Hey Jacquie! Happy Birthday girl! Are you alive? Yes? Good! So, how are you doing? Hopefully everything is alright. Do you remember the point of this? If not, let me remind you… this is your chance to get refocused in life! At the time that this letter was written you were going through somethings… shall we list them out? Your parents sacrificed more than they had so … Continue reading A Letter to My 27 Year Old Self
Gardeners have green thumbs. It’s fun to pretend one can grow a garden, but unfortunately my thumb has remained a shameful brown since the beginning of time. I usually wait a while before taking my plant’s portraits but have increasingly found myself photographing a murder. That’s why yesterday I decided to practice photo editing techniques on newly acquired specimens. These three iridescent cuties were acquired … Continue reading Dear Plants, Please Don’t Die
If you’ve been online, you know that Earth day was a couple days ago. Personally, I feel like everyday should be Earth Day. Not in a weird ‘every day is your birthday’ sort of way but rather that people should make it a goal to make steps towards protecting earth in their everyday lives. This year, I’ve tried to make a conscious effort to do … Continue reading Insta Green
I don’t always plan to do astrophotography, but sometimes when conditions are just right, it seems like a crime not too. That’s how I felt about the ‘Super Blood Moon’ lunar eclipse sweeping over the sky this weekend. Except it wasn’t until 3 min before the event that I found myself scrambling for equipment and feeling guilty for initially planning to avoid it. For the … Continue reading Lunar Eclipse and the Tripod Mishap
The Request Sarah has been one of my favorite models to work with. She is willing to try out of the box ideas and doesn’t shy from the camera. So when she asked if I could help her out with a project a few years ago – I was totally down! The Inspiration Since Sarah allowed creative freedom with this project, I headed to Pinterest … Continue reading ❄ Snow White ❄
Winter Break, 2014 – I arrived at the airport too late to check in baggage. Either it stayed behind or I’d be missing my last opportunity to hang out with my grandpa. Obviously, seeing grandpa beats hauling luggage so as a last resort to make it to my destination, I put a couple things in my purse, grabbed Tigger and headed abroad for two weeks. Upon … Continue reading Ultralight Packing Challenge
Someone on Facebook recently asked that ‘if given several thousand dollars to make the world a better place, what would you use it for’? I thought about it and decided if that were the case, I would have a photography program for children abroad in an area where they would otherwise not have that opportunity. Given that photography is an expensive hobby and unfortunately an even … Continue reading What Would I Do to Make the World a Better Place?
A couple years ago, Karen and I plotted a poolside photo shoot. At the time, the cost of a lovely inflatable swan was too high for either of us to purchase by ourselves. We requested the help of a friend to split the costs, After all, none of us owned a pool and taking turns made sense. For the photo shoot, Karen decided on a swimsuit … Continue reading Sharing Custody of a Swan & Instagram Plotting
Hey guys, I have compiled a list to help you be the worst client. But seriously though, don’t be that person. – The Relative – This one is super easy. Is the person providing the service related to you? Guilt trip them about that. – The Ghost – This is the act of refusing to communicate with those providing the services until an emergency arises. – The Complainer … Continue reading How to Be the Worst Client Ever 😉
When I took digital photography in college, for one of the lessons, we were required to try our hand out at product photography. It was a fun little adventure, but the resulting pictures didn’t really cut it for selling a product. Recently, I decided to try again by opening an Etsy store. It’s called: I’ve had so much fun photographing for this little project. Let … Continue reading Jacquie’s Aesthetics
– Back in 2014 – Like the previous post, this also took place during the time I worked with an acrobatic gymnast in a series of editorial circus photoshoots. Same as before, the images shared within this post are not the final portraits created as a result of that project. This time we were working on something a little bit different. The idea was to have … Continue reading Shooting Against the Wind
– Back in 2014 – I’d been working closely with an acrobatic gymnast in a series of editorial circus photoshoots. While our results are always fabulously awesome, our heads don’t always flow in the same direction. After three months of struggling with our project, we’d finally arrived at our final shoot. Unfortunately, the day of – it became apparent that we were missing a ringmaster! … Continue reading Case of the Missing Ringmaster – & How to Prep for a Large Scale Photo Shoot
– April 21, 2014 – Guess I’ve gotten too comfortable with my photography skills. Thinking nothing will go wrong is literally a foolish assumption in itself. Guess sometimes that lesson has to be learned the hard way. After three months of planning, here we are working on photoshoot #2 of our circus themed photo series. It was a drastic difference from the success of our … Continue reading Worst Photoshoot Ever 😦
Hey guys, I got good news. I have finally, after four years, finished editing the images in this series! They will be posted soon, but I thought it would be best to refresh on the photo shoots that made up the final shots… so I’ve decided to repost them. Unfortunately, since now everything will be out of order, posts will be reorganized in sequential order … Continue reading Gypsy Me
A couple years ago, I had the pleasure of photographing my fiancé’s aunt and uncle’s wedding. Here are some of my favorite shots: I love how the sepia & color tones worked out with this shoot! Thoughts? Continue reading Mr. & Mrs.
During spring cleaning, I found a poem I’d written in high school – One of several which lie hidden in old flash drives and paper scraps. It’s bittersweet running into them, due to the flood of childhood memories which accompany. The majority have an umbrella theme which applies to all whom I hung out with in my quiet countryside neighboorhood. For example – we all … Continue reading Who am I?
( a letter written to family and friends back in February) As some of you may know, my father has been experiencing stiffness in his right leg. The symptoms were similar to something he had around twenty years ago. After falling twice, first while walking the dog, second inside our home, he was confined to bed rest due to painful spasms that overtook his body. … Continue reading Dear Loved Ones,
Exactly two years ago, I was gazing at the Belgian countryside from atop a double decker bus. Right now, I’m probably riding public trans to work, absorbed into the LCD screen resting on the palm of my hand. While the initial shock of returning to the US has worn off, there’s still a part of me that longs for the continent across the pond. No more French? Up … Continue reading A Year or Two After Europe
“So we are looking at this area, and this guy comes out with a machete and a bowl of cereal.” “What? I thought it was just a bowl of cereal.” “Nope – he also had a machete.” And thus goes the story of how we met our first contact. Location of Interest: a property simply known as “Joe Joe’s Camp” on Google maps Project Goal: … Continue reading Project [abitazione]
Pictures of couples are a tricky thing. Those in them are usually in such a hurry to share with social media that little thought goes towards potential consequences. Think about that awkward Myspace phase in which teenagers kept posting closeup pictures of themselves french kissing. That was embarrassing right? Well so is the moment a Facebook user is caught ‘not in a relationship’ because they and their ex-muse have impulsively … Continue reading Abstract Love
Burgers, music, music videos, Islamic propaganda, galleries, apparel… Just kinda thought provoking, the things one finds on accident. So, basically a couple days ago, it was discovered that several people have used my pictures for various projects. They didn’t asked for permission and they didn’t give credit. I’m not upset, not surprised but rather deep in thought. Going back through my images I realized that there are … Continue reading Someone is Selling Burgers?
Their comments flow freely through the feeds of many photographers. These being thoughts and critiques from those who believe that photography’s brilliance is limited to it’s original exposure; straight from the camera if you will. They say that an image is otherwise ruined when it no longer represents the truth of the situation in which the photograph was taken. Essentially that the image is a fib… a misrepresentation of reality, thus defeating … Continue reading Set Fire to the Brain
It’s no secret; social media nurtures an obsession with images of one’s self. It’s contagious and while evidence shows an increase in narcissism and mental disorders, selfies are unlikely to go away for a very long time. If you can’t beat them, join them, right? make the most of your Outdoor selfie game -PREPLAN your shots- If you are familiar with the itinerary, make a … Continue reading Mountain Selfie Addicts
I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions. Instead I believe in constantly checking on one’s progress in life and making adjustments as necessary. That doesn’t mean that one can’t assign goals, instead it means that goals should be determined on a daily basis rather than just once a year. For this blog there are a couple of things I would like to accomplish. These are listed … Continue reading Cheers to a New Chapter
“The greatest pleasure in life is doing what others say you cannot do.” – Walter BagehotIt started with a Facebook post… Someone commented that unless I was interested in exploring the sewage system, such an adventure could not go down in my area. Oh yeah? My little cousin messaged me about a tunnel she’d found near her home. Challenge accepted! We made plans to hang out for the weekend. … Continue reading Oh to Be a Rebel
I woke up Sunday morning, unable to move with ease. After a quick inventory, I discovered that my left leg was covered in scratches poignantly stinging at the slightest touch. Among the other discoveries was a swollen right knee highlighted in a shade of purple, mosquito bite on the left arm and soreness creeping across my right shoulder. It took a few hours before I noticed the poison ivy… … Continue reading The First 25 Hours of my 23rd Birthday
We can be incredibly disconnected in this day and age with computers and cell phones. – Marcia Gay Harden For the majority of my college experience, I’ve lived in places with limited cell service. My Napa Valley campus, for example, was notorious for being catered by a single carrier. Students who weren’t connected to the correct phone company had to find other means of communication. … Continue reading Two Years Without a Cellphone
Memories Of the Sweetest Melodies Smiles and sunshine greet you every day, All while I’m trying to keep the hurt and pain away. We live apart, only connected by the memories, But locked in my heart are the sweetest melodies. Those we used to sing along, dance along, Everyone used to say that we just belong. La, la, la the world turns; life goes on, … Continue reading Memories Of the Sweetest Melodies
The drawing instructor gazed at us with a smile spreading across her lips. “Create an imaginary world,” she said, enticing our imaginations. What was not as enticing, however, was the hundred sixty eight hours and twenty four inch papers we had to complete the assignment. Given that mermaids would be the easiest subject for me to draw, I settled on an underwater world in watercolor. My friends in … Continue reading Twenty Six Hour Drawing
“Hello? Can anyone hear me?” There was no reply, not even in cheerful melodies usually sung by birds. I dropped the sound kit on the forest floor and ran further along the dirt path. “Hello, Hello!?” Again, nothing except the eerie buzz of silence. I turned back, but every direction seemed a mirror image of it’s self. The only comfort came in the form of sunbeams piercing … Continue reading #jayaramsmiles
Sometimes, the best moments are unplanned. There is no room for being let down and no time to think up better circumstances. Instead it’s a magical experience that can never be recreated to uttermost perfection. To some, it’s a lifestyle. To others, it becomes an addiction in which they crave the feeling of bliss. Adventure. Speed. Not getting caught. Of course, it’s not always about … Continue reading Joie de Vivre
There was something exciting about seeing the rays of sun touching on the hillside of a country not my own. It had been a while since I’d crossed an international border on foot. In Europe, it was as easy as an afternoon stroll, but in the states, it’s gotten more complicated than that. Despite the research and fading memories, getting to Tijuana required guidance from … Continue reading South of the Border
I’ve started following Instagram accounts with outdoor photographers. The way they capture foggy mountain cross backs makes them seem to be living a dream. Nostalgia for the alps and especially the little French mountain with the Swiss flag is especially strong at this moment. Unlike the previous weeks, this time there were no strolls on LA rooftops, no scouting for hippie garbage cans in Riverside … Continue reading Glitter and Rope
Public undress isn’t something I usually encourage. It’s so uncomfortable to see someone in that predicament. Strangely enough, I may or may not have ended up in my underwear, smack in the middle of a brightly lit sidewalk. Thankfully, the incident didn’t result in nightmares. There have flashbacks though, often triggered by the raging fury of European cruisers. I hate panic trickling up my spine … Continue reading In Control
It started because of a misunderstanding. Someone suggested that we do a photoshoot Downtown Los Angeles, near Skid Row. These’s a catch; it had to be around midnight and we could bring tents and ‘camp on the street’. “Hey girls, just wanted your opinions in regards to something that came up…” I asked of those who shared my previous record of sleeping in caves and climbing up … Continue reading Growing Up
A couple months ago, under the warmth of the sun shining into my lovely French dorm room, I decided to ‘drop out of school‘. The majority of my reasoning revolved around the ridiculous cost of tuition at my home campus. It was so bad that living in France was half the cost of tuition. Ironically, instead of dropping out, I ended up at an even … Continue reading Re Evaluating
They say that one should not lie because more lies will be created to cover. I have never understood this as well as last Saturday. Eventually, I will have to explain to my parents. Las Vegas + wedding dress? What a scandal. It started when Erwin suggested that we drive to Death Valley to check the venue for an upcoming camping trip. He told four … Continue reading Straying from the Truth
It was the second time in one day. I tried to relax in my chair because the choice was not mine; it could not be fought. At least this time it wasn’t in heavy afternoon traffic. At least we weren’t dodging other vehicles at five feet from impact. The copilot held up a walkie-talkie. “We are up at 95. 95 going to 100, you copy?” … Continue reading Reckless
They ran for their lives and in the mist of the chaos, were silent as they fell. The men walked away with blood on their hands. It got to the point that one could no longer tell the red from mud.Disgusted and unable to stop it, I walked away with the child. We went to an empty cornfield and watched the clouds contort as the … Continue reading Scars Behind Grins & Smiles
They looked like toy soldiers from afar but up close it was no joke. Most people ignored them, but I was terrified. They stood silently at their posts but threatened with their eyes and the AR-15s they carried. Finally the glass slid, allowing me to walk through. I sighed in relief and scanned the crowed for a familiar face. She walked right by and didn’t seem … Continue reading A Taste of Europa
My roommate and I walked into Starbucks on a quiet evening. As we walked up to order, one of the guys studying waved hello. He’d bulled the heck out of me during a previous class and I’d chosen to remain aggravated. Nevertheless, a polite nod was returned in acknowledgement. We ordered, sat down and I started drawing in my sketchbook. All of the sudden, the young … Continue reading UP
As a photographer, I’ve learned that things don’t always flow smoothly as planned. 1. Monster in the BushesOne time, while doing light art at the lake, my light artist messed up an outline. I laughed so hard at the result that I almost peed! That wasn’t as serious but on a different night while working on astrophotography – I really had to go! 2am in … Continue reading And One Day We Can Laugh About Those Epic Fails
So… A couple days ago, I was meeting up with some people regarding a film project. They were looking for my photography page so I told them to look it up on Facebook. “Whaaaa? These are your photos!?” I scooted over to take a peek. The surprise was certainly more enjoyable for them than it ever would be for me. First results page – pictures everywhere… … Continue reading When Modest is Hottest
For being new, there is a surprisingly large amount of familiar faces. A cousin, several church friends and definitively a ton of students who also transferred from the same college in Napa. Regardless, there is still a feeling of emptiness and loneliness in a new environment. Seeing acquaintances isn’t the same as creating epic memories with mes copins. Orientation didn’t do a very good job of introducing new friendships… … Continue reading Aliens, Lets be Friends!
Once again I’ve collaborated with the amazingly talented Kae Avine. All year, she wanted to create a routine around the waterfall outside our dorm. Right before leaving France, we had the chance to film it. This girl’s choreography is just so perfectly timed. You can watch the version that she edited below: Ugh, there are definitely a lot of issues with the camera work. It’s still very rough from … Continue reading Fear
They prepared us very well – or so we were told – with all the information we needed to lessen the effects of moving to an unfamiliar country. True to their word, I didn’t experience culture shock for moving to France – and as far as my class is concerned – nobody else did either. To me, France was in many ways a familiar territory. It … Continue reading Reverse Culture Shock
We were up by 2:45am. Yeah, I know it’s crazy, but that’s the only way we’d be out by 3. Of course, the night sky was a cause for constantly running into things. Oh the stars, so many stars, oh so overwhelmingly marvelous! We tried to set up the tripod at the base of the mountain but were soon chased away by a pack of unchained dogs. … Continue reading Goodbye – One Last Time
It was past 1am but there I was, kneeling under a street lamp in a pink summer dress. “Are you ok?”, The young woman asked. I nodded and motioned to an upside down jar featuring my praying mantis devouring a cricket. We engaged in conversation, talked about our studies – which are as opposite as could be. She is doing orthopedics while I’m a film … Continue reading Bei- Where!?
Victoria and I discussed various media projects at the beginning of summer. Goal: rise awareness about human trafficking and advertise for the Homeland Revolution at the University of Redlands. As we talked about the cause – one of the things that kept coming up was the realization that anyone could be a victim but no one may ever know. Too many times, people associate trafficking and slavery with the … Continue reading Homeland Revolution
Scaring off cowboys is a backbreaking activity because it requires an enormous amount of time, dedication and insanity to complete the desired effect. Cowgirls or not, many are willing to sacrifice their reputation in order to win the affections of a dashing gentleman. Little do they know what a challenge it is to catch a cowboy’s wink. It is much more entertaining to scare him … Continue reading How to Scare Off a Cowboy (or Any Guy)
A couple days ago during a meeting, I looked up and met the smiling gaze of the instructor. “Good, I’m glad to see that you are taking notes.” But I wasn’t taking notes… oh, I am such a horrible person! In 1st ,2nd, all the way till high school, it was considered wrong. A distraction. Getting caught meant a blood red name up on the … Continue reading Forbidden
There is something enticing about the flickering multicolored lights produced by concentrations of civilization. They are like little galaxies within the planet we call earth. They represent everything that comes with human kind. Life. Happiness. Tragedy. Many prefer to walk within the comfort of concrete sidewalks and street lamps. They see carefree smiles of strangers and feel warmth in their passing. It’s a comforting feeling to be … Continue reading From Afar
“To die would be an awfully big adventure.” ― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan We were supposed to be climbing the mountain, but somehow wondered off trail. Since Colin and I were planning a photoshoot, location scouting didn’t seem like a bad idea. The luscious undergrowth scraped at our ankles as we raced across the forest. We jumped up onto stumps and boulders, even considered climbing … Continue reading How I Almost Died Chasing Peter Pan
Throughout the ages, people have concerned themselves with appearances and the illusion of a perfect human form. Beauty, however, is a fleeting frame of mind. What was once considered attractive is no longer main stream today. Of course, this seems obvious. Fashion, make-up and hair styles change constantly… but so does the idealistic human form. I hadn’t really thought about this until recently while visiting … Continue reading The Portrayal of Human Beauty Through the Eyes of an Ancient Artist
Yes, that was a blurry yet aesthetically pleasing image featuring a staircase inside the Arch de Triumph. Of course, most have watched ‘Taken’. Upon deciding to move to France, it was a movie that was often mentioned in conversation. Instead of taking the matter directly to me, someone went as far as accusing my parents of irresponsibility for allowing their only child to go so far on her … Continue reading Don’t Fall Down the Drain
In art class, we were asked to paint something. Anything. Hardly any instruction given at all. Well, painting portraits with Photoshop seemed to be working out. Why not? My roomate, a fine arts major, sure makes it look so easy. The way she turns color and paper into seemingly effortless master pieces. It couldn’t be too hard. I dipped my paintbrush into a mixture of … Continue reading From 12 to 21
One hour of determined hiking can get one to the top. The view is absolutely amazing. Makes you realize how small you are and how big the world is in comparison. It’s fun going with friends, but sometimes going alone is the best option. You can loose yourself from pretty much anything. All the troubles and stress … pretty much just let everything drain out. That’s … Continue reading That One Time Switzerland Invaded France
Went camping along the Lake Leman. By camping, I mean staying in cabins not too far from the water’s edge. On our first night there, Grace and I sat on one of the docks along the shore. Being there reminded us of another lake in a country far, far away. We talked about life and whatever else flooded our minds at the time. Both being interested in … Continue reading Night on the Lac Léman
There is a group at our school that is often going camping or planning such outdoor activities. Wish I’d been better friends with them, because honestly those are the types of things that I miss from my childhood. The things I hope to continue doing in the future. I did get to hang out with them a couple weeks ago when they decided to camp out … Continue reading Night Under the Mountain
Camping is fun. Experiencing different cultures is fun. So, when I was invited to go camping at La Concha Durango, how could I say no? We got there by bus. Everyone unloaded their belongings and got ready to set up camp. But not everyone had come well prepared. There were only two tents to accommodate the group of 30 something. Several families decided to rent … Continue reading Durango Falls
Just a couple pictures from a project sophomore year. I was asked to take three images, one per quarter – each representing an ideal quality of our campus. Originally, I was very excited about working on it. The first caption, ‘A place to Serve’, was actually the last image I was able to obtain. It had been suggested that I have a group of students helping … Continue reading Kind of a Triptych
Back home, I used to take self portraits whenever my roomie was out for the weekend. She’d come back and there’d be all sorts of weird pictures on Facebook. Here, I don’t really wait for my roomate to leave. She has made it a thing to take a daily picture documenting her outfits… so we’ve gotten pretty comfortable about it. This image was taken about two weeks … Continue reading Light bulb ON.
We climbed up high hopping to catch a glimpse of the setting sun. The days had been getting warmer, thus we were truly surprised to find a blanket of snow. Even more amusing was the team of paragliders standing next to the edge. The sun pierced through their gliders. The colors spread throughout the sky. It was so beautiful. Hopefully these extreme sports fans weren’t … Continue reading Ice and Sky
I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place. I feel threatened by the mainstream definition of life; that whole idea of a success. The thought of a college degree and a job Monday – Friday, 9 to 5. When switching from homeschool to public during high school, my councilor said some very discouraging things. According to her, I wouldn’t graduate, much less attend college. … Continue reading Why I’m Trying to Convince Myself to Drop Out of College…
This is my room window in Collonges-sous-Saleve. Can’t belive it… I actually moved to France! Ok, so the whole trip was actually less stressful than going to Mexico. No joke. The couple sitting next to me on the way to London were really nice, and figuratively adopted me for the length of the trip. They appeared to have a lot of friends in the film … Continue reading Can’t belive it… I actually moved to France!
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