BIG SUR.

My Aunt Kitty was an incredible lady. I plan on writing more about her soon, but until then I will tell you this. I didn't know her well, but of everyone in my entire family, I think I am most like her. She had bad ass jobs, went on amazing adventures, and loved photography. Back in the 70's she shot film on a Canon A-1 SLR, and a few years ago it got it passed down to me.

It had been sitting in my closet since then. I had tried film before, and failed. Blank roll after blank roll. I gave up.

My trip to Big Sur, CA was coming up and I decided to give it another try with that A-1 and some Ektar film I had laying around.

So glad that I did. I am freaking out with excitement.

 

 

 

 

 

Most of these are similar to my digital shots, I was afraid they wouldn't turn out, and I obviously need some practice getting my exposures right, but I am so happy with them. I spend hours editing digital pictures to get processing like this, and these? All straight out of the camera.

Using up what was left on the roll around my neighborhood:

big sur. //

Last weekend my friend Lauren and I packed her Hyundai to the brim (with totally necessary things like harmonicas, lanterns, and eight cameras. yeah, eight.), sped across the desert to LA, picked up our number three, and rode that incredible highway 1 all the way to Big Sur.

I had spent four months reading about it, obsessively pinning pictures of it, watching videos about it, making packing lists and bucket lists for it, and let me tell you, that long and winding pinpoint of a town did not disappoint.

It has everything I love in a place:
crashing waves and deserted foggy beaches.
giant trees and mossy rocks.
rivers and creeks and waterfalls.
croaking frogs.
organic gardens.
wooden decks and outdoor patios.
two am hot springs.
long roads for good tunes
and spotting VW buses.
beanie weather.
hidden libraries
with books suspended from the ceiling.
barking elephant seals and chirping birds for alarm clocks.
and twenty different shades of blue and green.

quick pit stop in san luis obispo for some pink overload at the madonna inn, pictures at the bubblegum alley, and some delicious BBQ.

day two. foggy morning at morro bay:

 

highway 1 ----> big sur.

made it!

cribs: yurt edition. our camp at treebones:

 

 

one AMAZING view of mcway falls at pfieffer state park:

day three. big sur bakery + pfeiffer beach and baby seals.

driving through this:

to get to this:

blew my mind.

more pfeiffer beach:

 

oh. and this was also the point in the trip when THIS fun little surprise happened:

that asshole.

when I fully recovered, we packed up and made a quick stop at the Henry Miller Memorial Library. Much better than a tombstone I'd say.

day four. had to say goodbye, but not before:

I turned 28 in the most beautiful place I can imagine, with the ocean out the front door, surrounded by trees, and my favorite two traveling buddies who put candles in my waffles and sang happy birthday to me. :)

And until I have time to make my own, please enjoy Lauren's little Big Sur video staring my sweet ass dance moves and then GO TO BIG SUR AS SOON AS YOU CAN IM SERIOUS!