turn the corner

just when you thought it would never release its grip, summer's in-your-faceness takes it down a notch. 

what was once harsh is yielding, softened, open to interpretation.  fall into it.

a curious girl in paris

i promise i won't wear an eiffel tower tee while actually in paris (i just loved the ruffly quirkiness of this dress); i believe the metro map, wonky accent and wide-eyed wonder will be plenty to mark me as a happy tourist.

i had a busy, busy weekend and didn't get around to any trip planning.  a lovely visit to annie's blog reminded me of how fun polyvore can be. 

have a beautiful monday friends!

happy weekend

at first i didn't recognize autumn.  she arrived wearing a summer costume, dressed up like a floozy in 94 degrees.  i want to tell her that it's totally okay with me if she just acts like herself. 

this weekend i'm scared and excited to be photographing my first wedding and my first pregnancy session!  i'm battling fear and anxiety and not-good-enoughs and pouring over the weather forecast as if my tense diligence can magically conjure the perfect golden light.

this message arrived in my mailbox overnight, reminding me to let go and enjoy the ride.

so that's what i'm going to do.

how about you?  what thrills do you have in store this weekend?  are you ready to fully surrender to the crazy unpredictability of this beautiful life?

pique-nique {№8}

okay, how totally sad that i only made it halfway to my goal of sixteen picnics before the end of summer.  but eight is good, right?  will it make it better if it's in french?  everything's better in french.

lumiere d'automne d'or...

figues, raisins, brie et baguette...

et a la reverie de paris.

parlons français!

bonjour friends!  i hope you had a lovely last-weekend-of-summer.  lately i find myself in a somewhat lazy and uninspired mood.  kind of blah and very un-septemberish of me.  my poor camera must feel abandoned.  when i'm in search of inspiration, a good old-school assignment always works.  coincidentally, i'm taking french lessons in order to spiff up my sad grammar and accent.  so i thought why not couple learning language with photography?  {and let me warn you, i'm talking basic here, nothing fancy.}

j'adore les framboises.

ce framboise ressemble a un petit coeur.

le meilleur moyen pour dire au revoir a l'ete.

today

hold on to that electric mood of things to come.  

stand in the tension of fear and possibility and bravely face your bright future. 

wish

have you ever held on to a token to remember a magical experience or dream of one not yet manifested?  i find it truly amazing how merely touching a small representation of beauty creates and sustains vivid imagery in the mind.

pears for dinner

a long weekend with crisp autumn weather was just what i needed to melt into september.  seriously, the most problematic decision-making i entered into was whether i want to play it safe in paris next may and stay in a central clean modern hotel or totally get my amelie on and go for the funky bohemian room overlooking a garden in a dodgier section of the 17th arrondissement. 

i'm leaning toward the one with the story.  you know there's a story there.

que pensez-vous?

dear september

i love you.  mainly because you are the prelude to autumn, but also because you mark the end of summer.  you are my annual lesson in starting over, tearing down and building up, getting down to business.  you bring practice in the dramatic art of transition (not an easy task to master for a stubborn, stability-craving girl like me).  teach me to glow with that soft golden light you so casually throw around.  i gently knock at your door with a heart full of gratitude and sweet anticipation.  let's do it.