Life through my lens

Less than 3 hours from PDX: SHANIKO Ghost Town

2010-06-24T15:41:00.000-07:00

The drive only took "Hood Winked" and a little of "Parent Trap", not to much time at all! Really it was a pretty drive through part of the Columbia River Gorge and then inland a bit. The terrain of Oregon is amazing! We drove through lush green mountains, with beautiful waterfalls, into a rolling hills area with little to no trees at all. It always amazes me how vast Oregon's areas are and how much differences are seen on even a short 2.5 hour drive!

Then in the middle of no where, is an old "ghost" town called Shaniko! We first stopped at a general store and the kids jumped out and started naming everything they saw "ghost". "Look, here are ghost polls", and "look a ghost store". It was funny...at first!

Our first pictures where portraits by the "ghost polls" of the general store! So cute to see things through the eyes of children, to imagine what they may have expected!

Next we traveled to the "wedding chapel". So cool to see the old buildings and realize how small a community was "back in the day" to be able to congregate in such a small one room building.

The buildings in Shaniko are well maintained but still keep the old time feel. We visited on a Monday, so although most buildings were closed it was still a wonderful experience, and there were loads of photo ops!

There are lots of things around to remind you of what life may have been like when Shaniko was a living "modern day" town. We call them old or antique, but these items were what made life a bit easier! Just imagine!

State of the art fire fighting equipment!

In Shaniko one could play out great imaginary stories! Here is one that we came up with...

Early one morning, while waiting for the Shaniko Bank to open, 3 lovely ladies sat enjoying the sunshine!

When all of the sudden the "yellow bellied brothers" gang approaches them. Miss Kenzi runs to get the sheriff but the gang holds the other two, telling them to hand over the money.

The yellow belly brothers persuade the youngest

lady to join their group.

Meanwhile the Sheriff shows up and can't figure out who the good guys and the bad guys are, so halls them all off to jail!

The Judge is in the next town over, so the Sheriff loads everyone into the patty wagon to take them to the next town. Unfortunately he allowed the yellow bellied brothers to drive!

They never made it to the next town, in fact rumor has it, they all bellied up to the bar at the local saloon and had a Birch Beer

(root beer)...

...and toasted their good fortune of getting out of jail!

The mothers however, well lets just say they

were not seen at the saloon!

The End

Just a few hours from Portland!

2010-05-12T12:10:00.000-07:00

I live smack dab in the middle of a huge metropolitan city! But I am so blessed to live in a city where I can drive for 2 hours in any direction and be in a different setting! I can travel to the Oregon Coast, The Columbia River Gorge, the Deserts of John Day, or up to Mt, Hood just to name a few, within a few hours.

I think I will!

Be on the lookout for my 2 hour travel target practice!

Oh the things we will see through my lens! Life so beautiful!

For right now here are some shots I have taken recently.

The country is beautiful!

God bless, Michelle!

Fun with black and white

2010-05-05T20:51:00.000-07:00

I have always loved the look of a black and white photograph. There is something pure and special about the lack of color. Details that might go unnoticed in a color photo suddenly pop out at you. Eyes tell a story, freckles that blended in now stand out and the little details become alive!

Well, I have been playing! Here is what I call...Life through my lens, in living color...kinda!

Every Day LIfe!

2010-03-17T09:35:00.000-07:00

If you read the previous blog you know my van needed a wash! While Washman did it's thing, I did mine! All these pictures were taken through the windshield of my van! So much fun. Don't forget to shoot the ordinary everyday things in your life. They will be beautiful because life is beautiful!
Enjoy!

Get Acquainted Shoot!

2010-03-17T09:10:00.000-07:00

With a house full of needs and long of to do lists, there are not to many times my husband or I get alone. Last Saturday I took off for a shoot, just me my new camera and the beauty of our area! I was not sure where I was going, but I headed towards the Columbia River Gorge and ended up driving along the Sandy River.

I stopped where I saw a picture waiting to happen, I turned around when I passed something that might look interesting, and I probably made some people a little mad because it was Saturday not Sunday, yet I was out for a drive, slow at times!

OK, you need the story of the sign! I found myself noticing lots of street names of people I know (Kimberly Ct, Ellis street, ETC) I finally stopped to shoot a sign, thinking why am I not stopping, this is what I am out for! I pulled to the shoulder and thought it felt a little sloppy, but I would only be a moment and I was already parked so what would be the point in moving! I took the pics and then got back into go...yep my wheels spun. I laughed at the thought of calling my husband to pull me out! Luckily I was able to rock back and forth to free the tire, but sprayed mud all over the side of the van! You should check out the car wash pictures I took shortly after! LOL!

I had a sweet day. Enjoyed the freedom, but after a couple of hours realized it is more fun to shoot with other people, as co-photographers or models! Enjoy a sample of my Get Acquainted with my new camera shoot! She is a nice new friend who I plan to enjoy using! =-)

You don't want a premature blessing!

2010-03-08T17:59:00.000-08:00

I don't care how much a woman enjoys being pregnant, during the last few weeks all she thinks about is being done with the pregnancy and finally seeing her new baby face to face!

In 1992 I was put on bed rest for the last 6 months of a pregnancy with twins! Yes, I did mean 6 months, no it is not a typo! I had to monitor my contractions for 1 hour 2 times a day and fax the information into a call center. If I was not contracting to much I could take a quick shower and then back to bed! JOY! If I was contracting too much I would need to take some medication through a tube in my leg and then monitor again. If still having to many contractions I would need to be taken to the hospital, usually to stay for a week. During these week long stays I underwent magnesium drug treatments. If you have never had one of these treatments you can not imagine what it is like. It plays with your mind as well as your body. I truly felt like I was going to die. It makes you so hot that the hospital staff turns the heat off in your room before they even start the IV! And the nurses who do not understand made me feel like I was just complaining so I would have something to do! But it works really well in stopping pre-term labor, so I took the treatments!

I ate all my meals laying on my left side, drank a gallon or more of water a day, and lived with heartburn you would not have believed! I was taking so many drugs to help keep the contractions down to a minimum that my face was all blotchy, the circles under my eyes were huge and dark, I looked like a drug addict! Some of the meds made me shaky and that coupled with the loss of muscles from laying down all the time made it so I could get winded walking to the bathroom!

There were so many days, laying in my bed watching life go by I had to remind myself why I was doing it. Towards the end I was shaking so bad I couldn't even read a book, the words jumped all over the page, that is if my hands could hold it still enough! Every day I asked God to get me through to the end, and I asked Him for healthy baby boys, and often I asked for the pregnancy to be done fast! Yes, I too got to the end and couldn't wait for it to be over. I did not enjoy much anymore! I was about done!

On March 25, 1993 the Portland OR area had a good size earthquake! It happened just about 20 minutes after the water sack of one of my boys broke. At the time the earth shook, my husband and I were getting ready for our final trip to the hospital (at least for this pregnancy) and I was delighted! Soon it was ending and I would see my new baby boys face to face! It was so time, I was so done with being pregnancy!

I was in the operating room, my husband by my side, watching. One of the worlds best doctors (to me anyway) cut me open and removed the smallest baby I have ever seen! Many things go through a mothers mind when she first lays eyes on her new baby. The thought I had was put him back, he is not done yet! In that moment all that could be wrong with these two precious babies flew through my mind. I almost started to cry, maybe I did, I can't say! My 4 lbs 5 ½ oz identical baby boys came into the world 4 ½ weeks early without a problem at all! They ate right off the bat, breathing was fine, and they slept and ate as normal newborn babies should! After a 4 day stay, all 3 of us were released to go home! I took home babies that were around 3 pounds each! WOW! Miracle? Blessing? YES!

In the past 17 years I have thought about the twins pregnancy and birth often. I remember how for a few months before the birth I prayed for it to be over! I praise God in His great wisdom He did not answer that prayer on my timing! Can you imagine even 1 pound less? We could have lost them! Thank you Jesus!!!

I find it is like that in life as well! You've heard the phrase, “birthing something new”? In our lives there are seasons, events and many unknown outcomes. There are ample times we must endure, go through, wait it out. Like I did in the last months we often pray for it to end soon. We want to skip the hardship and be handed the blessing right away. But I caution you! Don't pray for a premature blessing! Don't be in such a hurry that the blessing you get will create extra work and hardship! Had my twins been born with problems, they would have been the same blessing! But all of our lives would have looked much different! And the stress of a premature baby is huge! I'm betting that a blessing is a blessing! But the stress of a premature blessing is huge, and your life will look much different than it will if you can just hang in there and wait for God to bring it to full term!

As I continue to allow God to form Miche Photography I realize it is a blessing from God! I also realize this is a birthing process and I totally want it to be a full term blessing! I will wait on God, I will continue to do the right things, the healthy things, and TRY to enjoy the final moments of this “pregnancy”! For when it is time, God will birth a healthy business! One that will meet needs for me and my family, and also bring glory to Him!

Recently I was honored to do a shoot with a couple expecting 2 little girls! Enjoy the pictures from this twin pregnancy shoot!

Blessings (full term blessings that is) =-)

Michelle

Check out the new website!

michephotography.zenfolio.com

And I'm off!

2010-03-03T17:17:00.000-08:00

Sunday night I started my website! Michephotography.zenfolio.com! Please check it out and sign the guest book for me! It really was not difficult at all. The site gave vary clear directions and spaces for me to fill everything in. It also laid out the different choices I could make to change theme, colors and the layout. Easy enough! BUT... I found myself reading only the minimum to move on to the next step. I would read the first line or so and think, oh I know what they meant, or OK, I got it. Sometimes I did have it, but more often I had to go back and get more information that would have helped me had I just taken an extra minute to read all the words in every step!

I don't know about you, but I do this with life also! Our society is so busy, and on the move that often we jump first and look next. This can be so dangerous at times! I think God sometimes looks down on us and laughs, like a father would at an inexperienced naive little child! I do a lot of volunteer time at my children's school. I can not tell you how often I hear teachers say, “please put your hands down until I am finished explaining all the directions!” And I must say, at the end of ALL the directions there are fewer questions!

I wonder how much better and less stressful my life would be if I just waited for God to give me ALL the directions first? If I truly took the time and sunk my teeth into His living word! If I really sought Him and His will for my life before I said YEP, I am going to...do this, say that....!

Lord help me to seek first Your kingdom! Let me ask for Your wisdom. Let me learn to hear Your voice above all others! Lead me Lord, give me directions!

Michelle

Let go and let God

2010-02-27T23:13:00.001-08:00

Well, I am getting ready to do some huge things on Monday! I will post new prices, launch a website where you can order prints and take Miche Photography to a new level! Nervous? Yes. Frightened? No. You see I am learning that there is a huge difference. I know God has called me to start Miche Photography, He has proved that to me many times over. I also know He will guide and help me every step of the way, all I need to do is ask (and oh I will)! I also know that there will be bumps in the road, problems I will need to solve, and I know that it will come down to my knowledge, my ability and my faith. However, I do get all those things from Him! See a little nervous, but not frightened. This is new for me, Praise the Lord! He is so good!

God "down loaded" a thought to me this weekend, with a vary small bit of faith, God can move a mountain! Sometimes He moves it one rock at a time!

Blessings! Michelle

Here I go a blogging!

2010-02-20T21:35:00.000-08:00

WOW, sometimes when God asks you to start something new it can consume a lot of your time! I know I need to blog, because He is doing so much I just need to tell everyone!So forgive me for taking the unannounced break, but here we go! I am back!

My husband and I have attended 4 churches in our 19 years of marriage. All have had a different feel to them, all give us a little different look at who God is and all He has done to show us His love. At our current church many people observe a time of lent. Lent is the 40 days before Easter in which a person might give something up and use that time to pray for something else. Many people give up food items, TV, games, activities. I have decided to give up a little fear. I am using this 40 days to push myself to do as much to further Miche Photography as I can. I am not going to talk about how scary it is to pay for a business license I am just going to get one because I need it. I have researched websites from where I will be able to sell my photo's and I will be launching one within a few weeks! Because I need it! I am also making an investment into a new camera and some new gear, because I need it! During this 40 days I am not going to allow myself to look at the walls that might be in my way, I am going to make myself look at the path God is laying in front of me! I will push down fear, I will pray it away. I will resist it and it will flee from me!
It is God's gifts in me that I operate in, it is He who has put the desires in my heart, and it is He who will cause all things to work together for the good of those who love Him. I love Him!
I am excited about what God will do with me and with Miche Photography in the next 40 (well just a few less now) days! He is good, and I am so loved by Him! We all are!

My recent shoots!

2009-10-04T08:40:00.000-07:00

What a fun day I had! I did a family shoot in a new location around Portland and then headed to the Hollywood district to shoot a friend. First of all, this was my first “model” shoot. For the most part I have been doing family, couples, children and baby pictures. These are a blast, and I have enjoyed every one of them. It is fun to get a groove with people and when I really find out what works for them we begin to see great “them” shots!

But this metro shoot was all about what I wanted to shoot! The beautiful Lynette posed how I wanted, where I wanted and did what I needed to get just the shot I was looking for. We drove around and when we found a door way of a church, or a colored wall on a building, boom, we stopped, jumped out and were shooting within a moment! Fun! And really productive! I got a huge amount of shots to work with, and I do mean huge!

That got me to thinking about my relationship with God (I know most everything gets me to thinking about my relationship with God)! How much more could He accomplish in our lives if we would just cooperate with Him and His plan? WOW! I wonder how much time we waist winning about what He needs us to do to get the result He is desiring? When I was shooting Lynette it was all about what I wanted yes, but in the end she will benefit from some great portraits of herself! And let me tell you I was able to make her look her best! Just like God is able to make us look our best...IF we just stand where He tells us, move when He says move, be still when He says be still... Is it really that simple? I think it is!

Lord, help me to hear your voice in all things. Help me to listen, not complain and most of all be ready to do and say and act the way You need, so that I can be all that you created me to be!

CHAIN REACTION

2009-10-01T16:48:00.000-07:00

There seems to be many fine lines when living a life for Christ! There's a fine line between faith and make believe. There is a fine line between talking that faith and lying. And a fine line between waiting on God and not moving forward.

God has given me a dream, a vision and many people to encourage me along the way with my Photography business. I have sat down and formed a plan of action. Now I am waiting to see God work His plan in this. Don't get me wrong, He has moved mighty mountains for me in this, and I am so thankful! This is not a complaint, it is just an observation. It seems that God works on a chain reaction system. He gives one link, and we must move, or believe, or trust with the next link, then He will give another link. It works, of course it works, He is God!

The link I seem to be on is trust! As the weather gets wetter, I am forced to look to studio work. My first thought was to get a business loan and start building a studio to call my own. But is that God's plan? I am not so sure. I know people and ministries and business' that God has provided much money, support, buildings ECT, for just when needed. So that has been my prayer, God please provide all that I need. Once I started to pray that a friend told me about a place that rents studio time to photographers! I looked it up, and it is so reasonable! God's link? I say YES!!

And now my prayer is that I will learn how to use the lights, and how my camera works in doors! It seems that my brain is getting a bit better at the learning curve! At first I just barely grasped the technical stuff. I had to read the same thing over and over again just to understand. But the more I learn the easier it seems for me to grasp! THANK GOD, I can learn new things! =)

Please continue to pray for me! I started putting pictures on stock. I posted 18 shots, and all 18 were rejected for various reasons. Mostly because I have to scan in the models release not just have it on file! Now I know! I also now have an understanding of just what they want and what sells. But, I have never dealt well with rejection of any kind, so here I am, help me Lord know that my acceptance comes from You and no one else. Lord help me recognize when I am to put the link in the chain, and when I am to wait on You to do it. Thank you for leading me this far! God is good, all the time!

When life seems to stop

2009-09-29T19:30:00.000-07:00

I remember the night really well. I got a call from the care center my Mom had been living in for a few years. She had a personal phone line in her room, but from time to time I would get a call from the nurse or her if her line was not working. I took a breath and answered. The CNA told me that they had just sent my Mom to the hospital by ambulance and she didn't look good at all. I thanked her and hung up. With in 10 minutes I had kissed my family goodbye, packed a few extra things in my purse (gum, money a book) in case it was a long ER visit and headed to the hospital. I walked into the ER and saw my Mom on one of the ER beds like I had so many times before and gave her a smile. She smiled back. 4 days later she touched my face for the last time and I said good bye as I held her and she met Jesus face to face.

There are many more details that I happily share with anyone who will listen! But the point I want to make right now is that when I got that phone call it was as if life stopped for me for a bit. It didn't matter what bill was due, or who would be driving my kids to school. Because of my family and friends, people who care about me, I was able to "stop life" and spend those precious few days with my Mom.

It was that way when I gave birth also. When it was time, it was time! Everyone gave our family grace! The world stopped and our focus was so small at that time! We could focus on the most important thing, our newest baby! Then a few hours later our focus enlarged a bit to include our other children, then extended family and friends, and little by little life came back.

This is how I want to be with Jesus! I pray that when I sit to do devotions, or during my prayer time that my world can just stop for a few minutes. Man, if I could get to the place where my focus is so narrow that all I see is Jesus, could you imagine how He could change me? Nothing of this world would matter at that point! I would not be presenting my request to Him, or even thanking Him for all He has done for me, I would just be able to focus on Him, who He is, what He means to me, what I mean to Him. That is true intimacy with God, that is where I want to be more and more! Oh, don't get me wrong, I have had those times with my Lord. But what I am talking about is getting to the point where those times are present daily, where more of my life is spent in that place than not! Lord help me, Lord help us all!

God gives us what we need!

2009-09-28T16:52:00.000-07:00

A little boy named David knew the horrible things that were going on with his family. He knew God had a plan, and he knew he was Gods plan. Could you imagine the pressure David felt? The weight that must have been on his shoulders! I mean come on, his older brothers had already been fighting, and they could not gain any ground.

I bet the family was questioning where God was! I bet they had prayed for God to send help! And I bet that was the vary moment David entered the room! I can imagine them all throwing back their heads and letting out belly laughs. I mean David, little David! I picture his Dad giving a stern look to the older brothers and then smiling and biting his lip as he tried to take Davids heart felt proposal seriously.

And David just kept moving ahead, every step with God's prompting. It is easy for us to cheer, "you go David" from this angle! I've read the story, and many more that shows how God always came through for David. WOW, You go God! But I so know a little about what David must have felt as he entered the meeting area of his father and older brothers. He had a mandate from the God of creation. The one who had been speaking to his family for generations was now speaking to him!

I have heard God's voice in my own life many times. It can come as a still soft voice, just knowing how God wants me to act. I have felt a little nudge as the heart of God grabbed my own heart and I knew I was His answer to someone else. And I have felt the sting of Gods precious discipline when He needed me to change. That resent Thursday morning at Cannon Beach I felt God showing me an ugly dark spot on my heart, that was in danger of bringing a wedge between Him and I. I remember covering my face as the hot tears ran down my cheeks. I remember hearing things go on around me, but none of it mattered, I was having an alter service with my Lord, He was talking to me, and I was finally listening!

In the days that followed, God and I have had many of talks. I have been reminded to ask before I leap. To question my motives in every thing I desire, and most of all I have realized again that the good in me comes from Him. Which is not the part that is hard for me, the part that has always been hard for me is learning that there is good in me at all! Knowing that I have a lot to offer that is good, and the reason is God made me that way!

What God is asking me to do looks impossible. I am trusting God to show me one step at a time, listen and act! He will give me all I need, and even if what He gives me to do the job looks like 3 small rocks in comparison to the task He has ask of me. I will remember, with God, I am unstoppable!

Next step!

2009-09-27T21:58:00.000-07:00

For the past 2 months I have been taking pictures around my local area. The weather has been beautiful and the light is not a problem. But we do live in the Pacific NW, so that will end. That would make my Photography season so short! So I ask God, What next?

I have met with a friend and fellow photographer and we are working on a business plan! We are praying for $8000.00 to buy some studio equipment and I am getting excited to start shooting indoors as well!

What you must realize is I am just learning. I have been able to take amazing pictures only with Gods help (I can say they are amazing, because they amaze me as well)! And now as I believe Him for the money needed, I will also believe Him for the knowledge needed! I am reading books, looking at web sites, and am praying about taking a class (yep, learned my lesson, pray first register second)!

But whatever happens, IT IS MY DESIRE TO HONOR HIM! In all that I do. Pray with me will you?!

And then God spoke to my heart...and I finally listened!

2009-09-27T20:29:00.000-07:00

The summer of 2008 I found myself without a job and not knowing what I was supposed to do. The past 2 school years I had worked at the private school my 2 youngest attended running the before and after school programs. I loved what I was doing, the students, and the school! I could see myself there for many years to come. But God had other plans.

In late July the principal informed me that they did not plan to renew my contract for the 2008/2009 school year. I was devastated! I had been a preschool teacher before my own children were born, it was what I did. So I set out to find work. July ended, August came and went. My children went back to school and so did all of my teacher friends. I had no place to go! By the 2ND week of school I was recording drama TV to watch! Not good! But as I said before God had a plan. By late September I was the director of an infant/toddler program linked to a teen parenting program for our local high school. I loved my job. I was needed and I thrived! Again, I began making plans to improve the program, work even more with the high school and could see myself continuing in that position for years to come. There is where my story will start! The program did not get funded, and as of right now is not funded! Yep, I am once again not working. Thank God I am also not recording drama TV!

By July of 2009 my plan was to go back to college and finish earning my degree. I enrolled, met with my adviser, filled out financial aid forms and began to make plans. You see, I have always regretted not finishing my degree. And in the recent years not having my degree has seemed to hurt me in the job market. So my plan was to finish my degree and the next time someone asked me if I had my degree I could answer yes! I do! That was my plan!

August 2009 I found myself at Cannon Beach Christian Conference Center. It was Thursday morning, I was at the morning session and we began singing the song "Lord I give You My Heart". The first line of that song is "It is my desire to honor You"... Have you ever had an intimate talk with God that only had to last about 10 seconds, but you knew the whole conversation? Well that is what happened during in that moment for me. I had made my plans, but I never considered if that was His plan for me and worse than that I never asked myself if my having a degree would honor God! This is for me, I support education. I believe to hold a degree is an honor! BUT, for me, at this time, I was in rebellion! I immediately began to cry. I cried all through the worship, special music, the meet and greet time and a little of the preaching, but in the end I felt right with God. I had repented and made the decision not to attend school in a few short weeks.

Now here is my story. Where is God leading. You know all the sayings, when God closes a door, there is another one that He opens. But a friend told me of a quote she read once "it is hell in the hallway". =) So true!

I am excited about what is to come! I have seen God to so many mighty things in me, in my life and in my family this past month! All praise goes to Him! This was the ground work, to catch you up, now I can start telling you about the path (curves and all) that I find myself walking. And I am so happy that you will walk a little with me!

A little about me

2009-09-27T20:21:00.000-07:00

My name is Michelle Corbin. I am a 44 year old mother of 5 (24, 16, 16, 10 and 7) . I also have 2 beautiful grandchildren (3 and 10 months). I live in Portland OR with my husband of almost 19 years and my 4 youngest children.

I blogged a little a few years ago and enjoyed it, but with young children I didn't find the time to keep it up. Now all my children are in school, and I am so excited about what God is doing in and through me, that I thought I needed to start blogging again!

So here is my story. I am not sure what will happen, but it is my desire to honor God in everything I do. I pray that He will keep my feet on the path He has set for me. Come on, I am sure this will be a wild ride! =)