travel

Thank you, Iceland. /  by Suzanne Price

Iceland. How do I begin? As introverts with a love for wide open spaces and mythology of every stripe, Iceland held our hearts immediately upon arrival. The hair stands at attention on your arms just simply gazing across moss covered lava fields or the black sand flats that stretch out for an eternity along the southern coast. It's so quiet, yet imbued with this palpable store of kinetic energy, ready to erupt and flow and change at a moment's notice. 

Colorful tin roofs. The most beautiful horses on earth. Salt and sulfur and wet earth. Oh, and hot dogs. Lots of hotdogs. 

A bit about the photographs. I (Suzanne) brought my medium format Pentax 645N along with Portra 160 and Fuji Velvia 100 slide film. The Velvia has a distinct saturated quality. You'll be able to pick out those photos in an instant. Dan brought his trusty Nikon and a sturdy tripod (so eager to capture the aurora borealis, which he did BEAUTIFULLY). When traveling I shoot slowly, deliberately, letting my eyes and body and brain experience the moment before taking the photograph. Being PRESENT trumps all else. Some of the best moments of this trip only live in our minds, and we are completely okay with that.

Truth be told, we also do a bunch of Instagraming. Some moments warrant traveling light and quick, and the old adage holds true - the best camera is the one you have with you. In fact, if you have a second check out our feed from the trip. Previous to leaving, I implored the good people of Facebook for addresses. The first 30 responders received a handmade postcard from me. Drawing and painting are my creative release, and I found the process of making them a wonderful meditation on the experiences of each day. 

Enjoy perusing, and if you are planning a trip to Iceland let's have coffee and chat! 

Our Journey to the Pacific Northwest on Film /  by Suzanne Price

Portland's friendliness and ridiculously good food. Mt. Hood's snowcapped treelined beauty, making us feel small and humble in the best possible way. The Columbia River Gorge; color, elements, sunshine. The Oregon Coast's incomparable rugged and powerful beauty. Redwoods, enormous clover, the quietness of life that has experienced the centuries. Rejuvenation at its brightest. 

We were able to spend some quality time with our friends Danielle and Mike who are currently riding their bicycles from Canada to Mexico down the Pacific Coast. Glorious. Once we arrived in San Francisco, we spent an incredible day in the north bay taking engagement photos with Rebecca and Shasta (on the blog soon)! 

All photos below were shot using Portra 800. Dan used the Konica T4 he inherited from his father (all of Dan's baby photos were shot with it) and I used a Pentax K1000 I bought at a garage sale while in high school (which was, like, a billion years ago). I can't believe how perfectly film captures the very essence of the Pacific Northwest - moody and atmospheric and incredibly rich. My favorite among the bunch is the very last photograph in the group, taken by Dan. The raven pair mirrored the two of us, taking in the coastal vista as one.