Las Vegas Birthday Vacation 2022 / April 30, 2022 by Bebe Besch

Nevada/Arizona Trip 2022

“Vacation” seems like such a foreign word and idea to me these days, but finally, after a few years, my mom, aunt and I decided it was time to celebrate and give ourselves a break. Both my mother and aunt have April birthdays so we decided to take another trip down to Las Vegas to celebrate them. It was my aunt’s platinum birthday!

Grand Canyon West

The past trip we all agreed we wanted to see the Grand Canyon but we just couldn’t make it happen. This trip, it was the first thing we decided to do so that there would be no chance we’d miss it! We went to the Grand Canyon West, which isn’t the classic postcard photo spot, believe it or not… that is the South Entrance to the canyon. With limited time, we decided to go to the West entrance and save us some car travel time. The views were stunning regardless of choosing the West experience - photos of course will never do a view like this justice. My first World Wonder!

Hoover Dam

Because we took the shorter trip to the Grand Canyon West, we actually had time to stop by and see the Hoover Dam as well, which was right on our way back! It was breathtaking but way too windy out there!

The Strip & Carla’s Birthday

Here are a few miscellaneous photos from the Strip (which I’ve gone to many times now and am not as inspired to take new photos at), Carla on her birthday, and Orville Peck at the House of Blues - such a great show!

Red Rock Canyon

We were also so close to the Red Rock Canyon that we decided we might as well check that out too - so happy we did! If you buy tickets to the scenic loop there are many places to stop at and take in the incredible views. Also, it is a hiker’s dream - trail heads are at each stop! I have to come back again someday and do more exploring.

End of the year wrap up - 2021! / December 31, 2021 by Bebe Besch

Well…. the time has come. 2021 is coming to a close. In many ways this year has been difficult and in many ways this year has been totally rewarding.

Since the end of November, we have been finishing up the purchase of our first home, painting that home. moving into that home, and cleaning up our apartment. It has been so much work but we also were able to enjoy a little bit along the way. There was no November blog post as a result, but that’s how life goes!

If you didn’t know, I am trying to challenge myself to learning something new or being creative every month in some way. In November, it was learning to paint our house. I am documenting these things over on my YouTube channel - you can watch November’s video here:

December’s video will be up shortly, but for now, please enjoy some of the photos I took this month:

Lee enjoying a latte in our front yard.

We also decided to explore the neighborhood during the terrific weather.

Our neighborhood sure has changed from our location in Ballard! Look what my neighbor has parked in their yard!

Enjoying one of our local parks.

…and exploring another local park that we may or may not have been allowed at!

Finally got to decorate a little bit for Christmas, as well as wrap some presents while Max judged me about how long his next meal was taking…

Went to a holiday market at the Tractor Tavern back in Ballard to get some last minute hand made gifts.

A beautiful ornament from my mother.

A day out in Seattle with my best friend, Angela!

Some family time with my nephew, my mother, my sister, and both Lee’s.

And of course… the snow. The second big snow of 2021. We got some on Christmas Eve and then a bunch more on the 26th. It is still here, going into the new year…. hopefully it will start melting soon when the temperatures allow it!

Capping this year off with a snow-filled view from my back yard.

This year has brought along so much change. I am trying to embrace it, and actually lean into it. I want to grow as a person, and can’t wait to see what 2022 will bring.

As a side note - I only made a few posts this year on my blog, so a true end of the year post with the “Best of” photos isn’t necessary - it’s all right here for you to look at! I also am skipping 2021’s top albums. There were many great moments in music this year, but albums themselves did not capture me this year. Perhaps it was a slow year, or perhaps I was just so busy focusing on exercising, laying my father to rest, moving, and getting back into creative ventures again, during year 2 of the pandemic, that I just was neglectful.

There was only one album this year that blew me away. That was Turnstile’s album Glow On.

The album is phenomenal frontwards and back. I could not stop listening to this one. It was reflective, catchy, and filled with momentum. Here’s a bit to tie you over with:

Thanks everyone, and see you in 2022!!

It Feels So Good to be Back! / September 19, 2021 by Bebe Besch

Summer 2021

It isn’t news that I haven’t been as actively posting on my website (or taking photos in general) since the pandemic started. I went from being out in the hustle of the big city of Seattle, to working my day job from home. I was very fortunate to do so, but that kept me inside my home walls, away from others, tucked in and doing almost no real photoshoots. I also decided to go carless when I realized I wasn’t going to need to drive anywhere for a bit, as the pandemic progressed on. Needless to say, this left me with few options to get together outdoors to shoot safe pandemic photoshoots.

This time did give me a chance to focus on other creative endeavors, and to focus on my health and fitness. I became quite the cook of healthy meals.

That all being said, I really have missed photography. So so much. I was so thrilled to be vaccinated once I was eligible because I of course wanted to keep others safe and myself safe, but I also knew that so many more things would be open to me again. I am not ready to go back to full on concerts just yet, but I hope that in the future I will feel safe enough to attend and photograph them. I miss live music more than photography.

At the beginning of Summer, I finally got together with my friends Chelsea and Colleen again, from my last job. It had been so long since we had caught up. I brought my camera and only took one photo - of Chelsea and her pooch, Lana, the poodle. My photography was finally staring back up with this photo. Besides photographing music, my favorite thing to do is take a portrait of someone, especially someone I care about!

Also early in Summer, I got together with my friend Rina, to celebrate her birthday. We both had been lacking any social interaction during the first year + of the pandemic and it was so good to reconnect with her and take some birthday photos after we grabbed coffee.

Also this Summer, I got to photograph some families that were expecting! Here, Shayna and Lee anticipate their little one, due this November.

I also got to photograph my friends Lillian and Andy, along with their son Ollie and in anticipation of welcoming their baby girl to the family.

Minnesota Road Trip

Here, there is an invitation to my father’s Celebration of Life on my cousin’s mantlepiece. We used one of my favorite photos that I took of him.

This Summer, we went back to Minnesota for a long overdue celebration of life for my father who passed last Fall. He passed away in Minnesota during the peak of the pandemic in the area there, where snow was plentiful and we didn’t think gathering the family indoors was safe. We postponed until Spring/Summer and felt fortunate there was also a vaccine available before we made the trip back to settle him.

Lee, my fiancé (who does NOT travel) came out to support me on this trip and I was briefly able to show him around the town my parents grew up, and the family farm that my parents had spent some of their lives living on.

Pit stop for laundry during our Minnesota trip.

We got to visit with Steve and Linda, and their dogs Cooper and Sky.

In Halstad we got to visit with my Aunts Lisa and Dana.

Some of my dad’s siblings made it out to his Celebration of Life.

Frances and Randy at Oaland Park. — Frances and Randy at Oakland Park.

My fiance and I at my father’s burial. — My fiancé and I at my father’s burial.

Secret Photoshoot

My friend Tim Billick has been cooking up some new solo music. We spent some time photographing a bold idea he had - more to come on that later. Check out his music here.

When Tim and I took a break at the end of our shoot, we grabbed a quick picture of him with his pup, Herbert.

Seattle Design Festival

I love attending the Seattle Design Festival every year- and I always have a blast if my best friend can attend with me. This year was one of those lucky years. The theme this year was “emerge”. We happily checked out the different exhibits and interpretations at South Lake Union park.

Wrapping Things Up

As the end of Summer came, my friend Maddie visited Seattle for the first time on her own solo trip. We’ve been online friends for years because we are both massive Foals fans, and it was SO EPIC to get to meet her while she was here. It was even cooling down that week, so she was able to wear some flannel! So Seattle.

As I come to a close on this post and this season, I am so happy. I have gotten to photograph and see so many people I care about over the Summer. I got to lay my father to rest. So many things I did had me feeling like myself, once again, after so much time spent alone. I really hope to be photographing more friends and events from here on, and focus on reconnecting.