This is a blog post unrelated to weddings and any work commissioned by clients. Shocker (*spoken non-sarcastically*).

(What the crap is this? This isn’t a wedding?!?)

From May 15, 2011-May 15, 2012 I actually completed a 365 day project. It was a cliche undertaking, yet somewhat ambitious. This simple idea helped me really expand my eye for what I see in a commonplace situation, and therefore greatly influenced more creative work. Now that this project is over, I find a great need to challenge myself with a new project.

For those of you who don’t know me personally, let’s just say I’ve had my trials of life and suffered and endured a highly painful and devastating heartbreak. Through these personal experiences, I’ve managed to see the world in a different way, and have been exploring the vast landscape and beings of my everyday with a new set of eyes; much like the eyes I grew through the education of my daily project. My recovery has lead to discoveries of inner-strength and ideologies that were buried within myself. It’s fascinating to have found this new inspiration. During my undergraduate career, feminism was something I wasn’t necessarily against; but I felt uninspired by it. I felt like it was an idea that had been conveyed too many times and for too long in this history.

I have much to learn, but I now know for a fact that there is nothing old about being feminine. Within this mindset, I felt driven to create work. A series about what feminism means to myself–and what it holds for ourselves in a contemporary setting. It is a search to find inner strength within true, classic beauty within myself, individuals, and my gender as a whole.

I am so busy I cannot sleep, and I forget what real relaxation is. I’ve barely read anything, and the book I’ve started (How to be a Hepburn in a Hilton World by Jordan Christy) is not the social study I was hoping for, it’s much more Cosmo Magazine. Naturally, I have placed my beloved idol Audrey on this intensely high pedestal in my mind; but I found this read to be way too full of sugar-rimmed strawberry martinis, stilettos, and #shitgirlssay. I might be able to take something from it, although everything in there is a literal how-to of common-sense.

I have only photographed three lovely, powerful women so far; and continue to do more as I work through life, paying my bills with overpriced pasta, and building my business with only the best wedding clients ever (I am unbelievably lucky and blessed to be where I’m at). The women I portray in my images may be swimming up for air from the depths of being brokenhearted, some are hiding from the idea of being confident with themselves and their self-image, some simply radiate beauty and intelligence, others may seek inner-peace and tranquility within the rush of modern society, others might just be unknowing of their beauty–they might not be thinking about it, but they can be reminded. Each woman I portray is strong despite the differing backgrounds they will come from. Regardless, I am excited with this beginning–and the potential and great response it’s already created (one of my favorite wedding photographers commented on this work, and others are seeing it as a future business venture). If nothing else, this still un-named project will keep my blood flowing.

Anywho, back to editing a billion photos from weddings.