New Year

8/52

While everyone is kissing their loved ones at the stroke of midnight tonight I'll be over here kissing confetti.

Goodbye 2014. Thanks for being grand.

Hello 2015. Heres to being grander.

7/52

6/52

6/52

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.
~ Henry David Thoreau

5/52

Here's to 21

4/52

There is something to be said for unplanned, spontaneous shoots. There are many things that I would like to change about this picture already. But they are things that only come with planning and time and practice and patients. It is only your 21st birthday once and you just have to be spontaneous. And go with what life throws at you. 

Today was a day filled with business plan presentations, donuts--bakers dozen, real genuine friends, phone calls with family, food, photography, THE BEST COFFEE EVER, good conversations, THE BEST PLAYLIST EVER, smiles, laughter, being carded for the first time, being sung to--in a restaurant--for the first time ever, future plans and much much more. (it should end with three papers, but lets be real, its going to end in procrastination.)

Thanks to everyone who made this birthday fantastic. I love you all. You are da bomb. 

<3 Tessa 

Today I Am Thankful.

3/52

welcome to thanksgiving week.

To the Dreamers

"To the dreamers, wide eyed believers, hanging onto hope by a thread. To the soulful, heart opened, hopeful--keep on charging ahead." #week2 #tothedreamers #forkingandcountry

here is to 52

“I’m tired of waking up in tears 'Cause I can't put to bed these phobias and fears. I'm new to this grief I can't explain but I'm no stranger to the heartache and the pain”

over the past couple of years I have been struggling with the point of photography. I’ve always done it because I love it, but recently, since going to school I’ve been having problems finding the pleasure in it. the romanticism and joy were gone.

I want to find it again.

In the past couple of weeks i’ve been contemplating doing a 365. really, i’ve been contemplating it ever since i got into photography. i had somethings planned out. I wanted to start on my birthday to document a whole year. I even had shots planned out. ideas for when i got stuck or bored or tired or sick. but it wasn’t until this morning that real inspiration struck.

you know when creativity hits? that was this morning. and the only acceptable response to a surge of creativity is to act on it and not let that moment go.

"i know better than to leave and let it die"

the thought of failure and 365 images scare me. so instead of a photo everyday i want to create one every week. something that i am proud of. something that i can look back on and see a change a difference a growth. but most importantly i want to create something that is real. that has meaning, even if it is just to me.

this is personal.

here is to 52.

TAK Adventures

Sunday-->Funday!

I love going out on adventures with friends. Just getting out and shooting. Remembering why I love this art. So here are some snap shots from today. 

nights like these

Its the nights like these -- The nights that end the long, seemingly never ending day. The nights that proceed another equally busy day. But somehow, in this moment, three classes a midterm and a critique don't seem nearly as busy as the day that just ended.
Its the nights like these -- When I've worked hard and finished something that I'm happy about.  Something that I am proud of.
Its the nights like these -- When my mind is racing almost until the sun comes out.
Its the nights like these that make it worth it. That fill me with hope, creativity, passion, inspiration.
Its the nights like these that make me want to conquer the world.
Its the nights like these that make me feel like I can actually conquer the world. That my dreams are achievable.  
Its the nights like these that I stay up daydreaming about my future.
Its the nights like these that find me in the morning with the stale taste of coffee on my breath.

Its these nights. Its these nights that I love.

If you want to get me a meaningful gift just give me a journal. And then take me on adventures and supply deep conversations to fill it up.

I'm just passing away the hours and the pages with words until you arrive to take me on an adventure. We could bombard the local Starbucks and order each other the most extravagant drinks and leave them with fictitious names such as "Starlord" or "Sunbeam". Or we could dress up as news anchors and pretend that a hobo just won the lottery. When we hand over the gigantic check we can see joy and amusement in his eyes. He knows we are just playing but he likes the attention. He breaks down in tears when we hand him a real $50 gift card to Red Lobster. We could go to the Animal Shelter and visit the pets. We will name all the dogs cliche names like Max and the cats equally cheesey names like Rory. We could go to the movies & sneak around to see our favorite scenes over and over again. We could pack up the car with a picnic and drive till the sun comes out. We could go to the park and pretend to be musicians, playing for tips but we only know one song; Come Together by the Beatles. We could go to IKEA and pretend its our home. We will bake cookies and make tea for our "visitors". We will be the most hospitable IKEA hosts.

In reality though it doesn't matter what we do. So long as we do it together. We could do something as lame as going to Walmart or even just stay at home and sit side by side. We don't even have to look at each other. Just know you are there. Just being able to feel your presence. That would be enough adventure for me.

to the spontaneous night

spontaneous nights are relaxing.
spontaneous nights don't demand things.
spontaneous nights hold no responsibilities.
spontaneous nights remind me why I'm are alive.
spontaneous nights remind me why I am me.
spontaneous nights keep me sane.
spontaneous nights keep me creative.
spontaneous nights make me thankful for friends.
spontaneous nights make me wish that 8:00am does not exist.

Run Wild

Ever since I saw For King and Country's video where they explained the meaning behind their album name Run Wild. Live Free. Love Strong. it became a desire of mine to Run Wild. Those two words have been floating around in my head, on my heart and even my skin when I get bored.

They explained it through the lens of a child; who, no matter how hard he falls is aways reaching back up to his father to pick him back up again.

To me, Running Wild isn't about running around and trying new things or the highs that life brings. Its about how I live when there are not any highs. When all I see are lows. How do I respond? How do I react? Where do I turn?

This blog is dedicated to Running Wild. To fixing my eyes back on Christ. To reaching up and crying "Dadda".

This blog is written by one of the dreamers, wide-eyed believers. And it is too the soulful, heart-open hopeful. 

Keep on charging ahead.