wanderlost or lust

Hello everyone!  Oh my goodness!  It’s been so long since I’ve written a blog post and I sincerely missed it.  So much has happened in the last couple of months since starting YouTube that writing has been put on the back burner, unintentionally.  You can do anything, but you can’t do everything, am I right?

So I’m really excited to just be able to sit down, wirte and share this post with you because it’s more than just me in a pretty dress in a field of wildflowers; the story behind this creative day is one for the books.

If you follow me on Instagram, you may know that I recently traveled to Seattle and Vancouver for the first time.  I try to make it a point to connect with other creatives when I travel to a new city, whether it’s a coffee/tea meet up or if I’m fortunate a photoshoot!

I really wanted to capture a beautiful editorial fashion look while I was out in the Pacific Northwest, so a few months ago I reached out to a local photographer and we started to plan to work on a shoot.  I thought I had everything planned out to the tiniest detail but as you know, life happens and some things are completely out of your control.

A few days before my trip the photographer I had planned to shoot with had a change in her circumstances and couldn’t shoot me on our planned day.  This left me scrambling to find another photographer last minute.

This was beyond nerve wracking and my cup of anxiety had runneth over.  I had sent out about 15 emails and DMs to local Seattle/Tacoma photographers, explaining my complicated dilemma and the need of their talent and assistance.

All I got was radio silence.

I was devasted to think all my planning for this shoot would go wasted and I wouldn’t be able to capture the vision I had in my mind.

Of all the photographers I had reached out to, there was this one girl, Carley Jayne, that stuck out visually to me.  Her work was beautiful and varied.  She could do light and airy as well as dark and moody.  She worked with brides, babies and bloggers.  She also had a really cute IG profile picture and honestly looked like we could be friends IRL, so I thought we would be a perfect match creatively.  So I decided to reach out to her one more time.  This time I texted her instead of using social media.

I had given up hope and was going to just call it quits when Carley texted me back.  Not only was she  excited to help me out, she was super kind to me and my dillema and I could tell she was a genuinely sweet person.  Her kind words were enough to set my anxious heart at ease.

Not only would she be able to shoot, she wanted to play tourguide and show me around her favorite spots in her hometown of Tacoma, including Stadium High, the high school where the movie ’10 Things I Hate About You’ was filmed!

Needless to say, I was beyond relieved to find Carley.  But, on paper this entire situation could seem a little odd.

I mean we are practically two strangers meeting each other for the first time that found each other on the ‘gram.  But the funny thing about life, some things just fall into place and work out better than we could have ever planned.

We planned to shoot on my last full day in Washington.  Carley picked me up from my hotel, and after our official IRL introductions, helped me load my luggage into her car and off we went to scout out the location for this first look.

Carley is seriously a Godsent.  There was no awkwardness between us!

We soon got to talking about all things life, love, beauty, food, society, creativity and so much more.

Looking back at our day together I can’t believe we started out the day as virtual strangers but by the end of it I can truly call her a friend.

Carley and I stumbled upon the most perfect field of wildflowers.

We pulled over and there may or may not have been some minor tresspassing required, but we shot the day away.  We told stories of ourselves as we chased pretty light.  It was truly amazing, vibing, laughing, and connecting with her.  Her gleeful squeals after each shot was contagious and made me feel more at ease and confident with every passing minute.

After a long day of shooting amongts pretty flowers and even prettier light, Carley took me to meet her parents (who are just as sweet and kind) at their home so I could shower and freshen up before my flight home to Florida.  Carley even dropped me off at the airport.

I mean, I can’t even explain how perfect this day went.  I could not have planned it better myself.  I was able to travel to a new city, mean a new friend, wear pretty dresses and yes, get a little lost, but was totally found.

Not all who wander are lost, right… 

Photos by Carley Jayne Photography

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