Bolivia, Part 2: Cochabamba

March 16, 2015 in travel, personal

I travelled to Cochabamba after landing in La Paz. It's a beauuutiful city. I saw the Cristo via Cochabamba's own cable car, saw the movie Paddington dubbed in Spanish in theaters, ate ice-cream in the plaza 14 de septiembre, bought flowers in a market in Quillacollo, and waded through crowds in La Cancha - a huge market known for its pickpockets.

here's where I was:

The less glamorous side of travel isn't as fun to talk about, but here it is... I walked on packed sidewalks with a broken backpack, sweaty and tired, arrived at 1am on a bus with no air conditioning, and received my share of stares as a mochillera (a backpacker).

panorama of cochabamba after a rain - with a cloud settled into the hills

intersection of Av. Aroma and San Martín, deceivingly empty on a holiday

Cristo de la Concordia in the distance, a statue of Christ 40m tall on el cerro de San Pedro — Cristo de la Concordia in the distance, a statue of Christ 40m tall on el *cerro de San Pedro*

35mm film. taken in Sacaba, a suburb of Cochabamba.

35mm film. taken in the Botanical Gardens of Cochabamba

I like to stay in one place for a long time as opposed to bouncing around day after day. It's more relaxing that way, and I get a deeper understanding of that place rather than the flash highlights from a guidebook. Staying longer means experience more of everything, the good, the bad, the awkward, and the amazing. And now I know how to use the Bolivian trufi (8-person vans) system...mostly.

continue reading:

Bolivia, Part 3: Vinto here
Bolivia, Part 4: Carnaval in Oruro here

Bolivia, Part 1: La Paz

February 24, 2015 in travel

I landed in La Paz, Bolivia (elevation 4,000m), early in the morning on January 22nd. La Paz is the administrative capital of Bolivia, known for its distinctive geography and for being one of the highest capital cities in the world. Hello lack of oxygen and gorgeous views. Motto of La Paz: camine lento, come poco y duerme solo (walk slowly, eat little, and go to bed alone). Check.

Carrie

January 07, 2015 in portrait

I had a vague idea of what I wanted to do for this shoot, done during the last day of finals week. One swimmer friend and a dark-colored bed-sheet later, this is what came out:

Athena

January 04, 2015 in studio, portrait, dance

Athena has trained in classical ballet and pointe and competes in pole vaulting for Grinnell. Yep.

2014 in Review

December 31, 2014

I took a lot of photos this year...like a lot. Looking through my Lightroom collections I realized how many beautiful humans have passed in front of my camera, however briefly. *click photos to enlarge*

First shoot of 2014 was a cold one.  Full post here — First shoot of 2014 was a cold one. Full post **here**

The beautiful cacao seeds from La Iguana Chocolate in Mastatal, Costa Rica.  Check out their website here. — The beautiful cacao seeds from La Iguana Chocolate in Mastatal, Costa Rica. Check out their website here.

See the full blog post from Costa Rica here, or click the 'Costa Rica Gallery' in the main menu. — See the full blog post from Costa Rica **here**, or click the 'Costa Rica Gallery' in the main menu.

Some of the women of the Grinnell College swim team after winning the 2014 MWC meet. — Some of the women of the Grinnell College swim team after winning the 2014 MWC meet.

What is life without a portrait of a chicken?  Photographed at Sasha Farm in Manchester, Michigan — What is life without a portrait of a chicken? Photographed at **Sasha Farm** in Manchester, Michigan

Pike Place market in Seattle - see the full post here — Pike Place market in Seattle - see the full post **here**

Nebraska Girls' Shakespeare Co. (see their website here)

My first big family shoot!  It was such a fun challenge. — My first big family shoot! It was such a fun challenge.

My fabulously talented friend.  Her Facebook page is here. — My fabulously talented friend. Her Facebook page is **here.**

New for me in 2014: studio lighting! It's amazing how much there is to learn, and I am so pleased with how it has turned out (even with the standard off-white paint of my college dorm room).

AltBreak

November 11, 2014 in personal

During fall-break I participated in an alternative break (AltBreak) trip to an animal sanctuary in Manchester, Michigan. SASHA is a pretty cool place that takes care of over 300 animals, including two cows with special needs, an emu, rescued battery cage chickens and roosters from cock fights, goats, turkeys, and pot-bellied pigs. Our group of ten volunteers spent five days shoveling manure, cleaning out stalls, and feeding and watering the animals, and when I wasn't working I was taking photos. *click photos to enlarge*

Beautiful fall morning as we walk to the farm from the volunteer house

Pot-belly pig all grown up (the cute tea-cup pigs you see on Pinterest don't stay tiny forever).

There was lots of poop scoopin'...or manure re-distribution, whichever is more glamorous

“Animals are, like us, endangered species on an endangered planet, and we are the ones who are endangering them, it, and ourselves. We owe them, at the very least, to refrain from harming them further. If no more, we could leave them be.”

— Jeffery Masson, author of When Elephants Weep

The fellow on the left was rescued from a cock fighting ring, and was successfully re-integrated with the flock

Group bonding time making caramel pecan chocolate turtles after dinner!

One of three miniature ponies on the farm on the field glittering with frost

Turkey feeding time.  They're pretty voracious eaters, and super curious (aka will try to eat anything they can peck at). — Turkey feeding time. They're pretty voracious eaters, and super curious (aka will try to eat anything they can peck at).

The emu was very affectionate...she had lost her mate and had become depressed but is now returning to her lively self

Helen, one of the cow with special needs, got lots of love

This fellow was particularly dubious about my camera

The pigs really liked the organic fruit donated by Whole Foods.  With humans they were the gentlest creatures (with each other it was a different story). — The pigs really liked the organic fruit donated by Whole Foods. With humans they were the gentlest creatures (with each other it was a different story).

Glamour shot.  She really knew how to work the camera — Glamour shot. She really knew how to work the camera

Alex had a lot of followers when she was holding the fruit bucket

Clamouring for scrambled eggs.  All volunteers on the farm eat a plant-based diet (including everyone in our group for the time we were there), and so the chickens get the nutrients in the eggs they lay fed back to them. — Clamouring for scrambled eggs. All volunteers on the farm eat a plant-based diet (including everyone in our group for the time we were there), and so the chickens get the nutrients in the eggs they lay fed back to them.

Maurice, the newest chicken to the farm, was in quarantine until she could be integrated with the rest of the roost (fun fact: I helped name her)

Human feeding time: roasted sweet potatoes with herbs, thanks to Alex.  Nom nom. — Human feeding time: roasted sweet potatoes with herbs, thanks to Alex. Nom nom.

(Vegan) Banana split cake.  Kinda crazy looking, very yummy tasting. — (Vegan) Banana split cake. Kinda crazy looking, very yummy tasting.

Fearless, the rescued Doberman, was quite the sweetheart

This photo could not get any more Midwest: tractor, red barn, farm dog, work gloves, and muck boots

Candid dog kiss.  Fearless had to get a cyst removed (hence the stitches), so he got extra love — Candid dog kiss. Fearless had to get a cyst removed (hence the stitches), so he got extra love

Do you have food? // SASHA is a bit unusual in that they have 30 rescued cattle, which involves a lot of work (also, lots of hay is involved).  A $5 donation can buy a 50lb (22kg) bag of food, or almost two bales of hay.  Donations (link h… — Do you have food? // SASHA is a bit unusual in that they have 30 rescued cattle, which involves a lot of work (also, *lots* of hay is involved). A $5 donation can buy a 50lb (22kg) bag of food, or almost two bales of hay. Donations (link **here**) go directly to SASHA.

Filling the manure spreader, to be taken and spread out over a field

We stopped in Chicago to switch trains, and had time to eat pizza (vegan) at the Blaze.  Om nom nom pesto. — We stopped in Chicago to switch trains, and had time to eat pizza (vegan) at the Blaze. Om nom nom pesto.

Chicago street scene during our layover.  If I liked big cities I would like Chicago...and Seattle.  See the photos from Seattle here. — Chicago street scene during our layover. If I liked big cities I would like Chicago...and Seattle. See the photos from Seattle **here.**

A video documenting our trip, including (most notably) footage of the emu, chickens eating scrambled eggs, and a poop time lapse that I'm very proud of. Make sure to click 'HD' to see it in all it's glory.

Overall it was a full week spent working, making new friends, and having really good discussions. Thanks to SASHA for having us and for Grinnell College AltBreak for sponsoring the trip!

Film Roll

November 07, 2014 in personal

This is my third roll of color film, shot mostly from fall break, and it's my favorite yet. So excited for how these turned out (because let's be honest, it's still a crap-shoot for me shooting film as a mostly-digital shooter). Shout out to anyone who exclusively used film (thanks, Mom, for all the great baby photos of me shot using film!). P.S. - none of these were enhanced after they were processed (the luscious color is all due to the film/beautiful fall colors of Michigan).

Gored my hand with a spiky plant to get this shot.  Worth it. — Gored my hand with a spiky plant to get this shot. Worth it.

I travelled to Manchester, Michigan, to volunteer as part of an alternative break (AltBreak) with SASHA, an animal sanctuary (which is why there is a pig and donkeys in this post). These beings were really cool to get to know. I hope they thought the same of me (but they probably wondered why I had a movable, large third eye that clicked at them). A post with digital shots of the trip is coming soon.

Alex & Linda

November 02, 2014 in portrait

This forest filled with beautiful golden afternoon light was perfect for portraits of these two beautiful young women. This gorgeous place was only a short walk from the animal sanctuary we were volunteering at over fall break. Meant to be...

Linda's creative vision of having the leaves fall around Alex comes to life

Fun fact: they both have twin sisters :)

Film Roll

October 10, 2014 in personal

Fujifilm 200 shot on a Minolta X-700, August - September 2014

rainy mornings // view from my dorm room

casual saturday morning shot // gorgeous lighting

Studio Lighting 101

October 08, 2014 in portrait, studio

I took the plunge and purchased studio lighting (knowledge of how to use it not included). Thanks to some awesome studio lighting tutorials by CreativeLive and patient friends willing to model, here is the first batch of studio-lit portraits.