During my trip to Cincinnati, after a battle with one way streets and Google Maps, I spent some time at Eden Park and the Krohn Conservatory for the Krohn Butterfly Show. The Silk Road exhibit was fabulous and fascinating and in between being a butterfly taxi via my shirt, I found a few minutes to take a few pictures!

Labels: freelance

Finally home...but with many memories of a great trip back home! I had the pleasure of spending a fabulous day with a truly amazing woman on my trip to Cincinnati. A few years ago sitting in my favorite English class as the University of Cincinnati, eagerly awaiting the start of "Peer Review Day" in Sue Sipple's English Composition, I had the opportunity of meeting Amanda. The rest is pretty much history. We took time out from our well planned day for a fabulous photo shoot at my favorite park, Sharon Woods. Trading the camera back and forth between the two of us, I realized that Amanda is a very creative photographer! She and I definitely need to do more collaborating in the future!

Labels: portraits

Growth is essential to life. And in growing there are always things we must leave behind in order to make it to the next plateau; in order to achieve our full potential as individuals. Perhaps in some ways, we will find ourselves grieving the loss of the things we must leave behind so much that we miss they glorious feat of looking forward to the things we might soon experience. While we will deny it at the time we are about to step into unfamiliar territory, hindsight is always 20/20. The things we leave behind prepare us for that which we are soon to meet, and in retrospect all that we have met undoubtedly becomes a part of us; intrinsically linked. As I prepare for and look forward to my trip back home this coming week, I am saturated by the desire to reconnect and reacquaint with just a small handful of individuals to whom I am very close. I am overwhelmed by the need to visit all of the places from my early childhood...the parks, the nature shows, the shopping centers, and even the grocery. I feel as though in some ways I will be stepping into an entirely new city that I have never seen before. I find myself forgetting how to navigate to certain locations, and undoubtedly seeking comfort and solace with the likes of mapquest and GoogleMaps. And just the same I feel as though I know every back road and "best kept secret" there is to know; as if I have only been on an extended vacation. I feel as though it will be the coalescence of the best city ever and a new me. "I have changed," comes the forewarning to my close friends. "I'm just different...you will see," I told them. "I'm a little more this, and a little less of that." Sometimes a change of scenery is all it takes. Even still, a part of me can't help but wonder what it will be like. Will seeing old faces be an awkward moment of silence followed by an, "It's so nice to see you." Or will it be an affectionate reception followed by lots of laughs, great food, wonderful conversation, and amazing photo ops? I'm not sure. I know what I hope it will be. Then again, hindsight is always 20/20.

Labels: freelance

Last week I had the pleasure of spending an afternoon at Atlantic Beach with WIll, Skylar, and Sienna. The weather was gorgeous and in between shots, King Will and Queen Skylar and I had fun building a royal sand castle. King Will was kind enough to tell Queen Skylar and me about the many adventures he and his turtle, Mr. Will, had experienced. :) Below are just a few of my favorite shots from our fun session!

Labels: children

I've been excited for the Butterfly Festival at Tree Hill since a friend told me about it last year. I remember frequenting the Krohn Conservatory for the butterfly show and garden expo growing up. It was something I always looked forward to and enjoyed immensely. I was definitely excited to attend something similar in the 'Ville! One thing that still continues to fascinate me is that butterflies have a great sensitivity to touch. It is either good or bad. Certain kinds of touch will make them spread their wings, and move closer to the object or person touching them. Other kinds of touch will cause them to close up, make them very still, or even make them fly away. It's so similar to our natural reaction as humans! As I continue my study in psychology it is something of which I consciously make myself more and more aware. In preparing for my upcoming trip back to Cincinnati, I am beyond words excited to visit the Butterfly Show at the Krohn Conservatory. It is the 75th Anniversary of the Krohn Conservatory and I know The SIlk Road is going to be absolutely amazing. So perhaps here is just a prelude of more pictures to come!

Labels: freelance

One of the really wonderful things about moving from Cincinnati to the 'Ville is having the beach in my backyard! Since I was five years old I have wanted to move to Florida. Leaving a place I love was very difficult but new experiences, new scenery, and meeting new people is something for which to be entirely grateful. As I continue to get to explore unfamiliar territory, in many ways, and find the best kept secrets, I find that I am very often inclined to drive east, in bare feet and rolled up jeans, until the road ends and the water begins. But not without my canon, of course!

Labels: freelance