Last week I mentioned we were moving again and a lot of emails and phone calls ensued asking where? When? Etc. I can tell you that I quite don’t know yet, but I do know we will be leaving our country home in the South this May. I have the opportunity to attend Jen Huang’s Photo Workshop next week in Santa Barbara and decided it would be the most perfect time to start scouting potential locations for our next home. I will start my adventure in the City of Angels, drive to Santa Barbara for the workshop and perhaps get the good fortune to meet a long admired friend I met via these interwebs. I will fly to San Francisco (my favorite American city) and get to meet another lovely new friend, more scouting and then off to Seattle to scout some more and meet even more amazing people! Yes, being isolated in the country has made me extremely social on the internet, I have broken out of my hermit shell and am blossoming into one of those people that takes initiative and actually meets people IRL (that’s in real life), how very novel! I now know that I want to be living in a place where there are people and I can walk to get good coffee in the morning. Not too much to ask for, right?
But back to the workshop! Once I finally share my goals with you (one of which is to work on my procrastination problem), you will see that I have actually started to accomplish much of them and we are only three months into 2013! This is a great sign. I love progress. One of those goals is to focus on becoming a better photographer and to try an alternative photo process, this workshop is a film workshop which would fall under both improvement + an alternative (to digital) process. To say I am out of my mind with excitement is a complete understatement. If you have been on the internet you have seen Jen Huang’s work, it is hard to miss as she is often featured on the very best wedding blogs in the world and her work is pinned about a zillion times an hour. She is wildly talented, smart and this is the kicker–beautiful. Really? Are you allowed to possess all three things? Aren’t there laws in the universe against this? And she’s nice too, just an all around wonderful individual. I feel so lucky that I was able to land a coveted spot in her workshop as they usually sell out as soon as she mentions them, for good reason the word on the street is she goes above and beyond your expectations. I just feel so honored to be able to be in the same room with her. I have so many unanswered questions about working with film (which I have been experimenting with on my own for the past 8 months) and it’s going to be great being around other film enthusiasts. Li Ward a photographer + lettering artist whom I featured here previously attended Jen’s NYC workshop and had nothing but great things to say and even better results. I can’t wait to start my adventure!
P.S. Next week I will be devoting the entire week to film photography, what I have learned so far, cameras, film types, resources, inspiration and even re-creating the look in the digital darkroom!
Author / Miss Tristan B
Miss Tristan B. is the proprietress of Besotted Brand and the writer of this delightful blog. She’s traveling to the West Coast next week and can’t wait to see the Pacific.
A move?! How thrilling! We just moved from Seattle to Alabama, I love being closer to family but Seattle is such a fun city! I wish you all the best as you scout, and I am excited to hear more about the workshop!
And Caitlin you have made Alabama so very chic! Your kitchen is my dream kitchen, the light, everything! I used to have clients in Seattle and visited often, I was surprised when I learned how cosmopolitan the city was, my only introduction was that 90’s movie with Bridgette Fonda and Matt Dillion so I thought it was going to be grunge overload, but it’s a beauty to be sure. I can’t wait to share about the workshop either!
ohhhhh! have a lovely time scouting. we live just outside the city of angels (santa monica). the west coast is lovely. i hope you have the best time at your workshop.xo
Rebecca we moved to Santa Monica when I was in Highschool my mom still lives there. I think Santa Monica Canyon + Mandeville canyon are some of the loveliest parts of Los Angeles, but unfortunately those two areas are way out of our budget, maybe one day!
The move sounds like a great adventure for you! I did not know you were wanting to be a wedding photographer, the workshop will be a great learning experience. Looking forward to hearing all about it. Stop in Colorado this time!!!
Tail wags ~moose
Denise + Moose-Oh, I don’t want to be a wedding photographer per se, but I do want to learn film. My thinking is that wedding photographers have to work fast, be very alert on what to shoot (so many details) and work with all types of unexpected lighting conditions (high noon, eek!, indoor flash, double eek!) and they need to make all kinds of individuals look their very best, it’s the most challenging of photography situations. I figure if one can master this type of shooting they can go on to shoot ANYTHING!
Good luck with your scouting. Moving is always an adventure. This workshop seems so exciting–I applaude your enthusiasm for life-long learning. I am totally jealous!
Thank you Sirisha! I am both excited and overwhelmed with another cross country move;)
Best wishes with your move. I applaud your ability to take risks and take on new challenges. Enjoy your trip!
Kathy, I so appreciate your kind words + well wishes!
So excited for your posts next week! I took a film photography class in college, but I barely remember any of it!
Hi Jane! I did one last year and am hoping to build on it this year of what I have learned so far (a lot). I am really excited and have been doing research for months!!!
Beautiful lettering and beautiful photography. I wish I was able to throw myself into such beautiful arts. Maybe once all the kids are on their own. Until then I can live vicariously through you!
I can’t wait to hear about the film workshop. My son is just getting into photography and my daughter, a set designer, wants him to learn about film photography first.
Good luck with the both back to this coast. I can’t wait to follow that adventure as well!
Pamela I agree with your daughter, learning film makes you a little more deliberate with your shots. I grew up when only film was available so I shoot digitally as if I had film in my camera. It would be great for him, send him here next week to see all my tips on film photography! Well, I do hope you can find some time for yourself, so important to do something for you;)
You *MUST* discover/rediscover/love on Elizabeth Messina and Jose Villa. They will knock you socks off and ONLY do film. Amazingness.
And I would love to meet you in person, some day. So if you end up in Seattle or Portland I have to meet with you.
Oh Kathy, I stalk BOTH Jose & Elizabeth on Instagram and own their books! Jen is definitely in the same league so I am out of my mind excited. I would love to meet you too!
How exciting , I am very jealous of your being at Jens workshop , she does beautiful work. My first medium format camera arrived today and I am so excited to make the jump from 35mm.
We moved into your ” dream house ” in the country last August and I now say ,there is a reason solitary confinement is a punishment ! The isolation has hit me surprisingly hard . Good luck with choosing your new home.
Julianna! I was just thinking about you the other day. I am so envious about your medium format camera, please do share which you got. I so am hoping that I will run across an affordable one at the flea market or something. Oh, Julianna, I understand! Being away from everyone is not as blissful as I imagined either and bugs! Lots of bugs int he country, lol.
Tristan,
your new adventure sounds sooo exciting! I love your blog and was happy to read that you may be in San Fran :). We have been following each other on pinterest but I would love to meet you sometime or if you have free time when you come to Sf :)
Tristan, such a sweet thoughtful post and note!!! I can’t wait to have you at the workshop – it’s going to be so beautiful! Big hugs :D Jen
I hope you have fun on your scouting! It sounds like a wonderful adventure! Talking about adventures, I am also looking to get into film photography, and assisting to one of Jen Huang’s workshop’s would be a dream!! How lucky are you!! Please let us know how everything goes!