We Come in Peace

Just to remind you guys, tomorrow is the last day of my digital download promo. Anytime this month when you purchase a digital download of any photo, half of the proceeds will be donated to Voice of the Martyrs in support of the persecuted church. Check it out!

Rolling Clouds

Don't you love the clouds in this photo? This is one of my favorite landscapes that I visit, which explains why you may have seen me upload similar shots in the past.

Hold Fast

Twins

Be Not Conformed

{Hover Over Image for Inspirational Version}

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." 

-Romans 12:2

Hmm...Needs More Sugar

We've had an especially large number of butterflies around our house this year and I was able to snap this photo one day while on my way to the pool. Getting shots like this without a DSLR (and thus without manual focus) is pretty special.

Hercules

Sunday afternoon I grabbed my camera and tripod, headed for our swimming pool, and began searching for a tree frog that's recently made his home there. A couple minutes passed and I couldn't seem to find him and so, for whatever reason, decided to walk towards our shed despite the blazing heat telling me to go back inside and enjoy the A/C. As I approached the shed I noticed something large moving on a nearby tree and, as I got even closer, I discovered a couple large Eastern Hercules Beetles. It was the first time I'd ever spotted one in the wild, but apparently they can grow up to 2" in length, making them the largest beetles in North America. Pretty cool, huh?

Help Persecuted Christians

As many of you know, the Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) is a great Christian charity with the mission of bringing relief to the ever-growing persecuted church. Despite the many freedoms we so often take for granted, the fact remains that approximately 1/3 of the world's population is restricted by either law or custom from worshiping the Lord Jesus Christ and is often tortured or killed should they choose to follow Him.

Thankfully, here in the U.S. we not only have the legal freedom to worship the Lord in Spirit and in Truth but have also been blessed with an opportunity to serve our brothers and sisters in Christ through organizations like VOM. The freedoms we've blessed with should not be taken for granted, but rather utilized to help bring those same freedoms to those who are suffering. That's why I'm excited to announce that, this month, Dakota's Nature Photos will be "partnering" with VOM to bring relief to persecuted Christians. Here's how it will work:

Anytime throughout the remainder of this month when you purchase a full resolution digital download of any photo, I will forward 50% of the profits directly to VOM! Simply click the button on my sidebar to your right to be taken to an online order form, fill it out, and hit submit! I'll bill you via PayPal and email you your pics as soon as possible once payment is received. A single digital download is only $1.50, unless you're ordering three or more photos in which case you'll be charged only $0.99 each. Your purchased photo can be freely printed by you for personal use, saved as your desktop, etc. Not only will you be getting an inspiring photo, but you'll be helping to spread that very same spirit of inspiration to those who desperately need it. Won't you consider joining me?

Here's a few photos you might consider:

Bee Stalker