Author: mccrackinphotography

My image for seasons (eclectic outfit with elements from all seasons in case you were confused haha)

My image for pet portrait (yan yan our turtle!)

This is my image for the word “carefree”

This is my image for the word “elegance”

Lately I have been obssessed with self portraits. They never come out like I want them too but I love doing them anyways. Today I broke out the camera randomly put it on a tripod and started shooting the crazy socks I was wearing. 20 minutes later I wound up in my prom dress laughing at myself. Here are the results of too much caffine and a camera…hahahaha

P.S. On a random note…I have decided to blog everyday for a month. This time I mean it. It’s gonna happen. lol.

Ok, so first of all I can’t believe how long it has been since I have blogged!!!! EPIC FAIL!

This week one of the creative assignments we recieved was the word “sharing”. These are a few (unedited) images from the shoot. Blondie (Toni) and Lil Mama (Erica) did a fantastic job and are both so C_U_T_E!

Watching them giggle and gossip with mismatched shoes reminded me so much of my fake sister, Laura, and I. The two of us would do crazy things like go for a bike ride in our prom dresses so I’m pretty sure sharing shoes would be right up our alley =)

I spent the majority of my new years tossing and turning on a decrepit couch trying to keep my sickness under control. Needless to say I have had a lot of time to think about this past year and what my future holds. My resolution last year was to live my life to the fullest, I like to think I succeeded. This year I have decided to be the overall best me I can be.  I want to live up to and pass my own expectations. to love the people in my life, to work hard, to be happy, to follow my bliss, but most importantly to just be me always…holding nothing back.

I was looking through pictures on my computer and found these of me dancing in the rain that just made me smile. I think this is the girl I want to be next year…happy, carefree, and full of life.

Happy new year all!

Photos by Erica DiGiovanni

Cold. Solid. Gray. Fog. Strength. Ugly. Beautiful. Concrete. Fog. Rain.

This last session has been incredibly hard. I wake up at 8:00 and am working basically nonstop until at least 2:00 a.m. My whole life I have believed that if you work hard enough then you will succeed. But I have been working harder then I have ever worked and I’m still terrified that I will fail. Frustrated, stressed, and always on the brink of a nervous breakdown I recieved a call from my family informing me that our beloved dog had died. I broke down after hanging up. In the midst of the “why?” and the tears I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror.

My first inclination was to get out my camera and  take pictures….

This was when I knew I was exactly where I am supposed to be. Yes, its hard. Yes, sometimes I think there is just no way. But photography is my passion, I’m living my dreams, and despite it all I feel so incredibly blessed.

So here are images of a girl missing her puppy, a girl who is stressed, but most importantly…a girl who is incredibly lucky to be living her dreams.

One wonderful day in Fairbanks, Alaska my mom asked me and my brother if we wanted a dog. YES!!!! we both agreed. A few weeks later we were the proud owners of Nikki (formerly belonging to my cousins, aunt, and uncle) I remember the most shocking part was it had been my dad’s idea; a man who my entire life had been vehemently opposed to having one.

That first night was hard…they tied her up outside and I secretly cried all night because I was so worried about leaving her out. Eventually, she wiggled herself into our home and our hearts.

Nikki was a people dog through and through. If we were in the living room, she would be too. If I was sleeping, she would be in my room. If we were outside, she would be prancing around beside us. Once, she tried to swim behind us when we left in a boat hahaha.

Every day when I came home from school she would greet me with a wagging tail, a shoe in her mouth (she had to have something in her mouth if she was happy but she never chewed lol) and plenty of dog hair to distribute all over my clothes.

Nikki quickly became a beloved part of the McCrackin family….I’m going to miss her so much.

When I think of Christmas weather I think of snow all white and glistening, of being curled up in a blanket, of sipping hot cocca while reading a fantastic Jane Austin novel. When Californian’s think of Christmas weather they think of bigger surf. Everywhere I look I see palm trees with Christmas lights….there is something wrong with that picture right? As my room mate, Lydia, put it: santa is riding around on a surfboard instead of a sleigh. The other day it was overcast (which is so rare for Santa Barbara!) and I got really excited. I donned a thick sweatshirt and made hot tea. It was amazing.

Anyways…this is a random picture of a seagull at the mission. =)