Photography: Looking Back at the Beginning

Continuing on in my series of looking back at the photo shoots that brought me to where I am today, I go on to
my first fashion shoot with models on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. On an island in the Pacific there are many
people like me who are not all that tall. It quickly became my first initial filter for looking for new models to
photograph. I added to that list of criteria models who were just starting out and did not have a lot of looks in
their portfolio. One of the first few models I found who met both of those items was Polish born, Karolina, who
was currently working as a nanny in Hawaii. After messaging her on model mayhem I met her for coffee to go
over the ideas for shooting and from there we met up on the day.

This was the one of the images from Bonnie Rose published in the Look Hawaii magazine.

Goals, big or small, along the way help to push us and shape our endeavors in life. One goal I set out with
Karolina was to see how many different looks we could put together in the short hours of the morning. We
literally brought everything we owned that might work and laid it out nicely on the grassy hillsides of a local park
new my home in Mililani. Aside from losing my newly aquired iPhone a few times, we were able to work
smoothly from one look to the next with the aid of any other stylists or assistants. Do not get me wrong, I would
have gladly loved another extra hand and creative on location with us. Working with in our means we were able
to achieve the goal I set out and acquired several new looks for the start of Karolina’s modeling portfolio. She
went on to work with many other creative photographers on the island and soon was jet setting off around the
world to continue her work. It was a very modest shoot and I believe nothing was bought for the shoot. I say
this to then tell you that one of the images we created went on to be published in a Hawaiian magazine, featuring
Karolina as a new up and coming model. I learned that day and later on in retrospect that all it takes is action
and a creative drive and you can start a spark that will go on into a fire.

In this case that spark went on to work with several other models and clients in a very short period of time. I
pulled from both the online modeling community in my local area and personal contacts that I had already
established. I would like to touch on my work with someone from each of those groups whose images were
some of the first in my new career path. Phoebe was a former roommate and a friend I had made several
months back when living out on the Kailua side of the island for the previous summer. She is a natural beauty
and I had gotten her to model for me once before as a hair model for my work with extensions. She brought
with her a few choice outfits and together with my youngest son we went out to shoot on Kailua beach and
around my favourite running ground of Lanikai Loop. Due to the fact that we were both quite familiar with the
area I had not set out specific spots to shoot at in advance. We walked around to our favourite areas and I
photographed her as we went on. One of my favourite shots from the day was an outtake photo with my son,
Maddox. One or both of my kids sometimes were with me shooting since my husband was often busy with his
job in the military. These images with the models are some I treasure because it ties in both my love for work
and my love for family.

Veronica is a model that I came into contact with by word of mouth from Karolina. This would be my first
example of how word of mouth, especially on a small island like Oahu, can be quite beneficial for finding people
to work with and future collaborations. I contacted a friend and make up artist of mine to join on the shoot and
the three of us brought together our ideas for the fashion shoot. My husband and I had scouted out previously a
spot in the hills of the Mount Tantalus loop that overlooks Honolulu. Dhyana did Veronica’s make up while I did
her hair and laid out the outfits between what the model and I had both brought. What I really loved about this
shoot was working with Veronica in the beautiful Hawaiian backdrop. Oahu has been really great to me and
one of its most beautiful gifts is having such diverse backdrops. Quite a few male photographers only shoot on
the beach, however I have really enjoyed seeking out many varied locations which you will see in the
continuation of this series of looking back.

The images featured in this post are from the photo shoots with Bonnie Rose Photography on Oahu, Hawaii.

Models: Karolina Caro, Phoebe P, and Veronica Smith.

Hair & Make up Artists: Dhyana Leung (of Face, Art, Beauty) and Bonnie Rose

Paris in Motion: Roller Derby model in Paris

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Oh beautiful Paris. The city of love.

Oh have I fallen for the city’s fashion hub,

amazing food, historical art,

and beautiful sights.

Love.

It is said that it is the people you meet on your journey

that can make the most impacting memory of your travels.

For me and our trip to Paris that was true with meeting the beautiful Orel Kichigai.

Orel is in the roller derby with the Paris RollerGirls, models and is active with photography.

We met up while I was last in Paris to see some of the sights.
I am used to doing a lot of walking on my travels and have rented a bicycle when in Lucca, Italia.

I have yet to skate. Watching Orel maneuver seamlessly through the streets of Paris,
it was hard to not be a little jealous I could not glide as well.

I know for next time to pack my skates. 😉

Featured today is Orel, a french Roller Derby player and model in Paris. — in Paris, Ile-de-France.

Perspective of Moving for a Spouse

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Can it really be March so soon? The year seems to be moving on so quickly and everyone I know along with it. My husband has been in his new job since the beginning of the year. Our boys have both been in their new schools for the last fortnight (see translation: two weeks). My social newsfeed is filled with the busy lives and on goings of friends and acquaintances across the globe.

Our life in Bath is already proving to be my most favourite so far of our time abroad. It helps that for the first time my husband and I do not live in a tiny flat. It is our first time with a place that beholds a staircase and a garden in the back for where the boys can play. I really enjoy my morning tea after the boys have left for school. I look out our bay window at the view of a english quilted countryside dotted with sheep. It is the equivalent to living in Hawaii and anticipating the next beach day. With cuppa in hand I look forward to our next country walk and the hopes of sun.

This weekend however our walk was postponed due to the sickness of one of my sons. On top of that I have been spending quite a bit of time in the house. Sprinkle in a bit of unfruitful job searching and its been a combination for a bit of cabin fever. Not a great place to be when you have a lot of time to think.

I have been thinking a lot recently about having to start my life over and over again. It is easy to compare your life or circumstances to others, though not something we should ever do. I have been guilty of this and its made me feel sorry for myself and feel like I have failed. I started looking for motivation and was coming up empty handed. Point in case my initial self portrat though fueled by ideas came and went with no results to which I was happy.

I found a quote this weekend which helped to turn things around. “It’s better to start over than to give up entirely.” So I started my self portrait over. I put aside my great out of the box ideas and went for a more organic approach: emotion and feeling. As I was in post processing it occurred to me that this quote did more than get me out of a minor funk.

As a military brat, as a US Air Force wife, and now as an Expat’s wife my life is constantly stopping and starting again. We did move to Europe for me initially but we are still moving to places based on my husband’s career. Which I love because he is doing something he loves and that makes me happy. Yet here I am starting over again and to be honest the period of transition can be a lonely place.

Finding a new job in a new country can be challenging. Different qualifications and job histories can be needed in one place compared to another. For example my cosmetology license in the USA that qualifies me to be a hairstylist, make up artist, and esthetician differs from a hairstylist or beauty therapist qualification in the UK. All the photography jobs I have found thus far require a degree, and not solely based on my body of work in portfolio, published work, and experience from Hawaii.

A transition is just that, a period between on time and another. A challenge to get through. If I have to start over a million times over, it is better to get up and try again than to give it all up. I admit my failure to be self doubt and those feelings of being inadequate, insecure and overwhelmed in the mist of my CV, cover letters, and job applications.

I am going to keep going and look positive as I continue my life in a new place. Its one day at a time and one goal to the next.

In the words of a little blue fish ‘Just keep swimming.’

QUESTION: What do you find most challenging about starting over? Or what keeps you going when you are working towards a new goal?

Self Portrait Saturday: ‘Shades of Self’

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Living in England during the Gulf War

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Part of being a Third Culture Kid (TCK) is how the memories of your developmental years shape the rest of your life. There have been two periods of my life as a young girl where I lived in England. My father, a USAF officer, was stationed in England for three tours for a total of nine years. Two of those were at military bases of Upper Heyford in Oxfordshire and Lakenheath in Norfolk. During his years at Lakenheath AFB, we lived on the economy in a small village called Saham Toney All the other American children I knew went to school on base, while I went to the primary school in the village. My mum has recollected how being the only American family in that village was a positive situation for us while the Gulf War, codenamed Operation Desert Storm, took place. It was a time period in 1990 to 1991 where my father was absent from my memories of Norfolk, England.

I remember the day my dad walked me home from school and talked to me about the war going on in a place that seemed so far way. I would have been about eight years old, the same age my son Ronan is now. We discussed about the other missing fathers and mothers who were off fighting the war already. He held my hand as we walked and began to tell me he would be going away too. I was so sad and did not want to believe the news. I remember asking about my mum and how she took the news. What would we do while he was away at war? Did he really have to go?

He did. I understood it was part of his job in the military. Something I accepted as all military dependents do. I could not have asked for a better place to be during that time than in that small village going to school in a place that seemed so far away from all things war related. I was the only child whose parent was off fighting in the war. I did not have to be reminded daily by seeing other military men and women in uniform or by the tearful eyes of other families missing their loved ones. We were so taken care of by everyone at that primary school and by our friends in the village. Even the kindness of strangers by those who lived near by and knew of the American family who lived at that farm house.
It is a period of great memories and I am today facebook friends with classmates of mine from that time.

What really helped was having my friends at school and being involved in activities like Brownies (version of girl scouts). I remember putting on a play for our Brownie troop with my friends with a script based off of the American Girl Doll, Molly, who grew up stateside during WWII. We used to have it on video, and watching an american play with us little girls all in english accents was priceless.

Most of my favourite memories are from years growing up in Europe and many of them include my dad now that he is really gone. One of the best memories I have is when I was finishing up a day from school. It was the afternoon and I had just completed a game of field hockey with the other girls and we were now changing to go home for the day. A classmate ran into the room and exclaimed to me that my father was outside. I remember shaking off the news with out a care because I knew my dad was not there. He was a world away. He was in a desert. He was not in England and certainly not at my school. Grabbing my belongings I left the school building to be proven very wrong as my eyes met my fathers. I remember the way he looked. He looked so tall (from my short stature of being a young girl) and so tanned. I do not remember my father every looking so dark. He was smiling and I dont remember if I dropped my bag or ran with it under my arm. But I ran all the way to be greeted by his arms in a hug. To be honest my eyes are filled with tears as I write this because it was such a happy memory. Times when I wish I had my father now I wish I could just close my eyes and open them again to see that same smiling face. To be able to give him one more hug. To hear him say ‘I love you’.

That would not be the last time my dad would be away. More reasons and situations would call him away and more memories without him would be made. However my memory of him being gone so frequently is outweighed by all the wonderful and beautiful memories we shared together during his life. Many of which involve my land of birth, England.

Travel Thursday: Be Smart with your Vacation Photos

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Ryan and I on the funicolare in Napoli, Italy taken by my friend and photographer, Liisa Roberts.

I have always considered Napoli, Italia fondly with a special place in my heart. I had the pleasure of living in this historical city twice in my life during my childhood. For a total of six years Napoli, also known as Naples, still holds the ranking title of the longest place I have lived in my lifetime. I begin this travel post in this way to explain quite clearly why ‘I should have known better’. That was a statement I said quite frequently after having my phone stolen. It is pictured here in a newly acquired (but not for long) case from one of the amazing markets in downtown Napoli.

When I go on vacation I travel with my DSLR, which I carry like my baby and protect with my life. However I have not always been as smart with that precious item either. Whether you plan to take photos with your phone, a small point and shoot digital camera, or a higher end DSLR with a range of lenses, these would be my tips for traveling with said items.

Be Smart with your Vacation Photos:

1. Be prepared. Decide which camera/s you will be taking and make sure you bring all the necessary accessories. Depending on what is normally in your camera bag, pack accordingly. Make sure you travel with your battery (and spares), your charger, memory card/s, and a memory card reader. I would also suggest your lens cloth to clean your lens.

2. Be smart. For those with multiple lenses a tip I would share is making sure your lens caps have an elastic attachment so that when you take them off they are still tethered to the lens. Its really easy to lose a cap or look like a target for a thief when you are juggling many items. I’ve nearly dropped and lost a lens cap or two trying to capture a photo in slightly dangerous spot. The less you have to worry about can be the better.

3. Be cautious. Do enjoy your vacation and do not allow negative stimgas to ruin a memory. But with that said remember this ‘everyone is suspicous’. So if you are in a more crowded area, tighter space like a train, or just out in a busy part of a city be aware of your surroundings. I lost my phone while I was holding my DSLR tightly but then snapping a photo of a delicious Neapolitan pizza. My phone was quickly and easily grabbed from my hand and it went on a chase with a thief who jumped on the back of a moped and was gone in a flash. I was too comfortable being ‘home’ and should have really been more cautious. Lesson learned.

4. Less is More. Piggy backing off of the previous tip I have learned that less is more in regards to the digital age. When I lived in Italy before I was taking photos by film and new exactly how many exposures I had left on that roll of film. No I can easily take hundreds of photos in a day with both my phone and my camera. I will use my camera for certain shots and my phone for less conspicuous and more artsy shots with fun filters. I would say rely on one camera for one moment and don’t get so distracted by capturing that you miss out on the moment or let someone take advantage of your touristic endeavors.

5. Keep it safe. Back up at the end of every day when you are on vacation. Clear those photos off your phone and onto your hard drive. Load them online to a drop box, flickr account, etc. Its best to have your photos saved and stored in more than one place. If you do happen to get something stolen or lose a bag, you can rest assured that your photos are safe.

My favourite thing about traveling is being able to reminisce the moments and memories in the years to come and share with my family and friends. I have lost photos from my phone being stolen and from back up cds being lost in a move. Enjoy your travels and be smart when taking and saving your vacation photos.

An extra word of advice: Do not let your photos collect dust inside your computer to not see the light of day. Photographs are getting lost and forgotten in this digital age. If you are going to take the time to capture your experiences, print them and display them in your home.

What advice or lessons have you learned why traveling with your camera? I would love to hear your stories, comment down below.

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