zoe lately // part I

If I'm being honest, there will be part 2, part 49, part 117, and beyond of 'zoe lately' posts.

truth: I'm not good at clearly expressing my feelings and thoughts through audible sentences.

*insert close friends chuckling.*

I mean, I can hold conversations, small talk, and toss what energy and wit I have to offer into casual situations, but I'm a very internally analytical person, and am definitely self conscious when expressing serious ideas or feelings out loud to others. 

 I think that's something a lot of people don't truly know about me, especially if you only know me on social media, because you've never heard me try to express what I'm thinking or feeling except by reading my well thought over sentences on a screen. Yeah, I used to be a worship leader and talk to student bodies a lot, but that was all the Holy Spirit's words and direction, not my own intelligence. I was also a dance teacher, but I learned what I was talking about from someone else and could comfortably explain an already established concept. 

But when it comes to a class or group where responding is encouraged, you will find I'm the quiet one. I'm not bored, not understanding, or under the impression that I'm above whatever's going on, I'm just keeping it all inside, and would only say something if I believe it was absolutely essential to contribute and produce progress. Hence why writing, blogging, typing and taking pictures *hello, no sounds there ever* are my sweet spot. It gets my insides out, but people have the choice of if they want to pay attention to it or not.

So there is the preface to these 'zoe lately' posts you'll see popping up on my blog every once in a while. These posts are when my insides finally come to a breaking point of hoarding feelings, information, and discovery - have been thoroughly processed - and need to be released. My hope is that you, the immensely significant human that you are, might just have some sort of connection to what I'm writing, an 'aha!' from what you're reading, or simply just more of an understanding of exactly how I function as a human being. Cause if I've learned anything in my 19 short years of living, it's that we're not all too different from each other when it comes to matters of the mind and heart.

so that's zoe lately. 

One Arrow Tipis //

I was approached by the lovely Meredith Vandewege - momma of Harlow and co-designer of One Arrow Designs - to do a product shoot for her beautiful tipis! 

The little lady above is Harlow, and the redhead is a mini friend of mine named Elliot! His momma and I became friends a few months back through instagram - find her & her darlings on instagram @moriahflorence - and I thought he would be a perfect playmate to bring into the shoot!

It was so fun just to capture these two new pals interacting and having a day of fun around these beautiful tipis. Check out Meredith's blog on HausOfHarlow.com and email her onearrowdesign@gmail.com to put in a custom tipi order! 

instagram: @onearrowdesign

Raising Arrows //

I recently had the privilege of shooting photos for the fall launch of a faith-based threads company called Raising Arrows.

This was definitely one of my first 'big production' shoots, having the responsibility of styling, directing and shooting the whole project. But I wasn't completely alone because the group of gals we had modeling the threads were such light hearts to work with and a joy to be around. ALSO a major shoutout to my friend Erik Bear for being my selfless assistant the whole day - everything from holding my keys and coffee to lighting things on fire for elements in the shot, and just being an extra pair of creative eyes for the day! Such a valuable addition to the day that I could not have done the shoot without! 

I totally encourage you to support Alysia, of Raising Arrows who shares a snapshot of their mission as this:

"Too many many follow the movement of the world. Raise your arrows, and be the change! Start a new movement. Give God His glory, be who He says you are, and actually believe in it! You are loved, you are worthy, you are enough because Jesus is Enough and what God gave to Jesus, He gave to us! Rise up and stand strong!" 

find their products, which also include children's apparel, on shopra.co 

California bound //

If you're not into details, I'll spare you the suspense:

On September 1st - in less than 2 weeks - I'll be driving out to Costa Mesa, California and living there for 4 months while I'm doing a photo internship at a nonprofit company called Krochet Kids International. [krochetkids.org // @krochetkids // their hat that I'm wearing - the Brady - can be found here ]

This idea that I had my sights set on only seemed like a dreamy possibility until I got the call telling me it was a yes.

My soul adores the midwest, but if you know any basic bit of me, it's that you will not find me in the same spot for long. I haven't even been living in Rochester for a year, SO WHY NOT CALI NEXT?! Not only because of the beach life, different people, and adventures waiting to be had there, but the inspiring mission of Krochet Kids that I get to be a part of through my passion of photography. 

FOR YOU DETAIL LOVERS: At the end of my senior year of high school (May 2014) my parents were all too encouraging about getting me to make a move towards college plans - bless their souls, better they care than not - but I just didn't feel like college was going to be the next step for this chick. I had heard about the KKI internships before my senior year started, but the thought hadn't come up again till I was grasping to put together somewhat of a 'next step' for life. After I graduated, I had thought of applying for the internship for last fall, but a few people in my life encouraged me to wait. So as you might know, this past year has been a mixture of working 2 jobs, traveling, and doing freelance photography for cool humans. However, in the back of my mind throughout this whole year, has been the idea and hope of being the photo intern at Krochet Kids come fall.

The beginning of this summer is when I really knew it was go-time and started preparing everything to apply for this. Even when I was in Norway, your girl Zoe was preparing pieces of the application cause I just SO wanted to do this! It was basically the only plan I had going for the fall. I'm barely good at plan A's so you bet your bottom dollar I didn't have a plan B if this didn't work. I just definitely felt like this past year of life, God has been preparing my heart, skills, and passions for an opportunity exactly like this. And He is so faithful in providing this new adventure for me. Oh yes the adventure it's going to be. 

By now, I've re-read what I've already written a few times, and I've come to the conclusion that I sound a bit crazy - like passionate crazy? Still my usual crazy, though. 

Cause, why this company? Why are they so different? Why do I want to be a part of the Krochet Kids mission? 

Empowerment and Love. That's the lifestyle that Krochet Kids is all about. All of their amazing and tasteful products - not just beanies & scarves, but duffles, backpacks, bowties, and their expanding clothing line - is all produced by women in Uganda and Peru, providing these individuals with income and mentorship, empowering them to thrive as individuals, flowing over into support for their families, and ultimately contributing to the growth of their community as a whole. 

But KKI doesn't stop there - their Know Who Made It campaign allows you to know the EXACT person who handmade your product, because each item is signed by the woman that made it - and you can go onto the KKI website to search and find each woman's summary. HOW RAD.

This is just my next big adventure I'm taking in life, and I want to keep each one of you right alongside me for it! *hundreds of miles away via the blessing of technology  ;) 

The support that I constantly have around me throughout each step in life is something I'm truly always grateful for. From each brilliant individual that found me through instagram, (some now close friends!) to other midwest creatives I've become acquainted with during this past year, friends and family, other adults and mentors that are always peeking into my life and cheering me on with each crazy plan - I LOVE YOU ALL TOO MUCH! And I will definitely miss those of you that I get to see so often. No matter where I am - Norway, Minnesota, Wisconsin, East Coast, West Coast - I have always found myself missing the ones who aren't there with me. That's something that keeps me running around the globe - the immense love that my Creator has shown me, and the need to share that sort of love with anyone and everyone in life.

I'm very stoked for this photo internship opportunity and can't wait to share my new adventures with each of you. Keep loving, keep exploring. Do not only what makes you happy, but do what makes a difference. // 

Como creative collaboration //

while I was shooting at Sonshine music festival in July, I met the beautiful soul that is Hailey Kneprath [@dreaming_outloud] // within the first day of working on the same photo team, we became fast friends and by the end of the festival, we crowned each other as soul sisters.

She is simply stellar in every way.

So stellar that she invited me to join a group of herself and 4 other creative females to a day of style, fun, and shooting at Como Zoo & Conservatory ini Minneapolis. 

*& her rad boyfriend Bryce joined us, [who i became friends with at Sonshine also] but everyone was cool with it cause he's equally as rad! [& then we had someone to get shots of our whole girl squad. essential.]

here's more of a peek at our day: 

Marianne

Taking a step back into Norway here.

These are some portraits I took of my friend Marianne as we spent a Sunday with our cameras exploring by the sea and old (Gamle) Bergen. There have been a few times during the past year when I've just felt like "Oh I wish I could be on a photo adventure with Marianne right now!" because we never got to go on too many when we were at school together. I think that's what sometimes happens, you grow apart for a while, back to your separate places, then realize just how great the other person is, by noticing their absence and just how much you wish they were with you in a particular moment.