Anonymous asked: Are you of Asian descent at all? The photo of you in your extended About Me (which is very pretty, by the way) made me wonder if you were.

I’m not, but you aren’t the first person to ask. I think it’s the almond shape of my eyes, pale skin, and dark hair that get people questioning. *shrug*

Thank you for the compliment! :)

(via bakingwithwolves)

Why do people have to be so complicated?

One day you’re gonna want her. That girl that knew she wasn’t perfect, but tried to be for you. That girl who wanted nothing more than to be there for you, and loving you was the only way she could. The girl who sees your flaws, but values them as much as your strengths. That girl who still can’t bring herself to hate you, even though sometimes you probably deserve it. The girl that should have you, but doesn’t.

It’s amazing how much you care when you wish you didn’t.

We’re having a dinner party tomorrow.

saige-sirena asked: I found your response to the anon to be quite interesting, and I found that I agreed on some things. But pardon me if I may share a few of my own. I do this in the search for conversation, not to berate or belittle you. They’re just thoughts. 

Photography is important to me, to put it simply. It’s something I’m constantly working on, and an art that I love and yet beat myself up about all the time, because I strive to do well. 


I do not consider myself a photographer yet, but I am working on it. I don't want it to be a "career." Doing senior photos and the commercial aspect etc is not what I find appealing, but when I am asked by a dear friend I will not turn it down. What drives me is the more artistic venture...to tell stories, express... I do not want a business. I do not want to set my career based upon this skill. I can change the world in other ways. But it is much more to me than a hobby. Now, I have a long way to go by anyone's standards, but mostly by my own.

Therefore, I'm either falling into the amateur category, or the taking-photos-of-friends-but-not-a-photographer category.

by your determination then, I shouldn't be charging the few people who ask me to do photos for them. While this is good judgement in the grand scheme of things to protect those who have spent their time and money into becoming a professional, it is not always in the best interest of the PEOPLE. Not everyone can afford a pro. But that does not mean they should not be allowed to record special moments in their lives, especially when they wish an outsider's eye to capture it for them, so that their effort is not taken from the moment itself. Everyone has the right to those memories no matter the size of their purses. 
And yet very few people are willing to let another do that for nothing at all. 
This is why I accept payment. And I undercharge because I AM aware of the inferiority of my work, and I will not charge more than I deserve.

Yet, in all honesty, I find it quite saddening that the industry is so expensive. Yes, I understand it must be because the equipment is such an investment. The time itself is an investment. The work it takes for certification, schooling, etc makes the monetary difference practical. 

Yet, the industry itself is not practical. It is expensive, when the world is striving for cheapness. 
Amateur photographers are not the culprit. 

It’s the general striving for the inferior, because it is easier and inexpensive. 

I am a photographer in my own right. I do not call myself that because I still believe I have room to grow. But just because I do not have a degree does not change that a photographer is who I am. 


I hope you do not find offense in this, Ashley-Jayne. I just felt that I needed to share it.

No offense at all, Ruth. Likewise, I hope I didn’t bring offense to you or anyone else. I’m glad you shared your point of view. You make a lot of valid points, and definitely prove me wrong in some aspects. I generally agree with what you said. I was mostly referring to the kinds of people who have lovingly been dubbed “fauxtographers”. But there are exceptions to every situation I named in my last response. Again, everyone has to start somewhere. 

I could go in-depth with what I agree and disagree with about this message, but I’ll just put it up for others to read. That way, both sides of the ‘argument’ are represented. I didn’t want it to spark a big debate. Thanks for speaking your mind. <3

Anonymous asked: "What I'm not: A photographer"

This surprises me. Will you explain this in more depth, please?

Absolutely. Thank you for your interest. :)

I admire photographers of all types, from amateur to professional. I know many people who fall into both categories. (They’re the people who have taken photos of myself that you see on my page/ see me post). Photography is an art that takes a skilled eye and a creative heart, which is something I have and support fully in others. I respect those pursuing a career in the field especially — it’s a constantly changing and seriously competitive world. 

It’s one that I do not want to fit into. I took a highly rated photography class from a wonderful instructor, who has been doing this for 30+ years, and is registered as a professional photographer. (To become registered you have to send in a 20-photo portfolio with your best work to be judged by some of the best in the business. It’s a drawn out process that only those serious about their career can do and get approved for). So, with that said, it’s definitely something I’ve dabbled in extensively before and still do often! I love it, especially film and darkroom work. I feel very content when doing photography — and I’m best in landscape. 

What I do not love, though, is how many people claim to be a photographer when they are not one. You cannot pick up a camera, take photos of your friends, and call yourself a photographer after that. A lot of people don’t realize how insulting that is for people who really are a photographer. Amateur photographers are greatly pushing back business for those who are seriously invested in this field — by charging lower rates, the amateur’s are drawing in customers, who don’t understand how low-quality their work currently is. And while I know that everyone has to start somewhere — and encourage ALL types of creative flow — it’s still a disappointing realization that is actually causing people who have spent thousands of dollars to get into this industry to lose their jobs. (Check out this NY Times article on this subject. It gets my point across better than I could: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/30/business/media/30photogs.html). I still absolutely respect these amateurs, I just wish they wouldn’t charge money until they’ve realllly figured it out. 

So yes, I certainly take photos often and it’s a hobby of mine.  I’ve been trained on what to do from square one. Some may even say I’m good at what I do. However, I’m not a photographer because of that, and don’t feel right calling myself one. I never will, because I don’t plan on making this my career. Make sense? :) 

I hope that cleared things up!

To The Anon Who Wrote in my Ask Box on Vinyl Sea: