I want to be like Mike! Here's another Mike Parsons photo - this time he's getting his diploma from Dr. Eugene Habecker during Taylor's commencement last Saturday. 

These three chairs were draped in black in honor of three Taylor students who received posthumous diplomas last Saturday. 

Here's a photo of this year's prairie burn at Avis Industrial. 

This shot of the Taylor banner from our inauguration last week was carried by the Associated Press. 

This shot was taken nearly 5 years ago for a Taylor magazine article about graduating seniors. I had the idea based upon seeing similar shots in Life magazine. 

Here's our new president, Dr. Eugene Habecker, with his new grandson during inauguration ceremonies at Taylor on Saturday. 

These two Taylor students were real blessings to us on Saturday when we hosted Althea Catlin and Dorothy Miller! 

I got to take this photo of Keith Green during his concert at the old Market Square Arena during the spring of 1982. 

Snowy Day

This shot was done a couple of days after Christmas in 2004.

The Rice Bell Tower

One of the advantages of always having a camera with me ... Clouds and rain had been prevalent through the day but just as the sun began to set, the cloud cover began to break.

A New Season

Here's a shot from team photo day in 2005.

Coffin Nail

I got this shot along the Pacific coast a few years ago. The breeze was blowing, the ocean was beautiful and there was a cigarette lying there on the beach. I'm not sure why I shot it, but it's one that I've enjoyed having through the years.

Caps and Gowns

This was from a commencement I photographed last year for the Marion Chronicle-Tribune. I liked the repeated patterns, the lines of caps and the purple. Lots and lots of purple.

The Taylor Sounds

Here is a shot I did of our Taylor Sounds in which I had them gather in a semi-circle around me and I shot a couple of series of photographs of them, then stitched them together in Photoshop. Dr. Rediger, the Sounds' director, liked the shot so well that she used it for their promotional materials. I've had a great time working with her and her musicians through the years.

Two Great Friends

This shot is meaningful to me not because it was a great technical photo ... there are problems with the background, glare from the flash and poor centering. This photograph is meaningful to me because two people who are very meaningful to me are in it. Wayne, on the left, and I were childhood friends. Today, we participate in different ministry efforts and have known each other nearly 50 years. Wow. That sounded old. Petros was our beloved pastor for nearly 15 years. He left us in 1999 to go to a church in Lexington. One very dark day a year and a half ago, we received the call that he had died. Although we grieve his passing and loss and pray for his family, we trust that we will again see him in Heaven one day, and he will be as we are - ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven.

The Supreme Court

Another shot from my DC trip in 2002 ... Obviously the Supreme Court building.

Two National Icons

I took this photo following a conference in Washington, just seven months after 9/11. All of our national landmarks, the White House, the US Capitol, the Washington Monument, and Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials all looked different. I pray for our country and for our people, but also all the people of our world.

Tender Warrior

My friend David and his wife, Paula, posed for this shot in their home in November. I did the photo for a story I wrote about his illness. Their deep faith serves as a powerful witness to the grace and power of God's love, even in the midst of the deepest valleys.

Bobby

Tired after a long afternoon of playing with his trains ... Matthew settles in for a little nap.

Woah!

You can sort of get the idea as to how Jacob felt when he realized he'd married Leah.

With sincerest apologies to the bride whose photo I've misused!

Not in the Christmas Spirit

In this shot, Lucy seems to object to Lois' assistance with her Santa hat.

The World's Strongest Human

Here's Matthew doing his famous Balance-Between-The-Doorposts trick. The last time he did this was in December ... he's on a bit of a growth spurt of this own these days. I think I'll ask him if he can still do this.

Dr. Gene Habecker

Here is one of the first photos I did of our new president at Taylor, Dr. Eugene B. Habecker. We did the shot in his office during a meeting. I liked his hand gestures and his eyes in this shot.

A Tender Moment

Yet another tender moment between our two firstborn. They are having a rather theologically spririted conversation about the ownership of Noah's Ark.

Cross in Colorado

This cross is a good hour hike from our Hermit Basin lodge in the Sangre De Cristo Mountain range in Colorado. We hiked up there several times in 2002 while we were there.

Mattie and Grandpa

This is a shot from Christmas ... Matthew was sitting with Lois' dad. They are two of my favorite guys.

The Coit Tower

This is the Coit Tower in San Francisco. I shot the photo in May, 2002, during a business trip there.

Norman

This is Lois and me with Norman Devening during his 100th birthday celebration several years ago ... Norman was such a joyful man who really did rejoice in all things. It was obvious that day that his up-until-then-robust health had begun to slip. He died just a few months later.

Paul Patterson

Directing the defense from the sidelines, Paul Patterson directs the Trojans to another win. This has been my 20th season to photograph Coach Patterson and his Trojans. We've had some wonderful memories. I remember telling someone a few years ago that I didn't know who we had coming back next year but I was fairly sure that Coach Patterson would be back and our prospects were pretty bright.

Eric Ford

For the past four years, we've enjoyed watching Eric Ford's heroics (and a number of opposing teams have come to dread them). It was as I looked at this photo that I was reminded of former Muncie Central basketball star Jack Moore. Moore was a phenomenal ball handler and shooter who led Central to THE state championship in 1978.

High Flying

Taylor's Eric Ford slashes through these defenders during the Marian game last week.

Conference Game

In this photo, Taylor's RJ Beucler drives around a Marian College player. Beucler is a senior; this was Taylor's opening conference tournament game.

Candlelight Service

This photo was taken during the Christmas Eve service several years ago.

Bowery Mission

One of my most memorable times came when I got to attend the dedication of the newly renovated Bowery Mission Chapel. Just a few blocks from the site of the World Trade Center, the mission and its chapel were used as staging areas for rescue efforts after the September 11 terrorist attacks. The greatest part of the day came when Jay Kesler mounted the pulpit and preached to the men.

Communion

This photo was taken during the wedding of my nephew as my father-in-law, Warren Tropf, also Jay's grandfather, administered communion to the newly-married couple. Warren is one of the most Godly and beloved people I've ever met.

The Couple

This shot was done at the wedding of my nephew, Jay Tropf, and his new wife Tammy. The couple looked great and the church was beautiful. It was most humbling to be able to photograph this event; although it's not often one gets the chance to fail or succeed in such a large manner!

The Bride

This is a shot from my most recent wedding.

Christmas Picture

This is Lois and me - the photo was done at the wedding of our nephew.

Wedding Collage

This collage was created in Photoshop. It required a little planning and some improvisation.

Heeding the Call

Young Prince Kaboo flees his tormentors through the Liberian jungle in 1891 in this statue on the Taylor University campus. After meeting a Taylor graduate upon his arrival at a rubber plantation on the coast, Kaboo became a Christian believer and took the name of a Fort Wayne, IN banker, Samuel Morris; he later went to school at Taylor, albeit for less than two years before his death from pneumonia in the spring of 1893. The Taylor community was so deeply moved by Morris' love for God and thirst for knowledge of the Holy Spirit that a large number of his classmates eventually took up the calling he had once envisioned - to return to Africa to share God's love. So miraculous was Morris' life and winsome his persona that his grave is the most visited site in the Lindenwood Cemetery on Fort Wayne's west side.

Tennis Player

OK, it's not the most creative name for a post but I like the shot.

Flying Finish

Here's Katie racing her team mate, Allie, and a girl from Winchester. It was the best race of her sophomore year. I had run the Chicago Marathon just two days before and in spite of my aching legs I ran along cheering for her.

Up The Hill

These are some of Katie's cross country team mates from last year during a meet at Prairie Creek in Muncie.