JDM Legends Shop Visit - 35mm

While I was in Utah last month, we paid a visit to the JDM Legends shop. It was a totally unplanned treat, courtesy of our friend Mike at Shift Pattern.

Eric was very welcoming and was kind enough to put down what he was working on to talk to us and show us around. The space is small, and it’s very reminiscent of auto shops in Japan. It has a great atmosphere and it’s clear that this shop is deeply passionate about their craft. I don’t need to explain a whole lot, considering you’ve probably watched their show. That said, here’s a small gallery of photos I shot as we hung out and talked shop.

Snapshots of Summer 2018 - 35mm

This summer was jam packed with long days and nights, exciting trips, new friends, and memories that I’ll hold onto for a long time to come. If there’s anything I’ve realized more than ever, it’s that time is passing so much faster than I expected it would.

The first year of our marriage flew by us. Every weekend was accounted for. We had to (and continue to have to) plan in advance for any slow time, even if it just means sleeping in on a Sunday. We’re so fortunate to have the busy schedule we have, and it’s teaching me that I can easily forget to really take in the moment as it’s happening.

I have a constant well of inspiration and drive to create, yet it sometimes feels restrained. I think one of the most fulfilling ways to ease that feeling of creative anxiety is to document the in between minutes and days; creating photos that aren’t even necessarily “good” by whatever standard, but that are meaningful to me. I think that’s what film achieves for me. Digital has become my “moneymaker” and sometimes feels a little lacking even when I’m making something personal. 35mm in particular is reminding me that the imperfections, missed focuses, and corrupted frames are all part of the process that I so fondly and eagerly learned by in the beginning. I tend to want to control a lot of things about my photos, and it’s healthy to be able to let that go sometimes.

All that said, here are some snapshots of my summer 2018, from a bag of random film rolls I’d accumulated. I hope you came out of it with memories you’ll enjoy for years, just the way that I did.

These are all shot with my carry-around Nikon FM2 mostly on Portra 400.

Driving While Awesome Cars & Coffee - 35mm

The blogging (sporadically) continues! This week, I got back a healthy handful of film rolls from the lab, but I had very hazy memory of what was even on them. I pulled from a bag of unmarked rolls that I’ve accumulated over the last several months. I do this with casual rolls that I’ve shot so that I can have a pleasant surprise every now and then when I decide to develop them.

This time, the surprise was an early morning of shooting at a Driving While Awesome Cars & Coffee. I believe this was last month. I drove out to that meet in my 240z with Glenn in his Nismo R32 GT-R, and Lloyd in his 240z.

There’s nothing terribly fancy here, but there also was no shortage of incredible vehicles at the gathering. I forced myself to keep it casual by just bringing one camera with me, and not focusing too much on turning the hangout into work.

These were all shot on my Nikon FM2 with Portra 400. Enjoy!

Our One Year Marriage Anniversary

Here I am, in September, posting about our one year anniversary trip that we took back in July. Better late than never, right?

For those of you who know (or don't know), my husband and I have been together for more than seven years now. We've been married since July 15, 2017, and to be honest, it started to feel like marriage somewhere around the four year mark. That's a good thing, because nothing has changed and we have only grown more as a couple, a team, as individuals, and as partners in life.

For our first wedding anniversary, we really wanted to get away from the Bay Area and relax. We're really into the idea of road tripping and exploring the landscape. Dustin was the one who suggested Mendocino and its beautiful abundance of B&Bs. So, we packed our bags, loaded up the Touring, and took a long weekend to celebrate.

I brought along my regular shooter D750, as well as a newly acquired Nikon FM2. In my commitment to shoot more film, I brought along a couple of rolls of Portra 400 and promised myself that I'd shoot all of it. Not every frame made the cut for this blog, but below are some of my favorites.

There's an honest, subtle brilliance about film that just can't be replaced by digital. I'm really a casual film shooter these days, but am thinking of getting more into it the more I shoot with it. I learned to shoot with a Minolta X-700 with loads of Ilford stock, and I attribute much of my style and process with digital to what I learned with film.

Anyway, that's another story for another time! Here are some of my favorite 35mm shots from the trip! This is more of a personal blog, so you won't find anything wildly exciting. Just a collection of photos that mean a lot to me. And Dustin: you are the reason for everything good in my life. Thank you for being the most patient, encouraging, loving, (did I mention patient?) husband a girl could ask for. I love you and I can't wait to see what else our future holds. (Probably lots of other cars and bikes, but let's try to keep some mystery.)