In 2005, I went on a life-changing trip to Ghana working as a photographer for a non-profit. Probably because I was only there for a week, I felt a bit overwhelmed and humbled by the experience. But, my time there also broadened my perspective and shifted my priorities in ways that I am grateful for.
A few years later, in 2008, I returned to West Africa. This time I spent a month in the region, specifically in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Ghana. (As a side note, I started my blog while on that trip.) Again, the experience was transformative but in a way I didn’t expect. Rather than feeling overwhelmed by what I saw, I felt inspired by the people I met and photographed. I felt hopeful. Despite having experienced horrific conflicts in recent history (in Liberia and Sierra Leone), there was such a sense resilience and optimism, especially among the youth. It was something I missed the first time around. There is something truly beautiful amount humanity and hope, don’t you think?
So for this week’s Taking Focus, I thought I would share some of the photos I took on those trips that, for me, define hope. Yes, I didn’t have proper time to take new photos this week. But, I’ve also been wanting to share some of these images for a while and this seemed like a good chance. Enjoy!
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So, as explained briefly in Part 1 of this week’s Taking Focus theme of “Fresh,” one of the ideas I came up with when I was brainstorming was a “fresh face.” I immediately thought of my friend Sarah who is gorgeous, hilarious, youthful and yet incredible wise beyond her teenage years. So, I proposed doing a little shoot at my favorite park at my favorite time of day and she was game.
As I expected, Sarah was an awesome model… very natural and at ease in front of the camera. I think that combined with the setting and what Sarah chose to wear, the photos say “Spring” in a beautiful way. I’m so excited to share these photos with you! Enjoy!
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Alright! So, this week I chose the theme “Fresh” for my new photo series “Taking Focus” to coincide with the official beginning of Spring. When I started the week, I was definitely challenged by the theme a bit. I started to think it was a little cheesy and wasn’t convinced it would lead to cool photos. But after noodling it over a bit more, I think I came up with some fun ideas PLUS I had a serious moment of inspiration thanks to a good hefty Spring shower we got last weekend. When we get as much rain as we did, I know that there’s guaranteed to be a whole bunch of fresh snow in the local mountains. So, I took a drive up into the Angeles Crest Mountain last Sunday where the snow was really coming down at some points. The fact that you can go from snow to sunshine within an hour is one of the things I love about LA.
The weekend’s rain also left Pasadena with some wonderful, clean, fresh air… a small treasure I relish living in LA. The last photo was taken just above La Canada Flintridge looking down at Pasadena on my way up to the mountains. And, I couldn’t do a “fresh” theme without including fresh coffee!
The photos I am really loving were inspired by the idea of a fresh face. There were so many great shots of my beautiful friend and model Sarah that I decided to break this week’s Taking Focus up into two parts. I will be publishing those photos a little later today.
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Happy first day of Spring! I couldn’t think of a more appropriate day to announce this year’s Spring Mini-Sessions. This year, I am offering two different days at two different locations around Pasadena. These shorter 30-minute photo sessions are an excellent option if you have been wanting to get updated photos of the kids, the whole family or you and your main squeeze. They’re also great for Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gifts for grandparents or your spouse!
If you are thinking about reserving a spot, be sure to so soon as slots are limited and expected to sell out quick.
Here are the details:
Sunday, April 22 from 3pm – 6pm SOLD OUT!
Arlington Gardens, Pasadena
(As seen in the above photos)
OR
Saturday, April 28 from 10am – 1pm
Old Pasadena
…
Session Fee – $50
includes:
30-minute session for up to 5 people ($15 for each additional person)
15-20 retouched images provided in an online gallery
Fav 5 – $50
Your favorite 5 images provide as high-resolution digital files for your personal use.
Top 10 – $100
Your favorite 10 images provide as high-resolution digital files for your personal use.
*prints, cards and other products sold separately
To book a mini-session, please email us with the date and time that you would prefer. The session fee is required at the time of booking to reserve your spot. Mini-sessions are first-come, first-serve.
And, to wet your appetite here are a few of my favorite shots from last year’s Spring Mini-Sessions.
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For a few weeks now, I have been toying with the idea of starting up a weekly photo challenge for myself. I thought it would be a great way of keeping my work fresh and, perhaps, develop some new perspectives. So, I’m starting the “Taking Focus” series. Each week I will pick a different theme and post the results every Friday. In honor of St. Patrick’s day, I chose “green” for this past week. Not only does the color have special significance because of the holiday but, if you ask my family, they might tell you that I was a little obsessed with it as a teenager. At some point, I decided it was my favorite color and pretty soon nearly everything I owned was green. While I’ve pulled the reins back a bit since those days, I still do favor all things green.
After the first week of the “challenge,” I have to admit I am pretty excited because it had an unexpected yet welcome effect on me. I found myself being very observant of my surroundings. Even if it was just while walking around my neighborhood–something I’ve done many times before–things seemed a little bit more beautiful and interesting. That was SO cool! Needless to say, I’m very much looking forward to seeing where this project takes me.
So, here are my “green” photos. With the Spring Equinox next Tuesday, my theme for the week is going to be “fresh.” Get it?
What do you think would make fun, interesting themes? While I have a list started, I would love to get some more ideas. You can share them in the comments section below. Can’t wait to see what you come up with!
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1 comment
Teresa - Oh, I love this set of images!