I have often been asked why we need a Cantor to lead the congregation in song.  Why does one person need to be singled out in front of the entire church instead of leading from the choir loft?  The easy answer is because the United States Congregation of Catholic Bishops and the Monsignor of our Parish have asked that there be a person leading the congregation in the hymns and in the Mass parts.  This person is called the Cantor.  However, I have an analogy that came upon my during Mass today that I'd like to share with you to illustrate why there is such a person.

When I lived in Hawai'i, I was involved in the sport of Outrigger Canoe paddling.  (Best experience in my life!)  There are six paddlers in the canoe (the Hawai'ian word is wa'a, pronounced vah-ah).  With a well practiced crew, all six paddlers work together in perfect unison to move the wa'a forward smoothly and rhythmically with strength and speed.  Each person has their own job within the wa'a: the Pacer, the Caller, the Powerhouses and the Steersman.

I know what you are thinking.  "What, in Heaven's name, does this have to do with a Cantor and Church?!"  Bear with me and I'll explain.

In the wa'a, the steersman keeps the crew on course. They sit in the sixth seat and keep an eye on the course and the crew.   It is also the steersman's job to start the crew paddling and announce when to stop.  Without that person, the wa'a is probably going to go all over the place, right?  This is the Choir Director and the Accompanist (often times the same person.)  He or she keeps the choir on key and starts the hymn.  They rehearse the choir and give musical guidance.

Seats 3, 4 and 5 are the Power Paddlers.  There would be no power to move the wa'a forward without these powerhouses.  I see the congregation as the powerhouse in this analogy.  Without the congregation lifting their voices in praise, there is no strength behind the choir and therefore, no strength behind the prayer.  

The second seat in the wa'a is the person that calls the change so that the paddlers don't get tired out by paddling on just the one side.  To me, the choir itself is like this person.  The choir is made up of volunteers who practice the hymns and help to guide the congregation in song.  Without the choir, the congregation would get tired and lose heart in singing.

Now we come to the first seat in the wa'a, the Pacer.  This is the person that sets the pace and rhythm for the other paddlers in the wa'a.  The other paddlers look to this person to set a good, even pace so that they can keep together and work as one unit.  This is the Cantor.  The Cantor is visible to the congregation just as the Pacer is visible to all in the wa'a.  He or she leads them and brings them in at the appropriate time.

There is one more important part of the crew, without which they could not move the wa'a, and that is the paddle.  Those paddles, used in perfect unison, can move the wa'a forward to win races or travel long distances.  I still wear the paddle pendant that my crew gave me when my family left Hawai'i to remind me of how it feels to work as one unit with power and grace.  Our voices are that paddle.  Our voices, raised in perfect unison, for the glory and praise of God, are a vital instrument in the Music Ministry. 

As you can see, no one person in the wa'a is more important than the other.  In most clubs, everyone in the wa'a is able to step in and perform in any seat, with the exception of the steersman because there are usually only a few of them.  This should be the same in the Music Ministry.  No one person is more important than the other members of the ministry.  Without each and every member, we could not sing together with one strong and powerful voice to praise God.

I often hear people say, "But I can't sing!" or "I can't carry a tune in a bucket!" or "I've never been trained to sing so I don't belong in the choir." and many other versions of that same tune.  I am telling you right now that it doesn't matter.  This isn't a performance.  No one is going to criticize you.  In church, we are here to pray and each hymn or Mass part is a prayer.  We are here to sing for God.  Feel free to lift your voice in praise.  Music is a gift from God and it is our duty to use that gift and give Him the glory of our song.

This wonderful State Park just outside of Quitaque (Kitty-kay), TX is a great place to get away and go camping, horse back riding and hiking.  Just stay at least 50 yards away from the Bison!

You can also see these amazing vistas!

This is the first time I've actually seen a Prickly Pear Cactus Rose!  At least in as long as i can remember.  

I got to go down in this Arroyo for a little while and explore.  It was nice to see a little water actually running through it since this area has been so very dry over the past year or so.

It was amazing to find mica out in nature!  Don't mind my geekness, but the only mica I had ever seen before had been in my rock collection that I got from my Dad when I was little!

More geekdome from me…I love seeing the different layers in the cliff walls.

Want to see me geek out even more?  There were Bison tracks in the Arroyo!  One single bison had walked through, taken a drink, and walked back!  I didn't see it, which is either good or bad…depending on whether it would have charged me or not!  I'd rather not find out.

I just love how the land responds to water and flourishes while it's around.

The flora is so different in a desert type ecosystem but it still has it's own beauty.

Now, I have to say that the SOOC image really didn't need much done to it.  With this one, all I did was run one of my favorite actions from…yes, you guessed it…MCP Actions from the Fusion Set called Desire.  I toned down the Desire layer to about 20%, though.  

I really like how this action added a little more light to the left side (looking at her) of her face.  My set up for this shot was a sliding glass door to the right and a 3ft diameter reflector to the left.  She is about 2 and a half feet in front of the backdrop.  Camera settings are 85mm f 4.0 at 800 ISO.

I hope to share a few more of her with you soon!

Use "CTHELIGHT20" at checkout to see your 20% discount!

I've opened up the April Marathon Mini Saturday!  Contact me now to get your time slot!

I asked the amazing Amanda K Photography to do a guest post this week!  She is the brains behind the inspiring Dream Workshops that help you get your photography business on track.  She is also a good friend and fellow Military Wife.  All the photos in this post are belong to her.  Enjoy! —

Are you the type of person that gets nervous just thinking about a photo session?  Whether it’s a family session, a session for your children or newborn, a couple photography session for engagements (or just because!), an event like a wedding, Bar Mitzvah, party or celebration; most clients have at least a little trepidation when it comes to having their photo taken.   It may be that you just don’t think you’re photogenic (believe me, us photographers hear that from almost every single client!), maybe you’re worried that your children won’t behave, or that your baby won’t co-operate for the session.  Perhaps, your spouse hates photos and your stressing about how that will affect the session.  Regardless of what may worry you about your photo session, here’s five tips that will help you have a fantastic photo session with your chosen photographer!

1.  Come Prepared and Put Together For Your Session:

This is the most important thing for you to remember.  This is YOUR photo session.  Be prepared!  This can include lots of things, but for my clients, being prepared consists of everyone being rested, well fed, and coordinated for the session.  Let’s break it down and go more in depth on what exactly coming prepared might mean.

                  Being Prepared:  Make sure that you have a photographer who communicates with you before the session!  When you know about how long a session will last, what to expect in sessions, and how the photographer will work, it goes a long way in making the time enjoyable!  For instance, many family photo sessions with children last around an hour to an hour.  If you have very young children, the time may only last around 45 minutes.  On the other hand, if you’re having newborn photos taken, many new parent don’t realize that these sessions can often take 2-3 hours.  Sometimes many feedings are needed to get the baby into   that deep sleep so they can be posed and moved.

                  Communicating with your photographer about what you would like for the session is important too.  Do you want a more urban feel with the session, organic and outdoors in an open field?  These details help your photographer create a session that you’re going to love, while also documenting the emotion and interaction throughout the session

                  Rested and Fed:  This is most important for sessions that are going to include children.  It doesn’t matter if they are infants, toddlers, or teens; children are just happier when they are rested and fed.  Their attention is held longer and they’re not worried about their hungry tummies or how tired they are.      

                  This is also true for newborns.  Your session will go much smoother if you schedule your session to coincide with the baby’s schedule.  Have your session when they are tired and right after they’ve eaten.

                  Coordinated:  Being coordinated can mean many things for different people.  I like to share   Pinterest boards that I’ve put together for my clients, so that they have a visual example of things that they can put together that will work for photos.  You don’t have to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe for the family.  Many times, clients can look through their own closets and then go buy key pieces and accessories if they want to.  I helped a friend get ready for a session once, they pulled together dark blues and grays from their own closets and then she purchased some scarves, tights and hair pieces in yellow to bring everything together and add a little pop of color!

                  The most important thing to remember when choosing what you wear is that you’re comfortable.   Remember that your photographer should give you some guidelines or inspiration on what to wear for your session so that everyone can look their best….after all, you are investing in these photos!

2.  Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff:  Most people are at least a little self-conscious about themselves in some way or another.  As photographers we can’t count the times we’ve heard- my nose is to big, my eyes are to small, my thighs are to large, I only look good from this side, my child never smiles good for photos, etc, etc, etc.  The fact, is that your photographer is going to make you look beautiful.  Half of the battle is already over, if you’re well informed for your session.  Trust your photographer, that they know what they’re doing.…which leads us to the next tip.

3.  Listen To Your Photographer:  Being prepared and not sweating the small stuff is great!  The next step is to really trust your photographer.  They’ve most likely been doing this a long time, with many different people.  They also are using equipment that you may not be used to using.  So whether they put the sun behind you for some beautifully backlit portraits, or stand further away than you’re used to standing when taking a photo, or even ask you to do something that seems totally ridiculous, remember to just listen to them.  I often get the best photos from my clients in between the actual set up photos.

One of my favorite things is to have a client lean back and let out a huge belly laugh for no apparent reason.  They always look at me like I’m crazy, but I also always get the best photos right after they’ve let out that laugh.  When they’re not concentrating on me, but laughing at how silly they felt.  That’s when I get the “real” laughs and emotion out of them that make them who they are.

4.  Wear Clothing That Is Comfortable and The Correct Size:  This may seem like a silly tip, but it’s something that can make or break your session.  No one feels comfortable in jeans that are to tight, or shirts that are about to have the buttons burst off.  From a different perspective, be aware of the weather!  If it’s hot outside, make sure the family is dressed in layers that can be removed.  If it’s cold then have jackets and mittens on hand so that they can be easily put on between shots and locations.  Are you seeing a theme in these tips? 

5.  Relax and Have Fun!:  That’s right!  Your photo session should be fun!  Gone are the days of stuffy photos where everyone has to be perfectly still and posed for the photo.  Today’s modern families want to showcase the personalities and lives that live within each person in their family.  Often photo sessions include some kind of activity or location that is special and unique to the family or person being photographed. 

Your photographer will make sure that details like hand placement, angles and light are taken care of, usually without you even knowing it!  When your session is fun, you’ll be all the more excited to see your finished product!

Katie Trujillo is the photographer behind Amanda K. Photography, a boutique wedding and lifestyle studio based out of Boise, ID.  She travels worldwide shooting, speaking and encouraging other photographers to follow their dreams.  You can connect with her on Twitter @Amandakphoto, on Facebook (http://facebook.com/amandakphoto), or her blog (http://amandakphotography.net/blog).  Katie spends her free time with her 3 children and Navy husband.

Praise God and Thank him regularly for the happiness in your life.  

The first thing I have to say is, this is a pretty darn good SOOC image!  That's Straight Out Of Camera.  There is a little bit of light difference between the girl's face and her legs.  There is also a little color reflection from the chair onto her face.   So, the first thing I did was crop it in closer and then I used MCP's "Touch of Light and Darkness" with a 10% brush to add a little light to her face.

Then, I used MCP's  "All In The Details – Extreme Color" Action to pop the color and to give this a more gritty look, I added a texture and masked it off of her.  The last thing I did was smooth and brighten her skin.  

I tried a different crop, as well, after seeing someone else who participated.  I love this one even more because it incorporates the awesome surroundings.  Wish I had thought of it!  Don't be afraid to try new and different things.

Hey, if you'd like me to do a Before and After on one of your photos, feel free to email it to me at thereasa@thereasagwinn.com.  I'd love to play and share! 

Your image pops with vibrant color and is uniquely displayed in your home with stainless standoff mounts.  These are great for your newborn, family or senior portraits.

Contact me today to schedule your session so you can have one of these beautiful unique pieces of art in your home!

Get your beautiful Wall Art today with this 20% off Coupon Code!  Use "GREEN2012" at checkout to see your savings.