Warm Days.
Sun radiating on your back as you sit with your feet out
Care free and happy thoughts
A smile on your face as you smell the pink flowers bloom.
Cold Nights.
Left to sit in your own thoughts of worry and dismay
Thinking of the what-ifs
And waiting for morning to arise.
Where the cycle then repeats again…
02/22/17 – Wednesday
(Found on: https://www.edgarsnyder.com/car-accident/cause-of-accident/cell-phone/cell-phone-statistics.html)
Don’t contribute to these statistics!
The first step is to admit that you are a distracted driver. Don’t be afraid to be honest. Most people don’t realize that they use their phone while driving and it has become a habit. It’s a choice that you make every single time you sit behind the wheel so let’s break that habit. It can not only impact or kill you, but you are also putting other’s in harms way by making a bad decision.
Here’s how to start:
Take the pledge NOW to never distracted drive again at https://www.itcanwait.com
If this post hasn’t made you rethink your actions, check out this moving video…
February 14th. The day where the most chocolate and flowers are bought. Society views this day as a 24 hour time period where significant others spoil one another and remind them of how much they are loved.
However, I believe this day can be applied to those who are single as well. Valentine’s Day should be looked at as a way to show others how much they mean to you. This can include gifts, but words are the most meaningful. Just because you’re single doesn’t mean you should look down on this holiday. I encourage you to share with your friends and family about how much you appreciate them. You are so loved and just because you don’t have a boyfriend or girlfriend doesn’t mean you are loved less.
However I’m not saying being in a relationship is a bad thing, but I do have some advice. Instead of stressing out about getting your significant other the perfect gift, offer them the perfect words to express your love and appreciation for them.
Treat yourself on this day and remember to love others as well as yourself.
Trying to be 5 foot 3 inches in the modeling world is unheard of. Want to know why that is? Because nobody wants a short model. No agencies will take girls under the height of 5’8” even though the average height of females in the United States is 5 feet 4 inches. This being said, I will probably never be hired by an agency solely based on the fact that I was born with genes that caused me to be on the shorter side.
Where to even begin this long and hard journey of mine. I am finally going to share my story here about my modeling career. Thank you for taking the time to listen to my story…
I was in high school on vacation with a group of friends in Morro Bay, California when a female photographer asked if she could do a photoshoot with us. This self-esteem booster sparked the answer of yes from all of us. Once we had finished shooting on the beach, we continued to a studio shoot to finish up the night. It was there that this photographer said I should look into doing modeling. You see the beautiful, skinny girls on the front of magazine covers everyday and instantly you to strive to look just like them. Society was telling me I would never be good enough unless I looked like these girls, but this photographer was telling me different.
This thought of modeling kept swirling around my head for the next couple of years, but since I was never asked to do a photoshoot, I never pursued modeling. However, senior year of high school rolled around and it was time for senior photos. I decided I wanted to do mine a little different, actually very different. I decided to head up to Yosemite with my friend Taylor Logue where we shot all day in fields, under waterfalls, and near trees. The photos turned out spectacular and captured the nature vibe I was going for. After I had posted these photos on social media, I had people commenting those nice phrases you always see like, “So beautiful!” and “OMG model status.”
It was a couple months after this that local photographers began reaching out via Instagram to see if I wanted to shoot. I nervously said yes and began shooting right away. I remember one of my first shoots with Melody Olives (@melohhelidy) and feeling the heat of regret enter my body. I had no idea what I was doing, how to pose my body, where to turn my face, or what to do with my eyes. However, I pushed past these feelings of unknowingness and fear and turned them into some beautiful pieces of photo art.
After doing a couple more shoots with friends and getting more comfortable in front of the camera, I decided to take my modeling career to the next step. I contacted Wayne Everett (http://everettphotography.com) for some professional photos. We met at a Panera and collaborated on some ideas and a week later began the big shoot. I took my first headshots, even though I still had no idea what I was doing, and continued with three more looks. The photos showcased my fun personality but also my serious, driven side. I had a portfolio and modeling cards made that I still use today.
It was hard to find work even after my cards and portfolio were made up because who wants to shoot with a short, unexperienced model? I continued shoots here and there but decided to focus on school.
It wasn’t until winter break of my freshman year in college until I began shooting again. I booked over ten shoots in the timespan of six weeks. I forgot how much I loved modeling and meeting new people. The social aspect is by far my favorite along with creating art. My heart was so full.
I returned to LA for school where my modeling career diminished again since 1) I don’t have an agency 2) I’m short 3) I don’t have a big following on Instagram. Let me tell you, it’s hard going from doing what you love every week to not doing it at all. Fast-forward to Sophomore year of college where I was asked to an art hop. Despite all my anxiety of not fitting in or not knowing anyone there, I went. It was here that I met some of my greatest friends, inspirations, and artists.
I regained my confidence in shooting again and decided to not let the fact that I was short or that agencies didn’t want me to get me down. I even applied to a couple agencies just to see if someone would want me, and unsurprisingly, I was rejected. However, I still struggle with finding photoshoots and brands to collaborate with. Why so? Because photographers want to shoot with girls who have a good amount of followers on Instagram and same goes with brands, but I only have less than 2K. It feels like a never ending cycle of wanting to shoot with people, them not wanting to shoot with me because I have no followers, and all because I have hardly any followers due to the fact that bigger photographers don’t want to shoot with me. So how do people get so many followers that allow them to do bigger shoots and model for brands? I’m not sure but when I find out I’ll let you know!
My goals for my modeling career include spreading the message of loving your body and being yourself (More info on that listed below). I also want to model clothes for companies to showcase that not all models have to be tall and skinny. I understand that it’s frustrating seeing these flawless females modeling clothes that would actually look so different on a “regular” woman (I put regular in quotes because I believe we are all unique, but for writing purposes, regular refers to the average size woman). Being that I am average height and weight for a girl, I would love to see more average models who portray what woman will actually look like in those clothes. Another goal would be to travel and meet new people due to modeling. I have high expectations for the upcoming years and to see where modeling will take me.
“What’s the point of this post?” You’re probably asking yourself. There are a couple messages I want to share with you.
1) Love your body. Don’t let others tell you that you should be skinnier or dye your hair a certain color. Your body’s perfectly and wonderfully made. Today you see advertisements in magazines, on television, online, on giant billboards, etc. of images society wants you to look like. This image of perfection that is impossible to master. I am here to tell you that none of that matters and to be confident in your own skin.
2) Be yourself. Don’t feel the need to change your personality to please others. People will like you more for yourself than a person you’re trying to be. Laugh at the things you think are funny and be true to who you are.
3) Try and you will succeed. With the whole world telling you NO and putting you down, you have the choice to stand against these words or fall into them. I challenge you to do that thing you love and take a risk. Everything takes time so make sure to be patient along the way. Good things come to those who wait and work their butts off.
I hope my story and message has inspired you in some way. If you want to hear more or want to just talk, send me an email at kkdkimiko@gmail.com
01/10/17 – Tuesday
An evening of sushi, kid’s drinks, rain, hills, and cameras. An afternoon spent with Emily included eating lunch, getting Dutch Bro’s nearby, and taking photos. To catch you up on life, I recently got a new Canon camera and I have literally no idea how to use it. I have never taken any photography classes or owned a nice camera. My spontaneousness came out and I decided to purchase this bad boy so we’ll see if I can figure out this complex piece of technology!
01/05/17 – Thursday
On this beautiful, overcast day, I had the opportunity to shoot with Dino Mangano (@manganophotos). It was a pleasure meeting for the first time and bounding ideas off each other. We decided on a summer look with a dress and an outdoor feel. Only an hour was needed to create some beautiful art at a nearby park called Woodward Park in Fresno, CA. Overall, it was a productive morning of shooting and getting to know a new friend!
Long time no see! Sorry for being away for a couple months. Life got a little crazy and I was working on living in the moment and taking care of myself. I will upload some photos, videos, and short summaries of some adventures I went on during 2016. I promise to post more during this new year and keep you updated on my travels!
As John Muir says, “The mountains are calling and I must go.”
12/30/16 – Friday
There’s nothing better than a spontaneous Yosemite trip with good friends. This adventure was planned the day before when I sent out a group text saying, “Yosemite tomorrow. You guys down?” The next morning we all met up at my house and took off for the hour and a half drive to the gate and then the forty-five minute drive to the tunnel. The drive up was quiet and breathtaking. The moment we saw snow we couldn’t contain our excitement and began yelling like little children.
There’s no way to describe the feeling of driving out of the tunnel and adjusting your eyes to the sight of Half Dome, Bridalveil Falls, and El Capitan all in one. Be sure to keep your eyes on the road if you’re the driver though! You can stop at either a small parking lot on your right or left where you can park, hop out, stretch your legs, and take some nice photos. Once you get back on the road you have a couple minutes until you get down to the valley floor where you can park on the side of the road where indicated. There you can see Yosemite Falls, walk across a bridge, take more photos, and like we did, have a little picnic in the park. If you do go during the winter, I highly advise packing boots, warm socks, comfy pants, a couple coats, gloves, and even a wool cap.
If you get in your car and drive a couple more minutes, you’ll come across a small church on the right that’s hard to miss. Depending on the time of day, you can go inside and check it out. If you continue on the same road, you may stop at the Yosemite Village Store and get some more refreshments, snacks, and souvenirs.
Yosemite at this snowy time is so beautiful and very different from what it looks like in summer. However, be sure to check the weather before going to make sure it’s not going to snow and that the roads are clear! Safe travels and enjoy!
12/21/16 – Wednesday
Today I had the opportunity to collaborate with Kat (@kathryndamschen). She has such a kind heart and amazing personality. I can proudly say that this was one of my favorite shoots and the images just prove how talented Kat is. More of her work can be found on her website: http://kathryndamschen.com
12/19/16 – Monday
Yosemite, photoshoot, & Emily. This could not be a better way to start my winter break! Emily and I planned a day trip to Yosemite where we caught up on life while also doing a little shoot. The views were absolutely stunning and the time was well spent with a wonderful friend.
This is only the first of many more adventures to come!
Exploring the World 