Has anyone ever asked you to be a model for something? If not, grab a few friends, head to your most impressive landscape with your camera and make an evening of it! That’s what I did!
Creating this business, my collection, and producing it has been such a blast! It was made all that more special when I shared the beginning with a few of my best friends. One, of which, said that she had always wanted to be asked to model. Well, watch what you ask for cover girl!
To say that the day of our photo shoot was doomed, would have been a bit dramatic. Though, it was the worst conditions: Stormy, overcast, and windy with a high chance of thunderstorms. Growing up in New Mexico, I could predict that the our thunderstorms would be over around 4pm and a beautiful, blue sky would appear with a lingering smell of ozone and sagebrush hanging in the air. In Bend, Oregon the weather is not quite that predictable. I had envisioned that gorgeous sunset gold casting its rays onto my beautiful friends...but that was in doubt. Heavy winds, blustery rain bursts and gray skies had set upon us.
Time was running out and as we rambled out to Smith Rock State Park in Terrebonne, Oregon in my camper van...the craziness of the afternoon weather started to subside and the sky cleared. We all met for drinks and appetizers, cracking jokes at our ourselves while getting to know our photographers, Milly and Ross. This wasn’t going to be a bomb after all!
This small group of friends comprised of women who I’ve known, since coming to Central Oregon in 2001, plus the newbies to the area, who we’ve added along the way. All of them are women of the land, who love to get their hands dirty and have dedicated their lives and professions to the outdoors: dog-lovers, backpackers, artists, scientists, archaeologists, land managers, teachers, and forest stewards. (I guess there is always an odd one: One friend is in banking...although, she grew up off the grid, so we still accept her!)
Our little group communing with the jagged rocks, sagebrush, and juniper from the most important spaces in my life, Smith Rock, was a magical moment. Laughing, goofing off, and sharing this experience with friends created the perfect event in which this little leather jewelry brand of mine could start growing.
Thank you, MR Photography for your patience and beautiful photography!
Check out the High Desert Collection to shop the leather jewelry you saw in this post.