Son Amour Vous Voyez

 

This is a picture I took of two good friends, we walked around town one day and they let me use them as models to build up my portfolio. But, conveniently enough, they are dating even when not in front of my lense:) When I look at this picture I think, love does not have a face and that is why it will last forever. I’ve captured it, in my camera and it will always be there. Its the pictures where love does have a face that seem to possess morality. When we are young, love is so easy and seems like it could never be anything but fresh, alive and passionate. When we look at our parents generation, it can tend to dampen the mood a little bit. We see them kiss once a day (maybe), not really holding hands anymore, they talk mostly about there children and the mans ‘To Do’ list thats ever-present. This generation can be considered a more realistic version of love with a shelf-life. Then we have our elderly folks, the generation that demands respect, consideration and acknowledgment. It is more common to find an elderly couple that is holding hands, smiling at each other and living life a the pace it always should have been: evenly. They’ve probably had the period of passionate and exciting love, they’ve probably been through a few years of wondering who the heck they are waking up next to and look now; they have arrived at eternity’s door and they are holding hands. They are looking at someone they’ve looked at for nearly 50 years and they know who it is they’ve fallen in love with. They don’t wonder where the other went, they don’t turn there eyes away acting as if the other doesn’t exist. They, see each other and they still love.

Its our elder generation of love that will give me hope and encouragement that love will last. That love does not expire and fall apart. It is love without a shelf-life. Son Amour Vous Voyez:)

Cheers!

kvandeway

Like An Old Movie

This picture was taken on Navy Pier in April 2008. I was there for a Young Life Conference for a weekend and we had a day off to wander around the town. Most of the group went shopping because it was foggy and drizzly (as you can see) but a couple of friends and I walked around the city all day long and I went Shutter happy haha!

Not Even the Rain Has Such Small Hands

This beautiful little girl is from the Philippines. She lives in the Floodway District outside of the city, this area of the Philippines (by there standards) is considered poorer than the poorest. The Floodway district is one of the saddest places that I have been. I visited the people there and walked and crawled into there little homes; the biggest ‘house’ you will find will be somewhere around 6×6 feet and a family of 5 or more will be living there. No electricity, water, toilet, sink, beds, clothes, blankets…literally nothing inside of these homes other than the family. Many of them have to go on the street for the bathroom or on the banks of the river. They are stacked upon each other like boxes at a recycling plant. Sqeezed in so tight, tall..wide and deep you will find home after home after home. Some are so deep in the pile of ‘homes’ that there are no windows or light from the outside world, its only one electric light or a candle. This is where children are born. This is where children are raised. This is where beautiful, innocent babies and toddlers and teens die each day from disease, starvation and thirst. And yes, there is something you can do about it- check out the following websites to dip your hand into the world of servanthood.

www.vesselsormercy.org … www.invisiblechildren.com … www.beadofmercy.org … www.threadsofhope.org … www.tomsshoes.com … www.ONE.org

Think outside your box. Think outside your world. Realize that you are not on this earth to serve yourself, but to serve others. Its worth it.

They are worth it.

Cheers!

kvandeway

A. Barnes

Everyone, Meet Mrs. Barnes! She is (to me) the most adorable woman in the world:) I met Mrs. Barnes when I was strolling along the North End in Boston last May. She was peeking out her door at some Asian tourist when I walked past her. But, she caught my eye so I turned right around and went back to meet her. I tapped on the door and she jumped (haha, score for me!) and opened the door when I introduced myself and asked if I could take her picture. She said to me, “ooooh me! (very bashfully) well alright! My name is _______ Barnes. I’m Italian, my husband is Irish, I’m sorry there’s nothin I can do about it…” haha, let me just TALK about how adorable she is! So, to recap-she’s Italian, she lives in the Italian disctrict of Boston and she absoulty, fantastically adorable haha:) Right-o!

Cheers!

kvandeway

Cologne, Germany

The picture for today is of the largest cathedral in the world, located in Cologne, Germany! I went on a three week journey by boat through Europe in the summer of 2006; my friend and I flew into Amsterdam, Netherlands and took a boat down the Rhyne River south to Vienna, Austria.

The Cologne Cathedral was quite brilliant really. There were street performers outside and quiet, in-awe tourists inside taking pictures and lighting a candle for someone on there minds. Its really intriguing to me that a person who is not normaly a spiritual person comes to a place like this magestic cathedral and feel right about praying, or acknowledging a higher power. Magesty has a way of doing that I suppose. Anyways, my friend and I hiked up to the very top of the tallest place in the cathedral and it took some muscle to get up there! Even when we thought we had reached the top, there was scaffolding inside the top of the tower to get even higher! The height of the tower was 475 feet, the steps were 509, the acent was 332 feet and the ascent and descent should take about 30 minutes.

Thats all for today!

Cheers!

kvandeway

My Familia

I suppose the first step in capturing your long term attention, is to introduce you to my family! This was taken last fall, by me and the handy timer fixture on the Nikon. From Left to Right we have: Bob (Dad), Anna (Sister), Colleen (Mom), Kelsey (me) and Javas (brother bear!). We all have nicknames and if I ever mention a family member in a picture, I’ll probably refer to them by there nickname so you can have those to: Dad is Strider, Anna is Flanna, Mom is Mama Mia and Javas is Flavis or Brother Bear. Cute right? Haha oh and me…well some people call me Kels or Kel and my family calls me ‘Bug’. It used to be Kelly Bug when I was younger, but you know how these things re-arrange themselves:)

We’re a tight knit family, we love each other very much and drive each other crazy almost as equally ha, but thats the perfect balance right? We all have our own passions and dreams, but I won’t get into that right now. Maybe in future pictures you learn a little more about us, the Vandeways. But for now, its nice to meet you!

Cheers!

kvandeway

Hey Folks

I want to use this WordPress page to give you a window to the world. I have seen so many brilliant things in my travels and life thus far, I would like to share it with you through my snap shots. I’ll post a picture with a little story to go with it, hopefully you will feel like you’ve traveled to these places and faces with me! Open your eyes, see the world around you! Lets start making a difference…

 

Cheers!

kvandeway