Wearing X by NBD dress from Revolve Clothing (similar free people dress here and Ale by Alessandra dress here).
You probably can’t tell from looking at this photo, but I was so uncomfortable during this photo shoot. I was freezing since it was windy and 45ºF (I have never shivered so much in my life, I felt like I was going to knock some teeth out from shivering so hard). I was wet and sticky from being in the water. I was dirty from hiking to the beach in sandals, and I was hungry. After the photo shoot I hiked back by myself and couldn’t remember the trail, and it was pitch black by then (thank goodness for flashlight mode on iPhone). To make matters worse I was cold and wet in a dress, and it didn’t help that I was in sandals. When I finally made it to the beginning of the trail there was unexpectedtly a team of paramedics and a news reporter there. Apparently, someone went missing and there was a search party. The news reporter asked if I saw anything and all I could say was no because it’s pitch black down there, and good luck. Not quite a glamorous experience at all. It’s funny how you can’t tell what goes behind a photo or the journey before/after a photo shoot. Photos also only capture a snippet of time which may or may not reflect the truth.
This was my first experience taking solo photos with a professional photographer (thanks @dfvbio for the awesome photos) and it made me develop a whole new appreciation for models and photographers. We arrived at 3:30 to claim a good photo spot and didn’t take these until 5:12, exactly when sunset was setting. Models have to learn to “fake it” by looking composed and effortlessly flawless despite the surrounding, weather condition, or how they may be feeling. Photographers, on the other hand, need to have patience and a strong creative vision. They need to scout locations, arrive early to claim spots and have the patience to shoot multiple photos over a long period of time to get that perfect shot. It’s so important to appreciate the journey and not just the photo itself. Overall I’m so thankful for this experience and the photos. Although I was uncomfortable, I didn’t express it since I was appreciative to have the opportunity to shoot these photos and I’m not a complainer. The next time you see an interesting photo, I challenge you to think about the experience of the photo shoot. I dare you to even ask me the next time you’re curious about how one of my photos were behind the scenes. I’d be happy to share my experience anytime.
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