being able to swim makes me nervous whenever I have to be in the water. Luckily, it was the shallow end of the pool and 3 feet is not as high up on me as I thought it was. Being closer to the ground at 5 feet 2 means that shallow ends of the pool might actually go up to one’s armpits and being super clumsy like me, being in water WITH my camera is not a good combination. That’s why I had my loving husband help me out to make sure that 1) I did NOT fall into the pool and 2) that I did not drop my expensive camera into it either. He really needs his own “Spouse of photographer” support group. I am almost positive that “preventing wife and camera from falling into a pool” is not written into the duties.

There were many more pastors than attendees so the baptisms actually went quite fast and it was difficult to try to capture everyone that was in the pool. Here are some of the shots that I did manage to capture:

Mike Clark provided worship before the baptisms.

The pastors praying beforehand.

Worship.

Pastor Ricky’s son was baptized this day as well. He’s such an amazing kid. I so look forward to seeing what God does in his life as he grows up.

Vaness

Daniel

Vaness while Daniel was being baptized.

A Rock Photographer (Jim) in action.

This past weekend, I had the privilege to help shoot for my church, The Rock Church, for our Easter services. This was my first event shooting for the The Rock and I have to admit that I was quite nervous beforehand. I mean, it’s one thing to just shoot photos for fun and my own use. It’s a whole other thing to capture images of God’s presence. I honestly felt like what if I didn’t know “what to see” while shooting that day? But, you know what? Like in all other cases, God always comes through and helped me to see things that I think I would have passed on had it not been for Him working through me that day.

The photo above I think captures the whole day. There was this little girl that was sitting on the floor and after a little while of watching her, I realized she was playing with a bug ON her pretty Easter dress. This poor little bug was being picked up and moved to different parts of her dress. However, despite all odds, the bug was still moving even after several location changes. How she managed to hold this little bug so delicately in her hands without killing it is beyond me.

It also reaffirmed the feeling in my heart that I would really love to do child portraits. There’s something about children that make them so appealing to photograph. I would love to shoot weddings someday, but I think my true niche will be child portraits.

This cutie, ate a sugar donut and then a banana, and just had all this stuff all over his mouth. Way too cute.

In the Bible, it says that we need to approach God from a child-like perspective. Where He is our Father leading and guiding us, like our earthly fathers do. This little girl and boy just had an innocence about them that just reminded me of our Father’s love that He pours upon His children. How blessed we truly are.

One of the most exciting things this past weekend was getting my badge on Good Friday. Sounds incredibly superficial, but I had been trying to get involved with the Photo Ministry at my church for over a year now. But, like in all other things, God’s timing is always perfect. I wasn’t ready to be a photographer for The Rock a year ago. For His reasons and His reasons alone, now was the right time. Needless to say, I’ve been waiting for this moment and finally receiving my badge and being an “official” Rock photographer super exciting for me.

Adam also served that day in the parking ministry with the Men of the Rock. I love how my Adam has a serving heart and it’s definitely his spiritual gift, the gift of service. Plus, he looks so dapper in his super bright neon parking vest.

Since the church was expecting larger than usual numbers in attendance on Easter, they had an alternate venue close by for overflow. In the alternate venue, we had the blessing of having Trevor Davis and his band perform worship for us. I’m a huge fan of his and being able to photograph him and his band was a special treat for me.

I love this moment.

The service from the main sanctuary was telecast live in the alternate venue.

Adam and I stayed to serve for the 8am, 10am and the beginning of the 12pm service. There were six services in all on Easter; one more than the usual five. We were pretty pooped afterwards, but definitely filled with the Spirit and His love.

I hope you all had a great Easter too!

I’m looking forward to shooting more events for The Rock and hope that God will continue to give me His clarity in what He wants me to see, not only in my work with the church, but in all that I shoot.

And one more shot of us at the end of the day… (I was squinting from the bright sun.)