Costa Mesa Lifestyle Session | Jill

I was so beyond excited when Jill asked me to photograph her — this adventurous lady was about to take a solo bike trip up the California coast, and wanted to document herself and all her gear before she left. This is the stuff that makes me so giddy, and makes me feel so lucky to do what I do. I could feel this sense of excitement and confidence in her that can only exist, in this way, before she goes off on her journey. When you’re with someone before they create a milestone, and a core memory, it’s almost electric.

As we were taking these photos in sweet Eastside Costa Mesa (which might be my new favorite backdrop for photos in Orange County), I felt like I was suddenly taking photos for REI or Patagonia but this - this was even better. This was real life, this was capturing the spirit of a real story, a real adventure. And I know I say this every session, but these photos are some of my absolute favorite.