2015 52 Week Project // Week 15: Blurry Flowers Make Me Really Excited. (With Before & After + BTS)

So if you have ever met me, you'll know that I'm usually filled with the excitement of a 4 year old over most things people find mundane. Case in point: these beautiful, dreamy, out of focus cherry blossoms. (and Rachel.) 

This week, I'd been seeing my Facebook and Instagram feeds filling with images of spring and cherry blossoms all over Spokane, and it left me immediately itching to go hunt some down and shoot in them! Right around this time last year, I did a shoot with another friend up at Manito, where we managed to find some really pretty pink ones, so I put myself up to the challenge again to find them! 

2 really frustrating things about cherry blossoms: they bloom for 1, maybe 2 weeks tops before they die, and they're usually found in random people's yards, not in public places that look aesthetically pleasing enough for a photo shoot. So when I'm driving around in Spokane and I see someone's beautiful yard with a blooming cherry blossom tree, I get really frustrated, and almost tempted to pull into their driveway, knock on their door, and ask a random stranger if I can shoot in their yard. Since I value my safety, I don't think I'd actually ever do it, but living in an apartment complex is one of the many downsides to the convenience factor of living in a place you can also shoot at. 

So, we took a gamble, not knowing for sure if we'd find any. Additionally, I chose the worse possible time of day to shoot: between noon and two, when the sun is at it's harshest. Due to a busy week and a prior commitment to do something during golden hour that day, I had no other choice. 

While all of this seems like it would add up to equal disaster, I was pleasantly surprised. There are so many ways to modify light to your advantage, and did you know that if you have a diffuser, you can turn harsh sunlight into the most beautiful, bright, soft, natural light ever? Plus, while walking around Manito, we came across a bunch of really pretty white flowered cherry blossom trees that were an absolute dream to shoot in! Rachel looked stunning, the light was surprisingly perfect, and it all just came together so well, I couldn't have asked for better. 

This time of year in Spokane is never a disappointment. With 70 degree temperatures, blue bird skies, and a slight breeze, I almost wish that the weather was like this year round! Spring and summer are my absolute favorite!

Here's my favorite shots from our shoot. And some fun BTS images shot by my assistant, Whitney!