Trying to tell a story with only five photos. Here’s the batch I came up with… Still not sure if it’s the best grouping (I had two rolls of film to pick from), but it’s really hard to be objective about your own work, and to know which ones are the best not only as individual shots to showcase but how they fit with the others and serve the overarching purpose.  

I recently submitted these for a short-term photojournalistic sort of job. Fingers crossed… it would be so amazing. I’m sure there are a ton of people submitting photos to be considered for this same job, so I’m not holding out too much hope, but you never know when the right photo will resonate with the right person in the right way.

Something is stirring. Although I have thoroughly enjoyed my lazy, cozy sleep-ins and comfort-food munches and my dimly lit movie marathons and excuses for an overabundance of warm, sweet lattes, it’s finally becoming less appealing. While I try to make the most of my thick, warm wool socks and peppermint tea, it’s losing its golden luster and becoming less romantic and more drab. I feel the beginnings of a slow but steady surge- I’m ready for green and pale, soft colors to stretch their arms and burst forth with light and energy (something I haven’t seen or experienced for quite a long time).

I think this feeling of anticipation for Spring is normal for most people- but not necessarily for me. I revel in the dark and moody rays of pale but picturesque Winter. There is much beauty in the melancholy, and I tend to sit down, wrap it around me, and contentedly stew in it for what is, I’m sure, far too long. If it were a bath, I’d be the pruniest old grandma you ever did see. 

So what’s different this time? I think I’ve just been lucky enough to have my senses overwhelmed and satiated in the most gorgeous Spring inspiration. Between the words and images in the most recent Kinfolk Magazine issue and other random prettiness to surface on the many planes of interweb, I’m hooked! Bring on the early morning breakfast gatherings, the bouquet picnics, the physical activity and fresh air, physical exertion, and general excitement about growth, both personal and agricultural!

Suddenly a simple picture of pastel and delicate plates submerges me in dreamy imaginings of tea parties with light but delicious fare, of tromping through the woods with a picnic basket and a brightly colored quilt. What are your Spring-time daydreams?

Photo credit: Image from Anthropologie (click the picture and it’ll take you to the original page)

Back to life, back to work. For those of you who don’t know, I’ve been gone quite a while. First, Daniel and I took a vacation out to Seattle to visit some great friends in a fun place. However, before that vacation ended my leave from home was extended unexpectedly when my grandmother passed away. Suddenly there were things to cancel and reschedule and travel arrangements to be made and phone calls to make. It was good to spend some time with family I don’t get to see very often, but even though I’m back home now things are quite hazy and I feel semi-detached from reality. Seems like it might take a bit for me to get back in the swing of things.

However, swing I must! I have some wedding photography I need to finish soon, but until then, enjoy this video made by Francois Ferracci. I love the cinematography and emphasis put on enjoying and remembering the literal and physical, showcased by their presentation of a hypothetical situation. I’m not going to stop shooting digital, but I do love my film.

Bonus, it’s French (and if you know me, you know I love all things French).

LOST MEMORIES (French, English Subtitles) from Francois Ferracci on Vimeo.

Thought I’d share a project I’ve been working on for quite some time. I’m proud to share my first stop-motion wedding video! I’m humbled by the response I’ve received so far, and would love to shoot more of these in the future.

Please visit and “like” my Facebook page so that you can see this and other work! I’m just starting out in the realm of professional photography and stop-motion, and would love your support. If you have any questions or would like to learn about pricing, feel free to contact me via my Facebook or email me at mail@sonjalyon.com

Phew. Here goes!

Do you have a unique look? I need a few more models for a lookbook I’m shooting for a local company, Featherwood Frames. These really awesome glasses are handmade from domestic and recycled wood. You can read more about how the company got started and their philosophy by following that link to their page. Here are just a few of the frames I’ll be using!

Please contact me via mail@sonjalyon.com if you’re interested and include a couple recent head shots (they don’t have to be professional!). Thanks! You can also check out more of my work and see the final lookbook when it’s done by following my Facebook page: Sonja Lyon Photography

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Check it out. I love Kelsie from With Lavender and Lace. She is a friend and also the marvelous maven who shot our wedding (with film!.. check out some of those pictures here), and if I were anywhere close to Virginia, I’d be heading to her adorable vintage shop. Not only to browse the beautiful and one-of-a-kind items she sells, but to admire and consume some delicious items that can be found nearby. For outside her shop, from time to time a wonderful thing happens… Local baker Emily Hill, of Call Me Cupcake, sets up and sells vegan baked goodies.

Today I’m posting about them because together they’re doing a giveaway. So many great things in one place. Read all about the giveaway here. Kelsie made a beautiful flower crown (seen below) that you can win if you reblog this event!

The giveaway winner will be selected at midnight, Saturday 6/9/12. <3

I’ve talked before of my love for Warby Parker. The exact day that they sent out an email to their loyal subscribers (yes, I am one of them) informing us that they added a new product— prescription sunglasses (!!!!!)— I went to their website to pick out a pair.

Tomorrow I shall receive their pack of 5 pairs of home try-ons. I can’t wait. And yes, that is a wonderful feature… you can choose up to 5 pairs of glasses you might like and then they will send them (the lenses aren’t prescription, it’s purely to see how the style looks) straight to your front door. You keep em for a week, then slap the sticker on the box (yup, they pay for shipping both ways), and send it on back. Completely for free. I’ve done this numerous times in the past (by now I’ve tried on at least 15 different pairs of their glasses) and already own a wonderful pair of Huxleys, but now. Now.

Sunglasses.

I honestly love sunglasses. But I never wear them. I wear glasses every single day of my life and while I own contacts if I should ever need to wear them, I almost never do. I’m not about to put in my contacts just so I’m able to wear sunglasses. What a nuisance. And I really do have such terrible vision that sans-correction, normal life functions are impossible. My eyes are also extremely sensitive. What a conundrum. These affordable and adorable prescription sunnies are the most awesome solution and luckily, my vision insurance carrier just switched. Boring practical detail? Hardly. I’ll be getting a pair of these bad boys for free, or at least very little. 

I’ll keep you all updated with which ones I love, which ones I hate, and the one lucky little pair that I can’t live without.

*Also, I do not work for Warby Parker nor am I getting anything out of this. I really do love this company and their glasses this much. Ask me about it anytime and I’ll probably talk them up for at least 15 minutes. Did you know that one of the reasons this company started was that they thought it was ridiculous that prescription glasses cost so much? Thought not. All their regular prescription glasses are only $95. Tack some (any) insurance help onto that and you’re golden. Did you know that for every pair someone buys, they donate a pair to someone in need? Yet another bonus. Warby Parker rules.

My mother-in-law sent a little bag of goodies to Daniel and I couple days ago (thoughtful woman), and it included a few rather odd items. One was a writing assignment of Dan’s from when he was 10 years old:

Camping in the Woods

My pals John and Mike and I wanted to have some fun and adventure, so we asked Mike’s dad if he could take us to some woods. He said, “I know I went to a camp when I was your age; I went to Camp Enjoy,” so we were off to Camp Enjoy. When we got there no one was there but us— that’s what we thought. Mike’s dad went home, but just then a bear jumped out, and I pulled out a BB gun and shot him 10 times. He ran off crying— it looked like. John and Mike were relieved and said “Thanks, Dan.” I said, “Good thing I packed the BB gun.”

Photo from Front Porch Republic

Well, this thing looks neat. I currently have a strange attachment to the old, rusty, brake-by-peddling-backwards cruiser that I’ve ridden for the past 7 or so years… it’s mostly unexplainable, because I do enough riding to merit a nicer bike that’s more friendly to, say, hills, or even just turning left without the handlebars catching on their own rust. But I think familiarity for that teal piece of crap is only a small part of the reason I can’t seem to shake the old bird. I’m in love with the basket. It’s one of those huge baskets that reaches up and over either side of the back tire. I can easily haul snacks back to work, library books, even groceries (truly, it’s happened on several occasions). How am I possibly supposed to juggle that sort of stuff on a nicer road bike? Old, huge baskets just don’t fit or look quite right on those smooth, speedy things.

Maybe this bent basket is just what I need to finally make the push from my (free, did I mention that?) rusty joke of a bike I’ve put so many miles on. It looks pretty cool too, to boot. Though I’m not sure how many groceries I could fit. 

Someday, I’d love to be able to stay in the Nomad Hotel. I haven’t even looked at the prices (I’m a little scared, though I don’t know why— I already know I can’t afford it and maybe never can). But look at the pictures. The rooms are a perfect representation of how I’d like to spend a luxurious European vacation, but the hotel is in New York City. Meaning there’s still a lot of culture, delicious food to eat, and wonderful places to explore, but 1. people speak English, 2. you do not have to spend thousands of dollars simply to get there.

I’m in love with the way everything looks (I’d like my own living space to look and feel like that…). The claw-foot tub is the most perfect place to relax like a chic French girl. These two pictures are the only downloadable pictures I could post but they don’t even really show how wonderful this place really is. You literally have to look on their website. Even the font and the website layout is effortlessly cool in it’s offhand, perfect simplicity. Hotel envy. 

So I started another little blogging project. I know I neglect this one a lot, but this one isn’t disappearing because all I’m doing with the other is posting a picture a day. I’m sorting through a bunch of my old pictures and pulling ones that stick out to me or that I just plain like for whatever reason, and at the end of this hopefully I’ll have a bunch to then organize and place into some sort of portfolio. The name of this little haven on the internet is that brown box. Get it? Like that same brown box your parents probably have sitting in their basement, haphazardly full of pictures, some funny, some dumb, some awesome. Well, it’s time to clean house.

I’ll add current pictures too, but the main reason I think doing an (almost) daily post (let’s be realistic) is that it’s easy to look through old pictures and find at least one that I like. Who knows how long I can keep this up… maybe after a couple weeks I’ll run out of decent photos and then have to start taking a bunch I actually do like. Either way, it’s productive and moves me at least one step closer to actually testing out this photography direction. 

Do you like me? Do you like my photography? Do you just feel a general sense of do-good towards humanity and are needing a channel to materialize this feeling into a real benefit and help? Well, you can follow my new blog. You can like pictures that you think deserve to be included in this one-day portfolio. You can even look through any old stuff on Facebook and tell me what you think I should include. Or you can read this, smile and nod approvingly, and never do anything else with this information. It’s really up to you.

I’m only on day 2. Here’s the first photo I posted yesterday (and the actual source again, just in case you missed it before, to where future photos will be posted). Thanks for reading!

Photos by me; please do not use without permission.

I added a few things to my Christmas/birthday wishlist: books! Two are on my mind, specifically.

The French Women Don’t Get Fat Cookbook

and

Craft, Inc.

And though not a book, I have wanted a Vogue subscription for a while…

(I loved the photo shoot with Arizona Muse and this picture especially. She’s so calm and regal with such turmoil and action opposite of her).

There are probably more books I’d love to add to my shelves. Soon I’ll post even more wishlist items (who knows, maybe they’ll help someone find gift ideas for someone else they know!), AND I’ll give a little update of my nice, relaxing 25th birthday celebrating.

What lovely colors. Tucking this away for future reference (for a room? an outfit? some beautiful event in need of a color scheme?). I don’t usually do much with plum or purple but if I ever did, this is how I would pull it off.

(I love following Color Collective… great color palettes from inspiring pictures!)

I survived so far. School is almost killing me, but as of last week I forced myself to work less until this last semester is all wrapped up with a little piece of string tied into a bow on top. Though I’m not done for a couple weeks, if I can make it through next Monday I’ll be sailing. One final presentation down (and it GOT down, if I do say so), the big hairy one after just one short weekend. I’ve been living in the computer labs so someday I’d really like to see Daniel again, but the end is near. After working on stuff for about 6 hours straight this afternoon, I took a break to catch up on some blog reading and take note of a few things I liked.

A lovely romantic wedding hairdo (and a beautiful dress).

Wishing I could be a yoga breakdancer like this guy. I’ve heard that experts predict that the world’s next oldest person is already alive and in our generation. I submit that it may be him?

A quote I came across that I enjoyed: “Forgiveness is a strange thing. It can sometimes be easier to forgive our enemies than our friends. It can be hardest of all to forgive people we love. Like all of life’s important coping skills, the ability to forgive and the capacity to let go of resentments most likely take root very early in our lives.”
-Fred Rogers

A bride who really got it right. Her vintage ring is gorgeous, her hair and makeup look natural but so chic, and her dress looks like a mix between your comfiest t-shirt and the fairy ballet dress you dreamed of as a little girl. Her bridesmaids look awesome and her rooftop reception venue costed $200. The hubby’s got great style and glasses too. I’m stopping myself now.

Oh my. I about died when I saw this collection by Laure de Sagazan . I’ve told several people that I truly regret how I looked on my wedding day. That may sound horrible but it’s just the truth (and no, I’m not fishing for compliments, at this point they make me feel uncomfortable). Now don’t get me wrong, that day was beyond wonderful. It was emotional and amazing and I was so incredibly happy. I love love love the pictures that Kelsie took. But when I look at them I grimace slightly when I see myself.

I put so much time into planning the feel of the event, the flow, the decorations and the music… and we had to make EVERYTHING ourselves. We took the DIY wedding concept and blew it apart with an atomic bomb. We did this, of course, because Daniel and I actually enjoyed planning and making all these things (not to mention we are dirt poor and had a very tiny budget), but I think I went a little overboard into my own masochistic ocean.

I didn’t sleep much or well for like a month before the wedding. The two days before, I slept less than four hours each night (hello, dark circles). I knew I wanted to look beautiful, rested, happy, stylish, comfortable, vintage, etc… basically the glossed up and best version of myself in something weddingish. But in the months and months of planning and work, I forgot to make this happen. I barely ever went shopping. I bought a dress as soon as I started looking because it was on sale for a jaw-droppingly low price. On the couple of occasions I shopped looked for accessories and such, I didn’t spend much time or look in very many places and ended up finding nothing I loved. I bought several “maybe” items as back ups in case I didn’t ever get a chance to find anything, because something is better than nothing, right? Well, maybe. The day of the wedding I was in such a frenzy that I ended up putting on ALL the so-so maybe items. I didn’t know how I wanted my hair, my makeup, and I didn’t have any accessories to create a look or tie it all together. I was a hodge-podge of unpreparedness and didn’t even realize it until after the wedding. That little sleep and that much to do will make you forget to look in the mirror, apparently. The thing I really hate is that I don’t think I even looked like myself.

Wow. What a rant. There was an initial purpose for this. That first link made me sigh and because that is the look I would have loved to have gone for. It’s French, of course, but the easy, comfortable grace and the originality of these dresses and look is what I really resonate with.

Someday I would really like to get into the wedding industry whether through photography, event design, making the decor… who knows. As I still read multiple wedding blogs, I’m continually confronted with my regret and rant. I try not to because what I look like is definitely not what counts the most from that day. But I am a girl, after all. So intead of focusing on myself, I’ve made a vow for the future.

I vow to make sure that any friend of mine who is getting married will have all the time, help, guidance, inspiration, and support she needs to make sure that she feels great about how she looks on her wedding day. She will look gorgeous but most importantly, like herself. I will personally ensure that this happens. I’ve gotten very good at researching, organizing, finding inspiration, and online shopping. And I’m blogging this link partially so that I can bookmark it forever in case some lady should need inspiration.

Gosh, I couldn’t stop putting up pictures, but there are even more with this collection (once again, the link). So so pretty.