the Blog
O CHRISTMAS TREE
December, 2013 \\ Mr. Tree Farm – Columbus, Ohio
“O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
How richly God has decked thee!
Thou bidst us true and faithful be,
And trust in God unchangingly.
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
How richly God has decked thee!”
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Awesome pictures and tree…well for that matter, couple too! Thanks for sharing.
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Love your Christmas tree pics! Your tree is beautiful am impressed that you cut it down with your ax! Very impressive! The snow definitely adds to the Christmas Spirit!:-)
THANKFUL \\ part no. 3
Here it is, THANKSGIVING!!! The most thankful of all thankful posts.. which is sort of silly… I believe that we were made to respond very beautifully to gratitude. Nevertheless, I am glad to use this post on this day to share my gratitude for my amazing and beautiful wife Jennifer! She is kind, loving, wise, encouraging and thoughtful in every way. Going out to eat, chilling at home, making awesome food, or exploring the world, I am blessed and thrilled to have Jennifer be my best friend, constant encourager, and perfect other half. With love (and thankfulness),
-Benj
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love you.
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A terrific collection. I’m very thankful to have a daughter, at long last.
Mom D.
THANKFUL \\ part no. 2
Here in this second Thankful “Thursday” (and by “Thursday” I mean, “missed my deadline by a day for now it’s Friday”) post, I’d like to give special thanks for my family. My parents showed me how to love an respect each other, they gave me a legacy of kindness and joy that was inherited from my grandparents. They showed me innovation, persistence, and steadfastness. I owe a great debt of love to my parents that I will gladly pay off for the rest of my life. One phrase often spoken in our house that I am forever grateful to have ingrained in my character (and I can still see myself crying on the stair with a ninja turtle clutched tightly in my hand, as my father said,) “people are always more important than things.” It may seem simple or rudimentary to many, but for me, it’s a golden rule that gives me joy as I serve my wife, my friends and family, and even my clients.
My brothers are a whole other story of gratitude! they encourage and support me, laugh and cry with me, and most of all they like me and I like them. I totally understand families that drift apart through time and space, for various reasons seeing each other less and less… but I am truly thankful that I am close with my brothers. I could continue to ramble but that’s not my goal here in this post. I just want to express my gratitude for amazing people that I love.
-Benj
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well….that made me cry, as it delighted me heart and nourish my inner mommy-ness.
Praise God, the family unit Creator, Purifier, and Redeemer of my soul, who matched me to your wonderful Dad..
As a child from a very dysfunctional family, I grew up daydreaming about being born in a different place to a different parent combo. Then as a young mother, one day I realizing with crystal clarity the “why” of my parents union that allowed me to be… It dawned on me in that light bulb moment that without them (imperfect as their marriage surely was) I, as 4th born, not only would not be, but by extension the beautiful son sleeping in my arms! Family tree conversations, are always have fun implications :)
THANKFUL \\ part no.1
Firstly, I just plain don’t think it’s fair for the last Thursday in November to get all the pressure for all of our thankfulness… as a result, I’d like to take a few moments over the next few Thursdays to express my gratitude. The first on my list, is my wife’s family. From births, birthday parties, vacations and other special moments (like ENGAGEMENTS!! WOOT WOOT!), the tapestry of love and encouragement runs deep and strengthens everyone it touches. I am blessed to be a part of this family, and I am thankful in every way for the way that Jennifer has been shaped through the wisdom and kindness of her family. I love the phone calls I get from my nephews, the hugs I get from Granny, the warmth of hospitality show through even the simplest cup of coffee from Mom M., the wisdom and generosity from Dad M., and the joy that is constantly expressed from all the siblings. Re-reading that sentence causes me to pause and wonder if I’m viewing the world too much through rose colored glasses… but then I realize that’s what gratitude has the power to do… it gives us the constant ability to see the best parts of anything and everything. So call me an optimist or a romantic if you’d like, I’ll look past the sarcasm and be grateful for the compliment.
– Benj
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I love each of you so very much. I am so thankful for my family and my kind, loving husband. Blessed.
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Thanks for posting this Benji.
Looking through these pictures sure triggers a lot of emotion doesn’t it? It’s been quite a year: the welcoming of Titus and Lydia (it’s just impossible to look at their pictures with their brothers and not smile), Dad M’s 60th, Granny’s 90th, Steph saying “yes”, plus all the little things in between.Your photographs, especially these, remind me of the altar of 12 stones that the Israelites made as a memorial. The altar served to remind them of God’s deliverance in passing them through the Red Sea and the Jordan River. Joshua told the people that when their descendants asked about the altar, they should respond, “[The Lord your God] did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.” I’m so thankful for the amazing work that you do with your photography; so many of your photos serve as reminders of the seas and rivers that our God leads us through. Thanks Benji and Jenn-Jenn. :)
Ax Camp \\ 2013
May 2013 \\ West Virginia \\ Yellowood Design Studio‘s Ax Camp
This year marked the premere of Yellowood‘s Ax Camp. An invitation only camp out, where skills are put to the test and the soul’s inner adventurer can roam free. We didn’t just randomly “chop down a tree” (though that is awesome too), we went to a place where new friendships were formed from the shared experience of exhaustion, exploration, and basic living. We “tended the soil” and had a blast in the process! Everyone went home with a nickname, awards were given, and we were all filled with the joy and gratitude of being a part of the inspiring Yellowood legacy. -benj
Hasselblad \\ iPhone \\ 5D MK2 \\ VSCO (film & cam) \\ Pic-Tap-Go
DC \\ New Places
Visiting DC was a wonderful experience and a whirlwind of a weekend. Having never had my “eighth grade trip” or seen the sights of DC, I was thrilled to accompany Benjamin for the weekend to photograph two amazing couples. We made the most of our 48 hour trip, seeing the statues, tasting amazing food and finding the local treasures of DC. I tried to temper my first time excitement and blend into the city while soaking up the details. However, my over excited tourist heart definitely came out as I was constantly taking and posting pictures (check out my instagram if you don’t believe me). I look forward to visiting DC in the future, to enjoy even more fabulous restaurants, historical land marks and museums. Please enjoy some of our favorite sites and images below!
Thoroughly enjoyed meeting Josh and Lauren and capturing their story on the National Mall and at the Smithsonian. Check out their engagement shoot!
It was an honor to visit the WWII memorial and remember the brave men and women who fought fearlessly.
Spending time with Jenni + Sumit was absolutely delightful! We not only enjoyed making beautiful images but we also earned an amazing discount on some froyo in the 14th street corridor! See Jenni + Sumit’s engagement post here.
I love watching Benjamin as he works with clients. He is an amazing artist and captures such a beautiful, personal and unique story with each couple.
Christmas 2013 was very special…these are great!