Whission Impossible

March 11, 2014 Whitney

I've realized I'm not the easiest to photograph. I'm VERY stiff and awkward. And that's one of the big goals of this blog, really. I'm lucky that I have people willing to deal with me as I learn my angles and how to loosen up (*cough* booze...jk).

I remember watching my dad get photographed by our fave, Andria, and how amazingly poised he was. Unashamed. Uninhibited. Self-possessed. Not awkward. He owned his body completely, even when it had been taken over by cancer. In spite of his disease, he werked it. He stared right into Andria's lens and he smized.

His daughter, on the other hand, isn't nearly as confident. Not in front of the camera, anyway. Just ask Carol and she'll tell you: "I always said to Whitney she'd regret not letting us take her picture. We have years - years - without pictures. Huh, Whitney? Tell them." I don't know what it is. I'll go through phases of being a total ham and then crawling back into my shell. I guess it's that predominantly introverted part of me that wants to hide away and not have to look at a screen showing awkward facial expressions and weird angles.

So, I'm working on it. It was POURING the other day when we wanted to photograph this outfit. Raz was a great sport and acted as my paparazzi/creative director, putting me in front of cool backdrops and trying to figure out how to make me feel comfortable. I was really excited about this outfit because it involved my fave new things: A grey PNW tee (don't you love it, mom?), distressed skinnies, FIERCE booties, a Gossip Girl umbrella and the only utility jacket I've ever owned (animal print, obvs).

It's actually pretty perfect that it was raining so hard. The shirt does say "PNW, this is my home," after all. Every day I'm awed by my surroundings, rain or nil. I love the green, the water, the smells. I met my man here, built a life here, made a career here. My family is nearby and I was reared 60 miles south of where I live now. The PNW is me and I am it.