002 - The Art of Noticing

Staring at my calendar, the next few weeks are so will be a quieter one as opposed to some of the previous weeks working so many hours. The work is gratifying and I am learning so much from the production crew in terms of fine-tuning my craft as a photographer a bit more. Learning the cadence of a good videography and camera op moment that makes viewership an impactful experience. It all is crucial the goals I had set out for myself this year. Towards the end of last year I had decided to take a slower approach to my creative process this year. I was going to share a video of how I approach that new routine but it isn’t ready yet. I haven’t found what groove I want to sit in and so noticing that realization of “yeah I can be soft in these moments” is quite alright. And the only way I can figure out what that is can be a romanticized version of life. 

I spent a lot of time deep in my introspective thoughts and fighting the suppression of a grieving heart and honestly it is much more relieving to just let that shit go. I had mentioned that I had appreciated that the production crew doesn’t see me as someone they have to filter themselves around. I dig their genuine nature and their heartfelt concerns when I run to do a stage changeover with shoelaces untied. I said to a friend ”it’s so hard being an AAPI women that constantly feels that she has to prove herself to others especially men in this industry.”  His response was that I had the confidence of a women who won’t back down because she feels that certain people can make her feel little. Belittment isn’t something I stand for either. Sure it is hard for a woman of color to constantly succeed but if I don’t try to stand my ground and hold my own next to the talents of industry veterans. I won’t know what I am capable of. Plus I have a heart full of gratitude and every time I leave the control room – I always say thanks for having me and for sharing their knowledge with me. I feel like those moments of teaching someone an industry trick they’ve learned is a sign of “Hey I appreciate your efforts; I wanna see you succeed”. 

Another vital moment was talking to Todd Owyoung on the importance of noticing how important your job is to the production of a live show or event. He does photography for the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and he shared how it was such a good feeling to be in the flow and upkeep of the cadence with the camera crew and production team. Being on that side of the production makes me respect just how powerful a camera is and how having a talented eye can improve just the slightest shot. So if you want to see what our conversation was about – check it out below because it’s a great conversation. 

I have been taking more walks too and I always think of that meme “taking a stupid walk for my mental health” and I laugh because it works. The last few days I spent walking around on Friday I walked for a good 32 mins and I could not believe how far I went. I spent that Friday evening having afternoon tea with my 16 year-old niece. Getting to enjoy one of my favorite British traditions in the world was so nice. The very next day I took my film camera to the Sakura Cherry Blossom Festival near the Shofuso Japanese Tea House and Garden. We spent most of the time walking around the festival grounds and enjoying the goods. I stopped by Rikumo and picked up this artisanal Morihata Matcha and Puffed Rice White Chocolate and that first bite was heavenly. It was so smooth and the combination of that ceremonial grade matcha with the smoothness of Shane’s Confectionery white chocolate was a perfect match. Plus the packaging and details are so spot on and perfect. I am such a sucker for great packaging. 

I have also been eager to photograph this light blue hoodie and tshirt from the  SEOLLAL COLLECTION  from the brand CLOAK and I mean every drop has been stellar. My most worn tee from them was their interpretation of the Cheshire Cat from the books Alice in Wonderland. The exact colorway and design I grabbed isn’t on the site anymore but here’s an Olive Green  version of it. The fit is comfortable and the puffed printed design is quality. I did however get food stains over it during the festival because cheese is life and so was the Korean Beef Cheesesteak from PaperMill. And if you’re a spec nerd like me; here’s the specs for that tshirt. 

Full gallery coming soon. 

So the art of noticing looks differently for every individual but for me it looks like slow mornings, walks in the sun and chasing golden hour photos.