Mountains and Meadows | Rocky Mountain National Park
Monument Valley
// white out //
You can never wear too much white - especially when you pair it with this modern home full of contrast and texture in Pioneertown. (to see more images of this stunning location, check my other blog posts here and here!)
As you can see from the many shoots that we did during our stay, this house inspired a lot of creativity. I knew that amongst the many looks we'd shoot, I'd need a minimal, chic look to accentuate those modern details. And, vuala, Leon Max came to the rescue with this jaw dropping look from their Spring / Summer '16 collection. You guys need to check out more of their new collection as well, I'm pretty much head over heels for it!
The moment I stepped foot in this get-up, I immediately felt like a complete and total badass (excuse my lango, but I did!). I'm so used to modeling with flowy movements, and really allowing my dance background to shine in my shots, but for this particular shoot I wanted to focus on sharp lines that I could create with my body to compliment the lines of the house. I'm really happy with the turn out! It was definitely a challenge for me to step out of my modeling comfort zone and try something new.
On another note, I'm excited to announce that we are about to embark on another Southwest road trip covering many locations that we have never been before! I won't be revealing any more details (it has to be a surprise!) but I will tell you that we have many ideas brewing and can promise some stellar imagery to come! It may be a bit silent here on the blog, but as soon as I'm back, there will lots of new imagery for you to see! YAY!
Photos shot by Darius Twin.
Blending In | Death Valley Superbloom
The superbloom in Death Valley was surely *super* and so was that matching silk silhouette by Few Moda.
Flowers coated the valley everywhere you looked - it was so beautiful!
I collected a few of the wildflowers to take home with me, because I have a sketch book at home that is full of pressed and dried flowers. This was the perfect opportunity to add a little Death Valley magic in there!
Those sea glass rings are a new favorite addition to my jewelry collection, and I just loved the way they paired with the yellow flowers.
Springtime is the best time to be in Death Valley - the vibrant flowers, perfect temperature, nice breeze, on top of the amazing-ness that is Death valley, is hard to beat!
Photos shot by Darius Twin.
// ghost //
Welcome to Uncertain, TX ladies & gents - the city where the mysterious Caddo Lake exists and many big foot sightings have occurred! While cruising through the area, and becoming more certain about Uncertain, we stumbled upon this hauntingly beautiful wooden pathway that guides you through the swampy lake. It was unlike anything we had ever seen before, so of course we pulled over and began creating.
Photos shot by Darius Twin.
// '73 holiday rambler //
This modern delight was quite possibly one of the most amazing places I've ever stayed at. It's called the Homestead Modern, located in the heart of Pioneertown, and walking distance from Pappy and Harriet's. I just loved wandering around this charming location in the middle of the desert. It is surrounded by Joshua Trees, mountainous views, and is enjoyable at every hour of the day. One of the things I loved most about the Homestead Modern, was the renovated '73 Holiday Rambler on the property (shown in the first 3 photos!). For this particular shoot, I wanted to focus on the trailer, while also giving you a glimpse into the interior of the house!
When I first saw photos of the Homestead Modern, so many ideas began brewing and I knew I needed to create a look inspired by late-60s fashion with that amazing trailer. So when I first saw that yellow dress by Leon Max, all of my retro dreams came true! That yellow mixed with that rusty brown made for such a great color-scheme.
I cannot wait to release more images from our stay at this beautiful abode in Pioneertown! Stay tuned!
Photos shot by Darius Twin.
Go with the Flow | Zzyzx Rd
While road tripping to Vegas from LA, have you ever passed by the exit sign for Zzyzx road and wondered what in the world that is or how you say it? Maybe you stopped by the sign for a photo, but have you ever actually taken the road to see where it goes? Well, you should! Because the location in the photos above is where it will take you! It's such a secret gem that many people don't actually get to see - and it needs to be seen!
This is one of our many times to visit the area, but each time we visit it's a new experience due to weather and lighting. This time, we drove by mid-day so the light was heavy but caused for some great shadows and contrast - so I did what I couldn't resist to do - wear red. This is my dad's favorite color on me! ::) Everything I am wearing is listed below!
Photos shot by Darius Twin.
Skies on Fire | Valley of Fire
I'm happy to (finally!) share one of my favorite shoots to date, picking flowers and dancing the night in away in the Valley of Fire. Okay, maybe not picking flowers, I brought that one along with me -- but don't those turquoise accents look dreamy? This is quite possibly the most beautiful sunset I've ever experienced, the sky seemed to be on fire, and nothing felt better than to let loose and flow with the breeze. How could you not when you're wearing that dress by Leon Max and jewelry by Lena Bernard? So I did just that, while playing some of my favorite tunes and feeling the love with Darius Twin.
Petal Pink | Valley of Fire
When planning for our photo adventure passing through Valley of Fire, and remembering those deep red-orange hues, I knew there needed to be a touch of petal pink added into the mix -- I mean hello hue heaven! The moment I stepped foot in this Leon Max piece, I immediately felt like that Valley of Fire princess I had imagined in my photo-planning daydreams. The only thing that was a little off was me hiding the fact that I was freezing. It just so happened to be raining, hailing, and 38 degrees outside - but I couldn't let that stop me ::)
This place is so dreamy - if you ever have a moment to see it for yourself, you gotta! It's only a 45 minute drive from Vegas and near many other interesting sights as well.
Photos shot by Darius Twin.
// fringe in zion //
Here I am fringing freely in Zion! This was my third time visiting the park, but it was the first time I saw it coated with clouds, a touch of rain, and snow capped mountains. Although it was a bit colder than our usual Zion adventure, it made for a mysterious setting that we thoroughly enjoyed during our drive and hikes! Visiting here was actually a last minute addition to our road trip. During our efforts to see Canyonlands and Goblin Valley, we were caught up in a snowstorm and decided to turn around before we got stuck for the weekend. Although we were bummed we couldn't make it to our final destination, we lucked out that Hurricane was an area we'd be driving through (which neighbors Zion) and we stayed at an adorable motel just outside of the park.
As I'm sure you've noticed, the color red was a huge theme for me on this adventure (and just my winter wardrobe in total). So when I found those AMAZING red pants and jacket from Leon Max my eyes got wide and my heart started to jump freely. And that eagle clutch from Patrick Shannon truly added to that vibe I was feeling way up there, looking down on the cloud-filled canyons, feeling like I was ready for flight! ::) This outfit is a new favorite for those days when I want to be comfortable but still feel like a complete desert babe/badass.
Photos shot by my love Darius Twin.
// frosted //
A little PSA on this post: plan your adventures ahead of time and check the weather! HA! In our efforts to see Goblin Valley and Canyonlands this past weekend, we happened to drive through a blizzard in Utah, and the conditions were so scary that we had to turn around so we wouldn't be stuck there. I guess that's what we get for doing very little research before our trip. But hey, I didn't mind it while we weren't driving (because that drive was scary!) We pulled over and enjoyed something we never see in Southern California -- SNOW, yet alone WEATHER. The scenery just blew my mind with all of its beauty -- white everywhere plus subtle hints of mountains made of vibrant red, orange, and brown hues peeking through the snow.
So when life gives you snow, you add a touch of red - like that stunning dress from Leon Max that I can't stop wearing lately. Oh, and to truly add to that Ice Queen vibe, I added some jewelry (aka. works of art!) by Sarah Perlis into the mix.
Stay tuned for more posts from this trip (when we weren't in a blizzard!)
Photos shot by Darius Twin.
