kayla chayylielle's baptism: the photo shoot

I almost forgot to share these. I have so much to thank Gail for. He's such a sweetheart. Working with him couldn't be easier, given the fact that both of us (with my husband) are awkward penguins. It's amazing how his camera and composition can capture the "heart" in these moments.

If you're interested to book Gail and his team, visit Foreverydayphoto where you can find more of his works plus info and other tidbits.

"I'm not gonna tell you that you're beautiful." by Hannah Brencher

(Source: "I'm not gonna tell you that you're beautiful." by Hannah Brencher)

My colleagues aren't so bad, but sadly probably me being too insensitive, there are times those boys can be so rude. They used to talk, and very loudly to add on that, about my and my husband's sex life. I don't mind sharing friendly stories, but no exchange happened. They kind of just dug in to my personal book and started yapping. The imaginations were the worst. [Guys! Seriously?! That is VERY private!]

Today, well... today I was "categorized" as, for lack of a better term, ugly. Then I read this inspiring piece from Hannah Brencher. I love how she brings out the forgotten value of the word "beauty". Here are snippets, which are IMO so beautifully and powerfully written.

"Beautiful is loud footsteps. Knowing the weight of your own footsteps, not your torso. Beautiful is knowing that you came here to make a ruckus. Beautiful is being so big & bright that it makes it impossible for people to take their eyes off you. Always they will wonder, what will that one do next?"

I’m just going to tell you that you’re kind of strange. You’re kind of quirky in the sense that no one ever fully understands the person that you are so you carry it like a secret between your smirked lips. Yes, you’ve been waiting for a moment to prove people wrong. I cannot wait to see that day.

I’m not gonna tell you that you’re beautiful. You have not needed to know you’re beauty so much as you’ve needed to see that you’re capable.

Struggles are going to make you a fighter.

You’re not going to survive them, you are going to absolutely obliterate them.

I’m not gonna tell you you’re dainty, and fragile, and a flower in the field. I’m not gonna turn you into a delicate line of poetry when you were born with so much feist & zeal & madness inside of you. How dare the world not tell you, right from the start, that you are some kind of warrior.

Darling, you’re adequate. While dancing. While speaking. While ugly crying. While spitting game. While struggling. While fighting. While laughing like a lunatic. While singing Taylor Swift at the top of your lungs. While slamming the door and walking away. In every little crook of you stands some sort of adequacy that the world would do anything to keep you unconvinced of.

And the best thing you might be able to do today is get outside, thank the skies for this day, and be the best darn broken piece of lovely you can be. Broken loveliness is the world’s most common language. We all speak it so we might as well get fluent.

---

So, here's my remark, which is also a love letter.

To you Mr.,

Yes, I am a hairline close to becoming a whale. And that is fine. I mean, I will (should be) soon take care of my body. But hell no, it will never be to satisfy you and get on your standards of "sexiness". I will be healthy for my family and for the people who matter and give a damn. So yes, I am nowhere near sexy. But listen when I say...

I am brave. I have the heart. I am a dreamer. I have the guts. I am capable and smart and talented. I have enough love to learn and grow. I am fire. I have every motivation to fight. And yes I may not be "pretty", but you're wrong, I, believe it or not, am adequately beautiful.

---

Edit: I forgot to mention how I came to find Hannah. A friend, Rachel, quoted a few lines from the same piece on her Facebook page. She was so kind to tag all of us darlings to her post. Long story short, I love what I read, I googled, and ping! I said hello to Hannah.

my [little] food collection

So that post kind of warmed me up. I visited my [so out-dated] portfolio, and found the photos under the food category. Thought I'd share a few.







Nothing compared to David's, I know. (But just in case) You can find the whole set here.

food photography: David Prince

I am a frustrated food photographer. Prolly have to do with being an annoying "copyist", I can't seem to apply that appropriate "feel" to my food photos; they always don't look "enough" for me. So you can imagine my amazement upon seeing these yummies from David Prince.









You can see more from his portfolio.

beautifully dreary

August this year wasn't so nice to me. It was in fact one of the most terrible months by far. I lost two things, A. my cellphone and B. my camera, which may be non-living things but (I consider) very much valuable nonetheless. I don't kissykissyhug a gadget and I don't follow trends, BUT! Aside from the fact that it cost us (sorry my dear husband) almost twice my monthly paycheck, it hurts because I loved them for the one thing I was certain about myself, i.e. photography. Don't get me wrong, I'm not sulking (not too much anyway), but it hurts to see people with their cameras. My fault entirely, I wouldn't be this emotional if I ain't following (and on a daily basis, to add on that) different photography blogs. But who could get out and enough of them amazing art really?










(Source: odd, even)