DenverArtMuseum Culture Paper..

So the journey to the Denver Art Museum during the first week in Colorado was amazing. 

Not only because of the incredible art I was experiencing, but the incredible people I was getting to know. We walked up and down the floors, studying the photos, the sculptures, the oriental art, the costumes, furnishings and the views out the windows.

It was a beautiful day full of wonders - everywhere I looked was something new, a new piece of eye-candy to just devour. But the new sights didn't end with what was on the walls. Looking around into the faces of girls (plus Roddy) that would soon become my best friends at college. There were bonding moments over the photography. Bonding moments over the old chinese scripts on the wall. 

There was Taiwanese culture, old english culture, culture from Sweden, Kentucky, Colorado, Montana, Oregon, Missouri, Scotland and more.

I learned so much about Denver, about the beautiful faces around me, about life on the Discoveries Trip :) 

SaLLY maNN.

This haunting image of the amazing photographer is so powerful, just like her work.

She somehow, magically and mystically, transforms what is a simply beautiful view into a complete vision - a piece that the onlooker is sure to never forget. Her photography really inspires the romantic and peaceful feeling one would get from enjoying a day out in the nature with those you love. Okay, maybe not this self portrait. But her other landscape photographs are truly mesmerizing. 

There is something about the way she prints them and the techniques she uses that transforms the imperfections throughout the process. The "mistakes" or imperfections that develop only add to the mystery and mystique of the art.

Her work and the passion she has for the things she photographs really instills within me a desire to make art that will last. Art that I will want to look back on years from now and smile, remember, or experience it all over again.

It's magic.

There's a first for everything...

Obviously I've been taking pictures for a very long time... but mostly digitally. And even back when I used film when I was younger, I didn't ever develop or print myself. Well! That officially changed today - This is a photo of my very first black and white print. I am actually really excited about how it turned out. Hopefully there are more to come - yes, it takes tons more time, but I think they are absolutely beautiful and the process is somewhat therapeutic, I would say :)

Halloween POWer!!

EMotionaL. power, 

potential, FEELinG.

This girl.

a little bit crazyy.

Like this picture, my roommate is a little bit crazy.

She loves chocolate covered coffee beans.

She can't get outdoors enough.

She either talks REALLY loud or ... laughs REALLy loud.

She gives the strongest hugs.

She's pretty much... amazing.

I love this shot - taken during her self portraits the other day in class - of her just goin crazy like she does. She makes me smile and I am so glad I have her here in my life!!

<3

Hylaea.Culture.Paper.

A multi-media installation at Penrose, what an awesome and new experience for me. Going with our fsem, tasting the yummy hor'dourves (which really made a great impression on all of us before looking at the pieces...), and hearing Timothy Weaver himself talk about this project that has been in the works for over a year was really interesting. 

Yet, what struck me the most was his use of extensive media. His interest for biology and how it collides with art was apparent and striking. Weaver talked of his passion for these birds that have gone extinct or are close to it, how we've driven them to be that way, how unnatural it all is. He used projection onto a screen at the bottom of the staircase (not only a different media, but a totally new way of viewing art while looking down the stairs), compiled printed squares of birds' beaks, feathers, necks... He had a video with the sounds of the birds in it as well.

His work was beautiful and striking. I quickly took this photo with my camera while observing his art upstairs. Near the pieces on the wall was also a smaller sculpture of a bird - I believe it is a permanent piece in the library, but it complimented his installation wonderfully. Just the thought and mastermind that went behind the project was apparent and really managed to affect me. The stillness of the library contrasted the birds' calls and the fact that many of them are gone for good from existence, alive only within the pages we read. Art... yet on a completely different plane... 

Art alive and flying!

Through the Trees...

This picture is cool, but it is more about the limitations of photography. This moment was beautiful - on our PLP retreat, the full moon shining through the trees, the fire crackling behind us, a feeling of togetherness. But a photo can't capture those feelings. A photo can't capture the brightness of the moon, the brisk cold hugging our shoulders, the happiness in my heart :) 

I still like the image, the looming, comforting moon...

Composits.

This weekend has been absolutely crazy!! I loved these few shots of things I love - nature, sunshine, smiles, my roommate, dressing up, blue skies, fall.... Life may be absolutely insane, it may never seem to stop going three-hundred miles per hour, but somehow we manage to continue laughing, to still enjoy those moments when the surroundings take your breath away... LiFe is wonderful: as long as you have those you love around you, how could you go wrong?! 

<3

StreetCorner.

Going on my usual Thursday night date with my friend from back home, this poster really struck me. I don't know if it is because I've been thinking about advertising and what works and what doesn't, or whether it was just simply eye-catching. Regardless, I think the advertiser did something unique with the colors and layout of the poster that really made onlookers look again. I thought the shot was interesting - a phone shot - with the lights disappearing into the background somewhat continuing the concept of the poster.. 

Masquerade anyone?

MuFFiN!

I look forward to these things every morning. The best part about it is that they are NOT a daily breakfast item on the Nelson Dining Hall Menu. So, the chocolate chip muffins that have become my favorite food here at the University of Denver have also become little special surprises in the morning. Some days they are there, more often not. The one that I enjoyed this morning not only made my tummy smile, but was great eye candy, too! Look at all those sugar crystals in that one spot - I just thought it was so funn... a surprise within my surprise :) I just had to CLicK it. 

mmm... Enjoy! 

hmm.. some light in this world.

So after critiquing everyone's Top Ten shots from this quarter the other day, I really got to thinking about light. Roddy, of course, is right. No matter the content of your picture, no matter how fascinating your subject, it just won't be memorable if you have bad light. I see light and notice light everywhere. I notice it in friends' eyes, I notice it through dorm windows. It's beautiful. And here, I personally think I managed to capture a moment when the light hit this tree just right. The light creating that orange aura, that golden glow... well, it just enchanted me. 

kiSs.

While researching Ralph Gibson, I found this picture on "Ronda's Word" Blog (http://collinrl.wordpress.com/ - it isn't exactly clear who took the photo) and it struck me. It may seem like a cliche shot to some, but the idea of the rain, the old cars and the romance just moved me. The water is alive in this photo - splashing the idea of a new relationship with new emotions and desires into the onlooker's eyes. It just captured me, it "CLicKed" with me, so I thought I would share. 

The blog also goes on to talk about how the writer is in a transitional part of their life and I really related. College seems to be a huge transition (I'm just now figuring out how to sleep around here) and it's quite refreshing letting the rain fall onto my face with this photo amidst the craziness of life. 

RalphGiBson.

Ralph Gibson.

A photographer and artist... Though personally I'd say they are one and the same. While on our Destinations trip for Discoveries Week, our lovely freshman seminar class went to the Denver Art Museum and visited the photo exhibit Exposure: Photos from the Vault. Out of a number of photographs, Ralph Gibson's "Woman's Face with Shadow" really captured my attention. It was one of the first ones I saw, but it's image remained engrained in my head as I continued to look at the other pieces in the room. What was it that kept that photo on my mind? Was it her compelling and sultry eye? Is it the way the photo embraces her expression? Was it the shadow that perfectly divided that symmetrical face?

I would say it was all of those things, plus the emotion the piece displayed. There is a hidden longing within her whole being, within the whole photo. Gibson manages to express endless philosophical ideals in that one shot - that every human is equally capable to long for something or to enjoy it, for one to have a black side, or a white, for good and evil, ying and yang. Gibson illustrates how within each of us lies a deeper secret that even the best photographer, friend or even perhaps ourself cannot completely figure out. We may have glimpses of it, slivers of the truth, but as the photo implies, it is impossible to fully understand the whole piece, impossible to really realize who we are and what exactly we are capable of. It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities - "A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human being is constituted to be a profound secret and mystery to every other." Even within the eye of the beholder, there are mysteries in our lives that will never fully be understood. As Dickens delicately uses words to convey this idea, Gibson starkly uses contrast and shadow to get this thought across.

After looking at some of Gibson's other pieces and reading more about him, I have come to understand that there is a transcending message and visual throughout his work. Many of his pieces cannot just by themselves be fully experienced. Many of his photographs are compiled in books, which he has an huge passion for, where the flow and order of his photography is of upmost importance. His messages are fully complete with them compiled side by side. Spacing and layout within his works help to further the visual gift he relays to the onlooker. For me, Gibson's pieces truly are presents that we are given to enjoy and ponder over - that life will always be mysterious, so embrace it.

"I'm convinced that many of Gibson's images will live on. There's a kinetic disposition about them that transcends the printed image." -Claire Skyes, the Radiance of Ralph Gibson.

Henri Cartier-Bresson

Henri Cartier-Bresson. 

Wow. 

I really cannot think of words that can express what Henri Cartier-Bresson's pieces encompass. Every one of his photographs appear to have been created in his mind before hand, perfectly placed and choreographed, staged and then shot. But they are not. 

They are the spontaneous moments that most of us pass by, the quick seconds that are so delicate and short-lived that our memory loses them once they occur. His images are the in-betweens, the sparkles of light that disappear quicker than they appear, and that quick intake of a breath you hear once they pass? Well, he manages to capture the second before - that split moment in time that caused the stunning reaction. 

Cartier-Bresson has an eye - an eye that sees beyond the light, beyond the subject of an image, beyond the technicalities of photography. No, his eye sees the intangible magic spun within every day of our lives. Not only does he see it, he feels it and anticipates it. In this way, he grabs those moments with an agility unsurpassed. This photographer has intuition for art, for what fills our days with the moments that take our breath away. And he takes a picture of it. CLicK. 

Magic. 

Annie.behind.the.lens.

Annie Leibovitz.

Today's assignment, write about Annie. Following an incredible documentary on the history of the photographer's life, it seems fitting to touch on it today. There was a glitch in the system in class today - the internet wasn't working because of all the changes taking place in the art building. On schedule for today was presentations on each of our individual lives and our histories... through photography. Instead, due to the technology technicalities, we watched her documentary. Instead of hearing slash seeing each others' personal lives, we got a little inside view of Annie's. 

And what a life it is has been.

What struck me about this artist (pictured here, a self portrait in 1970 in San Francisco) was not her exemplary and moving pieces, but how versatile and free she is. The way she came across to me does not easily come to my fingertips - she is flowing, honest, ebbing, in motion, a culmination of her past experiences, a product of her time, yet someone who is constantly changing the times in which she resides. It is not easy for me to define her, but through her work I am able to understand it a little bit more. She seems to take on the shapes of her subjects to a certain extent. Before anyone even knew her name as a photographer, she had a way with the camera. But, she was not the one to instigate the job at Rolling Stone... that was her friend's initiative. She went along for the ride, and ended up shooting for a magazine that took the country by storm. Her covers were honest, she consistently seemed to reveal parts of each person/s beautifully and truthfully. I loved her quote in the documentary, that she thinks it's crazy when people believe one picture can capture an entire person. She disagrees. But she does capture something magical at that one moment, whether it is the whole person or just a simple facial expression. Annie acknowledges that people are far too complex to embody within one image. 

She went with the flow of the times, partied like they did, took part in what they experienced, and her pictures reflect that. Her camera was an instrument in which she could relate to the world around her and live through it. She changed with each picture, with each subject. She moved from Rolling Stone to Vogue to Vanity Fair and so on... Throughout all of it, the pictures get more glitzy, more glamourous, more flashy. Though the subjects change, as each day goes by, marvelous pictures never cease to be born. Annie has a gift for seeing light, seeing love, seeing and capturing what the subject may or may not know is on their body and in their heart. Her pieces are breathtaking and her art is her life. 

Passion.

Culture.

Discoveries Orientation at the University of Denver presented all freshmen with many experiences that we will all take with us over the next four years. For me, certain aspects stood out more than others. Number one being the excitement of meeting countless new people that became friends within a few hours. Number two involved a much more cultural situation as I traveled into downtown Denver with my freshman seminar class. Not only did we go to the Denver Art Museum, we had the privilege to discover the world’s first photography gallery. And who was the tour guide? The original founder and visionary for the Camera Obscura Gallery. At the ripe young age of 90, he stood in front of fifteen eager college freshman girls and explained what was obviously written all over his heart – his love of photography. The passion he has for photography shone in his eyes as he pointed out the different prints and importance of each. Every picture has some special meaning for him and reason for being on the old chipped-paint walls. From the way he talked about the gallery, it was apparent he put everything into the little corner house that he could. I have passion in my life, love for the people around me, the ones who care so much, for art and skiing but being in his gallery completely opened my eyes. It gave me a drive to find something I am so absolutely in love with, something that makes me wake up every morning and sends me to sleep with sweet dreams. The Camera Obscura Gallery had blood and sweat and tears poured into it over the years, all so anyone could come in and enjoy this one man’s love of photography. I feel like he wanted to share this beauty he experiences through photos with the rest of the world. He was determined to spread the light and open his doors, welcoming anyone interested into his world of wonder. To experience that little glimpse of his passion was truly moving and something worth a CLiCK. 

Sun and shine.

I love it here. The way the sun refreshes, the way the bikes breathe, the way the smiles revive. Taken quickly from my dorm window, I like the light streaming down onto campus. There is light and life everywhere around here and it persists throughout all aspects of school. Let the sun shine in!! 

SontagRESponse.

            

Imagine a world where light comes only from the outside, where nothing is definite behind your fingertips, where everything is unknown. You would of course begin to create theories of your own. You would imagine explanations that fit only what you can understand, only what you can comprehend within your little caved mind. In some strange way, I guess that is how we are all living. We operate within our own cave, understanding things only how we choose to. Such is photography. We take pictures of how we see the world in ways that we can understand it. Sontag’s passage helps to illustrate the continuity of photography and how humans use it to relate to the world outside of their ‘cave’.

            Personal Histories of Photography. Up until meeting my professor for this freshman seminar class, I always described the class to others as one purely about photography. Once I sat down with the rest of the fourteen girls in the class and our professor, I realized how wrong I was to think this class would just be about photo. I seemed to have totally forgotten the personal part of the title. Within the first few minutes of listening to Roddy, our hilarious and talented professor, I knew his relationship with photography reflected the name he chose for his class. He is personally involved with photography and is so passionate about the art, you can see it in his eyes and the way he expresses himself.

            Through photography, Roddy has found for himself “an ethics of seeing.” Everything he photographs or sees with his intuitive eyes is under scrutiny. What is the light like? Hard or soft? How does the angle look with the image? What am I trying to portray? He has created within his mind a scanning system for creating the best picture he can for that moment. But it is not so much about the content of the picture as what is being experienced at that moment of time. He knows how to live, and those are his ‘ethics of seeing.’

            In the short amount of time I have spent with Roddy and my classmates - friends really – a common theme consistently presents itself. As mentioned in earlier blogs, the class is to be about “light and enlightenment.” My professor sees the world through beautiful patterns of light and relationships in ways that awe me. His ethics involve enjoying the moment, almost savoring the sweet happiness that the world seems to bestow upon him for that specific photo.  For me, my ‘ethics of seeing’ through photography is not quite as passionate as my professor’s.

            I seem to enjoy the captivity of the moment and the split second of time that is seen through the lens.  That the one click of time that Susan Sontag seems to believe “testif[ies] to time’s relentless melt.” For me, that photo celebrates that one moment, and gives it the ability to live on through the years. It is a commemoration of that split second, not necessarily a piece of it that is frozen forever. Photography is an art and a gift and an ability to capture what will eventually change. It is beautiful and I am only now beginning to understand how much of an expression and enjoyment it can be. Here’s to light and enlightenment! 

Hannah Margaret Luvisi

Hannah. Well, from the first time I met her, I liked her. Not because she seemed to be a cool girl, but because of the name. Similarities from the get-go? For sure. 

Not only did she have the same name as me, but she felt the same way about Hannah Montana as I did (I just have to deal with it a bit more because of the fact I actually come from the state). We both were ready to change our names once the little disney star hit the stage. But Hannah has become more to me than just a name-twin over the past week...

Firstly, and most importanly in my opinion, she is silly/gooofy/funny. This picture says it all, along with the quote 'Hola, me llamo Julio Sanchez.' 

This picture of Hannah shows her simplicity and contentment of where she is, especially on the streets of Denver after an exciting Photography trip! She just looks happy in this picture, which is just the kind of person she seems to be so far.  

She is thoughtful and seems to know how to pose for a picture really well :) I love the background and the lighting on the side of her head. It's just a purdy picture! 

Another thing that really sticks out to me about Hannah is her interest in photography. Pictured, she's looking at old prints at the first photo gallery in the world, here in Denver, CO. She looks so intrigued and pensive about the pictures. Getting to know her over the last week has been a blast, along with all the other girls in our Freshman Seminar and it just makes me so excited for all the times we'll have together! YaYy DU. 

Denver. Our New Home!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hlparkes/sets/72157624919998656/

Exploration-Exposure. Destination-Denver.

Our Personal Histories of Photography class went off campus today, exploring Denver and the photography opportunities it embraces. The Art Museum, the lighting around town, the first photo gallery in the world... endless opportunities to learn about "Light and Enlightenment." I loved how we were Exposed to so much, learning more about each other and photography/light along the way! 

MyHistory

Here's little Hannah, picking flowers in Red Lodge, Montana at the age of four. This picture stands out as far as my history through pictures goes. As long as I can remember, my parents have treasured this picture, framing it and keeping it close to their hearts... a childhood memory of their daughter that "is growing up SO fast!" A continuation of my life through pictures can be found at this flickr sight - http://www.flickr.com/photos/hlparkes/sets/72157624910645262/

"Lovely, isn't it?"

Following the first meeting with Roddy McInnes, our future first year seminar teacher, this title of an art piece really stood out to me. He talked about living in the moment, eating that meal like it was your last, snapping that picture as if it was the last time you'd see that subject... and this title seemed to resonate his theme. We've gotta make this life enjoyable, doing the things we love (photography, sports, breathing fresh air, laughing) and making it the happiest life we can. 

Movin On OUt...

This day seemed so long in coming, a day of new beginnings. It was also the closing of a beautiful chapter in my life, saying goodbye to my home of six years, my family of eighteen, the gorgeous scenery of my Montana... the list goes on and on of what I was leaving behind. But, just like my packed car illustrates, I am bringing that history with me where I'm headed. I do not leave anything - experiences, moments, hard times, achievements, let downs - behind. I have become a person because of all my baggage, my colored bags and tubs of a past that will continue to shape who I am. The car was chalk full of whatever we could jam inside (I was smashed into the back in what little space there was left) to bring to my new home, the University of Denver! 

My Place.

I'm behind a photo, so I put in two - both shot right by my house, neither edited. I am going to miss this place. It's full of life, the deer, the grasses, fields, trees... I live somewhat out of town so I really get to enjoy the views of my beautiful Montana. The nice thing about where I'm headed, though, is that mountains are still within reach. Colorado is still in the Rockies, so I know I'll be able to easily adjust. Yet, there is no place like home, right? 

SNap.

Sitting here, getting so excited and ready for this class, for college, for pictures in new places... I thought of this picture, one of my dear friends. It's pertinent to this class - photography - as well as the feelings I have right now. Missing my friends that are gone, anxious to meet new ones, looking beyond, trying to focus. 

Let Down Your Hair!

Camera shot! Didn't turn out too bad, eh? 

A little about me - I LOVE love LoVE Disney princesses. Well, Disney in general, but the classics the best! The movies, the princesses (Belle is my absolute favorite!), the amusement parks, you name it, I'm lovin it. So that they are coming out with a new somewhat "princess-y" movie gets me SO very excited!! I love the animation. And the sappy-romantic-over-played story line of boy meets girl and they go through some difficulties and then fall in love by the end.... Something about it just makes me happy, like peanut butter and Harry Potter. It's a little quirk about me that you just have to just know, like the fact that I am only five feet tall. It's just part of me, and this picture helps to describe it. Most people would walk on by in the movie theatre without a second look. I (having already seen the trailer multiple times on youtube) know the upcoming movie, take a picture and use it on my blog. Yep, that's me! 

Double.Take.

Accidentally shot as I walked down my road today, this shot turned out differently than I expected. Double-take for sure after I uploaded it. It caught my eye not only because of the motion it captured, but the images I could pull from it. It looks as if I could be running, skipping, jumping. The road could be anything, shooting stars (yes, I am now imagining myself running on the skY!), a piece of art, a concrete floor, a blanket. This is my life right now - it's open for the taking. I am so ready to do things that make my heart do a double-take, make me push the boundaries and skip through the sky. I also picture myself running towards something in this picture, towards a new beginning and place. This photo reflects my mood and my day, the dim subdued colors of rain and grayness. I am somewhat behind other friends already busy with college, so this could also be me running towards that new future. 

SpuNK.

As I was explaining yesterday, my sister and I are very close. The best of friends. So, the idea of me leaving in exactly one week from today weighs heavily on both of us. Knowing that Rachel's first game of the season (today) would be the only one I could see all year, of course I signed up for the two hour car ride and craziness involved with every soccer outing. I love it all - the screaming fans, the parents freaking out that their darling little girls (who definitely aren't darling out on the field and who are now seniors in high school) will get hurt, the drama/politics that come with every school sport. But most of all, I love watching my sister play and being there for her. I've done it since I can remember, when we both were running around on the field thinking only of the oranges at halftime. We are partners in crime in everything we do, whether it is side by side or with one of us on the sidelines cheering the other on. Rachel is my hero and one can see from this shot how awesome she must be. She goes into life with full force, getting after that ball like it's the only thing that matters in the world. That's how I want to go into college, into this new journey. With the spirit and spunk (do you see that ponytail!?) that my little sister has. May both of our lives, together or from the sidelines, be full of that love and fun spirit we both have, especially when we're together. <3

Down the Town.

I am starting to realize how with each CliCk I make, each day that goes by, I get closer to college but farther from those I know and love. Yes, I cannot wait to get there - I'm honestly afraid of hurting my family's feelings because I'm so excited - but I do know I will miss them all dearly. Above all my sister, Rachel. Today we were able to spend some quality time together, just giggling and goofing off and shopping, a favorite past time for both of us. Our downtown has this special aura that just makes me love my hometown more than any place on earth. Everyone smiles, walks by and says hi while looking you in the eye, it just has this feeling of comfort for me. This shot was taken with that comfort in mind as well as an appreciation for where I live. The cute boutiques (pictured is the most adorable kids clothing store ever) with their unique storefronts just make the tasteful buildings complete. Just like time with my sister completes me, a walk down Main Street fills me up. And the two combined is just a blast! I take these everyday activities for granted, so it was nice to CliCk them today and appreciate them. 

Side By Side

Okay, this is not an everyday sight so I decided to cliCK it. I have these fake wooden deer in my front yard, meant to add to the scenery of our landscaping, I guess. Ever since my mom brought them home and put them on the porch, I was confused to why we needed them. For me, the endless trains of LiVE deer that pass through our yard everyday suffice, and are much more beautiful. 

But the other night as I was running through my house I glanced outside and saw this scene. And I was just stoked. The live deer among the fake ones. What could be more contradicting yet complimenting? I stealthily ran up to my room to grab my camera and sneak a picture from the upstairs windows - I didn't want to scare the real one away! (I wasn't too worried about the others) What wasn't captured in this shot though was the live deer's fawn hanging around, too. Memorable moment, for sure.

From Japan, With Love

So I first must admit that this picture is not at all my favorite. I took it only because a young girl who touches my heart would not leave me alone until I did. But taking a second look at it later on my phone, I realized how cool it actually is. Both because of its content and its little kid style. Jhazmin, who's name you can read at the top, lives in Japan. She speaks and understands both English (because of her American mother) and Japanese (since she's lived there for the majority of her seven-year-old life). On top of that, she can understand some and speak a few phrases of Urdu, her Pakistani father's language. I, being an absolute language fanatic ever since my semester abroad, am always newly fascinated with these cultural family friends we have. We were lucky enough to spend a few days with them during their American summer trip to Montana and Wyoming. Here pictured is Jhazmin's depiction of herself and "decorations" around her, a friend my age and her own drawing, and mine - trying to be witty with the Hannah banana picture. Next to each of our sketches are our names scribbled in Japanese by this giddy little girl. I love the different cultures represented, Elise drew a cobber corn to represent Concordia College where she's off to in two days. The Japanese symbols, english, bananas, stars.... it's all so eclectic and different. The coloring of the photo seems little kiddish and somewhat distorted, which is fitting for a sketch that would not fit perfectly within any one category. Oh the people you'll meet around the world and within your own home town!

Chico Hot Springs!

Paradise Valley, Montana. One of the most incredible places on earth! Imagine hot springs with friends, full moon, stars, laughter and fun... enjoying those last few days of freedom in the sunshine. Life is going to get crazy once school starts and everyone just wants to live it up :) Tonight's highlight was spending that time together. This shot of the old (established in 1872, I believe?) Chico Hot Springs sign with the bright new flowers struck me.

Apples To Apples

Board games have become a daily activity with our friends this summer... and Apples to Apples is one of the favorites. This round was hilarious because the category was "Feminine" and NONE of the cards worked within that group. We laughed endlessly at these six cards. I like this shot because of the hilarity as well as the coloring, the cards whiting out into one another. 

Moon//LIGHT.

Camping, Bridger Mountains, Moonlight. 

I took this shot yesterday while camping with a few friends in the mountains. I loved the full moon behind the gnarly up-rooted tree, the embers from the fire and dust floating through the air. Laughter and yells from my friends met my ears as I let the moonlight fall over the trees, dead and alive.

Here's the second for today, a picture taken yesterday as well. I love the movement of the fire, dancing freely. The log across its flames contains so much texture. Combined, the heat and its source are full of life, just like the friends enjoying it. 

Golden!

Walking along Sourdough, a street right by my house, I am inspired not only by my best friend making me laugh and fall as I'm trying to take pictures, but my breathtaking surroundings. The glow of the sun over the wheat fields, hay bales, distant mountains and even in my friends' eyes fills me with pride. A pride of where I come from and the landscape around me; pride of the friends I have and the thankfulness I feel towards it all. This picture captured the moment's glow that enveloped everything around me and within me, a golden light that brightened this Montana girl's day.