The Story So Far...

     Oh hey, hi there.... Long time, no see! I can't say I have any jaw dropping excuses to accompany the lack of posts, but I do have some sort of explanation for you: I suppose, like everyone eventually does, I needed a break. It can get pretty frustrating living your life through a single lens and ironically, you don't see as much as one would think. When your main concern is getting the perfect lighting, angle, camera specs, etc, you lose sight of what is actually important and the emotion you're really trying to convey. After a while, focusing on being so perfect only made me feel like photography was more of a chore than an enjoyable activity for me. I decided to put down the camera and just LIVE. With the ending of 2016, I had a feeling the new year was going to bring lots of changes for me. If you don't change, than you don't grow in my opinion. All of these life changes were for the better, but I really needed time to process it all and, like I said before, just live. Wake up in the morning, staring at my love, eating breakfast on the porch and noticing the bird noises, the wind, the waves crashing against the dock. Even hearing Cooper (the dog) grunt while he eats is so incredibly heart warming to me because I'm focused on the moment itself and not concerned with getting the perfect shot. I've learned so much about life just setting down my camera and living in the moment. I'm not creating any realities or posing a shot for more likes on Instagram; I'm present in each moment, trying to soak up all the sunshine this summer offers me. That being said, I'll never put down my camera for good. My camera is my heart and soul, but also one of the only ways I'm comfortable openly expressing myself and my creativity. Through this I've learned that there needs to be a happy medium; an equal balance of living your life and getting those great shots when the time presents itself. There's no need to be perfect, beauty is already everywhere around you, just learn to really see it and enjoy it. Put down your camera for a minute and really observe what you're looking at- how green are the leaves of a fern? What about it captures your attention? The more questions you can answer, the easier it will become for you to convey any emotion through your shots. 
     Before my rambles get out of control, I figured this was a good place to wrap things up. I hope you enjoy the few pictures I was able to capture so far this year. Maybe I've even inspired you in a different aspect of your life- either way, just put down your laptop or cell phone and just LIVE. Go for a walk and really observe your surroundings, you'll thank me later. 

Love always, 
Jacqueline

The Winter Blues...

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Springtime Sunshine

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Garden Growth 

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