Inside Out :: Photography, A Lifestyle

Dear Wanderers,

When I first picked up a camera, the biggest emotions I felt were relief and gratitude.  Profound gratitude for finally having a way to communicate. This art form would be my voice. I would never lack just the right word and would always be able to wear my heart on my sleeve. I was a struggling artist who finally found her medium at age 17.

The most surprising part of all? This gift could become a career that I was proud of. A career where I could meet couples, their friends, their family and be blessed to witness a most incredible day in their life. Who knew that I would meet so many wonderful collaborators and create a legacy of work with them? And that I would also experience the emotional ups and downs of running a business and becoming a part of this emerging community. Traveling, creating my own schedule, throwing everything I have at Shewanders and passion projects; what a life art has given me.

Now this little spark is growing. It documents my daily life and my family (even sometimes from my silly iphone). I can’t stop sharing images on Facebook, at meetings, to the waitress, etc. Photography is my heart - I am so proud and so in love.

This messy, imperfect life is all mine and I’m floored by how much photography has given me. I’m going to keep capturing every moment, even if things are crazy and my family is annoyed to have their picture taken for the thousandth time. If I don’t have the right outfit or my hair is a mess, it doesn’t matter, because it is while taking pictures that I am most shamelessly, me. Watch out family, here I come. 

Hugs and love,

Suzanne

5 Somethings // A Field of Wildflowers

Something Lovely

Suzanne: My mom, the poodle, and I hit the road to see the Wildflowers in Death Valley.

Mike: Running through the trails at Balboa Park.

Something Dreamy

Suzanne: Wildflowers; spring is the time that I bloom.  It's such an awesome time to recharge and feel anew.  I love seeing the flowers feel that way too.  Southern California tells so many different stories on this theme.

Mike: Success, I'm working on a new goal.  I'm not ready to share yet but something big is on the horizon.

Something Captured

Suzanne: This week was a lot of landscapes for me.  The desert floor was sprinkled with little yellow flowers.

Mike: I captured some beautiful portraits of Suzanne at Balboa Park.  We had some time to location scout and find beautiful lighting.

Something New

Mike and Suzanne:The Last Match at The Old Globe

Suzanne: This was so well acted and really got to the heart of the matter.

Mike:  It was such a great parallel of the tension of life and the tension in this epic match.  To me this play had it all.

Something Challenging

Suzanne: Balance. Part of me wants to sit outside and feel the sun on my face, the other wants to work on 12 projects at once.  Hello daylight savings.  Thanks for the extra daylight.

Mike: I've been collecting quotes and inspiring figures and trying to put together a more focused vision.

Thanks for being a part of our days, weeks and years.

xoxo

Suzanne, Mike and the Wanderers 

5 Somethings // Muse

I am feeling so relieved to be out of the numbers world and back into creativity. I hope you are able to squeeze in time for the things you love amidst a busy week. 

Something Lovely :: Kenzie and Colin were featured on Green Wedding Shoes this week.  It's so gratifying to put something out in to the world that I enjoyed so much.  Getting to know Kenzie and Colin was so much fun.  Their beauty and exuberance for a dance floor was thrilling to be a part of.  They inspired the heck out of their vendors and the end result was epic.

Something Dreamy :: After two weeks of being so numbers driven I want a break so badly.  I'm inspired by everything right now and creatively, I am brimming over with excitement. I want to hop on a plane, train or pack myself into an old Volkswagen van and go up the coast.  I want to be free.

Something Captured :: The highlight of my week was being able to get my camera out.  I met Chelsea and Alex downtown and we had a creative explosion.  These two are so at ease and comfortable just hanging out with each other.  I felt like I had so much time to compose, look around and really push myself.  Then, I drove up to Lake Cuyamaca with Tammi and Walter for their engagement session.  We had scheduled the shoot in February and thought we might have a good shot at snow.  Who knew it would be a tank top and jeans kind of day instead?  A perfect breeze soft and light on the lake; it was heaven. Walter and Tammi had a mini adventure complete with fancy champagne and a cheese board from Venissimo. They even thought to bring a portable speaker and some tunes as if our day wasn't blissful enough.  Both of these couples were so different but had some really strong similarities.  I'd say they were all beautiful inside and out and crazy happy to be together.  Sometimes I think we must be doing something really right to have the opportunity to meet the coolest people and get to tell their stories.  These hours that we spend shooting are such a gift; to be in the zone and have everything flow is a dream.  Artists through history have always spoken about the muse.  Chelsea and Alex and Tammi and Walter could not have been better muses.  I'm so grateful to get to share in a piece of their love story.

Something New :: Lately I'm inspired by fashion.  The last few months I've been binge watching Project Runway and loving the way each designer interprets the challenges.  Some of my day dreams are creating new sun dresses for myself.  I wonder if I will ever carve out time for some designing. 

Something Challenging :: I've been working on creating some posters to keep track of goals and accomplishments.  Mike and I made a date night poster.  We wanted something visual to remind us of our weekly outings.  We really want to remember our mini adventures when life gets busy.

xoxo

Suzanne and the Wanderers