time for a pilgrimage...

It's that time of year again. Our annual family adventure. Some of us fly, some of us drive. We may stay for 2 weeks or we may stay a month. It can all vary, but one thing that doesn't is our commitment to spending time together... to slowing down our minds from the fast-paced lives we leave behind... to just being present with nature and each other. And of course the surf is amazing as well :)

There is no greater gift than being here with family and friends. Surfing and laughing, catching up on the life we've lived since the last time we were together. I treasure the time together and I treasure the solitude and peace. There is so much space, and whether you are aware of it or not, a shift happens. You stop reaching for your cell phone, you don't even think about facebook or the tv shows you are missing. Spending an hour watching the birds race along the beach feels like 5 minutes. Life is simple again- eat, surf, read, beach walk, surf, eat, sleep. And lots of laughter in between. Within a week, our bodies are bronzed from the relentless sun and strong from all the surfing. Eating only fresh food and spending hours in the ocean initiates a natural detox. Sleep is deep here, under a sky with more stars than one sees in a lifetime.

Although I find this experience incredible, it's not for everyone. However, I encourage you to take the time to find your own 'pilgrimage' to still your mind and clean your body. Be present with yourself and those around you. Connect and be in alignment with your truth. Give yourself this gift...

When this post goes live, I will have been there a few days. I can pretty much guarantee there is a smile on my face :)

Here is a blackberry video from our previous years...

 

wander-lust

The German equivalent, Fernweh, literally means "an ache for distance". Wikipedia's definition is 'a strong desire for or impulse to wander or travel and explore the world.' 

I've got both.

It can be seen as both a blessing a curse. At times I yearn for stability and put some roots down, and others I have no problem leaving the garden I spent so much time tending. I know it stems back to the years of childhood travel, I know it is an integral part of who I am today.

And right now I got it bad. After a year of restricted travel due to an accident, I am ready to take flight. It has been a year of challenges and rewards and so much growth. To accommodate all this, I need expansion... I need to get out of this box I have been living in to process these experiences and formulate a revised plan for my future. I have changed, so my goals must change accordingly as well. 5 months of physiotherapy has realigned my body, now I need to realign my mind...

A couple weeks ago I took a short trip to Death Valley. A perfect place for expansion. At first glance the valley appeared quite barren. Oh how it proved me wrong. From sand dunes to salt flats, from dry lake beds to water-fluted canyons. It was spectacular. Here are a few from the trip.

 

Gratitude...

One of my favorite quotes...

'Live your dream. Dream your life'

I'm not sure where or when I first heard it, but it's been my mantra for years... and not for all of which I had the courage to live by it. But I am getting better. It reminds me that anything and everything is possible. Whatever you can dream up, you can create in your life.

I live a wonderful life. I am so blessed to do what I love every day. Most of those days involve holding a camera and capturing moments... slivers of peoples' lives that I get to be a part of. This exchange fills me with so much gratitude. Never could I have imagined how rewarding it would be...

My clients invite me into their homes, their celebrations, their entire world, all the while trusting me and sharing themselves. This is an incredibly special space to be in. It is such an honor to be a part of it, and something I never take for granted. After every photoshoot, I have learned something, and I am changed because of it. This is such a gift.

Being the end of an incredibly busy and successful summer, I find myself reflecting on the hundreds of truly amazing people I met and worked with. I am also so grateful for my peers and mentors that support me, challenge me and make me a better individual and photographer. I have been embraced by some of the best in the city. Thank you!

My clients, mentors, peers and friends- I have cherished our experiences and I look forward to a future of amazing possibilities with you all!

I am left with so much gratitude... xoxo

Celebrate Everyday

Each and every day should be celebrated... treat yourself, smile more often, let your kisses linger on your lover's lips, breathe deeply, laugh, play... celebrate every moment, for it is so very special!

I heart Mexican Design

I've had a long love affair with Mexico. Having traveled to nearly all of her corners, I've fallen in love many times over with the white sand beaches, dense jungles, spicy tacos, desolate deserts and colonial cities. So diverse... so beautiful.

I also adore design in Mexico. I love the wrought iron, the heavy woods, bright colors, the ceramics and antiques. Both simple and complex... it all just somehow works!

Natural Light is King

I was looking through one of my favorite photography books the other day, Steve McCurry South Southeast. He is one of my favorite photojournalists. In his career, he has survived a plane crash at sea, a beating and near drowning in India by zealous crowds at a religious festival, and was nearly killed by a rival Mujahadeen faction. He was reported killed twice. All his photographs have 3 very important qualities to them: composition, subject and light. His subject matter ranges widely but they all work powerfully to evoke something within. To me though, it is his use of light that elevates his work. A stream of light coming through a window, dramatic side lighting on a herd of camels, women in a desert windstorm in an orange dusk light, front lighting that ignites emerald in the green of an eye. Every photo is made extraordinary as a result of his use of light. In the field there is no-one around to hold a bounce reflector to fill in the shadows... you have no choice but to study it and master it... and make it your own.

These winter months have left me longing for natural light. Although studio lighting will always have it's place, natural light is king. It is magic. Bring on spring!

The photo below is from a photoshoot with Primary NY last year. We had been using studio lighting, but switched to natural light to soften the looks. Note how the hair is slightly back lit, the skin illuminated, the folds of the fabric highlighted. A perfect example of taking advantage of directional lighting (and working with a great model, thanks Lauren!).