Photo Adventure in the Mountains

A little over a week ago, my friends Taylor and Lindsay joined me on a photography escapade through the mountains of eastern Idaho! I had just returned from a Flickr Gathering in Oregon, where I had spent a week creating images with 50 or so other photographers, so I was itching to shoot some more. I had never shot with either Taylor or Lindsay before, so this was a chance to use some new models, and also be able to learn some things from them as well :) I'm so glad we did it! It was the perfect afternoon, and we had a lot of fun playing around in the forest, feeling the desert wind, and exploring a gigantic waterfall! Here are some photos from our adventure:

 We saw a moose on our way to the falls!

Self and jewelry

I can't wait to see Lindsay and Taylor's photos from this day! Until then, go check them each out on Flickr!

Taylor: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tay_rawr/

Lindsay: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lindsaycyngot/with/9104041744/

Advice

If I wanted to give anyone advice on life, it would be this:

Live your life. Live passionately.

Don’t think too much, just do it.

If you want it, make it happen.

Take advantage of every opportunity.

Don’t be afraid to change, to grow, to learn. It’s good for you.

Smile big. Laugh often.

Cry too, that’s important—it’s okay to fall apart sometimes.

Slow down. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath.
Make mistakes and learn from them.

Never settle for less than what you deserve.
Don't be afraid of solitude. It's good to be alone sometimes.

Be brave. Take chances. 

Climb that billboard. Jump off that bridge. Get on that train. 

Say “I love you" and mean it.

Don’t make excuses.

Never give up your happiness. If you’re not happy, pursue it until you are.

Get lost in the moment. Take nothing for granted. 

Some good things do come to an end, and it’s okay.

Better things are ahead.

Don’t rush into things you aren’t sure about. Be smart.

If you don’t feel right about it, stop doing it.

Treat others with kindness, always—don’t make exceptions.

You are only given so many days to be alive.

So live.

Just live.

Summer Senior

A few weeks back, I took college senior photos for this beautiful girl named Sally! It was such a fun session and we found some really lovely scenery. Congratulations on your graduation, Sally!

A Grand Day in the Tetons!

So I decided to write a little personal blog post on my last weekend climbing The Tetons! Garrett and I had been planning this hike for several months, and the day finally arrived for us to hike Table Rock! Our plans were almost foiled when we heard there might be too much snow up on the mountain still to get to the top easily. Luckily though, we researched a bit more and concluded that we were going to make the hike anyways and see what happened!
We got up bright and early and drove off to Driggs, Idaho then across the border to Wyoming! Garrett's sister Bridget and her husband Brandon were joining us as well, and we were all pumped and ready to go!

The weather could not have been more perfect that morning, and that definitely got our adrenaline going, and we started off with all the energy we had in us. I love the mountains with everything in me, and I am so amazed by all the beauty that one can find in nature. We passed through some gorgeous meadows and beside babbling brooks and rivers.

What a view!

Before long, it was time to stop for lunch, so we found this beautiful little waterfall in the woods and ate  some PB&J (courtesy of me, thank you very much). The water in the river was crystal clear, so we filled up our bottles with fresh mountain stream water, which tasted like heaven. 

From this point on, the trail was getting steeper and more rocky, but we kept moving onward and upward! By now, the goal was in sight, so we couldn't stop yet! My legs were burning like nothing else! The views were worth all the pain though, and we could literally see for miles and miles in every direction. I was in awe.

Finally, after a brutal scramble along hundreds of yards of rocky terrain, we climbed up the side of Table Rock and were greeted with a breathtaking view of the Tetons! Nothing could have prepared me for that view, and it took me a while to snap back to reality. After several screams of "WE MADE IT!", we relaxed for a while on top of the world, took some photos, and drank in the endless view of Idaho and Wyoming landscape.

Of course, if you know me, you know I wouldn't be able to leave that spot without documenting it with some legit photos! Here are a few of my favorites:

Happy accidents ;)

Above: a marmot on top of the mountain! These little guys were everywhere.
Below: a stranger that I couldn't help but photograph.

Soon, it was time to make our descent, and we headed down the mountain, just as dark clouds began to take over the sky and cool down the trail significantly. We were so grateful for the change in the weather, and I smiled to myself as little droplets of rain fell down on my sweaty skin. It was just what I needed. Let me tell you, 14 miles can sure take it out of you!

It was such a perfect day, and I am so glad we decided to take that hike! I have always found so much peace and happiness in nature, and spending the day in the mountains was just what the doctor ordered. There really is something so refreshing about spending time in such beautiful places, and relishing in the time you get to just ponder. I'm even grateful for the pain in my legs and body, because it reminded me that I am healthy and alive. I have been blessed to see so many beautiful places in this world, and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life seeing more.

***Be sure to check out the video I made from the day here: https://vimeo.com/69697052***

"I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing." -Agatha Christie