For those who would like to follow the trip to Tanzania where I'll be shooting designer gowns to benefit Thirst Relief you can go to HERE and see what posts we make as internet is available!

This trip has finally become a reality! It's amazing how much effort goes into coordinating 15 photographers, 2 videographers, 2 South African models from BOSS Capetown and turning it into a raffle and auction fundraiser all in one! And getting fair trade jewelry from Africa for the shoot from LEAKEY!

Keep us in your prayers for safety, depth and joy in the midst of some crazy days!


Blessings!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY LOVE! You are loved!

We just returned from Las Vegas where we shot the wedding of Rachel and Chad! Such a great couple! The wedding was originally going to be in the Riviera Maya of Mexico but the violence and all turned it back north. We had such a blast staying at the Wynn and shooting all around Vegas and throughout the hotel grounds. Here are a couple of my favorite images. I'll be covering some of the editing and flash techniques I used for these images at our seminar coming August 10,11, 2009. Feel free to email me if you want more info about the seminar at info@davisphotographer.com and look for the details to soon be uploaded and updated at www.davistools.com Lastly, a big shout out to Kenny, our limo driver who did such an amazing job carting us around Vegas for all the shots. If your shooting in Vegas and you want to do it in style ask me for Kenny D Oh's info!

FOR DETAILS ON THE TRIP GO TO: http://thirstrelief.shootq.com

Join Mike Colon, Jim Davis-Hicks and twelve other amazing photographers on a once in a lifetime photo adventure! Shoot designer gowns on location in Tanzania to benefit Thirst Relief. Help build and deliver life saving Thirst Relief Bio-Sand Water Filters. See some of the most beautiful wildlife on the planet on an African Safari! Top it off with Grace Ormonde Wedding Style Magazine featuring the whole trip in her Spring/Summer 2010 issue!

Two Seats, Two Ways to Win.

Trip Dates July 13-23, 2009.

Details and Dates for Auction and Raffle Coming Soon, VERY SOON!


VOID WHERE PROHIBITED
Federal and state laws restrict the online sale of Tanzanian Benefit Shoot raffle entries and the online Tanzanian Benefit Shoot auction to only those state or local residents who specifically meet the requirements as set forth in the applicable statutes, regulations, and terms and conditions that apply to the raffle and the auction and Thirst Relief does not currently allow raffle entry purchases or auction entries outside the scope of these restrictions. Raffle entries are reserved on a limited basis. Thirst Relief does not allow any illegal participation in the Tanzanian Benefit Shoot raffle nor the auction. Proceeds of the raffle and the auction benefit Thirst Relief International, Inc. Raffle winners will be selected by random drawing and all participants have an equal opportunity to win. Raffle winners will be notified by Thirst Relief at the address provided. Must be a U.S. resident and 18 years of age or older to participate and to win any raffle and/or auction prize. This is not a solicitation. This is for informational purposes only.

This pic represents 7000 drops of water, each one equals a life that has been impacted with the gift of sustainable, clean water and each for less than $5! To reach the 100,000 lives we've reach in the last 3 years you'd have to multiply this thing 14 times! That's alot of people! Thank you to everyone that gives so much to make it possible.! Right now we have a matching grant, if you give $5 it equals $10, $20 equals $40, $100 equals $200 etc. etc. go to www.thirstrelief.org and donate online!

I'm teaming up with Mike Colon on a trip to Tanzania in July with a group of very talented photographers to benefit Thirst Relief International. The very generous Grace Ormonde of Wedding Style Magazine will be featuring the images in a 10 page spread in her January 2010 issue. More details to follow!

This is my son! He's one of my favorite people on the planet. What a true gift from God! He is such an amazing little man with artistic talent, passion and joy! I consider it to be one of my greatest joys in life to be his daddy. He just turned 7 and I can't believe how fast time goes by. Life is what happens when your too busy trying to get ahead or plan for the future!

I urge you to oppose H.R. 1913 – the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, or any other federal “hate crimes” bill that could lay the groundwork for censorship of America’s most basic freedoms of speech, conscience and religion.

Laws already exist in all 50 states to punish violent crime, making this legislation unnecessary, unfair, indefinable, un-American and constitutionally suspect. The reality is that H.R. 1913 – the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act is not actually designed to aid in crime fighting. Wrong thoughts are undeniably the sole aim of “hate crimes” legislation and could make thinking Biblically a “hate crime.”

Go HERE to do something!

"We are proud to announce that Davis Photography has been rated by local brides and voted The Knot Best of Weddings 2008/2009 Pick. Please pick up a copy of The Knot Best of Weddings 2009 magazine and check out our listing."

"Difficult times have helped me to understand better than before how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way, and that so many things that one goes worrying about are of no importance whatsoever." — Isak Dinesen

I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around [the banks] will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered. The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs.

Thomas Jefferson, (Attributed)
3rd president of US (1743 - 1826)

I had my first engagement session of the season this week, it was so fun! I was feeling a bit rusty but ended up totally pleased with the outcome! It's so easy to not follow the leading in your heart and I almost didn't, but in the end with only about 15 min. before they had to take off we jumped in the car and took off to this cool little spot that I remembered seeing one time. In my mind I was thinking "We have some great shots, but I want better. These fancy digs would look amazing next to that old rustic building. Should I do it? They have to go in 15 . . . . ah, heck let's just do it!" I am so glad I did!

Gary and Angie are a great couple and I'm so looking forward to their wedding this summer!

Ever seen a Big Horn Ram spar with another? It's am impressive and powerful display of what a man should be no matter his color, shape or size. Strong in himself simply as a man. I'm not talking all macho, fluff but able to stand his ground free from fear and intimidation. The kind I'm talking has nothing to do with physical strength or stature.

AHO Authentic, Honest, Open

These are three words that I am growing to appreciate more and more.

Authentic, are you being really you? NO MATTER what that means are you being authentic?

Honest, are you being honest about your authenticity? Are you lying about hidden things, covering up who you are, what you struggle with, putting on a facade to impress etc.? Even honest about victories or good things? Often pride will cover itself with false humility by not letting the glory of God shine in your life!

Open, are you open to letting others lead you, help you and support you in your needs and desires? Open to correction, encouragement and love? Open to non conforming ways? Open to adventure and trusting God to lead you wherever He wants?

Every man is an equal. A man is simply that, a man. I have recently come into relationship with a group of authentic and great men that are challenging me in ways I've not been so in awhile!

For that I thank God!

Congratulations to Amy G. for winning our auction! We'll post more about her and our mentor time after we connect! Be on the lookout for our "Life in Art Workshop" this summer! It will change you and the way you run your business!

The Auctions Have Closed!

Thanks for helping us raise $25,392.08.

That saves 6,595 lives!

The photo community has once again shown themselves strong by supporting the Thirst Relief Mentor Benefit Auction!

I am amazed at the level of generosity shown especially by the mentors! Many of you gave not just your 90 minute mentor session but also dvds, albums, photo shoots, workshop seats and more! Simply amazing. Thank you.

And thank you to all of you who bid! Once you make your payment your mentor will be given your contact information and they will contact you shortly.

Be sure to come by the Thirst Relief booth at WPPI #1565 and say hi. Also, some of your favorite photographers will be hanging around our booth so feel free to come by and visit you can also buy a Thirst Relief Shirt, bring $20 cash so we can get you sporting our colors around the show!

Lastly, Mike Colon and myself will be making a big announcement at WPPI about an international workshop to benefit Thirst Relief so be sure to stop by the booth #1565 and inquire! It wont just be a workshop but an experience that will change your life and you just might get published in "Grace Ormonde, Wedding Style" magazine since we'll be doing a shoot for her while we are there!

OUR MENTOR AUCTION INCLUDES ONE SEAT IN OUR "LIFE IN ART WORKSHOP" THIS SUMMER! THE WORKSHOP WILL BE SOMETIME BETWEEN JULY AND AUGUST.

AUCTION ENDS TONIGHT!!!!!!!

BID HERE!!

Would you like to spend some time with Lara and I talking business, personal life, non-profit, family life or anything else for that matter? You can at WPPI 2009! This Thursday January 29th the WPPI 2009 Thirst Relief Mentor Benefit Auction will go live! Bid on us there!!!! ALL proceeds benefit Thirst Relief International! A BIG thank you to the ShootQ team that built us a custom site this year for the auction!

GO HERE FOR THE AUCTION

Details of the auction:

The Thirst Relief Mentor Benefit Auction will start this Thursday, January 29^th

Those who want to bid will need to register before they will be able to start bidding.

The auction will close on Sunday, February 1^st at midnight EST.

When someone is outbid they will be notified by email.

As soon as someone has paid in full for your auction you will be notified and sent contact information for the person who won your auction.

We are very excited about what we can all do together for people around the globe.

In three years time we have we have taken 100,000 people long term sustainable clean water solutions for an average of $3.85 a person!

Our specific auction will include a 90 minute mentoring session with both of us, a copy of ActionRunner 2.0 w/a free upgrade to 3.0 upon release and a seat in our "Life in Art Workshop" to be held this summer at our home studio. Happy bidding.

This isn't what I posted about below so stay on the lookout or come by the Thirst Relief Booth at WPPI and inquire.

Something really big is coming! I'll be announcing it in the next few weeks so stay tuned to my blog and be on the lookout as it's going to be a really amazing opportunity for photographers!

Rachel and Andrew Lacour-Niesen of Shoot Q, the amazing folks that are building the ALL NEW and Totally IMPOVED and CRASH PROOF WPPI mentor auction site (coming Jan. 29th, 2009) were really sick this past week? Why? Because they picked up a parasite while in India over the holiday's.

How ironic that someone who is building a site that will host the 2009 WPPI Mentor Auction gets a parasite from unsafe drinking water! Compassion is best learned through suffering I guess.

Reminds me of being up in the middle of the night with my youngest son while he cried in agony fighting acid reflux as a very young baby. I thought to myself "God why would you let me experience this, it's so hard? I'm trying to help people all over the world." I didn't really need an answer, simply presenting the question made the answer obvious. That night compassion was strengthened in my heart. My suffering had an end, for so many the end is simply death.

When you donate $5 to thirst relief your not just doing a little good, your truly providing hope and life to someone who is desperatly needing it!

Thank you to all who gave so generously in 2008! In three years time Thirst Relief has been able to bring nearly 100,000 people long term, sustainable, clean water solutions for less than $5 a person! Amazing! Thank you to all who make it possible through your generosity!

karsyn has found her best friend! so fun to watch her and lu together!