“Do one thing everyday that scares you.” -Eleanor Roosevelt

That’s probably a quote you’ve heard more than once. But it rings so true to me. I can’t say I follow her advice on a daily basis, but late last month I did. And it was worth it.

I contacted Bria of Framework Magazine through a share I saw on Facebook about her needing a photographer for a shoot. I sent her an email hoping to receive a response, but also aware that others were probably doing the same. So I didn’t get my hopes up too high. To my pleasant surprise the next morning I had a very nice email from Bria waiting for me in my inbox. She was doing a feature on the ladies of Booje Media and needed someone to shoot them. Would I be interested? Would I?!

As I got my gear ready and mentally went through how I envisioned the shoot to go…the butterflies kicked in, as usual. No matter who I’m shooting or what I’m doing, if it’s something new, it kinda scares me. Which is when I know I need to do it. But this shoot I was a tad bit more nervous, I had never done a styled shoot for a magazine before, so this was extra new and extra scary. Babies and cranky toddler are usually my game. I recently read a blog titled “Your Are What You Eat” by Trent Walton, and this particular quote stuck out to me: “Do 10 consecutive jobs solely for the paycheck, and you very well may find yourself out of whack. After all, if you eat nothing but carrots, you’ll have amazing vision, but you’ll probably turn orange and feel like shit.” If babies and toddlers are my normal carrots, then this shoot was like cupcakes topped with glitter. Everyone loves a cupcakes, but cupcakes are not my bread and butter. After this shoot though, I want to eat more cupcakes. More than anything though, I’m so glad I did this shoot because it pushed me and stretched me. It gave me a boost of confidence, I connected with some amazing people and it made me realize, yet again, that the new does not always have to equal scary.

As I waited outside the Pacific Fairmont on West Cordova Street, I looked up to see two ladies carrying peonies, hangers with different outfits and a hat box. I had never met the De La Llave sisters, so I wasn’t sure it was them, but I was hoping it was. Just as I was getting up to ask them if they were Clio and Tiffany, they all the sudden stopped in their tracks, turned around and we all locked eyes and realized we were meeting each other at the same time. I immediately felt comfortable with them, their energy and smiles drew me right in. Bria shortly joined us and had you been walking by you might’ve thought we were sorority sisters reuniting with all the chatter and laughing going on.

I’ve been anxious and excited to see Bria’s amazing talents put on display in the summer issue of Framework. It truly looks so, so good. I am honored to be apart of a project that everyone is so passionate about. Clio and Tiffany, I’ve said it before, but you girls were so great to shoot and work with. You honestly made my job so easy and I so appreciated how willing you were to try anything and really put your personality out for display. I think it totally shined through in the photos and that’s what I love most about them. We even made the cover woo hoo! I hope we all work together again in the near future!

I’ve included other shots that I loved from the shoot here on my blog, but to see the interview and photos chosen for the issue as well as all the other great content, you can soak it all in at the Framework website.

Cheers to a fabulous summer issue!