So much life has happened since my last post, some good, most difficult, and all necessary. Each life travels a unique path, and I feel like it's up to us to choose play - to spend our effort creatively, to seek out joy. Life is sometimes a grind and sometimes grinds us down. I have found that play is an important choice we can make. I'm still in love with floating in the marina on my lovely little boat, Walela, and I’m still having so much fun building photography dreamscapes for anyone and everyone who wants to add some whimsy and fanciful authenticity to their marketing or to their life.
My most recent shoot tickled and fulfilled that creative need I have. The portrait was with a friend who runs an ayurvedic catering company based on Whidbey Island. With such a unique business model, it’s not surprising that traditional advertising might fall a little flat for her. I put out a social media call a couple months ago for people who wanted to advertise creatively, and she jumped at the idea. We met up for cocktails, immediately started scheming, and were both captivated by the idea of a Frida Kahlo inspired shoot. I’ve always loved the colors and drama of Kahlo’s portraiture, and something about my friend’s grounded, almost haunting beauty made the idea feel right.
We spent a whole day at her studio on Whidbey building backdrops and constructing an entirely edible wardrobe. There was so much inspiration, fun, planning, and labor poured into our work together (when was the last time you made a dress entirely out of cabbage?). I fell in love with the orange slice earrings and the garlic scapes in her hairpiece. I left dreaming that every photoshoot I do could be just like that.
It’s difficult to ask people to take a lot of time and energy out of their frenetic lives for something as unknown and intensive as one of my dreamy shoots (and let’s face it, I think a lot of us might have a learned, subconscious disbelief that fun, adventure, and imagination could belong in the same breath as advertising or marketing). But to my eyes, the forethought and passion to invest in this idea and to advertise in this way inspire me and show me a kind of business that I really want to interact with both as a photographer and as a customer.
Thanks for reading, and don’t be shy about reaching out :)
All the best,
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