And So It Begins

It started in the beginning of senior year, August 2015. Everything was exciting and new. Summer was over, but I was ready for a change. One of the first activities we, the senior class, were given to do was to plan our Senior Retreat. We stayed at a hotel for a night and bonded/worked.

 There was a new student in the class named Elysea. I didn't know much about her, but I soon found out that she loves photography, so we had our first photography adventure on the retreat. 

Elysea

Me

 It didn't take long to figure out that our styles are very similar. We are inspired by the same things, so basically nature and bokeh. 

 This was just the first of many photography adventures we would have together.

summer stories

Summer of 2015 was a rollercoaster. I spent time in a country I once called home. I am always filled with an initial sense of wonder when I visit England. I love the beautiful flowers everywhere, even the ones decorating the plain roadside. I love the countryside and the photography opportunities at every turn. 

I  go for walks when I'm in England. My grandparents live five minutes away from the sea and I often walk down there with my family. One day, on a whim, my brother Johnny and I decided to swim in the freezing cold ocean. I was stepping out of my shell in  an attempt to be adventurous. It was exciting. 

In 2014, my other half, my sister Mary graduated. Living in different countries is challenging, but I am thankful for the opportunity to see her for the summer. We stayed with her in Leicester and she took us on walks and to nature reserves. 

 My great uncle has a wonderful farm. I have been playing on that farm since I was five. There is a big pond that that we swim in or paddle in. It's a beautiful pond surrounded by weeping willows and filled with red and white water lilies. We go on walks around the farm. We ride my uncle's tractor, car, and buggy until the tires fall off or one of us crashes or until the battery falls out. We get chased by herds of cows from one field to another. 

 It has become tradition to go to the farm with my favourite family, the Wilkinsons. They are an incredible group of adventure seeking people with the lovely ability to make others feel relaxed and at home. Mary and I have been best friends with Poppy and Ruby since birth and it's great how our friendship continues even after 12 years apart. Each summer I try to have a photoshoot with either Poppy or Ruby. Ruby was in Africa for most of my visit to England, so I spent a lot of time and energy trying to convince the beautiful Poppy to get in front of the camera. She has such a delicate beauty it was a delight to capture it. I persuaded 10 minutes of her time from her on our outing to the farm. This is the result: 

 We ended our summer holiday in Spain where we spent our days swimming in the pool, eating, and swimming in the ocean. My grandparents (from my Dad's side) retired in there, because England was too cold for them. I love the sun soaked lands and the sparkling waters of Spain.