i am *so* excited to share my new travel blog BLONDEVOYAGE – which will chronicle my adventures for the next few months, while i’m based off the coast of kenya, in the village of shela, on lamu island!

i leave in just a few hours (woo!) and won’t arrive on the island until tuesday afternoon (!!), where i will be greeted with sunshine, white sails, and the gorgeous smiling faces of the people who live there! for the next three months i will have the privilege of calling this beautiful island my home…i am so looking forward to relishing in the simplicity of village life. along with photographing an amazing wedding on the island at the end of the month, im looking forward to spending the next few weeks focusing on writing (my first love) and photography (my passion) in this incredible environment. in all my travels around the world this is the *first* time i have ever returned to a place i have traveled previously! my plan is to update BLONDEVOYAGE often with news, stories, and photos — so stay tuned!

also, i *just* posted FIVE blogs from my travels to this very place earlier this year, so if you are curious as to where i’ll be, what i’ll be doing, and why i absolutely love this island so much, check it out!

enjoy!

* * *

lamu island, kenya – 2010:

part I :: lamu :: shela village.

part II :: lamu :: maulidi.

part III :: lamu :: dhow races.

part IV :: lamu :: shela primary school.

part V :: kiwayu :: island life.

* * *

the idyllic eastern shore :: claiborne, maryland.

it’s true! i’ve skipped town and am currently staying in an adorable little cottage on the chesapeake bay! for the next few months i’ll still be shooting in & around DC, but will be based in the quaint little town of st. michaels, maryland. in addition to relishing the small community and wonderful energy of the eastern shore, i’ll be learning about and documenting the life & work of the watermen – getting up close and involved with oyster dredging, crabbing, fishing, and working on the boats. after spending the last few weeks in africa sailing throughout the lamu archipelago i simply couldn’t transition back to city life…so i’m trying something new! photos of africa are coming soon (i promise! – polaroid sneak peek here) but for now, here’s a look at claiborne – the tiny, idyllic neighborhood i feel so lucky to have discovered…

enjoy!

sunset in my backyard…

in just a few hours i’m headed back to africa!

for the next few weeks i will be traveling throughout kenya — i’m incredibly excited to see the country and learn about the work and lives of some very interesting people. i prefer to travel as spontaneously as possible, so my plans are still tentative and flexible – i haven’t figured out the where/when/how of everything, but i am certain it will be an amazing adventure!

on the agenda: documenting social work in nairobi, education and culture on the island of lamu, and research on the game reserves. some serious sailing and a quick trip to zanzibar are also in the works, as is pretty much anything else that presents itself! i plan to bring back some fantastic stories and great images and can’t wait to share it all with you!

kwaheri!

last night’s critical exposure fundraiser was a fantastic success! i was so excited to attend their fotoweek reception and was thrilled to be among the 40+ amazing photographers that contributed images to the silent auction. it was an inspiring evening and i was truly honored to speak to guests about my experiences working with the organization over the last year. critical exposure is amazing and i feel so lucky to be part of such an outstanding group of dedicated individuals that are making such a difference in the lives of dc students. enjoy this glimpse of the evening and check out the links below to learn more about the work critical exposure is doing and my experiences in the classroom!

wish you could have attended to support this incredible non-profit? no worries – click HERE to make a donation or EMAIL me about sponsorship opportunities :)

MLK photo student DeMarco did a great job speaking to guests!

LOVE that a soldier won the “bidding war” on the canvas i contributed to the auction – moody monument!

and what fun is fotoweek without a fotobooth? me + photographer michael bennett kress.

* * * * *

critical exposure :: the power of photography

critical exposure :: gallery opening!

critical exposure :: in the classroom!

critical exposure :: photo students!

“I was looking for the same kind of pictures that I look for when I am photographing. I was looking for what would move me and for what I would never tire of looking. I wanted to see a burst of life palpable on a piece of paper.”- Sylvia Plachy

*  *  *  *  *

The New Orleans Photo Alliance is pleased to present “Forever Hold Your Peace,” a group exhibition on the subject of weddings, juried by Sylvia Plachy. In curating this exhibition, Plachy, a Hungarian born, New York based, world-renowned photographer, selected 31 photographs depicting the traditions, customs, symbols and the rich human tableau surrounding wedding rituals. A slideshow of 58 additional images will be featured in the exhibition. “Forever Hold Your Peace” will be on view from June 5 – July 19, 2009 at the New Orleans Photo Alliance Gallery, 1111 St. Mary St. New Orleans, LA 70130. The opening reception takes place on Saturday, June 6, from 6-9pm. Ms. Plachy will present a Gallery Talk at 7pm, where she will walk through the gallery to discuss the show and her thought process in selecting images.

*  *  *  *  *

i was recently introduced to the new orleans photo alliance when i was working with momenta + the LA-SPCA in new orleans last month (more to come on that soon!) after meeting some of the members and learning about all that they do, i decided to not only join the alliance, but also enter a few images for consideration in their upcoming show: forever hold your peace. having never really shown my work or entered any type of contest or show, i was nervous, excited and overwhelmed at the idea of selecting relevant work and the prospect of seeing my images in a gallery!

i am absolutely thrilled to announce that 3 of my images were selected by the amazing sylvia plachy to be included in the show! WOOHOO!

the following images are 11 x14 chrome custom chromira prints by CHROME IMAGING, matted + framed in 16×20 black classic frames by Allen Custom Frame & Biscarr Fine Art. i can’t thank harry biscarr and his staff enough for showcasing my images so well – they looked STELLAR for the show and it was a pleasure working with them!

the launch, 11×14 custom chromira print

a perfect fit, 11×14 custom chromira print

the following image was selected to be part of the slideshow and will be displayed digitally at the exhibition:

first sight, digital slideshow image

while i will not be attending the opening reception this evening in new orleans (i have a fabulous philadelphia wedding tomorrow!) i do plan on making a trip to the big easy in the next month to visit the gallery, my friends at the la-spca and soak up some louisiana summer sunshine!

i want to thank everyone who encouraged me to enter this show, my amazing friends who helped me select the final images, and of course my outstanding couples who allowed me into their lives to document and capture these amazing moments. ashlee + paul, novak + nicole, lindsey + chris – thank you!

today i visited arlington national cemetery for the first time. my grandmother is in town, and we ventured to the cemetery to visit the grave of my uncle ricky who died in vietnam in 1969. although she has visited his grave many times over the last 40 years it is still an emotional journey and i was grateful for the opportunity to be by her side today. 

it was a cool, sunny afternoon and apart from the groups of tourists near the visitors center and the notable grave sites of JFK and others, the grounds were very quiet. in the far reaches of section 17 we were completely alone as we searched the rows for his name, and found it tucked under the shade of a large tree, close to the edge of the grounds.

the cemetery is hauntingly beautiful – endless rows of gravestones mark the resting place of veterans and military casualties from every war in our nation’s history. over 300,000 men + women are buried here, making it the second-largest national cemetery. during our visit we witnessed a horse + carriage funeral procession, an all too common occurance, with funerals taking place five days a week and totaling approximately 6,400 each year. 

we were both overcome by sadness and grief – not only for ricky but for all those who lost their lives fighting and suffering in war. however heavy our hearts, the visit was a wonderful way to honor and remember those who have sacrificed for us. seeing my uncle’s grave was very emotional for me – i was filled with remorse, anger, and sadness, but i left with an incredible sense of pride.

to live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.
- thomas campbell

i couldn’t be more excited to share the most awesome news with everyone – the blonde creative is here! hooray!

the blonde creative was an idea i came up with forever ago to help promote the amazing artists that i know, as well as the people and ideas that inspire me. i wanted to create a virtual collection of amazing talent that i could share with anyone who wants to be inspired. beyond this simple idea for essentially a collective art blog, i knew i wanted it to be an umbrella organization that could connect people – a place for aspiring artists to find mentors, for working artists to collaborate with other artists across all mediums, and for potential clients to seek out photographers, designers, and more! it’s very much a project, not a company – it’s an organic, non-profit creative group that seeks to help artists and benefit all. as it grows it will be a fantastic resource for promoting art appreciation for everyone it reaches. what could be better?

however, i’m getting ahead of myself. right now the blonde creative is a brand new venture – still mostly a concept that will function as an art blog maintained by me, with the help and input of my favorite artist friends. as it grows i hope it will become a source of daily inspiration and a fantastic resource for art lovers + makers alike! furthermore, i plan on debuting the blonde creative at this year’s honfest (see previous post honfest 2009!) where key members of the blonde creative will be representing this new art initiative!

most importantly, the blonde creative would still be one of the many fanciful ideas swimming around in my head if it wasn’t for my amazing friend and blonde cohort quinn peyser who gave the blonde creative its killer logo, brand new blog, and facebook fan page! even more, she convinced me to start twittering! so now you can follow the blonde creative tweets!

and here’s a little blurb from the site – i’m sure most of you will recognize the names of the initial members!

the blonde creative is a project initiated by blonde photo that aims to promote + share amazing creative talent across all mediums of art. focusing on, but not limited to, photography + design, the blonde creative will showcase individuals who are creating unique + fabulous work.

* * *

the inspiration behind the blonde creative

jessi ringer, 5ringsphoto
quinn peyser, quinnep doodles
mary kate mckenna, mary kate mckenna photography
kim seidl, kim seidl photography

* * *

dc student photographer msugh checks out a DSLR.

last week i had the opportunity to work with the amazing critical exposure/S.T.E.P. up dc photography project! along with a number of local photographers, i attended one of the after school sessions and was so impressed with the program. guest photographers were matched up one-on-one with student photographers to discuss photography, brainstorm story ideas and help them to develop their projects focusing on the dropout crisis in dc public high schools. the students are exploring topics like teen pregnancy, homelessness, gangs and other factors that potentially cause students to drop out of school.

one of the main goals of the program is to help students + organizations advocate more effectively for excellence in education. specifically, this program is encouraging the students to explore and document the grave issues facing their peers and hopefully shed some light and understanding on why so many teens are dropping out of school. currently, only about 50% of public school students in dc stay in school and graduate. by trying to understand the cause of the crisis these photography students are tackling some deep social issues. i think that teaching students photography as a force of change is absolutely brilliant and i can’t wait to see their final projects!

“by empowering young people to develop skills as documentary photographers and advocates, we expose citizens and policymakers to the realities of our current two-tiered education system as seen through the eyes of the students who confront those realities each day.” - critical exposure

* * * * *

critical exposure :: the power of photography

critical exposure :: gallery opening!

critical exposure :: in the classroom!

critical exposure :: photo students!

best. present. ever.

once again the ridiculously talented quinn peyser has outdone herself! check out this amazing doodle-turned canvas that i *just* received from my amazing friends! here we all are, my favorite creative ladies, standing at attention ready to take on the world!

from left :: jessi ringer : 5ringsphoto; kim seidl : kim seidl photography; ME!; quinn peyser : quinnep doodles; mk mckenna : mary kate mckenna photography.

LOVE!!!

spring has sprung, the cherry blossoms are in bloom, and dc is literally brimming with tourists. the most popular destination for the next two weeks is the tidal basic, flanked by the iconic pink blossoms and presided over by the magnificent jefferson memorial. during daylight hours the tidal basin is speckled with thousands of visitors, but at 1am last night the entire area was deserted. on my way home from katie + bob’s wedding, i detoured along constitution and looped around the memorial, stopping on ohio drive to snap this shot through the archways of the bridge. love! i’m heading into the chaos today for an awesome session, and while i know it will be super crazy fun to be in the mix of all the energy, there’s always the part of me that loves the district when it stands perfectly still – when it feels like it’s mine alone and i don’t have to share it with anyone.