Having had my new camera for only a short time, I am still learning so much about video. I first started making home videos from Blackberry phone clips in attempt to capture the essence of our adventures that still photos just could not do. So although I have come a long way, I am still learning so much... here is a rough draft from our Morocco adventure... enjoy!
A short video from iphone clips...
So... I got my adventure. I wanted it, I asked for it, and I got it. It's so difficult to describe a trip like this; so many incredible experiences, so many amazing moments in between. For me, one of the most important things was to be able to disconnect from my world. It took awhile to let go... of the endless lists in my head, of worrying about work emails piling up, of thinking about projects and events and commitments. It took awhile to become present to where I was and who I was with. And that's when the magic really began. For me, it's not really about the experience itself, but how it makes you feel... that is what stays with you forever. So in being present, I was then able to really feel the land and its people, and that was the real gift of Indonesia.
This is a short video from our trip. Enjoy!
...xoxo
For the last few years, I've been lucky enough to take a trip with my brothers and father. By that, I mean we drive 38 hrs to our property in Baja Sur where we camp in the desert and surf every day. It is desolate, to say the least, and it is quite extreme. There are rattlesnakes, scorpions, tarantulas, black widows and coyotes... just to name a few. But there is something so beautiful about this barren land. Each morning, I watch a huge orange ball rise out of the ocean, silhouetted by hundreds of birds on their daily migration. We surf in warm, turquoise water with sea turtles and dolphins. The locals from the nearby village have adopted us; we are no longer 'gringos' but locals ourselves, and are invited to all the family gatherings where we try to speak each other's languages, mostly just laughing and using a lot of body language. This is all such a gift...
But more important than all of this is the time we spend as a family. No distractions of work and computers or phones. We talk. We talk about our lives and what we haven't had time to say to each other over the phone as we maneuver through our busy days. We talk and we laugh and we enjoy each other's company, getting to know the year we all lived since our last trip together, and how we are changed from it.
But we're not doing that this year. Instead, we are heading to Indonesia. I'll admit I am a little sad we aren't returning to our haven in Baja... it has become a pilgrimage of sorts that my spirit yearns for. But it's time for an adventure, one wrapped tightly in a blanket of the unknown. We have no set plan, and perhaps that is the best way for us. I know that at some point we will be visiting our property, a slice of paradise on the beach with our own break out front. I'm quite positive there will be travel by van, by small aircraft, by rickety boats, and loud motor-bikes. I envision waves, some that I will be comfortable riding, some that will scare me and challenge me in a way I can't imagine, and some that will force me to sit and stare at the sheer power at a safe distance away on the beach. But the one thing I can say with complete certainty is that this trip, this adventure with my family we are about to embark on, will change each one of us forever.
This is a short video I put together from blackberry phone clips from our trip last year...
A short video I made from Blackberry clips taken from Chris and Cristi's recent wedding in Kauai...
Love you guys... xoxo
Last summer I was lucky enough to spend 5 weeks exploring Southern Italy. I had contacted various Agriturismos in advance that were interested in exchanging free accommodation for my photography services. Agriturismos vary quite a bit, but are basically bed and breakfasts on a working farm, which in Italy, translates to vineyards and olive groves! Bonus! The Cabbiavoli Castle in Chianti was a favorite of ours (and Julia Roberts), close enough to Florence, Pisa and many other quaint villages to explore on day trips. Le Camicie was an exquisitely restored farmhouse perched on the Tuscan hillside amidst vineyards, and only a stone's throw from the infamous Montepulciano and Montalcino. Il Casale, also in Tuscany, and Serre Di Parrano in Umbria, both restored farmhouses, were surrounded by fields of sunflowers and castle hilltop villages. Mesogheo, an hour and a half outside of Rome at the base of the Camposaro Mountains was truly a wonderful experience. Masseria Salamina, in the Puglian "heel" of Southern Italy was like no other; set in an olive grove with trees dating back 400 years, this Masseria was breathtaking. We were spoiled at Baglio Lauria, an ancient Franciscan monastery set in the Sicilian countryside near the Greek ruins of Agrigento and again at Baglio Spano, a restored wine cantina near Marsala. The rolling vineyards and hilltop castles in Chianti, the endless fields of sunflowers and the cobblestone villages of in Umbria, the ancient and unforgettable city of Rome, the rugged coastline and whitewashed walls of Puglia, and the very traditional and unique land of Sicily... it is impossible to choose a favorite.
This video was made from phone video clips. Enjoy the montage!
Last Fall, I had it in my head that I was going to start shooting video. I loved the idea of having family movies to look back on. Although I adore photos, there is something about a moving image that truly captures the essence of it all, whether it be a sound or a gesture or a series of movements. Our annual Baja pilgrimage was the perfect opportunity for this venture, the only problem was that I didn't have a video camera! The next best thing- my blackberry phone! Holla!
When looking at some of these clips with my brother, we literally were holding our stomachs in pain from laughter. From the old school portable karaoke machine that an old Mexican man wheeled up to the taco stand to the loudest motorbike in history to catching someone unaware when they didn't know they were being filmed. It's those moments, those real moments, that make life such a special place.
Over the weekend I was sick. Sick enough that I didn't have the energy to get out and enjoy the sun, but not sick enough to keep me from going stir crazy in my apartment. So I decided to teach myself how to use Final Cut Pro. Within minutes, I realized I was in way over my head. But having watched enough Law and Order to drive me loony, I didn't have much else to do. So I dug out the old movie clips and tried my very best to create something that did the trip justice. I have a long ways to go, but I think it's a good start!
