A Wedding In Film

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I shot part of this Lexington wedding in film and I fell head over heels for the results when I got them back from the lab.
Jess and Daniel's day was truly a dreamy one, with the backdrop of the mountains and the company of all of their loved ones to add to the celebration of their love.

There's just something indescribable about shooting film.
Every time I try to explain it to people I never seem to be able to convey the feeling and sentiment of it. Especially in this digital driven day and age. 
But if I were to try here, I would have to say it's something about the extra intentionality and care that comes with the framing of a shot, the heavy methodical sound of the shutter releasing, the anticipation of seeing how the images turned out, the knowledge that each image is truly a once in a lifetime moment captured and not backed up by 20 similar digital shots, the slight imperfections, the satisfaction of used up film canisters all lined up on a shelf awaiting to be developed, the patience the whole process requires...

It just all echoes that sentiment of slow living that I do so resonate with and live for.

Life In The Country

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“If I could have made the change sooner I daresay I should never have given a thought to the literary delights of Paris or London; for life in the country is the only state which has always completely satisfied me, and I had never been allowed to gratify it, even for a few weeks at a time. Now I was to know the joys of six or seven months a year among fields and woods of my own, and the childish ecstasy of that first spring outing at Mamaroneck swept away all restlessness in the deep joy of communion with the earth.” 

―  Edith Wharton

Photos shot for Yesterday's Heroes 
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Linen pieces by OffOn and available at Yesterday's Heroes along with vintage accessories used in the styling of this shoot.
Air plants courtesy of Strawberry Fields Flowers & Finds
Modeling by Sarah Grace Cheek

iPhone Snaps | A Slow Lived Saturday

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I think I've decided that I want to post more iPhone snaps here on the blog.
Because...
1. I rarely take my camera with me throughout my day to day wanderings anymore, unless it's film (but considering the fact that I have 17 undeveloped rolls in a drawer here, the current chances of seeing those anytime soon/before the year 2026 is maybe a 0).

2. I take so so many photos with my iPhone. It's a hard-to-come-across day that I don't take at least some sort of photo with my phone to be honest. I exclusively use my Instagram for my iPhone snap sharing, but I so often have so many more photos from a time or event that I love and want to share but never get around to. I don't really utilize my Facebook in that way, or like the format of that type of sharing either. So that pretty much just leaves the journal here on the site.

The thousands and thousands of photos I have from my phone that never see the light of day and are just pushed from my phone, to dropbox, to my external hard drive, is truly tragic.
So hopefully this new idea will remedy some of that!

Without further ado, a few words on a lovely afternoon spent with a lovely friend of mine.
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There is a certain kind of friend that is hard to come by in this fast-paced, screen-focused way of life these days. 

The come-on-over-the-doors-opened kind of friend.
The borrow-these-books-because-we-think-alike kind of friend.
The let's-eat-whatever's-in-the-fridge-because-whats-mine-is-yours kind of friend.
The let's-sit-around-and-do-nothing-together-and-just-be kind of friend.
The let's-eat-cake-for-dinner kind of friend.
The list-writing-travel-dreaming-song-writing kind of friend. 
This always denim clad soul is all of these kinds of friends in one and I feel pretty lucky to know her. 

We had such a perfect slow living sort of afternoon together, a theme of ours it seems whenever we spontaneously hang out, and I'm glad she's of such a similar mind because these are my favorite kind of afternoons. 

Who Are They?

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so often when we think of “them” and “they” we’re really just talking about one person.
what will they think, i can’t do this because of them.
why is it that the opinion of one is masked as that of many in our minds?
is it so that we can justify our fears and insecurities?
that the fear of what a mass of people will think of us is more valid and understandable than the fear of just one?

why do we allow that sort of fear to hinder us to the point of changing our make-up, our being, our natural tendencies, idiosyncrasies and this-is-me’s?

why do we allow the thoughts we have of them distract us from telling our story? 
from sharing our journeys?

for why else have we gone through those trials and errors and high times and low times and accomplishments and setbacks... if not to share them? 

Thoughts On Perfectionism

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perfectionism.
a topic i often war with in this day and age of this-just-in methods of self-improvement, articles touting the-five-quick-steps-to whatever your desired goal is, and the varying appeal and allure that is pretty much any beautifully curated social media platform and/or aesthetically pleasing print publication. 
to embrace the messy, the imperfect and the unfiltered in our lives: is a tough war to wage, but a tougher one to win.

so, after some thought provoking conversation with a friend this morning i compiled a little bit of a list that's already helped me immensely. 
i thought i would share it in the event that you too sometimes war with that little this-has-to-be-just-so monster. 

  • perfectionism is not self improvement
  • it's all of the dreams we don't follow because of our deep fear of failing
  • we need to understand the difference between healthy striving and perfectionism
  • perfectionism hampers success
  • it's the lie of: if i look, live and do perfect i will avoid pain
  • in reality the more we strive for perfectionism the more likely we are to experience pain which will often turn into self blame—which is further self destruction
  • imperfections are not inadequacies
  • perfectionism is other-focused. what will they think?
  • in embracing our imperfections we find our truest gifts

Engagement | Jessi + Jason

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“What I feel for you can’t be conveyed in phrasal combinations; It either screams out loud or stays painfully silent but I promise — it beats words. It beats worlds.” ― Katherine Mansfield

Looking forward to a little rainy day road trip in the morning to go document these two lovely individuals wedding. 

Keep an eye out on instagram for another entry into the #weddingphotographerdiaries

xo

Practice Courage

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practice courage.

just because it’s been sung before doesn’t mean you shouldn’t sing it. 
just because it’s been written before doesn’t mean you shouldn’t write it.
just because it’s been painted before doesn’t mean you shouldn’t paint it.

because maybe, just maybe, you singing, writing or painting it will be what needs to happen for that one person to hear, read or see it.
to finally actually all-the-way grasp that lesson, that revelation, that idea, that has been put out there before by so many others. 
but you, you putting it out there in the form of your story, your journey, your perspective, is maybe what they need to finally get it.

don’t let the fear and limitation of “it’s been done before” stop you from doing it.

the fact that you have a desire to do it in the first place means something.