Elle est tres belle

Model: Caroline

The day after Christmas found my sister and I out shooting at an abandoned grade school.  She is seriously the most beautiful person I know. 

Heading to Pennsylvania in two days to spend New Year's in the Alleghenies with my family.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed for snow!

my heart screams color

Model: Katie

While at home, I do not have access to an image-editing software.  Hence, my photos shall be SOOC for the next few weeks.  I am using it as an opportunity to improve my knowledge of my camera's manual settings and to rely less on retouching.

As you can see, we went to the beach today in freezing temperatures to shoot photos.  I shot about 70 in all but decided to post the ones I took while freelensing, as I prefer them to the ones taken with my kit lens.  What is freelensing? This handy tutorial from Photojojo explains it all.

First gift of the season

Today my wonderful boyfriend sent me the loveliest package in the mail.  I opened it to discover these:

And this:

 Best of all was this little treasure:

The camera charm was supposed to fit on the leather cord, but the latter was thicker in real life than it appeared on the online store, according to my boyfriend.  My goal for the next few weeks is to find a chain small enough so I can wear the camera around my neck.  As for the leather cord, I want to do something crafty with it. Ideas?

It just crumbles and burns

I'm tired of this blog.
I'm tired of my photography.
I'm tired of caring what other people think.
Basically, I'm just tired.

My family needs to leave Illinois.  After 6 years, we still haven't put down roots.  When I come here, I feel suffocated, as though a great gray mass has moved into my soul and refused to leave.  The atmosphere down south is generally friendlier and less constricting.  If I had to live up here full-time, I might just break. 

There isn't much to do while I'm here other than lounge around the house and shop until my money has been used up.  I cook and clean until someone else takes over, assuring me that "it's my break, I should just relax."  I am far removed from the girl who used to do everything for everyone.  I would miss it, except I was a lot unhappier back then.  Now I am just lazy.

and the winter winds blew and blew

Je suis presque fini.

I was getting tired of seeing my face peering out at me from the old header, so I decided to give the blog a new design.  I'll probably be tweaking it throughout the next few days as it comes off as a bit cramped. 

This morning I took my last French final.  After three semesters of blood, sweat, and tears, I am no longer required to take any more courses.  C'est magnifique!  It was almost worth getting up at 6 a.m. just to know that I never have to open my French textbook again. 

Four finals down, two more to go.  Thursday I move out of my dorm, and I fly home on the 16th.  J'adore les vacances.

All that I know is I'm breathing now

More photos with the lovely Ariel