Darren has been working on a new light painting tool and we decided to test it out over the weekend on a very cold night! Some of the light you see in these images is also coming from our wood stove which was burning all night long, while we drank wine, listened to music and created some fun imagery focused on shape and color.
Crater Lake
Crater Lake was on my to-do list for quite sometime, until the solar eclipse came along and brought Darren and I to Oregon! We made way to Crater Lake immediately following the eclipse, which just so happened to also be during a massive forest fire in Oregon. The fire added a ton of smoke to the scenery, making it an unusual adventure but also very hard to breathe! However, we didn't let the smoke stop our adventure and we created imagery with the moody, smokey vibes. I chose to wear this blue dress to contrast those deep red tones of the rocks in the first few images and also to compliment the ever-so-blue Crater Lake. I hope you enjoy what we created on this smokey adventure!
Photos shot by Darius Twin.
Come Fly with Me | Badwater Basin
Happy Friday, everyone! I'm flying away (not really - just hopping in a off-roading vehicle) to a secret & amazing location that we will be shooting at for the next few days. Stay tuned and watch my Instagram stories to get a little sneak peek of the fun!
I shared this image last week on my Instagram, but I really wanted you guys to see the full image - I love it so. This is another photo from our angel series - now we can add Death Valley to the list. Thank you Darren for always giving me wings!
Shot by Darius Twin, of course.
Don't Look Down | Jiangxi, China
Here's a look into our adventure through Mount Longhu in Jiangxi, China!
Just Like a Fairytale | The Proposal
I have just returned home from a month-long adventure through the Netherlands, Germany and China. It was quite a journey, let me tell you! So much happened and so many memories were created - but this particular memory holds a huge place in my heart.
It was the most beautiful evening at the Rakotzbrücke bridge in Kromlau, Germany! The air was so still and the skies so clear, creating the most vivid reflection of the bridge on the water. This place was romantic indeed, and the perfect place to spend a sunset with Darius Twin.
This bridge was built in the mid-19th century and when reflected in the water, creates a ring.
So this is when the night became extremely special. Here I am, thinking all is, well, kind of 'normal.' Darren tells me we are doing a holding hands shot, which we nailed on the first try. But he tells me we didn't, and that we must continue shooting until it's just right!
So there I was standing on that log, waiting until the settings were right, when really he was reaching into his bag to grab a..... ring! He set his camera on a timer, and when he came towards me I was expecting him to grab my hand, but instead he got down on one knee! I was so surprised.
Of course I said yes. He's my companion, my love, my best friend, and everything I ever dreamed of and more. He picked the most magical moment to propose, because there was so much symbolism present at this location - the white dress, and most of all, the bridge's reflection creating a ring. My favorite stone is opal, so here is my vintage opal & diamond ring!
This will be a night I never forget.
Sunrise on the Dunes | Mesquite Sand Dunes
I woke up at 4:00am in Death Valley to see the sunrise over the Mesquite Sand Dunes, and it was all kinds of magic.
The vibrant color that filled the sky, the stillness throughout the desert, and the brisk, morning air all helped in providing that magic on these dreamy dunes. So, we decided to go on an expedition to find the *untouched* sand - and, sure enough, we found just what we were looking for!
'May every sunrise hold more promise, and every sunset hold more peace'
Seeing the sunrise from an enchanting location such as this always wakes me up inside. To have the ability to start off my day with something so fascinating, really sets a tone for the day. A tone of possibility, eagerness, and drive - like, yes, I can do anything in the world! ::)
I hope this post inspires you to see the sunrise from somewhere new! I'm going to end with a song I feel is perfect for this message, as it opens with the following lyric: 'We've got nothing but time, to do what we like, so let's live before we die.' Keep livin' y'all!
Photos shot by Darius Twin.
Under the Milky Way | Zzyzx Rd
Here's Darren and I under a full moon, wrapping up one of our road trips through the desert. I absolutely love the sky in this image. While staring up at those stars, I remember wondering to myself what all exists out there in the infinite skies above - it's a strange curiosity that always keeps me thinking! You can find this beautiful location off of a strange exit onto Zzyzx Rd in the Mojave Desert near Las Vegas.
Southwestern Wanderers
'Nothing behind me, everything ahead of me, as is ever so on the road' says Jack Kerouac, and I raise my glass to that.
There are people like me who find themselves by wandering. By welcoming a world of their own with each and every step they take, without limits or boundaries; because by wandering, they are experiencing, discovering, and understanding themselves and the world around them better. They are free spirits. They live to love and love to live in peace and in liberation.
I recently returned from a long road trip through the Southwest, passing through California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico. That's 6 states in the span of a little more than a week! So, I've decided to put together a little recap so you can feel like you were right there with me.
Here I am enjoying a glass of Liberated's Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc at Zion National Park in Utah after a long day of travel. We stayed here for golden hour, the sunset, and even the starry night sky, because 'half the park is after dark.' What a bright moment, just look at those stars!
Before our Zion travels, we stopped by the Valley of Fire for a night. Those vibrant red sandstone formations are all over the park - each unique in their own way. This one looked like cheese ^_^
Here I am drooling over fall in Zion - we never see leaves change to vibrant yellow and orange hues in Southern California (since there doesn't seem to be seasons here).
Before leaving Zion, we stopped to defy gravity for a little bit. Look at those textures!
Now it's on to the next location: Page AZ - where we will see both Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon. Let's just say many hours of listening to really good music and non-stop staring outside the window, wondering how something could be so beautiful.
Well, we made it to our next destination: Horseshoe Bend. And to celebrate, we had a glass of Liberated.
While, of course, taking in those stunning views.
It was pretty much a dream.
The next morning, we stopped by Antelope Canyon to see the location we had been curious about for a while. Let's just say it was like walking through a maze of sandstone art. You can only access it by tour, but luckily they give you a lot of time to take photos!
Next up on the itinerary: Monument Valley in Utah. Here I am trying to blend in with the environment. Don't those formations look like hands?!
Here I am reliving my favorite old westerns by John Ford. Yes, that is me on the horse!
Well, now that we've seen Monument Valley, it's time to move onto our next (and final!) destination: White Sands. But first, let's stop here because the golden hour light looks so dreamy!
And, let's stay for the sun to set because look at how big that moon is!
Well, we finally made it to the last location on the list - a place I have been dying to see for as long as I can remember in a small little town called Alamogordo, New Mexico.
Nothing but pure joy. White Sands, you are one majestic beauty.
One final glass of Liberated to end the trip the right way.
Which left me dancing and feeling alive!
And in love.
'Peace, love, and liberation' -- three words that perfectly describe my life on the road, traveling throughout the Southwest where some of the most beautiful locations in the world exist. Thank you, Liberated, for the journey and for your crisp tasting Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc.
