hayley vB photography

Chicago 2016

Chicago

looking through archives from summer 2015 and found a few little gems. It’s funny how at first, you can overlook certain images and then months, years later go back and realize they are not bad. I was looking through to maybe gain some inspiration, as i’ve been struggling. It’s hard to want to go out and shoot when it’s cold and wet outside, and when i’m tired from work. I also need a little more structure - it’s been rather underwhelming to go out and shoot with no intention in mind. I’m trying to look for/come up with assignments i can give myself - restraints breed creativity. I need some parameters to work within. 

first snow

i miss taking random candid shots of people around chicago. i haven’t shot street in forever. when i was home in chicago shooting around a couple weekends ago, i felt more inspired to press that shutter than i have the entire time i’ve been in michigan. there is no opportunity for street photography here, people don’t just walk around. i love the scale and geometric shapes chicago offers and the way the city forces people to interact with it and each other. I love the life everywhere - every tiny person is living their own story. I’ve always loved this about the city, 3 million other people right next to me living all different lives.

Aon Center, Chicago

this golf course, called Greywalls, in Marquette was absolutely stunning. tagging along while Shawn golfed was not so bad since I was able to see and photograph all this scenery

Tahquamenon Falls, MI 

I’ve been struggling with shooting lately. It’s not coming easy these days. I take a lot of photos at the beach and it feels a little too generic and I’m not really about it, but I’m not really inspired right now to find locations and shoot. I’m not sure what kind of work I want to be making right now and I’m not sure how to execute any of the small ideas I have in my head. Nothing looks the way I want it to anymore. Also my sensor was very dirty and I just cleaned it for the first time ever and I’m nervous that it’s gonna be damaged. 

Lonely dog

Magic trees

late summer is probably my favorite time of year. the best colors, the best light, but also that surreal feeling that the air is changing and you’ll soon lose your freedom so you better savor it. this will be my first fall not going to school since age five and while yes, i have a job and plenty of grown up responsibilities year round now, i don’t think that feeling about august will ever go away. i hope it doesn’t.

i don’t show my face

last month, visiting a garden in grand rapids with tegan and peaches

Silty sand today made for some fun black and whites

hung out with this baby, Starling, after shooting some work for her mom, lisa boumstein-smalley. we looked out the window for birds then she proceeded to put her entire hand in my mouth while laughing hysterically. i was okay with it.