Recent Photo's will only display 3

[zemaitis]

Is there a time expiry that removes pictures from this area?

my url is http://www.pawparazziphotography.ca

code for recent.php

<div id="photos">

<?php if(get_theme_mod('archive_thumbs') == 'Current') { ?>

<h3><?php _e("Recent Photos From", 'studiopress'); ?> <?php single_cat_title(); ?></h3>

<?php $cat = get_query_var('cat'); ?>
<?php $recent = new WP_Query("showposts=12&cat=$cat"); while($recent->have_posts()) : $recent->the_post();?>
<?php if( get_post_meta($post->ID, "thumb", true) ): ?>
<a href="<?php the_permalink() ?>" rel="bookmark"><img class="thumbnails" src="<?php bloginfo('template_directory'); ?>/tools/timthumb.php?src=<?php echo get_post_meta($post->ID, "thumb", $single = true); ?>&amp;h=<?php echo get_theme_mod('thumb_height'); ?>&amp;w=<?php echo get_theme_mod('thumb_width'); ?>&amp;zc=1" alt="<?php the_title(); ?>" /></a>
<?php else: ?>
<?php endif; ?>
<?php endwhile; ?>

<?php } else { ?>

<h3><?php _e("Recent Photos", 'studiopress'); ?></h3>

<?php $recent = new WP_Query("showposts=12"); while($recent->have_posts()) : $recent->the_post();?>
<?php if( get_post_meta($post->ID, "thumb", true) ): ?>
<a href="<?php the_permalink() ?>" rel="bookmark"><img class="thumbnails" src="<?php bloginfo('template_directory'); ?>/tools/timthumb.php?src=<?php echo get_post_meta($post->ID, "thumb", $single = true); ?>&amp;h=<?php echo get_theme_mod('thumb_height'); ?>&amp;w=<?php echo get_theme_mod('thumb_width'); ?>&amp;zc=1" alt="<?php the_title(); ?>" /></a>
<?php else: ?>
<?php endif; ?>
<?php endwhile; ?>

<?php } ?>

</div>