I am over on the ViewFinders blog today discussing what my “why” is when it comes to photography. Sometimes, I need to remember what feeds me when it comes to this art from; and maybe you do too.
Finding my “why”

I am over on the ViewFinders blog today discussing what my “why” is when it comes to photography. Sometimes, I need to remember what feeds me when it comes to this art from; and maybe you do too.
I’m over on the Viewfinders blog on this fine Friday. You should totally click over and see what I was up to last weekend.
I am blogging on the Viewfinders today. Feeling the black and white photography once again, and loving the inky blacks of the water along the Whidbey Island, Washington shores. I would love to have you click over and see more from this series.
I am over on the ViewFinders blog today discussing ways my photography has been moving forward since relocating to the Pacific Northwest. Join me for the conversation and inspiration.
I am sharing some magical moments today on the ViewFinders blog. Come on over and see what I have to say.
I am thrilled to announce the launch a brand new photography collaboration. It’s been hard to keep this quiet as the 14 other woman and I have been working behind the scenes getting things set up and ready. But today, we LAUNCH and the site is beautiful.
Photography is so much more to me than just clicking a button. I love the community (like these silly humans in the photo below who I met through an a year of self-portraits class).
Take a walk on over to the new Viewfinders and have a look around.
We can also be found on all your favorite social media sites:
Instagram, @viewfinders_io
Twitter, @_viewfinders
Last year I was invited to participate in an amazing project. A group of photographers, all of whom I had “met” via the photo sharing platform, Flickr, had decided they missed the community and friendships we had on the old social media site. We wanted to have a place where we could share and celebrate each other’s work AND share it with the world.
With that, The Hours was born. We decided to use the clock as our guide. Each of us photographing within a specific hour of the day, changing and moving up the hour every month. What happened next was beautiful. The blog became a space that I loved to stop by every Sunday morning. It is a quiet, calm stop along the internet. While some of the women had a plan for the full year (shoot all film, black and white processing only, photos of specific family member), I didn’t over think it or make it too structured. I wanted my year to unfold on it’s own (and boy, did it ever). All but one of my images was taken with my DSLR, the exception was shot with my iPhone and taken on the day before we relocated from Reno, NV to Tacoma, WA.
I always love looking back at a year of my photography and life. (Want to see my much larger year long projects? Here is 2011, 2012, and of course my self portrait series of 2013) . When I look back over a year worth of work, I see where I have grown and how my photography has stayed consistent. I get to day dream about our adventures and our every day moments. Maybe in the 2015 round of The Hours, I will have more of a plan. With that said, here’s to a huge 2014! So much change, so much adjusting, so many great adventures.
7am
8am
9am
10am
11am
12pm
1pm
2pm
3pm
4pm
5pm
6pm
It has been a busy week of blogging for me, it might not seem like it since this space has been very quiet, but I am sharing thoughts and photos elsewhere and it’s pretty wonderful. Want to hear my take on how song (this month’s theme on Our Collective)? Click over and have a read.
How about the language of summer time? I have a sweet little poem and set of polaroids to share with you today on Mortal Muses.
Another installment of 2pm images went live on Sunday over on The Hours.
And get ready, because I have some awesome blogs in the works. Wedding, family and an adorable couple. You are going to want to keep up, so stay tuned!
Keep chasing that light, Vanessa
Have you played with the new app, Steller? A few weeks ago, fellow Muse, Kirstin wrote about it and ever since I have been hooked. Today, I am talking about how this simple app is helping me find inspiration and use my photography to tell better stories. Check it out over on Mortal Muses.
Keep chasing the light, Vanessa
PS I am @vanessa over on Steller, if you want to follow along.
A few months back I was asked to assist and take part in a very special photo shoot. I wasn’t the photographer, that was the lovely and talented, Kaylynne. I did get to photograph behind the scenes and meet a crew of people that I truly enjoyed. From the stylist, to the models, to the sweet women that make up OffTract I was filled up with creativity and inspiration. I also made a few friends (and saw a few that I hadn’t in many years, much to my surprise).
Meeting and working with the women of the OffTract blog was fantastic. I started talking with Anna, our kids went to the same elementary school when I was in Reno, so I would run into here some mornings. I told her I was very interested in contributing and participating with their blog. Lucky for me, she sent me a message last month and asked me to do a story about The Hours project I had been posting about. Yesterday, my post went live. I hope you take a moment to click on over and read more about me and this fantastic photography project, and then make another click over to The Hours. I promise, you won’t be disappointed.
Thanks again to the OffTract ladies for having me share. I hope I get to see you all this summer when I visit the biggest little city.
Keep chasing the light,