cold to the bone…

Is it just me, or has the universe put the pedal to the metal? Is time accelerating? How can it be that there are now three weeks between me and the glorious California sunshine at the end of August???? I’m sitting on my couch at 9 a.m., wrapped in a blanket to fight off the cold, damp feeling that has seeped into our home.

As if Halloween candies in the stores the first week of September wasn’t bad enough, Now, to add insult to injury, people are starting to post the dreaded, “93 sleeps until Christmas” reminders. I feel like shaking my fists at the universe. Noooooooooooooo!!!!

joy in the little moments…

 

Butterfly Beach, Santa Barbara, California

I love being 51 years old. I know it sounds crazy, but I’m convinced I’m getting younger. At this point in my life, I really focus on experiencing true joy. I’m definitely not sweating the small stuff any more, and the beautiful little moments in life mean so much to me. This sounds so “new age”, but I can’t help it. I’m a believer in shifting my paradigm and finding joy everywhere I look 🙂

seaside bliss…

Hello friends…

It’s been a while since I’ve posted here, but I’m back at it. This shot was taken during our family’s vacation in Santa Barbara at the beginning of September (2015). Such an amazing area, with potential shots every direction I looked in. The light in California is gorgeous for photography, and I was in heaven. I think it’s where I want to be forever 😉

boycott pool parties…

What an amazing 20-degree-celsius evening at White Rock Beach yesterday. I popped down there to snap a few shots and couldn’t believe how busy it was. It looked more like the middle of July than the middle of April. I even spotted some CRAZY kids swimming in the frigid water. This 50-year-old woman can’t imagine anything less appealing…except pool parties…they’re the worst!

Photo shoot jewels…

Phew! It was a busy week. I did three photo shoots with four models, and my fabulous makeup artist and buddy, Alana Agerbo (you may know her as writer and blog author Hazy Shades of Me). I literally shot thousands of photos, so you can imagine how long it took me to sift through the collection to find the jewels I was looking for. It’s a process that I absolutely love. I’m building a website and launching my professional photography business as soon as I can–I’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, here is a little preview of my shots (you can see more here. Please let me know what you think–good or constructive 🙂 Sorry for all the “jennifer findlay” nonsense. It’s just a precaution so that unscrupulous types don’t reproduce my photos.

Jane Findlay

 

Emily Hannaford

 

Chloe Case

 

Jane Findlay

 

Alanna Wood

 

Emily Hannaford

 

Chloe Case

 

Jane Findlay

 

 

 

fresh-faced beauty…

It’s Sunday, and I get to sit on my couch with my coffee and my laptop doing my favorite thing ever–editing photos! The photo shoot was so much fun yesterday. The models, my daughter Jane and my niece Emily, were spectacular and my makeup artist is a genius (Not to mention that she’s one of my dearest friends, and a very talented writer. Check out her blog…Hazy Shades of Me). Every time I download my camera’s memory card, it’s just like Forrest Gump says, opening a box of chocolates to see what treats are inside!

In case you’re wondering, I used my Nikon 35mm F1.8 lens for this shot.

say cheese…

I’m soooo excited about tomorrow. I’m doing a photo shoot with two very beautiful models, who graciously agreed to work for free (They had no choice. They’re blood relatives, who regularly eat my food!!!!) I’ve got my backdrops ready to go, and I’m just working with my equipment to make sure the lighting is all set up properly and my lenses are clean! If the weather cooperates, I’m going to head outside to a couple of spots I’ve got lined up. One is right outside the windows of our local gym, which has the most amazing architectural features that I can use as a backdrop. My ethical dilemma is whether or not to tell my models ahead of time, or just sort of spring it on them when we’re walking up to the gym. You see…it’s RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE GYM WINDOWS…and there will probably be about 2,000 sweaty, muscly men pumping iron while they watch a couple of pretty girls getting their pictures taken!!!! I don’t anticipate any reluctance at all. Maybe I can even market myself as a photographer/matchmaker!

brave the wave…

On my way home from Seattle, Washington today,  I spotted this brave soul out in the waves at White Rock Beach. Although it’s not anything I’m even remotely interested in doing, I admire a person who puts down their electronic devices and heads for some real living on the waves. It’s something I need to do more often.

angels who go before us…

I visited one of my favourite places today–the UBC Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver, BC. It is an absolutely spectacular museum full of First Nations treasures that tell the history of our province well before the white settlers arrived. A united church minister once described people who die as the “angels who go before us”, and I think it’s a beautiful way to remember loved ones. It also struck me as the perfect title for this post.

 

 

 

 

murderous citrus…

If you knew just how grey and wet the Pacific Northwest is today, you would know exactly why I’m eating blood oranges. That’s right. I feel kinda homicidal and kinda in need of some serious Vitamin C!!!! We have a rainfall warning in effect, and it seems to be sadly accurate…for once. #@$!%!@#@#^$%&(!!!!

Namaste darlings