Travel: #butchersonthecoast

It's Friday, and here in Nashville, the weather's a little bit dreary. So, to itch my cabin fever scratch, I've just spent a nice long time perusing my favorite "hashtag" on twitter and instagram: #butchersonthecoast.

My friends Brad and Jennifer Butcher are on an incredible journey out west, and have been there for about three weeks now.  They've been photographing hotels, weddings, and God-inspired scenery, and every single photo they tweet has me drooling for the romance of the west. Take a look at a few more of their photos from the trip below:

I guess it helps when your wife is a complete and total stunner.

See more photos from Brad and Jen's trip to the coast here, and take a look at some older photos they took of Patrick and me a couple of years ago, here!

Also, you can take a look at our 2011 trip to California, here (although the pictures are a lot less awesome).

... and of course... don't miss my newest story in the Christian Science Monitor here!

Have a happy, happy weekend!

Field Photos, Edition No. 2: Greenville, SC

It's no secret that one of my favorite places on earth is nestled into the piedmont region of the Appalachian Mountains. Just a few hours from the beach and just a stone's throw from the mountains, Greenville, South Carolina is a gem that's seen unprecedented development in it's downtown corridor.

From the beauty of the Westin Poinsett (pictured above and below), to the thrilling suspension bridge in Falls Park, Greenville is bustling with local southern flavor, the right mixture of traditional and modern architecture, and plenty to see and do, all on one street!

This outdoor pavilion on the Reedy River is the site of plenty of outdoor receptions. Beautiful!

And what other city leaves engraved advice on the stones you walk on?  Answer: no cities.

Field Photos, Edition No. 1

Monkeys, Sweetbriar Ave.—Nashville, Tennessee

A few weeks back, I told you that I purchased a new camera—and boy has it come in handy! Believe it or not, I've already garnered my first "photojournalism" gig. Can't wait to tell you more about that.

But in the meantime— check out a few photos from the last week, "in the field." You'll see some fun Nashville stuff, and maybe a few shots from home as well. It's been a fun week in journalism, folks.  A real fun week!

Enjoy!

Craft Brewed, 8th Ave — Nashville, Tennessee

Turtle Anarchy via Craft Brewed

The High Garden—Nashville, Tennessee

Lobby — George Washington Carver High School, Birmingham, Alabama

Hallway—George Washington Carver High School, Birmingham, Alabama

Cooper—Nashville, Tennessee

Patrick's Hands—Nashville, Tennessee

Kitchen in use—Our House

First and Worst Photos

So, the camera arrived! I'm getting a tutorial today from friend— but here are a few pictures I snapped last night, while reading through three chapters of the manual. (YES, I ACTUALLY READ A MANUAL. I DON'T THINK I EVER HAVE BEFORE!) Poor Patrick and Cooper—they were forced to be my Guinea pigs.

So there they are—my first, and probably my worst pictures. I look forward to seeing how I improve over the next few months!

High Resolution

I've never really been into photography. Let me explain:

1) I've owned about 17... thousand cameras. I got my first camera in high school, and since then, I've been a serial camera hog. Every couple years I'll find some reason to buy yet another point-and-shoot that is simple—but usually, they are so simple, that I end up just using my iPhone instead. So the camera goes back in the drawer.

2) I know real photographers. I have some REALLY talented photographers for friends. I mean, have you seen Brad and Jen's photos? Or Brian Tropiano? Or Eric Staples? Or Emily Spence? Or Brandon Chesbro (who generously offered the photo above)? The list goes on and on. These people do photography for a living—so who am I to buy a nice camera?

3) Cameras are expensive... like really. I could never convince myself that a camera was really worth $500. (Insert iPhone defense again.) But after working for a while at Native and seeing all the high-resolution digital photography coming across my desk, I started to realize: maybe there is something nice about a camera with a few bells and whistles.

4) I'm insecure about my photos being bad. Really bad. I mean, let's face it you guys. I'm not the most technologically savvy lady out there. ISO? Shutter Speed? I don't know. And, to boot—we are absolutely inundated by media and images all day long—why do I need to contribute to the maddening array of perfectly styled shots that are driving the rest of us crazy with feelings of inadequacy?

So those were all my excuses.

But, I'm chucking them out the window. I bought a new camera. A nice one. Here's why:

1) I can get paid a lot more in the journalism world if I can also submit a few photos along the way.

2) I want to have beautiful pictures—not just instagram photos—to remember life by.

3) It's a new year. And I want to give it a shot. (see what I did there?)

4) I've earned enough money as a writer to invest in a new tool. And that's how I'm going to see my camera. As a tool. Hopefully you won't think that I'm one. 

So watch out. I'm hitting the streets with a camera in tow. Bad photos, good photos, mess ups, freak outs, spring time, video, summer heat, dogs, food, houses, people, smiles, tears... whatever. It's coming.