Berkeley Graduation 2022

My best friend is a doctor! On May 15, 2022, my best friend Angela graduated from Berkeley’s School of Public Health & I was lucky to be able to attend. Here are a few photos from the momentous day:

The last time I visited Angela at Berkeley we shot photos at the Campanile (Sather Tower) - this was all pre-pandemic. I had no idea that the next time I’d be back taking photos there it would be the reception of her graduation, along with most of her family and friends!

Of course - all of Angela’s friends are incredibly sweet and even though I love to be behind the camera, I am thankful that people also push me to get in photos as well. This is my best friend after all, and I am so proud of her! Here is one of us together:

Finally, here is also a video montage of the trip/celebration! Most of the video footage and photos were taken by me, but I also included some video/pics from Angela and her other friends so we could have a capsule of this moment from everyone and not just my own perspective.

Las Vegas Birthday Vacation 2022

Nevada/Arizona Trip 2022

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“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.

October 2021

This October, I really tried to focus on taking more photos. Besides that, I tried to just tap back into myself, my happiness, and my creativity! October is my favorite time of year and I challenged myself to get back into finding inspiration and to keep up with being creative.

I decided to start a YouTube channel to document my growth and challenges of overcoming creative plateaus. I hope that I will continue to grow and learn in this process - to push myself to be uncomfortable but ultimately more fulfilled because in my heart, I am a creative. I want to express myself - it is what makes my life feel most meaningful.

Please find some of my photos taken over the last month below, and my video documenting what I took on this month along the way!

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We went out to Snohomish, Washington for a weekend date and to check out the area.

We held my father’s Celebration of Life in Seattle in September, and I ordered these flowers to celebrate him. They lasted a long time on my porch, even into October.

Some of our weather in the beginning of October was just beautiful. This “Vanilla Sky” night was so charming and I had to take a few photos during our walk.

In our neighborhood, we know most of the local cats better than we know the people! Here is one of our most well-known neighbors, Bob. She is feisty and loves to get pets and say hello to us if we happen to cross by her home.

At the beginning of October, my friends Rina and Travis moved away, but not before we had a chance to hang out with them a few more times! I also grabbed a few photos of them on their last night at their home in Seattle, before they made their big flight the next day to the East Coast.

We went out to The Ice Box to check out some live music and see what being social is like, again.

Lo Fives performed and were a treat! They were also so kind to let me take a few photos of them.

A card from my best friend - she knows me so well!

My best friend out at Bob's Corn & Pumpkin Farm.

We also stopped at the Maltby Produce Market to check out their pumpkin selection, wine selection, and farm animals.

Our pumpkins.

Ready for trick-or-treaters.

Halloween evening! Yes!

Behind the scenes photos…

Me taking a few photos of Rina and Travis.

Me at Lo Fives!

Angela and I at Bob’s!

Me as Jareth the Goblin King and Lee as Sarah from Labyrinth!

Check out my first YouTube video above, documenting my creative process this month and how I tried to get back into my photography while tapping back into feeling like myself again during my favorite season!