Mount Elbert

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Time to go back to my first weekend living in Colorado again! And to give you fair warning, there are images of an adorable, sleepy puppy towards the end of this post, so prepare yourselves. 

As mentioned in the last post, my best friend, Blair, and I spent the weekend camping in Twin Lakes, CO, with the goal of hiking Mount Elbert. Mount Elbert is the tallest peak in Colorado, standing at 14,439', so it was an exciting goal for my first weekend as a Colorado resident. We drove to the trailhead as the sun was just coming up that morning, and started hiking in the brisk morning air. 

It was a long, rather deceptive hike, with false summit after false summit (or so it felt). But, we kept hiking away, slowly but surely, taking in the incredible scenery and views as we went. 

The summit was absolutely stunning, and made the long hike up worth it. Unfortunately, we still had to get down (the worst part, in my opinion). Blair and I were both exhausted, partially from Stella's (the puppy) seemingly never ending energy. Yet, as we worked our way down, even she started to look completely worn out (somehow not until around tree line though). When we stopped to take breaks towards the end of the hike, Stella would promptly lay down and nearly fall asleep. 

We eventually made it all the way down, drove to a gas station for firewood and other provisions, and then made the short drive back to our campsite. The clouds and light over Twin Lakes on the way to our site were beyond spectacular. So, despite our complete exhaustion, we stopped so that I could grab a few images before heading back to collapse and eat dinner. 

The following morning we, unfortunately, had to pack up and head back to the real world. We enjoyed a somewhat lazy breakfast, packed stuff up, and drove out. The water on the lakes that morning was like glass, creating a perfect reflection of the surrounding area. I snagged a few shots out of the window as we drove past, sad to be leaving that amazing place so soon. 

Twin Lakes, Colorado

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My first weekend living in Colorado (two months ago at this point!) was lived to the absolute fullest, and in true Colorado style. My best friend's birthday fell right after that weekend, so we decided to go on a camping trip to celebrate her birthday, as well as the fact that we would be living in the same state for the first time in eight years.

We camped near Twin Lakes for two nights, and hiked Mt. Elbert, the tallest fourteener in Colorado, while we were there (images to come). We ended up having perfect weather for both days that we were out there, and somewhat spontaneously ended up on a beautiful hike the evening that we arrived. These images are from that hike, which followed along the edge of Twin Lakes. 

The hike took us to the historic Interlaken Hotel, a resort that was built in the late 1800s. It was a popular resort for many years, and was quite the luxurious get away at the time (featuring a six-sided privy with leather seats, and an orchestra performance once a week). The resort closed in the early 1900s, and when they built the dam on Twin Lakes in the 1970s, many of the buildings and artifacts were left behind, flooded by the new water level. However, some of the buildings were moved in order to preserve them, including the summer home of the owner of the resort, James Dexter (the first few images below).  

The Dexter House is open to the public, and we were able to walk through the beautiful building, all the way up to the glass enclosed cupola (which has 360 degree views of the lakes and mountains). You could easily tell it was once a rather lavish place. For example, Dexter imported eight different types of wood for the floor of his home (which you can see below), in order to make it look more Victorian. I can only imagine what this place would have been like in its prime, with an orchestra playing, a steamboat ferrying people to and from the resort, fine dining, and luxuriously furnished rooms. 

Sitting on the porch of the Dexter Home was a hiker who we ended up chatting with for a little while. It was the first time that I worked up the courage to photograph a stranger, and it was great to listen to his story as I snapped a few images (though unfortunately I failed to get his name). He had started hiking in Durango, Colorado, hiked over the Continental Divide, and was now resting for a little in Twin Lakes. So far he had hiked for four weeks, and was planning on going all the way to Denver. Depending on his exact route, that would be around 325 miles of hiking!

Next up, images from my first fourteener! Expect stunning mountain views, and more adorable pictures of the puppy. Thanks for stopping by!

Flashback Friday: Driveway Creations

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How far into the past does something have to be to be considered a flashback? It has been just shy of two months since I had my last day as a nanny in Manhattan, KS, and I still think of that family often. It seemed appropriate then, that this post be dubbed the next "Flashback Friday" post. 

I absolutely adored the creativity and imagination these kids have. I would generally have a rough idea for a craft or game, but they always managed to turn it into their own thing. I loved sitting back, and watching them come up with their elaborate games and scenarios. 

Unfortunately, these are the last images I have from my summer with these amazing kiddos. It was an incredible summer before moving on to this new adventure I am on, and I will forever be glad I was able to spend that time with them.

Next up, more mountains! My first weekend in Colorado was spent on a grand adventure with my best friend and her puppy, and I cannot wait to share those images. Check back soon!

Hiking Longs Peak

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Hello again, everyone! I'm still completely buried under photographs, but slowly and surely I am getting through them, and will hopefully be caught up some day soon.

Not long before I moved out to Denver myself (well over a month ago at this point), I came out for an interview, as well as to visit Scott. That weekend, we spontaneously decided to drive to Rocky Mountain National Park in order to hike up part of Longs Peak. We had no intention of getting to the summit that day, as we had a pretty lazy and slow start to the day, and instead just wanted to get up to see The Diamond. 

It ended up being a perfect day for a hike; just warm enough, light winds, and without the typical afternoon storm. It was cloudy when we first started our hike, but when we were within view of The Diamond the clouds broke, creating some incredible light for us. 

Next up: a break from images of mountains, with a flashback to my time as a nanny. Expect lots more mountain posts after that, though!

Have a happy Monday!

Guanella Pass

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I have been living the Colorado life to the fullest so far (climbing every weekend, hiking. including hiking the tallest fourteener in Colorado, a camping trip, and lots of great beer and food) which has kept me quite busy and kept me away from my computer for the most part. This Sunday we finally had a somewhat lazy, plan-free day, which gave me a chance to get a new post up here. 

These images are from over a month ago, when Scott's Dad and I helped to move Scott out to Denver. It was a short trip, but we wanted to get at least a brief taste of the mountains while we were there. We ended up driving up to Guanella Pass, which always provides stunning views. The wildflowers were blooming all over as well, which made it extra pretty. 

Next up (which I still have to edit), are images from a hike up part of Longs Peak. So check back soon for lots more alpine views! 

Farm Light

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Yikes. Life has been a complete whirlwind lately, making it basically impossible to get things edited, let alone posted to this blog. In the past month I have made three separate trips to Denver, had my last day of work as a nanny, moved to Denver, started a new job, climbed a few times, camped in an epic location, and hiked the tallest mountain in Colorado. It's been madness I tell you. I am sort of starting to settle into something vaguely resembling a routine, which has given me a few minutes of down time and allowed me to spend some time editing and writing. That said, it's catch up time, folks. 

This first post will be short and sweet, with a focus on one of my obsessions: light and shadow. The images below were taken the night before Scott, his dad, and I drove out to Denver with the moving trailer. We stayed at Scott's parents' farm that night, and the light was mesmerizing. Dinner was ready, but I ran outside with my camera, snapping away furiously, hoping some would turn out. Luckily I was not disappointed. 

Konza Prairie Biological Station

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My time in Manhattan is quickly coming to an end. That means that I am trying to make sure to spend time with friends before I leave, along with spending time in some of my favorite places in the area. Last week I went on a hike through the Konza Prairie with my good friend, Liz. It was absurdly humid out that day, making for a hot and sweaty hike, despite its short length. The humidity did help to provide some amazing clouds and light on the hills, however. 

This is by far the greenest I have seen the area at this time of the year, in the three years that I have lived here. Kansas is definitely putting on a good show for my last summer here.  

The start of the moving process begins tonight! Scott and I will be headed to Denver in the morning to move him out, along with most of my belongings. I was able to get the last two posts written/scheduled ahead of time, though I don't currently have the next ones ready to go. So, things will likely be quiet the next week or so (unless I get some unexpected downtime). 

With that, don't forget to hit the "Subscribe" button on the left, and feel free to share via the links below. Thanks for stopping by, and have a wonderful Wednesday! 

home is where the light is.

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When I was home in Minnesota the other weekend I made sure to get out my real camera and take some photographs of the incredible light in my parents' home. My obsession with light, and my need for a light-filled home probably stems from growing up in that house, where every room gets amazing sunlight at some point during the day. 

The first few images below were taken the same day as the garden tour. The giant locust tree in the backyard filtered the sunlight, creating a stunning, speckled pattern on the wall and floor. I took a quick (and low quality) video of it as well, which you can see here, as it was mesmerizing to sit and watch. 

The morning that I was headed back to Kansas I poked my head into my parents' room, which gets incredible light in the morning through their wood blinds. Striped shadows are thrown across the foot of the bed and the bench made by my great-grandpa. This room is a favorite of mine in the morning, and it has set the standard high for my future home. 

This will probably be it for posts this week, since Wednesday is day one of the moving process, and I will be out of town until Sunday because of that as well. Hopefully next week I will have some exciting images to share though! Have a wonderful week, and don't forget to hit the "Subscribe" button on the left to stay in touch, and feel free to share via the links below. 

Flashback Friday: Summer Rain

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This summer has been a bit unusual in Manhattan, as we have had quite a bit of rain. This morning, in fact, I was woken up early by a little thunderstorm rolling through. Any time we get random thunderstorms and rain showers here, it reminds me of my time in Kentucky. It was a fairly regular occurrence to get afternoon thunderstorms during the summer there, and often it involved pouring rain while it was still sunny out. I absolutely loved it, and would generally run outside with my camera as soon as it started. I would have my camera in a rain sleeve to keep it dry, though I would end up completely drenched with a smile on my face. 

These images are from one such storm. I remember it absolutely down pouring, but soon after it started, the sun came out, making all of the puddles and raindrops richly golden. Even though these photographs are pretty simple, they represent a very positive time in my life and bring back lots of wonderful memories. To this day, I absolutely adore standing out in the pouring rain during summer storms (something that elicited confused looks and protests from Scott the first time I pulled him outside with me). 

Happy Friday, and have a wonderful weekend everyone! Don't forget to hit the "Subscribe" button on the left, and feel free to share, via the links below. 

St. Croix Garden Tour

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A few weekends ago I drove up to Minnesota to surprise my mom for her birthday weekend. The surprise was a big success (the look on her face was priceless), and it ended up being a perfect, albeit short, weekend with my family. That Sunday, her actual birthday, we went on the St. Croix Garden Tour. My family generally goes every year, though it has been a while since I was able to join. We saw some beautiful gardens, and it was fun seeing my nephew enjoying it all as well.

This first garden was my favorite from the tour. It was located on a plot of land that used to be a dairy farm, and had massive gardens that sprawled through the woods, and included a perfect little creek, the old dairy barns, and a tennis court tucked in the back. It was stunningly beautiful. 

The gardens after that were a bit smaller, but each had their own charm. My family got lots of ideas for their own gardens from the tour, and I kept on dreaming about the home I will have someday. 

New posts over the next few weeks may be a bit sporadic, as I get ready to help Scott move to Colorado next week, and then move myself a few weeks after that. I will try to keep things up here, but if it go quiet, trust that I will get caught up again after I am settled in somewhat. 

Bug Swarms and Fly Casting

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I suppose this post could almost go under the Flashback Friday category, as these images are from back in April. They were nearly lost as well, though luckily I checked what was on the SD card before going forward and reformatting it.

Back towards the end of April, Scott and I were fishing on a fairly regular basis (as I'm sure you noticed if you have been following my blog). Since things had started to warm up, the bugs were starting to get bad around this time, and I had swarms of them around my head most of the evening. I can't recall if we caught anything that evening, though I do remember it being a beautiful night, despite the swarms of bugs. 

This past weekend I drove up to Minnesota to surprise my mom for her birthday (which is why there were no posts on Friday or Monday), which means that soon I will be sharing some images from that trip. Be sure to check back on Monday to see those!  I hope everyone's week is off to a great start!

Hidden Oasis

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This past semester some of my students introduced me to a park in Manhattan that I had never heard of. I first visited there early this spring, before any leaves were on the trees and the grass was still brown. For those who have been following my blog for a bit, you have seen some images from there before, as shared in my Fabric Landscape post. 

It is the most unique park I have ever been to; just a small, square plot of land tucked in between some farms and a creek, with trees planted in nearly perfect rows. You walk down a short, wooded trail past some pastures and fields to get to the little park, which is quite pretty on its own.

When you come to the end of the little trail, and the entrance to the park, the space opens up into a storybook like area. Early in the spring the brown grass had all been mowed so that you could easily walk down the rows, though this time it was densely overgrown and lushly green. There was such a perfect canopy of leaves that the light had a yellow-green glow to it and when the sun came through the clouds it filtered down through the leaves into a beautiful speckled pattern, like little spotlights all over.

On the road to and from the park, you pass over a perfect little creek. The first time I visited the area there wasn't any water running through it, but because of the large amount of rain we have had, it was a steady stream with beautifully clear water. I couldn't resist stopping on the way out to grab a few images, and I am tentatively planning some other shoots in these waters as well.

And with that, have a wonderful Wednesday! We have made it halfway through the week!

Kings and Queens and Dragons (oh my!)

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A few weeks ago I stocked up on paint, googly eyes, and gathered the toilet paper tubes I had been saving for a craft project with the kids I care for. I had planned to have them make monsters, but as usually happens, the kids all came up with their own unique ideas for what those tubes should be turned into. 

I didn't get any photographs of the kids making their creations (I was too busy gluing things and my hands were covered in paint most of the time), but afterwords we went outside to play and brought the characters with. 

Somehow, this little one ended up wearing the exact same shirt as the last time I brought my camera. I promise she does have other clothes (lots of them), and I don't only put this one shirt on her. 

And with that, here is to a happy Monday, and a smooth start to the week after a holiday weekend! 

Flashback Friday: Smoke Screens

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This week's Flashback Friday is once again focused on self-portraits. As I hinted at in last week's post, I used to photograph self-portraits on a very regular basis. Self-portraits were hugely important even after finishing the 52 week project and outside of the Forward series. So, that said, I have loads of them that either haven't been shared at all before, or at least have not be shared here. I'll be sure to not just post self-portraits in these Flashback Friday posts from now on, but I do want to share these two images, titled Smoke Screens, as they are relevant to my life currently (and will probably remain so). 

I would love to be able to shoot a similar concept at some point, though finding an empty, light filled room, where I can light smoke bombs, is rather tricky. If anyone happens to have such a space and would let me use it, that would be wonderful. :)

And on that note, happy Friday everyone! Have a safe, and festive Fourth of July!

Summer Fishing

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I skipped Monday's post. Scott's birthday was on Monday, and it also happened to be his last night in the country for three weeks. Call me crazy, but I thought maybe that was an alright reason to ignore my potentially silly, self-imposed blogging rules. 

This last Sunday Scott and I finally had at least a partial lazy day together. He defended his PhD dissertation a few days before that, so the past few weeks (or really months) have been crazy busy and stressful for him, not leaving much down time for us together. So Sunday we hopped in the car and drove out to one of the lakes nearby to do some fishing. We got a rather late start to the day, so the fish weren't exactly biting, but it was still so nice just to be outside together.  

It is a bit strange to think that was likely our last time fishing in Kansas. This fall we will both be moving to Denver; with his current trip, and the move happening shortly after he is back in the States, it is unlikely we will get out again while we live here. However, I'm sure we have many fishing trips with mountain views in our future. 

Flashback Friday: Forward

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Welcome to the next installment of the Flashback Friday posts! This is a fairly long one, since there is some background information necessary, and lots of images to share. I considered only selecting a few images, but I think sharing nearly the entire series here is important. As mentioned yesterday, self-portraits have long been very significant to me. They have been important in terms of my photography, and have also been hugely valuable for personal reasons.

I began taking self-portraits in November, 2009 as part of a personal 52 week project. Every week of the year (or that was the goal at least) I photographed a new self-portrait. It was intended to challenge me creatively, but was also used as an outlet for what was going on in my life and in my head. My tendency is generally to keep everything bottled up and held in, and so those self-portraits (as well as current ones) were a way for me to get some of those emotions and thoughts out, in a mostly subtle way. It was a strange thing for me to start taking pictures of myself, as before that I hated being in front of the camera. But as the weeks went on, it felt more and more natural, and self-portraits started to become more significant and impactful on my life. 

During that 52 week project I essentially fell in love with self-portraits. I have to admit that I feel a bit vain saying that, though the reason I fell in love with them wasn't because I loved seeing myself in photographs. In fact, I always feel quite vulnerable when posting self-portraits, something I don't particularly enjoy. However, self-portraits became nearly essential to my sanity and emotional stability at various points in my life. When I was struggling with something, my instinct was to plan and shoot a self-portrait, and generally speaking it would feel like a small weight was lifted off my shoulders. Seeing a visual for those things I was working through, even if it didn't come across in the photographs to other people, helped me process them and start to make sense of it. 

One summer during undergrad I opted to take an independent study with a favorite photography professor of mine. For that class I decided that I wanted to create a series that was much more personal than anything I had done before, and in order to do so I felt it necessary to create a series of self-portraits. That project is perhaps one of the most significant series, at least for personal reasons, that I have completed. The process of working through and developing the concept alone was a process of great self-discovery. When I started the project, visually I knew what I had in mind, and I had a rough idea for the concept behind the series. And yet, as I took the early photographs in the series I began to realize some fears and worries I hadn't even fully admitted to myself yet. 

At the end of that summer I ended up with a series of photographs that were compiled into a book. Titled Forward, the series depicts the process of growing up, transitions, and gaining independence. This series seems especially relevant to me now as well, as I try to figure out my next steps after finishing graduate school. 

Below you will find a selection of images from the book. Not all images in the book are contained here (there has to be some element of surprise if you order the book!), though these are the main images.

It has been interesting re-evaluating this series lately. With the current state of flux that I am dealing with after graduating I don't feel as though I have yet reached the point of that last image, despite making this series years ago. In fact, it feels like a long ways down the road (no pun intended). Viewing these images again also gives me ideas to continue, or perhaps revise, the series. I am at a very different point in life as when these were shot, and though much of the original ideas hold true today, my growth and experiences have given me a new perspective on what this journey is (and yet there is still much to figure out). 

The book will soon be available for purchase, in various forms, here on my website. If you have any interest in the mean time, just let me know! 

Happy Friday, and have a great weekend!

Untitled (Self-Portrait)

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Oops! I'm a day late on this one. My focus was on many other things the past few days. 

Self-portraits have been very significant to me since my undergraduate years. I will be going into more detail about that in Friday's (tomorrow!) post however, so I will be keeping this short. I worked on writing something up for a while, changing it many times, but in the end have decided to leave it simple. These images are in a way just for me, serving as a reminder of a particular place and time. 

It had been a long time since I last took a self-portrait, and it felt good to get back in front of the camera, even only for a few frames before the battery died. Also, you may recognize the location from my last blog post. 

As mentioned above, this week's Flashback Friday will go into detail about the importance of self-portraits to my photography as well as my personal life, and I will be showing one series in particular that has been significant. So, be sure to check back tomorrow! Don't forget to hit the "Subscribe" button to the left to be notified of any new posts and stay up to date on what is happening. 

Ferguson Farm

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Last weekend Scott and I went to visit his parents on their farm. We were only there for one night, though we were treated to some amazing clouds and light that evening. Walking around the farm to photograph on evenings like this is absolutely soothing; it calms me and rejuvenates me. The quiet and solitude of the area are often times just what I need.

I also took some self-portraits on the same evening, which I will be sharing on Wednesday. Be sure to hit the "Subscribe" link on the left to keep up to date, and feel free to share this post via the link below!

Have a wonderful Monday!

Flashback Friday: Red River Gorge (Part 2)

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The longing for a visit to the Red River Gorge continues. In fact, re-editing these photos has made we want to go back that much more. These images were from a separate hike from the last post, which ended up being kind of a unique hike with very diverse landscape types. There had been a fire on the ridge at the start of the hike, so the landscape there was a bit harsh and desolate. The branches were twisted, and almost grotesque looking at times. 

After hiking for a bit, the view really opened up, and things became green once again. The photo below isn't the highest in quality (these were taken back when I had a lower quality camera, unfortunately), though it does a nice job of showcasing the green landscape, and the vastness of the forest in the area.

The image below was a favorite spot of mine, and was one I photographed more than once. In fact, one of my favorite images from my undergraduate film photography classes was of these trees. I ended up making a large print in the darkroom, and one now hangs on the wall in my parents' home. Unfortunately I don't have quality documentation of it (scan or photograph), so this digital file will have to do for sharing.

After walking along the top of the ridge for a while, the trail heads down and follows the bottom of the gorge, providing a dramatic change in scenery. Trees towered over me; the leaves so thick that sunlight barely filtered down. The air was much cooler and more damp, and a creek flowed along much of the trail if I remember correctly. It was difficult to photograph without a tripod since there was so little sunlight there in fact.

This will likely be it for the Red River Gorge posts, at least for the time being. I hope to be back there for a brief trip this fall, so maybe new photographs will surface then. Be sure to click on the "Subscribe" link on the left to keep in touch, and feel free to share!

In the mean time, happy Friday! Happy Father's Day in advanced to all you dads out there, and have an excellent weekend!

Little Ones (Nanny Life)

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The first summer of my graduate school career I nannied full-time for a precious little family in Manhattan. I came to absolutely adore the kiddos (it didn't take long), so I was extremely excited when they asked me to spend the summer with them again!

They added one more little one to the bunch since the last time I was with them (the one below), and she has quickly stolen a piece of my heart as well. 

I'm always trying to think up new things to do that will keep them all occupied, and also burn off some of their energy for their mom and dad. This particular day we used up every last bit of the chalk to draw a massive road all over the driveway. We brought out cars (and a random Barbie), and had a blast "driving" around. 

When I first got my camera out they just wanted to pose for me, but after a bit they went back to playing, forgetting about me and my camera for the most part. I love sitting back and watching what their vivid imaginations come up with while they play. They are so creative, and the scenarios they come up with range from hysterical to super sweet, and everything in between.

It was a bit hot, and very humid that afternoon, so even though they weren't running around a ton, everyone was sweaty, dirty, and even a little tired. :)

I will likely be sharing lots more images of these guys throughout the summer, so be sure to check back in the coming weeks to see what we have been up to. In the mean time, have a great Wednesday! And, don't forget to check back on Friday for the Flashback Friday post (hint: more images of the beautiful Red Rive Gorge will be up)!