yep, i belong in a redwood forest // santa cruz, california

if i could live in two places at once, i would certainly move back to california and set up camp among the redwoods along the coast. i'm pretty sure i left a piece of my heart there last november with two crazy special groups of people. i was invited by this beautiful family that has grown so dear to me over the years. i've photographed them several times in Los Angeles, documented their vacation in Hilton Head, SC, and most recently flew to their new home in San Francisco to document their sweet baby #3 at just 2 weeks of age. it was a crazy special time, to say the least!

the only challenge was an immense amount of rain and fog that swept through the bay area and seemed to be timed ever so ironically with my exact arrival and departure. literally. there were rainbows apparent from my airplane as i landed and again when i took off, which i now believe was the universe winking at me.. as with everything, you roll with it.

thankfully, i managed to squeeze in one good, soggy hike in the redwoods with my great friend, Jill Fox of Awear Yoga and her sweet fam, who so graciously put me up for the weekend at their home in Capitola.. the cutest little beach town. besides the newborn photo session, this was the only other time i pulled out my dSLR that weekend and i'm so glad i did..

i am already looking forward to returning to this place.. rain, fog, and all.

pondering this wild and precious life..

This quote stopped me in my tracks while reading Cheryl Strayed's book, Wild, a few months back. I've been pondering the question ever since.

pinhole press photo books

Is it just me or does it seem like we are taking more and more photos every year and printing less and less? In film days, obtaining prints was an automatic byproduct of the process. It was so easy. Digital photography is amazing, but no doubt creates more time consuming challenges when it comes to keeping images organized and printed. I recently tackled a daunting project that I had been putting off for over a year. (It happens!) My goal was to combine our favorite photos from 5 years of living in California – 5 years worth of weekend trips and getaways exploring the west. For many, many months, even just the thought of the project would paralyze me and I’d choose to organize my closet instead.

When I stumbled upon Pinhole Press, I knew I had found my match. Pinhole's minimal design aesthetic and simple work flow solutions turned this overwhelming personal project into a breeze. Because I’m such a geek over a good photo book, I wanted to share these images. This is a 60-page Panoramic Book printed with recycled paper.

Pinhole Press Photo Book

Pinhole Press Photo Book

Pinhole Press Photo Book

Pinhole Press Photo Book

Pinhole Press Photo Book

Pinhole Press Photo Book

Pinhole Press Photo Book

Can you imagine not having printed photographs of your current life and adventures to look back on, the way we flip through our parents’ and grandparents’ pictures? JPGs, hard drives, and discs may not last forever, but printed photographs will. If you have questions or need advice or encouragement to get started on a project, please email me or post a comment. I love helping people learn how to better organize digital photos and I completely understand how overwhelming it can become!

For the sake of full disclosure, I am a partner/affiliate with Pinhole Press, but only because I 100% love their products and use them for my personal photos.​

flashback to Bali..

It's hard to believe it's been a year since this amazing trip. In my continual efforts to print and archive my photographs in a meaningful way, I recently decided that the 500+ 4x6 prints filed in a box would not be enough. So, I'm gearing up to make a Fine Art Photo Book to commemorate our trip.

Pinhole Press is now my go-to place for turning my personal photos into simple, classy, and archival photo books. I highly recommend them and will post photos once my Bali book is finished..

In the meantime, I hope you'll join me here as I dive back into my Bali imagery - I'll be posting travel photography tips along with many more Bali photos that have yet to see the internet. If you have a question about travel photography - ask in the comments or post on my Facebook Page!

(for the sake of full disclosure, I am a professionally affiliated with Pinhole Press, but only because I 100% love their products and use them for my personal photos.)​

Ubud, Bali Travel Photograph

where the platte river meets lake michigan..

As I sit here basking in the first warm breezes of the season, I am daydreaming of the long summer days to come. Last year was our first summer in west Michigan after living in Los Angeles for nearly 5 years. To say that my first long winter back tested my patience is an understatement. Of course, I could have refrained from checking LA’s daily weather report (as if it was still relevant) and imagining how I would have spent all of those warm, sunny January days… a hike at Runyon Canyon, gelato with friends on Sunset Blvd, a nap by the pool. Ahh.. my memories of California are sweet, but life soon became sweeter.

My daydreams were interrupted at once when summer arrived and I was swept off my feet! I have to say, it was the best summer of our lives. Nearly every weekend was spent on Lake Michigan, from lazy rivers at Ludington State Park to care-free drives around the Leelanau Peninsula to afternoon hikes and beach days at Saugatuck Dunes State Park. I can assure you, we did not allow one second of summer to slip away.

On a particularly beautiful September day, as we drove back to Grand Rapids from Sleeping Bear Dunes, we spontaneously took a turn and followed signs to the Platte River. With my camera in hand, my jaw dropped at this incredible view of blue upon blue. Are we really in Michigan? I gazed along the pristine coastal dunes and dreamed upon the delicate sliver of sand where the Platte River meets Lake Michigan. I imagined that next time we’ll be much more prepared, like this family, with stand up paddleboards and a picnic for the quiet sandy shores.

And then it hit me. I was in love with the state I grew up in. This place I left behind 10 years ago is speckled with hidden gems to explore. And now I know for sure that the summertime is oh, so much sweeter when you have those few chilly winter days to endure.

by the way, if you'd like to schedule a fine art family photography session at this beautiful beach this summer, where the Platte River meets Lake Michigan, the travel fee is waived! picture your family having an incredibly relaxing beach day.. i'll just happen to be there documenting the moments!

the pictured rocks + a friendly reminder to print your digital photos :)

If you’ve ever wondered what the northern coast of Michigan’s UP (Upper Peninsula) looks like, these images are for you! We celebrated our 6 year anniversary last August with a road trip to the Pictured Rocks overlooking Lake Superior. The water really is that vibrantly turquoise, crystal clear, and incredibly cold. You can ask my husband who had to make sure. His purple lips and uncontrollable convulsions shivering for a good hour was proof enough for me to stay on the shore. . . .

Why the untimely post from... LAST SUMMER? Last year, when I wrote THIS POST, I vowed I would take my own advice and keep up with printing my personal digital photos on a monthly basis. Whoops! Cobbler’s son syndrome, I guess. So, it became my winter goal once again to finally catch up with printing and sharing last year’s personal snapshots. I'm up to 317 prints and counting and it feels SO good to catch up :)

To be honest, I miss the simpler days of shooting film, but I am determined to keep printing and archiving my personal digital photos. When we’re 80, this hard drive and my plethora of digital files and DVD back-ups (like the floppy discs of yesteryear, remember those?) will mean nothing. It’s the prints that will matter. It’s the tangible prints that I file in boxes and design into photo books & albums that will last through the years and bring back memories.

Have you backed up your digital photos and made prints lately? If you need a little help (or a kick in the pants!) to get started, I've compiled some simple tips here.

Pictured Rocks Boat Tour - Black and White Photograph by Teri Genovese

Pictured Rocks Photographs by Teri Genovese

Pictured Rocks Photograph by Teri Genovese

Pictured Rocks Photos by Teri Genovese

Pictured Rocks Photos by Teri Genovese

Pictured Rocks Photographs by Teri Genovese

Pictured Rocks Photographs by Teri Genovese

iPhone-Pictured-Rocks-Photos

and some iPhone photo goodness from our 10 mile hike, thanks to the always handy Hipstamatic!