A Day of Rest and Relaxation - Shut Down Moments are Important, too!
This past weekend, I spent some time with my husband Eric at Long Beach, Washington on one of those last-minute whirlwind trips to just get away and spend time with one another. And our favorite musician Bradford Loomis was also playing in town! We could never miss a show with our favorite artist who played at our wedding in September 2022. Normally, I am a person that carries my camera everywhere. Would you be shocked to hear that I didn't use it once until after we started heading home? Gasp! A photographer that DOESN'T use her camera on a weekend getaway rip!? The nerve!
It turns out, I needed that weekend and that moment to just... not do anything! Not even take pictures. It's been such a long time since I had a lazy weekend that I had completely forgot what it was like to mosey on the boardwalk, unhurried, and breathing in the salty air as the clouds and mist rolled on by. The feeling of the light sprinkles of water drops on my skin while the sun was out at the same time. Have you ever seen the fog clouds whisp their way through the tall beach grasses as they waved in the breeze? I never really paid much attention to it until this weekend. It was very mesmerizing! Working the kind of weekday job I do, with photography on the weekends, I don't often get a lot of time to myself - or time with my husband, Eric, so I am proud that I set a hard boundary for the Universe and said "Hey - I need some time off". Eric said it was one of the most relaxing trips he's had in a while, and for that I am very glad.
If you have never heard Bradford sing, you are missing out! If you can imagine Bruce Springsteen, Iron and Wine, and Jason Isbell merging with Chris Stapleton, Marc Broussard, and Shawn James, you will experience a unique sound that strikes your soul! Rhythm and Roots is what Bradford calls it, and it's where grit and melody marries roots and soul.
It was nice to see Bradford Loomis playing at the Peninsula Arts Center in Long Beach. While small, not fit for a large crowd of people, I felt that it was quite the best place to enjoy a musical concert in. There's a different level of appreciation and community when you visit a place like the Peninsula Arts Center in comparison to a rather large venue. I believe that larger venues make the artists not stand out so much, and doesn't help to create a lasting memory, whereas a smaller venue allows for more time to connect with a musician and to really hear his story and appreciate the person behind the voice. Following the next morning's breakfast with Bradford, an act I absolutely enjoyed since Eric and I got married, we went our separate ways, and it was time to explore the area before we left for home!
I had never been to Cape Disappointment before, let alone the North Head Lighthouse! Both places were awesome to visit, but I think I liked the beach by the Disappointment Lighthouse more! I ended up mostly taking pictures of the Cape Disappointment Lighthouse in a rather small cove. The temperature was perfect, it wasn't super windy, and the view was fantastic. Every once in a while, that perfect wave would come rolling on by and it was exciting. The sky was gorgeous. It made it all the better for my lifestyle photography when Barrett, a young wakeboarder, stepped into the ocean waves to catch a few curls in the shot. I didn't mind - it actually provided an awesome perspective to the image! I hope the water wasn't too cold! Falisha, Barrett's mom, was happy to receive photos of Barrett and was kind enough to allow me to share the awesome moment with my readers. Oh, if only I was as brave as he to ride a few waves rolling in! It's been a goal of mine to learn surfing, someday!
One of these days, I need to take a week off and just meditate along the Oregon Coast, and practice more self-reflection, healing, and recovery. In addition to traveling a photography journey!
