Sometimes, when I'm stuck for something to write about, I'll browse through my Lightroom catalog until a photo strikes me. Maybe I'll remember a story about it. Maybe it'll inspire a thought I want to share.

After doing some other work yesterday, I spent the afternoon sorting through photos. Halfhearted, at best. It's cold and gray here again. Someone in my Facebook feed said, "Spring is slow to creep in." It's been a two steps back process since March, it seems. One sunny day, two cold and windy. One promise of warmth, two more gray.

There's no story to go with this photo really, except maybe that Florida sunshine heralds the promise of summer's warmth. It's been another make-do week around here. More health struggles with real pain and no real resolve. But I've also had some real and truly insightful and uplifting conversations with some of my film photography companions that apply to all creatives. All of us who simply live our lives, really. I'd like to share some pieces here, but I'll need to get my thoughts together, and frankly, I'm tired. Wednesday was the first day in a week I managed to not need a nap (thank god I work at home!), and the first day I manged to fairly quickly get rid of the daily morning headache that's been dodging me (thank god also for small mercies!). So things are looking up, right?

I can only hope. See you lovelies next week. Thanks for hanging in with me. XO

Do people say they hate to travel? I'm sure some people do, and that's totally fair, right? We're all different, after all. I love to travel, but I sometimes think I'm not very good at it. It helps when we do these after Christmas trips with my in-laws. Someone else does all the planning, and I just show up. That's nice! :)

It also helps that we know and love Charleston. We know what we like to do there and we know our way around. I fell in love with this city years and years ago, when I was a kid, going on vacation on the Isle of Palms, and it hasn't lost any of its charm now that I go back as an adult. Charleston gets it right.

These shots of Charleston mean a great deal to me. Cheapie Fuji Superia (their consumer grade film), and my first roll through the camera that Cal gave me for Christmas. It felt great to shoot with it, knowing that he wanted me to have a camera, and it felt great to aim my lens at some of my favorite things, the ocean and beautiful buildings. Oh, and my family too, I guess.

There's been a lot of talk on some of the wonderful film groups I belong to about finding your style or voice, and in truth, this is a concept I struggle with. I'll talk a bit more in another post about the film class I've been taking, but during most of it, I let go of voice/style and focused solely on fundamentals. At times that felt frustrating, like I was moving further from where I wanted to be rather than nearer, but I know that laying a strong foundation in the technical aspects of this work is the right thing to do. Batting practice.

Right now, all I know is that I love taking pictures of stormy seas and beautiful architecture, and if I can convince Cal to get in a frame or two, all the better.

making do

charleston on film {life}