Spring in the South

As I've said before, I can't envision myself living in South Carolina forever.
But it's such a picturesque stopping ground.

Once I no longer live in this place, the one memory that will hang with me until the day I die is the peach trees in bloom every March.

They are one of the first signs of Spring here in the Palmetto State so not only do they invoke a feeling of rebirth, they're also candy for your eyes. The first Spring I lived here, I could not believe this movie-set like scene was right down the road from me! Never in my life have I seen anything like it. Hundreds of fruit trees in bloom at once.

Like all good things, they only last for a short while so Mitch and I got out and took some headshots before they turned into long, green leaves!

I loved working with different focal points and lighting in these shots.
Of course the natural ones where I wasn't posing are my favorite.

Let me know if you're ever in the Charlotte area and want some headshots done!

Runaway to the Sea - Leap Day in Hilton Head Island

This past February I kept getting strong intuitive messages that I needed to ride a bike by the sea.
Not exactly sure how, when or where this would happen, but the messages would not subside.

Being a human, I kept playing the brain/heart tug of war.

Heart:
Ohhh cruising on a beach comber in the bright sun while waves crash against your tires would be SO NICE!

Brain:
It's too expensive, you shouldn't waste your PTO, pay off your debt first, DON'T GO.

Well, the last weekend of February rolls around, and guess who won.

And as usual it was pure magic.

We decided to drive down to beautiful Hilton Head Island to bring this daydream to life.
What a quiet, whimsical, hidden gem...

This island is the land of retirees. Loaded with golf courses and stunning retirement homes, it's a great place to go for some peace & quiet.

It also has THE BEST bike trails of any place I've ever been.

We stayed at the Oceanside Marriott Resort - the same place we stayed for our One Year Anniversary. (See the link for the full story) -- If you've been a long time follower of this blog, you might remember our last visit to this hotel was not a very fun one. But we decided to give it another try since it was off season and we loved how easy it was to rent bikes on site. That and the oceanfront views can't be beat!

When we arrived and checked in I briefly mentioned our last stay and the hotel manager immediately said you know what? Since you're giving us a second chance, here's $100 credit towards anything you want.
(!!!!!!)

And in that moment all of my brain stressing out about not being able to afford this little getaway vanished.
That $100 credit paid for our bikes, meals, everything.

Everything always works out.
A mantra I will forever sware by.

So not only is Hilton Head great for bike riding, but the beaches are out of this world. I see at least one dolphin every time I visit the lowcountry. Every time!

We woke up before the sun on Leap Day so we could watch the sunrise while riding our bikes down the beach. And wouldn't you know it, a dolphin decided to swim directly next to me, so close to the shore I could have walked out there and touched him.

Not a bad way to spend a day that only comes around every few years.




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If you ever plan a trip to Hilton Head Island and want some ideas for fun things to do and great places to eat, let me know! And of course I'm going to recommend staying at the Oceanfront Marriott. They really are the best. Multiple pools, hammocks, bars, an awesome spa... and right on the ocean. Heaven.

As for eats, we found a really great gluten free cafe called Watusi. You can eat outside in the sun and the food was delicious! It was my first time eating a 'sandwich' in so long since going gluten free. The bread was gluten free but you would never know....that good.

Oh and the coffee was strong ;)

4th of July

They say as you age, time starts to fly by faster and faster with each passing year.

Guys, it's true.

Did last week even happen? I don't know. It was that fast. I almost feel like it was just a wild dream I had during a Sunday evening nap. 

If you follow me on Instagram (@freespiritfun1), you know I just got back from New Hampshire. I lived in that cold, green state for 15 years. I have a lot of wonderful friends there, and most importantly my mom and brother. It was an eye opening trip and I plan on writing a separate post on that later this week :)


I spent my 4th of July holiday there and it was awesome. I finally taught myself how to do the cool sparkler photos and let's just say it got wild. My brother was the creative genius behind the majority of these photos....he came up with some crazy good ideas for poses!
Like for instance, a cat:

Or a rainbow:

And best of all, a wizard battle!

These photos really aren't as hard as they look, and best of all, they require little to no editing.
I have a Canon Rebel t3i and to create these photos I just needed a good tripod and creative minds.

If you're using a canon, here's some tips:

1. Use the TV mode on Manual Focus. With this, you can adjust the shutter speed and not worry about the camera not taking a photo because it can't focus on anything in the dark. As for shutter speed, it depends on what you're doing. For a simple star or heart, use 5 seconds. For an epic wizard battle, use 15.

2. TRIPOD. This isn't actually a necessity, but with it you'll be guaranteed to get the sharpest flames.

3. Buy a LOT of sparklers. You'll go through them quick trying to get the perfect photo
:)

I hope you had a fun 4th! I'll be back with lots of pictures of the Granite State
:)

And let me know in the comments below if you have any questions about how to take these photos!
I'd love to help

Smoke Bombs

For over a year now I've seen photos on Instagram with these whimsical, very 'alice in wonderland' type colored smoke. I always wondered if it was just edited in with photoshop or what. But this week, I discovered it's real........

The secret?
Smoke bombs.
How cool are these!? They come in all colors too...

If you're into photography, these are a must for cool photoshoots. They would make an awesome slow-mo video too. You can find them at any firework store, just walk in and ask where the smoke bombs are. They should have sticks like the ones I'm holding but also little gumball size 'bombs' that only last a few seconds. Highly suggest the sticks for photoshoots.

A few tips and tricks:

The package says DO NOT hold in hand, but if you're smart with it you won't get burnt. When you initially light the stick it will spark like a sparkler but in a couple of seconds turns into a quiet rush of colored smoke. It's so cool. And strangely beautiful...

DO NOT GET IT IN YOUR EYES. It stings so effing bad.

Do not breathe while the smoke is coming out. Before you light it, take a deep breath then hold it until it's over. No one said photoshoots were easy ;)

These will not go out. If halfway through you decide you've had enough, DO NOT throw it on the ground or try to pour water on it. The smoke will continue to gush out. Each stick lasts about 15-30 seconds.

Do it in a well ventilated area. As you can see we had this photoshoot in the woods covered by trees. The smoke did not GO ANYWHERE. I was honestly worried that the park rangers were going to call HAZMAT seeing all this red, purple, and green smoke slowly creeping through the woods... Yikes.


While the color is the best part, you can add some serious theatrics to black & white photos...

Shout out to Mitch for being the dopest photographer East of the Mississippi.
He's amazing with the camera.
____________________________


Hope you're all having a nice, lazy Summer Sunday. I'm actually heading to the airport tonight to fly back to one of my beloved 'homes.' Is it New Hampshire? Indiana? Las Vegas?

Time shall tell ;)

Or my instagram tomorrow.
@freespiritfun1

Spring.

I currently have Echosmith's new song 'Bright' constantly playing in my head.

The birds are loud. Things are green. And I spend my days here...

I live for this season.

The blog has been quiet lately but life sure hasn't. I just got back from a work trip to Illinois actually...

If you remember I was here for two weeks at the end of last Summer.
While it wasn't nearly as pretty, and I was only here for a week this time, I still had an awesome experience.

There's absolutely nothing like driving down those flat roads listening to some good music...

I feel so lucky that I get to come home from my frequent trips to a home that I love. To a tiny apartment that has cheap furniture but is rich in love and joy. To a tiny Southern town filled with Northern transplants that love and appreciate this gorgeous Spring weather just as much as I do.

With this new season comes new thoughts. I find I'm growing and evolving just as fast as the tulips.
I have a burst of strong motivation to try new things and visit new places.
I've got a list about a mile long.

Just this past weekend I tried a new coffee! A coconut latte from Starbucks, of course.
It was divine.

We actually went OUT for dinner at a new restaurant this Friday, too!
This never happens. We are firm believers of a home cooked meal.

It's called Tupelo Honey Cafe in Southside Charlotte and it was the bee's knees.
All pun intended.

So far in the 3 short months of 2015 we've gone to more concerts (of all varieties, I might add. G-Eazy for the win.) learned even more about healthy eating, and volunteered our weekends to causes we really care about.

I have big plans this Spring and Summer. I just know so many fun things are going to transpire. Things I plan but also spur of the moment, completely unexpected things. I'm so excited!

I want to go Here. I want to storm chase in Oklahoma. I want to try THIS and run through Lavender fields in Washington. I want to spend a Summer weekend visiting friends and family in New England.

I want to try so many new things and always be on the road to the next adventure. But I also want to learn how to relax, take things slow, and live in the moment without being bothered by the past or worrying too much about the future....

In the next few months we will depart our beloved 'first place' and upgrade to something bigger.
We will celebrate 2 years married and go on many new adventures.
I can't wait to document it all.


"Life is good.
And that's the way it should be"

Are you trying anything new this Spring?

<3