Took my camera camping with my family at the end of March. Finally finished editing them last week and wanted to post them here, because these are some of my favorites.
I recently booked ten photo shoots. These are all free while I’m learning and building my portfolio, but I’m so excited people trust me to take their photos. In a few months, I’ll share some favorites as I get ready to launch a real business.
For now, let me know if you have a favorite amongst these photos.
Every year on my birthday, I write a poem. This year, I decided to pair those words with a series of self-portraits. I’m so grateful for this space and for everyone who stops by to read. If any of these words or images resonate with you, please let me know—I’d love to hear from you. I’m so glad you’re here.
49
Within my freckled chest lie sheets of watercolor paper over saturated and weak in the middle where I pressed too hard, bending into rainbow shapes. My hips
tell of this separation, of forty-nine years of horses, dogs, babies, troubles sat propped against bones, praying understanding will expose fragmented shadows, pockets of light. Tomorrow
another sunrise, pink fog touching horizon, hot coffee sweetened just right with words now said instead of swallowed whole. White-crested waves wake the birds, and the tide-pull aches
in every corner. See clouds reflect upon the sand, soft starfish clinging to crag-born rock, green flashes flinty like my eyes. Look for it, keep tracing thumb over back of hand. This time
A little note about self-portraits: I took these using my tripod and the timer on my camera. It did not occur to me (until I was done) to use Auto mode, so I kept trying to get in the focus point, hence the mixed results here. I think it works for this set, but if anyone has tips on self-portrait photography, I’d love to hear them.
These were taken with my Olympus E-M1 MarkII, using various lenses and edited with Lightroom Classic
Hello, friends! We are already a few weeks into 2026 and I’m finally emerging from a long hiatus to share with you my first moon photos of the year. These are mostly not the moon, as you’ll see, but they are what happens when you head out on a cloudy evening to chase the moon and it hides from you for a long time.
I’m sorry I’ve been absent from this space for so long. Life has been a bit challenging, beautiful, and messy. I found my creative tank completely drained. However, these photos mark a new start for me. I’m recommitting to growing my skills in all things. My short story collection just got accepted into another book store, my poetry book is starting to take shape, I’ve got three senior portrait sessions booked, and I’m working with an artist on a children’s book.
Life continues to throw curve balls my way, but I’m dedicated to showing up. Let me know if you have a favorite photo and I’m glad you’re here!
#1#2#3#4#5#6#7#8#9#10#11#12#13
Photos were taken with an Olympus OM-D1 and edited with Lightroom Classic
In 44 days, my book will be out into the world. A book with my words inside and my name on the cover. It’s a strange feeling still buried beneath all the details of self-publishing, but I wanted to acknowledge it here. With you.
This week, I got the Library of Congress number and started Instagram promotions. Next week, I’ll receive my proof copy, meet the bookstore manager to plan the book signing event, reveal the cover, and begin pre-orders.
It’s all happening.
It feels like it did when I published my first blog post—terrifying. Will anyone but my mom buy it? I recently came across an interview with David Bowie where he said, “If you feel safe in the area that you’re working in, you’re not working in the right area. Always go a little further into the water than you feel you’re capable of being in. Go a little bit out of your depth, and when you don’t feel that your feet are quite touching the bottom, you’re just about in the right place to do something exciting.”
I’m going out of my depth, and it’s scary.
So for today, I’m going to share with you photos from a recent trip I took to Dillion Beach. Photos of water, birds, and starfish. These photos make me feel safe and I hope you like them. Let me know if you have a favorite, and I’ll see you next week with my heart in my hands.
As I carefully walk toward the rippling water my shoes sink in the soft mud. You tell me to listen to what the frogs are saying. I try, but I don’t know how to be still enough. A small patch of yellow flowers grows near the shore and I struggle to get closer to them. What are they saying? The Worm Moon bursts out from behind the clouds shining a spotlight across the water. Everything seems to be calling out. I swallow my words and listen harder.
“The gold tree is blue, The singer has pulled his cloak over his head. The moon is in the folds of the cloak.” —Wallace Stevens
#1#2#3#4#5#6#7#8#9#10#11
For my third attempt at full moon photography, I visited Folsom Lake at sunset. It felt magical and different. My daughter drew a moth in the sand. Spring is here.
Let me know if you like these and if you have a favorite. These photos were taken with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW.
“How blue is the sea, how blue is the sky, how blue and tiny and redeemable everything is, even you, even your eyes, even your imagination.” —Mary Oliver, Why I Wake Early
I’ve not been posting much. I’ve not been reading much. I’ve started rewriting my middle-grade novel, a fictional adventure story of Thor’s daughter. This means I will be less active here for a bit, but I’m not going away. I’m still around. I’m still moving.
These photos are from a brief trip I took yesterday to pick up my son in Chico. The sky showed me all the ways blue can be and how many clouds it can hold. I only found one spot to pull over as many of the sideroads were flooded from the recent storm, but I like these photos. They tell a story. Which one speaks to you?
#1#2#3#4#5
Photos were taken with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW
“Eternal sunrise, eternal sunset, eternal dawn and gloaming, on sea and continents and islands, each in its turn, as the round earth rolls.” —John Muir
This week’s assignment for the 52 photo challenge was to take photos of the sunrise/sunset. This aligned perfectly with a very rare week of double travel for me. Not only did I visit Tahoe for a few days, but it was swiftly followed by a quick trip to Dillion Beach. I feel so lucky!
Both trips provided such incredible views to photograph. My selection of images includes both locations at sunrise and sunset. Let me know if you have a favorite and have a wonderful week.
If you want to read the short story I wrote this time last year: Week 47: Chalky Hands
#1#2#3#4#5#6#7#8#9#10#11My friend Heidi took this shot of me in Tahoe.
Photos were taken with Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW
If you want to join the 52 Photo Challenge, you can find all the information at nicolesy.com
“A lake is a landscape’s most beautiful and expressive feature. It is Earth’s eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature.” —Henry David Thoreau
This week my assignment for the 52 photo challenge was to capture water. My daughter and I visited Folsom Lake at sunset on a chilly Thursday. We spent about three hours wandering, sitting on rocks, and taking in the healing nature of being near a large body of water. It had rained all day and we lucked out when a ray of sunlight burst through the clouds.
Let me know what photo you think I should submit this week for the challenge and if you have an overall favorite. Have a wonderful week!
#1#2#3#4#5#6#7#8#9#10#11My spot on the top of a rock.
Photos were taken with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW
If you want to join the 52 Photo Challenge, you can find all the information at nicolesy.com
“Anything is grand if it’s done on a large enough scale.” —Donna Tartt, The Secret History
This week my assignment for the 52 photo challenge was to capture a sense of scale. After finding an old photo of my dad in a rice field for my Shoebox Poetry series, I wanted to take photos of my daughter in a field. I figured it would do two things—show a sense of scale and give us a chance to recreate the image.
We found a field near my sister-in-law’s house filled with bright yellow flowers. It was muddy and a bit difficult, but I’m extremely happy with these photos. I hope you like them too! The rest of the photos were taken driving around looking for cranes. We found a few, but they were never quite in the right position. The clouds ended up being the star of the day. Let me know which of these best fits the assignment or if you have a favorite. Have a wonderful week!
Note: These photos were taken last Thursday. I’m currently on an emotional trip moving my mother to Washington state. I’ll post more about it later this week.
#1#2#3#4#5#6#7#8#9#10
Photos were taken with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW
If you want to join the 52 Photo Challenge, you can find all the information at nicolesy.com
Bridgette Tales 