If I had to name my blog again, right now, today. I have no idea what I would call it.
But this is the name I picked for it back in 2011.
The phrase happened because, funnily enough on two separate occasions, with two separate couples, I had the chance to walk around downtown Chicago with a camera capturing photos of a musician and a dancer who loved each other.
The first time it happened I was in my early twenties and still very unsure of so many things. And the experience brought a lot of clarity and confidence with it. There was an easiness there, each of us being confident in our uniqueness and not jealous of the others’. Just peacefully existing with each other and enjoying what we brought to the moment.
There’s been other couples that I have walked around Chicago with, camera in hand. (I used to photograph weddings, and I absolutely loved the engagement session before hand.) And that experience seemed to ring true each time -- just being ourselves and having a good time doing it. I very much enjoy moments of people being fully themselves. (I found that in having a camera in hand: it allowed me to (or at least it gave me the confidence to) ask more questions than I would have otherwise. A lot of times I found authenticity very quickly this way. That's part of why those engagement sessions were so delightful to me -- heart to hearts are SO good.)
When I had another photography session with another musician/dancer couple, the phrase seemed to solidify as a real concept for me:
Peacefully being yourself next to people who have their own thing. Bringing it all to the table, and just enjoying it.
