Thursday, July 30, 2015

#TBT // Triple Exposure

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Walla Walla & Pike Place Market // Diana F+

This throwback Thursday is dedicated to my very first attempt at a double exposure on my Diana. It wasn't until recently I realized this photo was actually a triple exposure. I must have forgotten at the time I was at Pike Place Market because I attempted to take another double exposure. Mistakes on film are so forgiving and are always my favorite kind of mistakes. 

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Currently Brewing Tea

love youa blog // tea love youa blog // tea love youa blog // tea love youa blog // tea love youa blog // tea love youa blog // tea love youa blog // tea

Over the last few years I've been obsessed with tea. Don't get me wrong, I still need my cup of coffee in the morning to jumpstart my day but my afternoons are spent consuming tea. My love and appreciation for tea started after a visit to a little tea shop in Sanxia District which is a few hours outside of Taipei. The tea leaves are delivered to the shop fresh from the tea mountain regions several times a week and in this little shop is where I did my very first tea tasting. 

The kind woman pouring us tea had so much knowledge about all of the different types of tea and their differences in taste. She spent her entire life learning about tea and perfecting the way to care for it, brew, and serve it which made me feel ridiculous at my need for perfection on my third try at every thing new I attempt. However since then, every time I try something new that may be challenging I am reminded of this kind woman and I give myself some grace. 

It was such a disappointment I didn't speak any Mandarin because I couldn't understand a thing this woman was sharing with us. Thankfully I was with my beau and his family and had his dad to translated but it wasn't the same as hearing her exact use of words to describe the art of brewing tea as we were experiencing it. After we picked our choice of tea; me: Jasmine, my beau: Oolong she taught us how to prepare tea. First, place your tea leaves in a pot and pour boiled water over the tea leaves just enough to get them all wet. Then lightly swirl it around for about 10 seconds and dump the water. Finally, pour boiling water to fill the tea pot and then you're ready to pour for drinking. 

This shoot was done using Oolong tea and a ceramic tea set from Taiwan. 

Monday, July 27, 2015

Jardin du Soleil

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A few weekends ago I visited the lavender farms in Sequim. I first heard about this region growing lavender during Lavender Festival several years ago while stuck in the festival traffic on the way to Port Ludlow. Thankfully this time I was back before the festival and with absolutely no traffic. 

On Travel // From Seattle, I took the Bainbridge Island Ferry and drove about 2 and 1/2 hours to get to Sequim. Outside of the Lavender Festival, most farms are open to the public for cutting and photography during the months of June to August. You can also bike from farm to farm and have a picnic somewhere in between which sounded completely romantic to me. However, when I arrived at my first farm around 11am it was a already close to 100 degree and unbearable to be in direct sunlight. I scratch that idea off real quick. 

On Photography // The first farm I decided to visit was Jardin du Soleil. Yes, the french name had a great influence on first choice. I've always wanted to visit the lavender fields in Provence and hope to someday. So when I got to the Jardin du Soleil there were a handful of people and a million bees. I had with me my Hasselblad with a 80mm lens. As I made my way through the garden, all I heard was the buzzing noise of the bees and the occasional loud shutter of my camera. I'm amazed at how quickly satisfied I am with shooting one roll of film. Of course I had several rolls of film with me as backup but only ended up using one roll of film which is all 12 frames you see here. I love how shooting film has made me slowed down and really think about the story I want to tell with each shutter. I have to make it count. 


3932 Sequim-Dungeness Way
Sequim, WA 98382

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

The Little Things

love youa blog // thankful

Dim Sum reminds me of great times with my family. On Sundays after church we'd all meet in Chinatown and easily fill up two tables. My nephews who were babies and toddlers at that time would be either sitting on their mother's lap flinging their little arms around for one of us Aunties to pick them up or patiently sitting and ready to eat. They were always so excited to see us just as we were happy to smoother them with kisses. As the carts of delicious food made their way around to our tables, we'd all take turns politely selecting our dishes over the noise of chatter and dishes being collected. Towards the end of our meal the boys would get fussy and to alleviate my siblings from parent duty the Aunties would take turns showing the boys the fish tank which was always a hit.

Looking back dim sum on Sundays were so hectic but so great. I miss my nephews being so little and adorable and I miss that point in time when we were all together and hadn't completely grown into our own little families yet. 

love youa blog // thankful

Dim Sum // Eastern Pearl

Friday, July 10, 2015

Night Changes

Most of my editing and blog posts are done right before bed. I wonder if that has any influence on my recent sway towards dark moody images such as these black and white peonies I shot a couple of months ago. These were taken on my digital camera which I rarely touch anymore and it makes complete sense as I was just trying to tweak them to look like film prints.  

So I'm sitting here editing while listening to the Pop Chill Playlist on Spotify when it plays this catchy song that I automatically start to like so I check out the playlist and it turns out to be a One Direction song! I tried really hard not to like it but I can't help it. It's so sweet!!! So I'm accepting it and dedicating this post to it.

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We're only getting older baby 

And I've been thinking about it lately 
Does it ever drive you crazy 
Just how fast the night changes? 
Everything that you've ever dreamed of 
Disappearing when you wake up 
But there's nothing to be afraid of 
Even when the night changes 
It will never change me and you

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Cannon Beach, Oregon

We packed into a few cars and took a road trip to Cannon Beach for your non-typical bachelorette party. Once we arrive, our three days at the Hallmark Resort would consist of no agendas but time with each other doing the things we ladies all love. For some it was taking the time to make a delicious home cooked meal. We were so spoiled by the great cooks within our group and had our food made with love from scratch. My favorite meal was sticky rice with chicken wings and noodles. For others it was the connection over painting our nails and girl talk; conversations about the things we cared about that made us who we are without the significant other and or the babies. For all of us some solitude to be idle doing whatever we pleased and that for me was time on the beach with my camera. 

I was proud of myself for only taking my camera out once to take photos of the beach. The true photographer in me can never resist but I know it is as equally important to be present and enjoy the company of my friends and sisters as it is to feed into my love for photography. 

I was surprised to learned there was so much sea life within the Haystack Rocks, even Puffins call the rock home. Most of my photos were of the detailed sea life I tried capturing while there…

love youa blog // cannon beach, oregon love youa blog // cannon beach, oregon love youa blog // cannon beach, oregon love youa blog // cannon beach, oregon love youa blog // cannon beach, oregon love youa blog // cannon beach, oregon love youa blog // cannon beach, oregon love youa blog // cannon beach, oregon love youa blog // cannon beach, oregon 

Cannon Beach, Oregon // June 2015

Monday, July 6, 2015

Monday Blues

Double Exposure - Space Needle

Double Exposure // Seattle Center Fountain & Trees

After a jammed pack three day weekend celebrating the 4th of July I suffered the worse case of the Monday Blues today. Surprisingly this morning I woke up earlier than usual and headed into work however once at my desk and loaded with coffee my mind had the hardest time focusing. Instead of plugging away at my heavy to do list my mind was on my beau. For some reason my heart tugged with thoughts and wishes of being with him more so than finishing any urgent task or deadline. I fought these feelings until noon when I finally gave in to some lunch. On my way to grab something to eat I sent him a quick text to wish him a great day. Maybe I was too hungry to concentrate I thought. Three hours after finishing (the only thing so far in my day) my lunch and a text message with a line of anything heart and kisses emoji from my beau (yes, I love emojis) I still couldn’t concentrate so I resorted to my least favorite but always successful option: a run. Three miles later and I muster the willpower to return to my desk and finish a few important things. A few hours goes by and I see my phone light up from the corner of my eye. It’s a message from my beau asking about dinner plans tonight. Is it possible that something so mundane can make me so happy? Yes! I grab my things and call it a day.

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Jardin du Luxembourg

There is something about traveling to another country and integrating into their lifestyle that changes you forever. I especially felt this way after visiting Paris.

While in Paris I learned to slow down and be present. Mornings were spent waking up slow as I stood in line at the bakery on our street picking up fresh pastries and coffee. Afternoons were combined with sight seeing and a picnic as there was fresh food and markets in every neighborhood. Dinners were easily a three hour event involving a nice bottle of wine and dreaming up plans to live this way. Everywhere we went it seemed like people just slowed down; something I wasn’t used to but easily grew to adopt and love over time. 

We had so much on our list of things to see and with our new way of living in slowness we ran out of time. However there was one thing I just had to see: Luxembourg Garden. On our very last day I mustered up all my willpower (obviously I am not a morning person) and woke up extra early to catch the sunrise.  Thankfully it was a short 10 minute walk from our hotel.

I was in complete happiness sitting there in solitude watching the sunrise while chase down my pastry with a cup of coffee.  The light was even more beautiful than I had remember...

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“I am not the same having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world.”
― Mary Anne Radmacher