So Long, Winter (2017)

I had forgotten how lovely it is to wake up early in the morning to the sound of birds singing. This, amongst other simple spring-time pleasures always brings me out of the cold and lethargic slump of Winter. Despite the cold temps and flurries we've seen over the last few days, I can feel the renewal of my spirit and a little spark coming back to my mind. Lately, I've been focused on creating music and less focused on making photos (I will share more about that another day). I expect that to change with the warmer weather.

Last week, I received the scans from film shot throughout the winter. I love looking at my photos and seeing the ordinary moments of everyday life amidst the extraordinary. Looking back, it all seemed to have gone by so very fast. I'm dreaming of the day I can get back to New Zealand because 10 days was not nearly enough time. I often felt torn between taking in the experience and enjoying it with the people I was with vs. photographing it. Photographing with film forces me to be patient, to take in my surroundings and slow down. It was refreshing to photograph on film while traveling and in spite of the short time and the jet lag, it totally felt like a holiday! I didn't really take that many photos, but I'm quite happy with the ones I did make. Within a week we covered quite a bit of ground; crashing in Hahei for the first 3 days (so hot) and then heading to Taupo for the wedding. On our way back to Auckland we stopped in Roturua and on our last full day and night we stayed on Waiheke Island visiting vineyards and olive groves in the pouring rain. I had run out of film by then which is so sad, but... that's what iPhones are for, right?

Here is a little summary starting with my trip to New Zealand back in February until the most recent roll which was finished in early April. For film nerds out there, these photos were taken on 120mm and shot with Ektar 100 and Portra 160.

2017

I've never really been one to make New Year Resolutions, but I like to think that I am a goal-oriented person so it's safe to say I'm setting resolutions for myself all year long. Self-reflection is a healthy practice and it's something I try to do regularly. January 1st is just another day we all get the chance to refocus our minds, bodies and spirits to live graciously. I think it's important to take stock on what you have - to observe where you are now and where you've come from, to ask yourself how you have grown and where you still need to be stretched. Life doesn't seem to slow down the older we get and I expect this year to pass quickly with the expected challenges and joys of being human.

There is much to be thankful for. There is much to look forward to. Here are some things I have been thinking about and am working toward this year:

Self Employment. Well, technically I have been out on my own since September. I am both exhilarated and anxious about this but mostly very, very excited. I think jumping into the world of self-employment looks different for everyone so I'm figuring it out as I go along. It's been amazing to watch my business grow the past several years and I attribute much of that growth and my success to the kindness and generosity of others in this small, wonderful city. I have plans to expand my artistic practice visually and musically.

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Self Portrait, Summer 2016

New Zealand. February- which is just one month away. I need to buy a bunch of new memory cards and a ton of film for this trip. I'll be flying to Auckland and driving to Taupo (on the other side of the road) to photograph Caitlin & Darren's wedding. Pinch me.

Make More Prints. Pretty self explanatory, but this is a massive undertaking. I've begun printing photos that I've taken with my iPhone and put them in an album. Next up will be making prints of photos I've posted to Instagram. Remember the days we used to flip through albums and reminisce? Yeah, I want more of that good stuff in my life.

Less Social Media, More Sharing. The conflict or struggle I have had with sharing on social media isn't the sharing itself but knowing how much to share. My hope is that I can be more intentional and disciplined by sharing on my website, without the subsequent follows and likes.

Angel B on 120mm

Writing Music. I've been dabbling with my violin to create some original music. I like where it is going and really enjoy the writing and recording process. So far, this mostly involves feeling and trusting my instincts but if I had to make an analogy, I would appear to be driving blindfolded on a very bumpy road. This involves so much more vulnerability than I expected but I'm taking that as a good sign and just going with it. Best case scenario, I manage to make some decent recordings that aren't just in my living room.

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Irving Nature Park, January 2016 / Michael Milburn

Shoot more Film. Sometimes it exceeds my expectations and sometimes it disappoints, but getting my scans and negatives back is better than Christmas. Photographing with film just makes me happy.

Photo Projects. Well, if I say it on here then I have to commit to doing it. I've had a few ideas floating around in my head and one project underway. I'm still unsure of how and when it will be finished but I intend to share the process here.

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Montreal & Quebec City

Now that the wedding season is winding down, I'm finally getting around to sorting through some photos that I took for fun this summer. A friend and I decided to take a roadtrip to Montreal and Quebec City this past July. I only took my digital out with me for a day and I figured I'd try something different and shoot the rest of the time with a disposable. Most of the exposures didn't come out and some were tinted green and magenta... so weird. (That's what I get for being lazy and deciding not to lug around my heavy digital camera.) All of the digis, with the exception of maybe one or two, were shot with a 24 mm lens.