Touted one of the best college towns in the U.S. by Livability and dedicated to faith no less than scientific knowledge, the University of Notre Dame has a unique spirit and vibrancy that radiates the moment you walk its grounds. Located in Notre Dame, Ind., adjacent to the city of South Bend, the beautiful grounds are home to one of the most prestigious universities in the nation, and a real visual splendor for those looking to indulge in a bit of culture and history.
If you know me, I’m pretty sociable and love doing interviews because I love getting to know people—especially through their passion. Someone that I have been working with professionally over the past year is a photographer that I truly respect and admire: Priscilla Kammerer of Priscilla K Photography. Situated in Indiana, Kammerer is a beautiful spirit and so very kind. Getting to interact and learn from someone like her about her craft makes my job so much more fun and purposeful, especially when I can feel inspired from like minds who appreciate creativity and follow their passion.
Anyway, I got pitched to write about boudoir photography for Womanista and it was very exciting! Everyone assumes boudoir photography is one thing, but it’s actually more about feeling sexy and comfortable in your own skin. It takes a really confident woman to be so daring in her own body (so commendable)—and it takes an even bigger heart like Kammerer’s to photograph without judgment. It’s a really great interview with some awesome tips—definitely check it out over at Womanista! It also features a beautiful gallery care of Kammerer and some incredibly gorgeous, gorgeous women.
Last month, I was given the opportunity to guest write with the amazing bridal publication, WeddingDay Magazine. With a goal to be the best guide for the quirky, practical, down to earth and confident Midwest bride. In my guest post, I share tips with readers on how they can plan the best outdoor wedding. An excerpt of my article, featuring beautiful images captured by Priscilla K Photography can be found below:
Continue reading at WeddingDay Magazine…
As some of you have known, I’ve been writing with Womanista since late September and I am having such a blast! The team I work with is amazingly smart and beautiful in every way. It’s very comforting to be able to write with a group of women that are so warm, congenial and intelligent about the creative world around us. I am constantly inspired by my co-workers and their passions for life, health, and style drive mine further.
One of the pieces I published this week is one of my new favorites and am über excited to share it with everyone. In honor of Elizabeth Gilbert‘s New York Times bestseller, Big Magic, I share how creativity isn’t just about talent. It’s about being able to harness a strong, passionate energy inside of you!
Growing up, The Great Gatsby was one of my favorite books even though it was a piece of literature a lot of my peers found incredibly boring and drab. I’m not sure what I liked so much about it as a teenager, but today I find the writing ever relevant to these relationships we find ourselves in. There’s a particular quote that sticks out to me in Fitzgerald’s novel, and it’s the one about the insensitivity and thoughtlessness of individuals like Tom and Daisy. Remember those two? Never cared for anyone but themselves. The two of them were manipulative in every choice they made, and it was simply, not fair the way they were.
“They were careless people, Tom and Daisy—they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made.”
This quote signifies that Nick, in all his observations, understands the true spirits of these two people. They are not people to admire or envy at all. They’re simply spoiled individuals who are careless and self-centered, working for their own needs and haven’t a care in the world and for others unless it concerns them directly. They do what they please and act for themselves and if something goes wrong in their life, they simply (and quickly) re-group and walk away. Together. They leave the mess for someone to deal with. In all its meaning, the two are meant for each other in the ugliest way.
As a society in the growing age of social media, we generally communicate through tweets or status updates, but images and visual arts have its own vocabulary to express itself to our inner senses. In photography, there is a reality so insightful and profound that paradoxically it becomes more real than reality thanks to the lens of the photographer intimately tied to a photograph.
Regarded as the art to the observing mind, there is much more than meets the eye with any single photograph. Provoking emotions and certain feelings through images, photography has a unique way of touching and stimulating all of us in some form, while unearthing fascinating moments from ordinary situations. At best, photography speaks to our emotions while allowing us to tell our stories and show others our own framing of the world around us. A good photograph requires a good photographer who has the ability to capture a moment in time, envision it in the mind’s eye, and make it so by the tools available. In many ways, photographs have the power to not just express what one feels, but define what exactly is being conveyed in an image’s distinct instant.
Blessed with a sophisticated eye for style and composition, northern Indiana photographer, Priscilla Kammerer of Priscilla K Photography is able to blend her love for life and art by capturing priceless moments for many in and around the area.
As North Americans we are fortunate to live in a nation where clean water is easily accessible and delivered promptly on time each day to our homes. However, that isn’t the case on the other side of the world where the one true lifeblood of our well-being and economy has become a victim of our own apathy. With several countries today struggling without clean water and healthy hygiene, there are more than 780 million people who don’t have access to clean water, and more than 2.5 billion without adequate sanitation facilities.
While many small businesses are driven by fiscal success, one company nestled in Warsaw, Indiana is making all the difference and finding its real purpose in a humane venture aimed at benefiting communities through a socially driven economy. In an attempt to turn away from the idolatry of self-centeredness and orient one’s life by the drive to do the right thing and seek action for a better world, MudLOVE was built on the idea of giving back and aiding in the water crisis.
Selling one of a kind creations in-store and online since 2009, MudLOVE has found great success with customers in their small Indiana community. From clay creations to bands, necklaces to mugs, the philanthropic business employing 42 people between their Warsaw and Winona Lake locations, donates 20% of their profits to their water partner, Water for Good.
I’m a big fan of poetry and taking photographs. I’ve always felt that poetry allows us the chance to temporarily close the door on the dullness of our lives, and open up the window for fresh air that sweeps in with a cool breeze. Poetry has the ability to lift our spirits, pulling us into a deeper comprehension of life and how we exist in it. In many ways, it illuminates a different view of life, while expanding simplicity into thought-provoking rhythms. Photography can do the same thing, except visually. Like poetry, photography is a form of creative expression that can challenge the eye and mind, and there is no right or wrong way to do it. (more…)
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