Dreaming Big

I spent my freshman year of high school at this secluded private school in the middle of nowhere. By the second semester I was deemed intelligent enough to be let in on a secret. If I followed a path past the soccer fields and into the woods, there was a Thoreau Hut. Built in the 60s by the students, it was a small handbuilt room, a place to come and be quiet and learn about yourself again. We all went, alone and quiet, to rediscover who we were in those crazy times of tumult.

As an adult, I've been back once or twice, and I've been startled to find that I needed the space again, to get to know myself and who I had become and wanted to become in this new season of life.

Last weekend, I found a new kind of Thoreau Hut. I gathered with strangers in a brand new place, to share our passion for photography. We heard each other and we were contemplative, trying to figure out who we were in this new passion and how we wanted to be perceived by the world.

We were timid in our talent and found that others appreciated our art, both in its similiarities and its differences. My path became a little clearer just as my passion deepened.

I was inspired in ways that shocked me. Photographers talk about things and as my experience grows, I start to understand what they're talking about. This weekend I found a young girl, too young for the depth in her eyes, that pushed me to get out of my cutesy box of photography and into realness and depth.

What a truly amazing experience. Thank you, I Heart Faces. I found my new Thoreau.











We were able to do a shoot with a professional model, which was hugely eye-opening, working with an adult who really wanted to get the best picture possible.









Then we got to do a stylized shoot, based on the new "Little Red Riding Hood" that's coming out. That was really interesting, being inspired by the costume and props.
















Finally we did a photowalk at the San Antonio Riverwalk. I got this fun shot and then spent the rest of time snapping shots of all my newfound friends. Unforgettable!