I have always liked to emphasize the fact that I am a little bit Irish. It’s really a minuscule amount of my overall heritage — the majority of my ancestry being German — but it’s the part I always wanted to emulate the most. I’ve longed to go to Ireland for longer than I can remember; even my mom says as a little girl I chose to go there while my friends dreamt of vacations to Italy and France.
There’s something so moodily romantic about Ireland to me. I have spent hours on Google Maps in street view, wandering random pathways through the lush hills and quaint villages, wondering what it would really be like to walk past the colorful houses of Cork, or stand on the cliffs of Moher, or clamber over the Giant’s Causeway.
This image actually inspired one of my favorite stories that I have written (that I have yet to finish.) Of all the places in Ireland, Allihies is where I want to go first. Just for that image. Just to live out the story a little, even if the village in my book is nothing like that place.
And in fact, the summer before I met my husband I had decided that I was not going to get married for a few years, and I was going to travel to Ireland and have an adventure (and I noted it wouldn’t hurt to meet an Irishman of my own while I was there.) But of course, along came winter and love and changed all my plans.
Funny enough, though, his parents just discovered that they are both a bit Irish. So in a way, I did get my Irishman (who is probably mostly German too.)
When we all went to the park yesterday, I thought this massive tree and all the green around it was a perfect backdrop for my St. Patrick’s day outfit. I think I have finally found my sweet spot of photography — I was trying to have my husband take my pictures for a while, but I have a hard time getting in rhythm with him. When he snaps, I’m talking or blinking or there’s hair in my face, and it just feels awkward. But if we go out and I shoot my own while he runs around with Asa (and Evie sleeps in her stroller), I feel a bit braver in a public place and I can get the shots I want.
So I have determined that on sunny days, we should go out and I’ll try location shooting more. It’s something my husband always wants to do anyway, because he’s a go-do-things person to my homebody spirit, and it’ll get me braver to take outfit photos in public. I always feel awkward when people can see me.
But, the response of those who do see me taking pictures is always positive. People generally assume I am a photographer, and don’t think it’s weird at all that I’m taking pictures of myself alone.
While we were at the park playing, a little girl who was probably about three saw me as her mom held her, and she gasped and reached out to touch my hair, exclaiming “Oh, pretty! She’s a princess!!!”
I think that might be one of the most rewarding things about having pink hair.
Shirt (old) c/o Oasap | skirt, self-made | shoes, Modcloth | headscarf, grandma’s | earrings, thrifted | glasses, c/o Firmoo
And can we just talk about how amazing the lighting was for this shot? That sun flare. The photographer in me is dying over how good it is. Just for one moment, everything was perfect. Luck of the Irish? 😉
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
P.S. Wondering what happened to book reviews? Well. I lost my book. I’m so annoyed. But I at least have one review for next week!
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