It's about that time... time to pack up everything I need to live in a 6x10 foot space full time. Yes, I am going to live in my van with my dog, Max in a few weeks. This is our fourth year on the road and I am looking forward to this year more than ever.
I don't have a set agenda, rather I am going to stay open to the possibility of changing direction depending on who I meet or what a local might say about what "not to miss." I am going to blog and share portraits of people I meet on the road here on this blog. I plan to write more, take more photos and talk to more people along the way.
Eventually, I would like to put together a book or show with the images I take of Americana throughout the states. But with most projects (including cost of gas to get to places to take photographs), it costs money. I thought about starting a Kickstarter project to help the project of documenting Americans I meet by chance, but time slipped away and my house is being rented so I need to get going.
I have always enjoyed getting postcards from people when they are on vacation and hearing about their adventure. I would love to send YOU (or your grandparents, parents, or another loved one by request) a postcard from the road with a photograph that I took and a message from me. Not only just one, but up to FIVE from my journey. For a donation for as little as $5, I will send you a postcard with an original image taken by me. Even better, you can punch out the 3x3 image and stick it on your fridge, frame it, or pin it to a map of the USA. Also, you will get a link to download the original image. All of this for only FIVE dollars! For those of you who want more than one image, I will send you THREE postcards from the road for $10 and FIVE for a donation of $15 or more.
The postcard of Max is just an example of what it will look like. Each image on the postcard will be original and a surprise on what you get in the mail. It might be a 3x3 pop out or a full image on the postcard. I'll give you a hint that it will be of a person, animal, place or a thing. I will start sending the first batch of postcards out in mid July. Depending on the amount you donate, it will determine how many cards you receive. I look forward to sending you a photo card from the road!
Please click below to donate. Remember, $5 for ONE Photo Postcard, $10 for THREE, and $15 or more for FIVE Photo Postcards delivered to you!!! (More details on top right of blog. Cards will be sent to address listed on Pay Pal).
$5 = ONE Postcard $10 = THREE Postcards $15 or more = FIVE Postcards
Pass the word on for people who might like to receive a photo postcard in the mail...
I look forward to it! As always, a sincere Thank You so much for your support! Click the "Donate" button below...
What do I do to get ready for a big photoshoot from a major Women's magazine? Get my hair and makeup done just right to look as glamorous as possible? Well, in my case last week, I camp and not shower for three days. Wooo Hooo, I am ready for my close up now! Yes, that happened and now it's time to wait for the article to come out and just hope for the best. I didn't mean for that to happen, it was a slight miscalculation in the distance of an available shower. I suppose it's not bad, especially since the article is about women living on the road. No makeup and maybe a brush through my hair once did the trick. We shall see.
Anyway, I was honored to be asked to participate in the article! The best part is that it was my first outing with Campy so that was exciting. I traveled up to Big Sur and camped at an amazing campground called Kirk Creek. If you haven't been and you like to camp on a bluff overlooking the ocean, this is the place for you. Each morning I woke up to an amazing view and mild weather. It was bliss. My campsite was right next to the tent spots and I have to say that I felt a little sad for them. For two years, that was how I camped and let me tell you... I love my van and can't wait to live in it full time soon.
My friend Kristiana and her dog OSA joined me on the adventure and she brought one of her vintage Airstreams. We camped a few days until Nick and Catherine from the magazine came to interview and photograph us. Since the Airstream is such a beauty, we took her out on the cliff to escape the fog and to take some photographs of us relaxing next to it while completely stopped in the middle of a narrow road on a turn at the edge of a steep cliff, with no guardrail. You know, just like we would do in real life. "Hey, here's a dangerous spot to tow and stop...let's get out and look cute watching the ocean next to the trailer!" is what all of us camper gals say during these "relaxing" moments of cliff towing. I have to hand it to Kristiana, she towed like a pro and why wouldn't she?
Needless to say, the light agreed with us and was just perfect for the shot. With all of the excitement going on, I ran out with just my cell phone but still managed to capture the moment.
While we were waiting for the photographer to scout a site, I shot some fun jumping pics reflected off of the trailer. It's silly and I have to admit I love jumpie pics so it was fun that she went along with it.
The next morning, Kristiana and OSA headed home while I stayed one more night of ocean front camping with no internet or cell service. It was bliss... I recommend it.
Time. Where does it go? Sometimes I reflect back to when I quit my job to tour around the country to "find myself." That was four years ago! Sometimes it feels like just yesterday I headed out with "Trailie" and other days it feels like that trip was a long time ago. Regardless, it doesn't last forever.
I adopted Max almost three years ago. I found him at a farmer's market and adopted him through a rescue organization. He's my best friend for life and I can't imagine being on the road without him. Today, Women's Adventure Magazine reposted an article I wrote on the past three years and it got me thinking about the beginning and how I felt at the time. The first year really was a blur and the past two years in a tent is what I remember most. I adopted Max and about a month later, we hit the road together. I was looking back at the photos from my point and shoot camera from that year and found a photo of Max on the first day out. I paired it with a photo I took of him last year and this is what living on the road looks like for a dog.
Each time I look at it, I crack up. Max had no idea what was in store for him. He's circled the country for two years and now he's about to embark on another year of road travel. However, I think he will enjoy the van much more.
We are leaving for a trial run of campy in the next day so we'll see how that goes. I will be sure to take lots of photos and share them with you here. I look forward to it! If you would like to read the story in Women's Adventure Magazine, click HERE
It's the time of year where I start thinking about goals and what I want to do when I grow up. I just had a birthday and now I'm diving into my (cough) um, later years and I think time, all of a sudden started going by faster. Like, really fast.
This past year I decided to stay in one place and go to school. My year is up soon so now it's time to get out and see the country again. I toured around the first year in a teardrop trailer, the next two years in a tent and now I am going to roam around in a van. I am pretty excited about it. It's really the little things like waking up and making coffee without anyone seeing me. What a luxury! Usually it's me slowly getting off of the ground in the tent to an upright position and walking in slow motion to a bench to put water in a pot to boil for coffee. I can barely see out of my eyes and during this time you will usually see an early morning camper already cooking breakfast after their morning run waving to me across the way yelling, "good morning." Thank god I will escape that torture in the future by not being seen. Ok, I am really not that groggy in the morning but sometimes this is how I feel in the morning when I try to sleep cozy in a tent in 28 degree weather.
The other luxury is saving money by sneak parking to sleep somewhere and not having to pay the hefty fees some campsites are charging these days. Needless to say, I am looking forward to the adventure.
As with years past, I plan to document my travels here and write about the people and places I come across, including any tips that I might have to share. I hope to capture even more people in photographs than I have in the past. I don't know how long I will be living in the van, but it will be a while since I can go pretty much anywhere with it in about any weather.
If you are new to the blog, below are some links to topics that might be of interest to you about my travels. I can't wait to get going and I will be sure to let you know when I do! As always, any suggestions of places or people to meet are appreciated.
I wasn't sure what to name the van. My teardrop was named "trailie" and for some reason, "Campy" came to mind so it's going to be me, max and Campy!
Instead of making a resolution each year, I like to set goals or just write down what I would like to accomplish in the year to come. When I turned 39, I set out to accomplish 39 goals during the year and amazingly enough, I completed almost all of them. I try not to beat myself up too much if I didn't do something I intended to do or not do. So here we are on the last day of 2011...it's a reflective type of day (oh lookie, even a literal photograph for you) for some and for others, they just want it to be over for the chance at a fresh start.
This year, I intended to set out and write down 40 goals but each time I thought about it, I set out to do something else instead. The nice thing about blogging important things or thoughts you might have is that you can go back and see what you were thinking at the time or remember what you did. As I get older, it's nice to be able to look back on the computer instead of having to use my brain to remember what I did. I can barely remember what I did yesterday.
Based on cheating and looking back at my blogs, here's a list of 30 things I accomplished in 2011 (from January through today) You can click on the highlighted part to read the entire story if you feel like it...
I am so thankful for the things I was able to accomplish in 2011. I wouldn't have been able to do any of this if it weren't for the people in my life, and the people I came across in my life. Since there were too many photo shoots to mention, I put some of my favorite photographs I took in 2011 in a video. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did putting it together.
I look forward to what 2012 will bring! Happy New Year everyone! xo
I had so much fun last June in Jackson Center, Ohio for the second annual "Alumapalooza" event! Held on the grounds of the Airstream Factory, hundreds of dedicated Airstream owners gather to meet, learn, and mostly have a good time together with their common love of Airstreams. I wrote a little about my experience HERE and put together a slide show of some of the photographs I took while I was there. You can see that slideshow by clicking HERE.
I am thrilled that eight portraits I took (including the cover) are featured in the Fall, 2011 edition of Airstream Life Magazine. Sign ups are already happening on their official Alumapalooza website, so I would get your reservation in early for 2012. I hope to see you there next year!
I am thrilled that my photograph, "Brothers" was selected by the folks at Photographer's Forum to be included in their hardcover "Best of 2011" book (out in December). I took this photograph while I was visiting the Vintage Trailer show during Palm Spring's Modernism week back in February. I wrote about my experience during the week HERE.
When I am at an event, I usually stand around and observe all of the people around me as there were many characters at this particular show. These two boys stuck out in my mind right away and I immediately approached their parents and asked if I could take their photograph. The parents were visiting the show and said, "sure!" (For the curious photographer, the parents also signed a release) The boys were very animated by running around and making faces. I was trying to tell them to hold still and they weren't listening until their father yelled something at them in French. At that moment, my "stop smiling and hold hands" was understood and for one brief moment, they did what their father told them to do in French and I snapped this photograph. Once second later, it was back to playing and making faces.
I usually take portraits of people doing what they are doing at the time of doing it. I would like to say that I came across these boys holding hands with this look on their face but with just a little direction (and a father yelling in French), they ended up looking how I envisioned them. I am not in any way diminishing how cute they both are making faces and running around (I know all of you parents out there enjoy looking at how precious and unique your children are), it was a brief moment that I am thankful of capturing. Children with serious faces are more interesting to me.
Max and I are excited to be a part of the June issue of Dog Fancy magazine! In an article written by Becky Blanton, it's all about traveling with your dog. For the past three years, I've traveled the country with my dog and can't see a road trip without my best friend. The first year was with my dog, Maggie and the past two years have been with my little man, Max.
The article also features all photographs taken by me, including a self portrait of Max and I camping in Yosemite last summer.
When I am not camping alone with Max, I enjoy meeting other women on the road who also enjoy camping. The other photos are of Martha and her dogs, taken when I camped with the "silver sisters" (women who camp together with their Airstreams) and Zola and her little baby on my trip with the "Sisters on the Fly".
I am looking forward to more camping adventures in the future! The June issue of Dog Fancy is on newstands now.
Today is the beginning of a new decade for me. I put out a list of 39 things I wanted to accomplish on my 39th year on this earth and I am proud to say that I completed most of them over the year. Now on to a new decade of my life and more adventures to come.
Thank you to everyone who followed me on my crazy "driving around the USA in my tent adventures" for the past year, and the year before that. It was an incredible few years and I hope to experience many more things to come. As I did before, I will compile a list and share that with you.
As I mentioned, the past three years I have been wandering around the country with my dog, camera and tent. I made the decision to go back to school for a year to see where that takes me. I am always up for learning and it will keep me in the same place for a while. This doesn't mean that I won't take a break for adventures here and there. I plan to continue this roller coaster ride called life.
I look forward to more and sharing it here with you.
You might have gathered that I like to take pictures. I have a few cameras but the one I use most often is the one in my pocket, my iphone. I usually have it with me wherever I go and it's easy to snap, edit and upload online or email to a friend with just a few clicks. I've used several apps on my iphone so I thought I would list my favorites along with some before (snapped with just my iphone camera) and after (edited on the phone with the application) shots to give you an idea of what you can do. This list are applications that I've used, but there are many more out there to play with. If you are interested with one, click on the name and you can see more examples of what it can do, or to buy the application. I am not affiliated with any of these programs, I just wanted to share some favorites so you can play with them to see what works for you and to have some fun!
Did I miss a good one? Let me know what your favorite is!
1.) Hipstamatic - $1.99 This might be the most popular app and I can see why. It takes you back to a time where imperfection is king and you don't know what you will get until it's "developed" in your phone. There are several lens, film and flash options to purchase to achieve the look you are striving for. I used this the most on my trip across the USA. I don't have a before and after since you take the shot directly through the app just like you would if you had the older film camera. You have just once chance to capture the image with the film and lens combination you choose. I put together a video of the photographs I took on the road with this app since it's hard to choose just one example from this app.
2.) Instagram - FREE If you want some old analog looks but want to take the perfect photograph before you edit, Instagram gives you that option. Unlike hipstamatic, you can take your photo before hand and then upload it to the application to edit and get the look you want. You will get a square image so you will need to crop or zoom your photo to fit the dimensions. You can also use this program to take photographs first then decide if you want to keep it to edit in the program. My favorite look is the "earlybird." This program also gives you the feature to post all of your final photographs online to show your friends. You can also choose not to use the social network option. The first photo of Max at the dog park is my original photo and the second is using the "earlybird" look in the selected editing options.
3.) Cross Process - $.99 If you like the photo you took on your regular camera but want to give it an extra punch, this is the easiest to use. Just take a photo, click on the program, choose your picture and it develops it right in front of your eyes to the same dimension you took the photo. There are options to choose the color combinations that is right for you. This is a fun, instant editing option. The photos on the left are the original and ones on the right were uploaded and developed in the cross process application with just one click.
4.)Shake it Photo - $.99 Just as the name implies, you shake your phone to develop your print. The app will automatically crop your photo to a square size and give it an added punch with a border. You have less control in this app, but it's easy to use and the sounds of a polaroid developing the print will give you the feel that you are developing your photo as you are shaking the phone. This application automatically crops your photo to a square so you don't have the ability to adjust it on your own, but it also adds a nice border. This is an example of a shot out of my camera phone and then through the shake it Photo application.
5.) Camera Bag - $1.99 Like your picture, but bored with the colors? Camera bag gives you the option to see your photo in all sorts of processing looks. From an instant look to a magazine shot, you get to choose. It even has a fish eye lens if you want a fun feel. My favorite is lens is the Lolo. The first shot is the original and second is using the "lolo" process in Camera Bag.
6.) Camera + - $1.99 My newest favorite of the bunch. This app does everything the others do and more. You can see your photograph in several processing options once you take it out of the lightbox to edit. It also has an HDR effect, which I like to use from this application. After you choose your process, you have the option for borders, flipping the image, cropping it and even backlighting darker shots. This is an example of the HDR filter. First photo is the original and second processed with the HDR effect.
7.) Infinicam - $1.99 As with Camera Bag, you can choose the process, borders and options to send as a postcard once you are finished. If you like a certain style, you can save to your favorites to use on any photo you choose from your library. This shot is with my normal camera and then the "Autochrome" filter on the Infinicam application.
8.) Pro Camera - $2.99 One of the features I like from this app is the ability to use a timer with your shot. The camera that comes with your iphone doesn't have this so if you want a self portrait that is further than arms length, click on this program to set up your phone, click the timer and run. I have the first edition and this is all I use it for but after researching it, there are many more options on this app. For the first shot, I used the Pro Camera for the timer and Cross Process for the border and processing. The second shot is using the pro camera app for the timer then a tilt shift lens for the blur and saturation (will talk about this app later in the post).
9.) Diptic - $1.99 Have a hard time choosing what pic is best of your trip to the lake, family gathering or swap meet adventures? This is the application for you. You can choose up to four images to put into one photo to showcase the best photographs in one. Here are some trees during a walk that I took on a fall day with different cameras on my phone and turned it into one photo with this application.
10.) Old Photo Pro - FREE Want to take a trip back in time? Upload a photo to the Old Photo Pro application and see what it would look like in the olden days, complete with scratches and torn paper at the edges. Just like the before and after photo of my camping spot in Florida. I can see what life would look like camping in the olden days...you know when they camped with this exact same tent.
11.) Tilt Shift Generator - $.99 As a bonus, my top 10 list goes to 11! If you want a SLR camera feel, but want it on your camera phone, use this application. From the photo you already took, you can upload it to this application, focus on one area on your pic and the application blurs the rest. As an example below, the first is the original pic, second is using the Tilt Shift Generator to put Max in focus and blur the rest, and the third is using the Tilt Shift Generated photo in Camera Bag with the Lolo effect with border. Confusing? You'll get the hang of it once you play around on your phone for a while with the applications. Need time? Take a six month road trip alone with no phone reception or television to keep you busy and you will learn all of these pretty fast.
I hope this post gives you some ideas to create your own personal style and most of all, have some fun with it!
Resolution word of warning: As with all camera phone photographs, you won't get the highest quality in resolution so use caution. Some of the apps will lessen the resolution of the photo once you take it.
As an example, this phograph I took using the hipstamatic app was selected to participate in the Fotoweek DC road show in the camera phone category but was later rejected because the resolution was too low. Hipstamatic has now changed a feature to include a higher resolution photo.
It's about that time... time to pack up everything I need to live in a 6x10 foot space full time. Yes, I am going to live in my van with my dog, Max in a few weeks. This is our fourth year on the road and I am looking forward to this year more than ever. 
