Leaving on a jet plane

Announcement #3!

And here is our last big, huge, amazing announcement for this week!!! Dave and I are taking July and August – in between when we leave Indy and start our lives in Maryland – and are traveling down the East Coast of Australia!!!

This is a dream trip of ours, one we’ve thought about and wanted to do for so long…and I’m so excited it’s almost here! I used to live in Brisbane, Australia back in 2001 and I have wanted to go back for so long. Dave’s never been before, so I can already see me dragging him to all the places I remember. I of course, being the completely irrational person that I am, wanted to originally go for 1 year. Yeah…Dave won that battle.

I think we both are using this time and this trip to go after very different personal goals. Dave is using this time as a big break from allllllllll the years of school he has just completed. A time to relax, kick back, see a different part of the world and experience a new culture – and basically not think about teeth for 6 weeks. 😉 I’m most excited about the opportunity for me to refresh, unplug, have fun, and recharge. We’re both really looking forward to having all of that time to spend together too.

One thing I wrestled with is whether to bring my laptop. Most of my time producing an image is actually spent behind the computer screen. I really would love to be able to take photographs during our trip, edit them on my computer, and then post them for you all to see immediately. This though, posed two big problems. One, a laptop is heavy, and when I’m weighing out bikini tops to make sure my luggage works – a laptop has got to go. Secondly though, and honestly more important to me, is that I am really excited about the opportunity to go back to basics…to what made me originally so many years ago fall in love with photos. TRAVEL! I am using this trip as a chance to force myself to see creatively, work on in-camera topics like composition and exposure, and relish in the time I will not be sitting behind a computer screen, but instead out there soaking up life! I cant wait.

For those interested in the details, we’re flying from LA to Cairns and making our way down to Melbourne over a 6 week timeline. We’re doing a Great Barrier Reef diving trip on a live aboard dive boat, spending a 4 day trip aboard a sailboat learning to sail in the Whitsunday Islands, camping at Fraser Island, and spending lots of time in Port Douglas, Hamilton Island, Noosa, Brisbane, Byron Bay, Sydney, The Blue Mountains, Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road. We’re packing 2 checked backpacks, 1 small bag that will hold my camera, and another small bag that we’ll throw a water bottle, map, etc. into. No going over the weight limits allowed! 🙂

For those who care (we do) – we did decide to purchase the Carbon offset credits…Dave is still doubtful that the money makes it into the best hands, but oh well. I hope it does.

So there you go guys!!! My new website, a new city, and an amazing trip. I couldnt be more excited about our future!!!