If you’ve seen the cover of my new book, or any of the Facebook ads, you’ve already seen the beautiful photos of Carter Rose. If you happen to live in Dallas, then you’ve seen his work everywhere- in the Dallas Morning News, in Luxe magazine or Dallas Child, in a snapshot of One Arts Plaza…not to mention all the gorgeous weddings he shoots at F8 Studio. I can’t count how many times I’ve been flipping through something and found myself admiring a picture, only to notice in the photo credits that it’s Carter’s.
It just so happened that Carter traveled to the Holy Land a few weeks after I returned from my pilgrimage. We eagerly swapped stories and memories, and I was dying to see his photographs of the trip. Soon after, Carter was asking about my latest project, which was writing Where Jesus Prayed. And as I told him about the book, he said, “Well you’re welcome to use my photographs in the book if you want.”
WHAT????!!!!!
Carter’s photographs?!
This was too much. I have already benefited far beyond what’s reasonable from the accidental awesomeness of being Carter’s friend. For one thing, when I have to get someone to take my picture, which I could never do again and be perfectly happy, Carter just swings by after work and takes amazing pictures in two minutes. I pay him in M&Ms, though I owe him my weight in GOLD. And when I baptized my daughter, Carter brought his camera and took the most breathtakingly lovely and meaningful shots. I have two of them in my office, and I look at them every day. (One of them is next to my photo with Moltmann! This is how much I love Carter’s work, haha.) I could go on and on.
Carter has snapped moments through the years that just capture the very essence of the people and the event and the present-right-now-to-wonderful-life happenings. And those of us who happen to be around him get to see the world through his eyes, and the world is all the more beautiful for it.
So, to me, for Carter’s photos to come alongside my words in this book was such a wonderfully serendipitous thing and such a huge honor. And it was a fun little adventure. In fact, we think we make a pretty good team. So if you’re looking for a travel writer/travel photographer combo, we’d be happy to serve as your wonder twins.
But first- three cheers to my insanely talented friend Carter Rose, who is not only one of my dearest friends but also an artist photo-poet. Carter, I can’t thank you enough for sharing your beautiful work with me. I’m so honored that your images grace the cover and pages of this book, but even more honored to call you my friend. Here’s to more adventures!
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