Beautiful Scenes From a $5 Disposable Camera

Check out here my newest Huffington Post photo story featuring photos from my trip to Rocky Mountain National Park! I wrote some words about the tragedy of my camera breaking the day I was looking forward to using it most, and how I still managed to find refuge in a $5 disposable camera instead.

jill smiling + tom waits - "back in the crowd"

last weekend i finally was able to drive down to san antonio to visit my sister and see her new place. i took this right before she turned out the lights. she was arranging the pillows the way she likes and as we were saying goodnight, i looked over and saw this. of course, it seemed too beautiful to not capture. it's one of my favorites that i've taken in quite a while.

below is a beautiful song, "back in the crowd," off of tom wait's new album "bad as me".

feature shoot

today i was featured on feature shoot, a blog named as one of LIFE's 2011 Best Photo Blogs! check it out here & big thanks to katie shapiro for wanting to feauture me :)

yesterday i created my own tumblr! it may take me a while but i'm going to try & get up to speed with it all. i started with posting some of my favs, but regularly i will be posting both photos i post on flickr & photos i don't post anywhere else. so if you want to see more of my photos--follow me!

i got a new camera!

last week a beautiful contax t3 arrived in the mail with my name on it. i've been thinking about getting a more reliable camera than the yashica t4 i've been using for over a year now, but money and uncertainty was always an issue. in the past year i was able to use a friend's t3 for a little bit & the ease of using it, plus the quality of the photos, pretty much won me over. i've only shot one roll on it so far but i'm really looking forward to what our future holds together. i have a feeling it will be a great one...

the only thing about it that i didn't realize when i tested it out was how the viewfinder has faint markings of where the actual parameters of the photo starts. this kind of scares me, as there is quite a lot of space outside the parameters that i'm seeing through the viewfinder, and i take a photo when what i'm seeing through the viewfinder feels right. the parameter markings are barely noticeable and i have a hard time trying to cut out of my mind the space outside of them. we will see how things translate and hopefully i get used to it.
i posted below a few photos from my first roll. for some reason the colors became muted once i uploaded them onto the site--which is a little frustrating, but that's ok because i think the quality of the photos is still apparent. enjoy!

heather-darling

i've literally grown up with heather. ever since kindergarten, we've been buds, and this year i got to live with her. well. kind of.
she has a boyfriend & is over there 99% of the time. but i understand 95% of the time, and make her come over and hang out with me 30% of the time.
more recently i've been taking photos of her for a few photo projects i've had, and i've really enjoyed it.
i remarked about how i could "take photos of her 24/7" one day when we were hanging out, and she replied back "ya. i think i could make this another hobby." she said this seriously & casually. what! oooohhhhh, heather. too funny.

she went with me when i drove up to dallas on the 22nd (april) to shoot the local natives and it was wonderful. i'm all about open road & road trips, and that day with heather was the best i've had in a while. reasons why: i got to photograph an amazing band, be on the road, eat ice cream cones at midnight while driving on the road (with the windows down), listen to music loudly while driving on the road (with the windows down), explore the old school/'entertainment' part of dallas & take photos, and spend it all while hanging out with a good friend. perfect day.

i'm in love with this photo. my current favorite. see it here on my flickr.

"it’s a kind of ‘Amen’ to life"

Break is finally here and I know by new years I'm going to be antsy with all this free time. ugh. During these next 2.5 weeks, some of the things on my "to do" list include: taking a small road trip or two, doing a good bit of reading, photos photos and more photos, some soul searching?, freaking out about graduating, really freaking out, catching up with friends & making lots of lists. lists are good, i like lists.
Below is another dose of my "a few random good things" posts. enjoy.

photo by Stephen Shore, a photography god (clearly)

music:
-completely regardless of whether you've seen the movie, the music from the soundtrack is so powerful it makes me really appreciate people like Gustavo Santaolalla. he was able to evoke such particular and overwhelming emotion from notes in his head. amazing. click here to listen.
-also love: a classic, johnny cash

“What you feel in the presence of a thing you admire is just one word – ‘Yes’. The affirmation, the acceptance, the sign of admittance. And that ‘Yes’ is more than an answer to one thing, it’s a kind of ‘Amen’ to life, to the earth that holds this thing, to the thought that created it, to yourself for being able to see it. But the ability to say ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ is the essence of all ownership. It’s your ownership of your own ego. Your soul…[which] has a single basic function – the act of valuing…everything to which you grant your love to is yours.”
-one of my favorite books & a quote that i will always remember, The Fountainhead

katie, at our house. so beautiful.
--------------
yes:

"I shot an arrow into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For so swiftly it flew, the sight
Could not follow it in its flight.

I breathed a song into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For, who has sight so keen and strong
That it can follow the flight of song?

Long, long afterward, in an oak
I found the arrow, still unbroke;
And the song, from beginning to end,
I found again in the heart of a friend."
-- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

i'm leaving

for chicago friday morning (at 4:30am jeeeeez!) and am really excited. traveling is my favorite. ever. i get so giddy at airports, i'll admit it's pretty cute how worked up i get. probably even "uncool," some may say. but guess what? the older you get the less stuff you get giddy about, so i'm milking this for all it's worth. will i be able to sleep thursday night? probably not. and i like it that way.

among lots of visiting and traveling i will be meeting up with a friend and taking an architectural tour downtown, as well as going to the museum of modern art. the only problem right now is that the camera that i take everything with, my t4, broke a few days ago. yeah. so i'm hustling and bustling the best i can to find a camera i can borrow & take. there is no time to mourn now, but there will be plenty of mourning later, that guy went everywhere with me. hopefully things work out with finding a spare, because we know that i need a camera. i have my electro but out of a roll of 36 at least 8 never come out, 6 come out super dark, and the rest are super grainy, other than maybe 2 perfectly exposed ones. in other words, i don't like using it.
regardless of the camera, the trip is about making memories. yes.
until i'm back (with hopefully some goodies),
k

transitory

some snaps (the 3rd and on are from my new place!)

i've been babysitting this guy on and off, he's the sweetest. here he is, sound asleep. like a frog. ugh. the cutest

i'm in the process of moving into my new place, a beautiful old house in hyde park with high ceilings, wooden floors, and amazing amazing light. it's all so new to me, i've been incredibly inspired and therefore shooting like crazy. hopefully i don't keep up at this rate, because i will probably be broke by september. we'll see... i'm just excited for this upcoming year, it's my last at my college and i know it will be a memorable one.

No Culture Icons

Hey everyone,

Some of my work is featured on No Culture Icons, "an online photography collective, showcasing the best in new up and coming photographers from around the world." As you can imagine, I'm flattered and honored to be included in it.

It's run by Liam Henry and full of amazing photographers.

Check out my work on it here.

where to start?

photo of mine i'm currently in love with, mark and some light

_
i feel like i'm revisiting an old friend. this post is long overdue (and therefore very long, hang in there with me!), i'm sorry i haven't been blogging much lately. i think my life lately has been full of so much that it's hard to ever know where to start.
_
life is good. still. yes. i'm 21 now, and it's nice. i discovered (to my surprise) that i actually really enjoy the taste of beer. i appreciate it, which is strange because i never thought i would be a genuine beer lover. i envisoned myself being one of those people who aquires a love for wine and would enjoy tasting, exploring, appreciating all the different types. but now it seems i still want to do that, but with beer instead. who knew.
_
i'm still trying to find my footing with the fact that i have to enter the real world in less than a year. i get so restless sometimes because it's frustrating when you're in between stages or places in your life. it's hard to remember to live in the moment, because you're just ready for that next step. but most of life is full of in-betweens anyways, so i think that this point in my life is just good practice.
_
lately i've been catching up with old friends, trying to spend time with the dog i grew up with because he's an old man these days, having good conversations at coffee shops. and of course, as always, taking photos. i recently picked up the yashica mat that i have had for months and decided to put my fear behind me of all the money i will intially waste while i learn how to use it. i haven't shot too much on it, but i really love the way images look in a square. it's a new way of seeing, so it's exciting. it feels different too. i can't wait to really explore medium format. and eventually, hopefully i can get a mamiya---what a dream.
_

as far as photos i am really loving right now--there are always too many to name--but i thought i would share this photo above that i especially am in love with. it's by Salva Lopez, who is not only an insanely talented photographer, but also a wonderful graphic designer. it is such an amazing portrait of his grandmother--so endearing and so beautiful. the photo below is of his grandfather and another one of my favorites. really, everything he does is brilliant, check him out.
_ i've been a part of some really awesome photo stuff lately, and i am incredibly greatful for all the wonderful people who have included me on their blog, sites and magazines. here's a run-down of the most recent stuff:

• The Sister Project- a lovely site that featured an interview and some photos of mine. read it here
• The Moon, Issue July 2009- a magazine in China, I didn't know my photos would be featured in this particular issue where they're shown in a certain light, but i guess you live and learn?
• Pistol and Fur blog: Wonderful little group & blog on flickr, features an interview with me. i enjoyed the questions they asked--i was their 6th interview, scroll down a bit and you'll find my interview among other great photos. check it out!
• All Encompassing All blog: Another great group and blog on flickr. They featured a few photos of mine and have a collection of a lot of other cool photos and photographers as well.
• Appendix Magazine Online, Edition Zero: Really honored to be in this, i'm among amazing company. A photo of mine is featured in a piece they did about the photographic dictionary, a project run by Lindley Warren (check it out). The piece devotes one page for each letter of the alphabet where one word was picked. I have been lucky enough to have quite a few photos of mine put in the photographic dictionary, and one of them was featured as the "D" in the piece. It represented the word "difficult," and you can check it out in the issue or see it, along with other great stuff, on the photographic dictionary.
• Polliwog magazine: Run by Rebecca Rijsdijk, it's a " photography zine containing the stuff of young talents" & is published twice a year. I was in their most recent issue, issue 4 entitled "the photographers that we have been admiring for ages." the title alone is humbling. it features a few photos of mine and a interview, along with ten other talented photographers. check it out here.
• ROMKA, issue 3: an international magazine run by Joscha Bruckert that shares photographers' own most favorite photos. such an original and meaningful idea. check it out, my photo is on the cover & i say some words about my three favorite photos inside

I know there is some stuff I'm leaving out, and hopefully i will have time later to fill in the gaps. regardless of what i did and didn't include here, the point is that i am incredibly grateful and honored for all of the support and kind words everyone has shown to me. to be a part of these things means so much.

before i bore you to death, i will leave you with some words that whenever i'm feeling a bit lost or confused, always put things in perspective. they are as true as it gets:

“I have learned that to be with those I like is enough.” –Walt Whitman

yes.

time passes by

so quickly. i turn 21 in less than 2 weeks, and now more than ever i'm thinking about my life. what i've been through, where i'm at now, what lies ahead. i'm in awe of how fast the last few years have sped by. so much has been ignored or put off for another day, another week, another month. life is a constant stream of change, and suddenly those things you meant to do are no longer. this birthday is a check point. a healthy dose of reality that life is brief and each moment is fleeting. time to live. a lot.


here are two more photos at the top of my favorites:

this is by erin jane nelson. erin is amazing. this photo? i could stare at it all day. truthfully. erin is such a talent, i am so happy i found her stream and i can't wait to see what she continues to produce. also, she's really nice. so that's puts her high on my list.

luo yang is a female photographer from china whose photographs are mostly of female subjects. this photo of hers really stuck with me. it's such a poetic image of the two girls. everything about it says so much--things that could never be said in words.

and i'll leave you with this quote:
“A broom not only clears a surface, but sweeps the dust back into the wind to be carried to another surface, landing with a crackle of static communication. Maybe it says "hello" ...or maybe it says "I‘ve been here. I wonder how long before I am gone".

beautiful.

life is busy

but good right now. i'm spending time with some greatly missed friends and trying to make up for lost time. i'm taking photos like crazy because i've found myself really inspired lately--just from living my life. it's a nice thing. maybe it's the freedom and sense of carelessness that the summer brings. or maybe its all the new places and people i'm around. or maybe its because life is just good and i'm finally able to soak it all in. regardless, i'm loving it.

--here are some of my favorite shots from a day with my friends:

_

i also really need to work on my site. it's embarassing how long i've had it "up" but with nothing on it. i've tried to do it without buying any software--but it's looking pretty hopeless. if anyone knows a good program to use and/or also a good 35mm scanner (i am in desperate need of one but can't make up my mind), please do share!_

i'm free

finals are done with.
praise the heavens, summer is here.
yesss.

today i added another place onto my road trip wish list. badlands national park in south dakota. check out some photos and you'll understand, i need to go there. i also want to go to yellowstone--i've been twice but its been forever. to see the huge expanse of fields and mountains, and buffalo roaming ....ugh. heaven. and that's without thinking about photography. the potential photos those places hold is daunting. i hardly ever go out to shoot, most of my stuff is just from my life, devoid of open fields and wild animals. but hopefully this summer, that will change.

i discovered nan goldin a month or two ago (i sadly don't own any photo books or know many famous photographers---i hope to change this this summer) and can't wait to start really looking at her photos, especially the relationship ones. amazing.

and here are some more words that i love:
(walk to the water, U2)

She said it wasn't cold
She left her coat unbuttoned
She wore canvas shoes
White canvas shoes
Around her neck
She wore a silver necklace
'It was given to me by my father' she said
'It was given to me'

She took the back way home
Past the lights at Summerhill
Turn left on to the north strand
And on
On towards the sea

He said he was an artist
But he really painted billboards
In large capital letters
In large capital letters
He was telling jokes
Nobody else would listen to him

I saw you that day
Your lips were cherry red
Your legs were crossed your arms wide open
Your hair was coloured gold
And like a field of corn
You were blown by the wind
You were blown by the wind
_
Walk, walk, walk to the water
Walk with me awhile
Walk, walk, walk to the roadside
walk with me in a light

A room in the Royal hotel
With sea facing views
A man with a suitcase
Full of things he doesn't need
I'm looking through your window
I'm walking through your doorway
I'm on the outside
Let me in

Let me love you
Let me love you
Let me

Walk, walk, walk to the water
Walk with me
Walk, walk, walk to the roadside
walk with me a while
_

--->the 4th stanza is my favorite (it starts with "i saw you that day," go back and read it), i especially love:

"And like a field of corn
You were blown by the wind
You were blown by the wind "
...doesn't get much better than that.

i don't sleep too much

anymore. oh well. more life that i'm living.

summer. yes. :

phoenix- too young

the sunset was beautiful the other day. there were clouds in the distance that made a second horizon, so i watched the sun hide its head before it was even through. it almost looked like it was descending into mountains and i love the mountains. it made me a bit giddy, which is nice to feel every once in a while. plus, look at those two lonely clouds. beautiful.

-and some loveliness, via ryan adams:

Took a walk with you
In the shadow of my shoes
Danced around the broken blues
In the dirty summer rain

Moonlight on the cars
Parked in single file at bars
With a thick and rosy smoke
Waving its busted hand

i could read that over and over and never be sick of it. that's all for now. xo

i smell like soap, again

apparently after shower moments are when i get inspired to write a few words.

so my favorite photos are almost always the real ones. the ones where i don't move an inch to adjust the angle, have someone stand a different way, stop my life and make a photo. instead, i love the ones that are exactly how it was. how it is. literally a second of my life. and it's always beautiful. and that makes me happy.

this photo was taken the other day. i'm always on the floor, it's where i think best. i had my camera next to me and jessica came in to chat. as we were talking of life and loves and laughs, i put the camera in front of my face and pressed the shutter.

i love this.

a longing for what is real

i ran across an excerpt today that resounded with something inside me.

throughout my life i've gone through periods where i feel like i'm searching for something. trying to find my place. trying to find meaning. these last few months i've had this heightened sense of awareness and this hunger for something more. periods like this are always hard, because of course it's not pleasant when you feel a bit unstrung, a bit lost. but i think the only way you can find satisfaction in life is to live what is real. times like these are when you grow the most, you become more alive and more yourself.

this passage is by Anne Hillman. i think everyone can relate to her words. they are true and truth is to be shared:

“I did not know I was on a search for passionate aliveness. I only knew I was lonely and lost and that something was drawing me deeper beneath the surface of my life in search of meaning. There is a hunger in people to go to those deep depths; to know that our lives are sacred; that our hearts are truly capable of love. It is a yearning to be all that we can be. A longing for what is real.”

the wind

a few random good things

i decided that on this blog needs to be some of my favorite songs and photos. just because those are two things that make me really happy.

-the top photo is by tania lёshkina, who is really creative and talented. this is one of my favorite photos i've ever encountered on flickr. i love the photo for so many reasons and i've caught myself thinking about it often during the past few months, ever since i first discovered tania and saw it. there's such a delicate feeling and tenderness to it, it's beautiful.

-a photo of mine that i love a lot right now:

-songs i'm love with:
1. thirteen- ben kweller (all-time favorite)
2. cold desert- kings of leon
3. use somebody- kings of leon
4. old hat- ben kweller (the video isn't the best, but still good song)

-->obviously, i love ben kweller and kings of leon. their most recent albums, Only By the Night (KOL) and Changing Horses (ben kweller) = ftw. so get on it if you aren't already. srsly.

that's all for now.