These were taken at Cornish Pasty, Red Rock Canyon overlook, and near Fremont Street. I wanted these to look out of time, so I focused on a different color palette using a vintage preset as a launching place. I left the grain on these, and love how they turned out.
Let me know what you think and if you have a favorite.
“If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?” —RuPaul
For the month of May, my model was my lovely momma. We decided to include her best friend, Olive, in the photo shoot and I’m so glad we did. My mom is a lover of animals, loyal to those who are kind to her children, and a bit silly. She knows how to make me laugh, is always there when I need someone to listen to me, and loves me more than anyone else on Earth. I credit my mom with giving me my resilience, a childhood filled with animals, and being my number one fan.
My mom lives in Washington now where she and her dog can take daily hikes in the woods, her favorite thing to do. While she was here for my daughter’s graduation, I had to get her in the woods for some photos. This little spot filled with oak trees and a few wild flowers was perfect. This shoot included way too many burrs in our clothes, a tiny bit of rain, and a lot of giggles.
Thanks mom for being a light in this dark world. I love you more than you’ll ever know.
What makes you proud?
My kids and grandchildren make me very proud!
What makes you feel brave?
When I’m out walking in the woods with my beloved dog Olive.
What gives you hope?
Looking into the eyes of my granddaughter and grandson. I hope for greatness for them both.
I’ve got over twenty photo shoots under my belt now and I’m starting to find my stride. I’m currently on a trip to Vegas with my daughter and her best friend, and leaning into a more documentary style. I’m experimenting with leaving the images a bit grainy, editing less, and exploring more with composition. I’ll be curious to see what others think of those images when I post them, and what you think of these. I also did very minimal editing on these, and I think I’m starting to find a sort of style I like. Let me know what you think, and check out the others in this series if you missed them.
Thought you might enjoy some extra photos of Olive. I’m particularly proud of the first shot as you can see the trees reflected in her eyes.
“You may live in the world as it is, but you can still work to create the world as it should be.” —Michelle Obama
For the month of February, my model was my dear friend Angy. We met in the fifth grade and became instant best friends. I’m grateful for her endearing trust in me, her incredible ability to always push forward, and her steadfast faith. She’s been the friend who always believes in big visions, reaches out when things are impossible, and never gives up on herself or others (me included).
Despite having a dreamy location, Red Rock Canyon outside Las Vegas, I struggled with light. We arrived just a bit too late and worked hard until I couldn’t see to take another shot. I brought my new flash, but I didn’t know how to use it. You’ll see an accidental shot at the end, and the effect is cool, but I couldn’t recreate it if I wanted to. Not yet! I’m looking now for an online class to take on tricky lighting. I’d love to abandon grainy shots for good.
Preparing for this shoot, I took a posing class, and Angy was a fantastic model. She trusted me to guide her through poses, even if they felt a bit awkward at times. I’m learning a lot about angles and creating triangles in my poses. It felt good to lead her and pretend confidence, even when I wasn’t sure we were getting usable images. What do you think? Do you have a favorite?
What makes you proud?
The depth of my relationships, and the quiet privilege of sitting in the audience and witnessing my daughters step into who they are becoming.
What makes you feel brave?
That flutter of butterflies in my stomach is my compass. When something feels both thrilling and terrifying at once, I know I am standing at the edge of something meant for me.
What gives you hope?
Every morning the sun rises quietly, without announcement or applause, offering the world another chance to begin again. And I hold a steady faith that, beneath it all, people are inherently good.
“One day you will look at those photos with much kinder eyes, and say, ‘dear God, I was a beautiful thing!'”—Catherine O’Hara as Moira Rose
Today, I’m starting a new series where I photograph the amazing women in my life. I’m hoping to improve my photography skills while at the same time honoring those who make my life so beautiful.
My daughter, Lola, agreed to be my first model. I’m grateful for her creative spirit, willingness to try new things, trust in my abilities, and endearing vulnerability.
Let me know if you have a favorite and have a great weekend.
What makes you proud?
Pushing through things and still being here.
What makes you feel brave?
Sharing my art and performing music.
What gives you hope?
The kind, beautiful people in my family and life.
Part of our summer trip included searching for Thomas Dambo’s giant wooden trolls. Let me tell you, these incredible sculptures do not disappoint. Not only are they breathtakingly beautiful, but they are enormous!
Thomas Dambo has crafted over 170 creations all over the world. If your curious if one is near you, here’s a wonderful Trollmap. We only visited two trolls this trip, but we will try again soon.
Now, come with me into the forest to meet Bruun Idun and Pia the Peacekeeper.
From Thomas Dambo:
“In the night, there was a storm, there at the beach where she was born
And Idun felt a feeling wrong, and so she walked there in the dawn
And in a flute, the magic horn, a tune so passionate and strong
She played for them an orca song to ask them where they all had gone“
Brunn Idun stands on the shoreline playing her flute to the Orca’s to ask them why they have all left the Pugeut Sound. Her flute was made by artist, John Halliday Aka Coyote from the Muckleshoot Tribe. On August 25th, the Mayor of Seattle, Bruce A. Harrel, declared it “Brunn Idun Day”. This special recognition celebrates Bruun Idun’s and the Trolls’ contributions to our collective stewardship environmental management, water protection, repairing habitat restoration, preservation and conservation. Every August 25th is Bruun Idun Day.
From Thomas Dambo:
“Pretty pretty please, let’s keep the peace beneath the trees
Hold you in my hand I will remind you with a squeeze
Quiet little people cause your criers make me tired
Pia likes to play with people, people they keep quiet“
Pia likes to play with the people beneath the trees, and she likes it when it’s not too noisy.
It can be hard right now to think about light streaming through ribbons, flowers, and youthful hearts, but the world still contains all the beautiful things it always has. Let me take you away from the news for a moment as we dance around the May pole and celebrate the spirit of spring. Let me know if you have a favorite photo and have a wonderful day.
“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.”
—Rainer Maria Rilke
After years of regularly posting and commenting here, I think I’ve reached a place of burnout. I haven’t been fully present like I used to be. It’s not fun.
To get myself out of this slump, and at the advice of my wonderful writer’s group, I’ve decided to self-publish my 52 short stories into a collection available by Christmas. Having a physical book, my book, in my hands will be a dream come true. I need this to move forward.
In the meantime, thank you to those who continue to show up and cheer me on. Your comments are what keeps me going. I hope you’ll consider ordering a copy when it’s available. I can’t even tell you what that would mean. I’m giddy thinking of it.
While I do the hard work of making it happen, here are some photos from my recent road trip. Let me know if you have a favorite and have a fantastic week.
“I am a tiny seashell
that has secretly drifted ashore
and carries the sound of the ocean
surging through its body.”
—Edward Hirsch
Sometimes a place can be familiar to you but still hold secrets. People are like this too. I look for what is true. What is real. That’s where magic lives.
On this beach trip, the ocean was angry. It pounded the shore and never receded enough to reveal the tide pools. The beauty took my breath away. Come with me.
if I am storm clouds rolling across the horizon
fluffy and pregnant
you are a hungry plant
waiting to grow from my gentle release
if I am driftwood carried through the moving waves
slimy and hallowed out
you are a small child
building a fairytale castle from my bones
if I am a weed dying in the sun
drained and tired
you are a wild bird
pulling me free to line your nest
if I am muddy water pooling near the shore
unclear and ugly
you are a vast undercurrent
diluting my darkness until I can see
if I am a rock on the lake bottom
lost and afraid
you are a sea monster
pocketing me as your good luck charm
if I am teardrops falling down soft freckled cheeks
hurting and remembering
you are a golden light
reflecting your beauty into my broken heart
NOTE: This poem was inspired by reading fellow poet and friend Neil Reid’s poem “if I Am.” Both our poems are influenced by Derek DelGaudio’s “In & Of Itself.” You can watch it on Hulu if you’re interested. It’s magic.
“The morning steals upon the night, Melting the darkness.” -William Shakespeare
A gorgeous friend of mine writes and talks a lot about joy—seeking it out, the importance of recognizing it, and fighting for it even when it feels ridiculous. She inspires me all the time and this morning I did something purely for the joy of it. I hiked to a park by my house with my camera to capture the sunrise. It felt luxurious and I basked in the beauty of the world for an entire hour alone.
My mother-in-law has entered hospice care within the home of my kind, caring, and incredibly giving sister-in-law. This time in our lives is hard. Watching a woman of immeasurable strength and love fade before all our eyes is beyond difficult. While I don’t know what this next part looks like, I do know that even within these hard moments we can find gratitude and even joy.
All the photos above were taken with my Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW.
Here’s a bonus iPhone self-portrait:
Bridgette Tales 