rebekah j. murray | » Personal

2011: darling, so it goes

Rebekah — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 21:24:11 +0000

There could never be enough words for the pictures or pictures for the stories, but here’s an attempt.

From opening a studio to moving my home, to finding home in another – 2011 was a year for stretching and hope and excitement like none other. Hard decisions and lessons learned and long talks at our tree by the river with thanks and goodness in it all.

I left Virginia 15 times for trips around the world and still can’t believe I’m this fortunate. Mexico, Scotland, England, Puerto Rico, British Virgin Islands, Tennessee, Florida, California, and a few states in between.

This is the work I’d hoped to do, and now it’s somehow real.

Narrowing down a year of stories for this post was so much more difficult than I expected, like being forced to choose a favorite child. I tried to see it less as favorites and more as a focused collection. Focused on what I’m most proud of, and what I hope to do more of.

I’m forever grateful to the dear-hearts who trusted my work and opened their beautiful lives with kindness, and I hope you enjoy!

Look slowly, share if you like, and know that I sincerely appreciate each and every one of you.

Much love.

lights & a power line

Rebekah — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:38:06 +0000

my man and I have the best date nights <3

the end of loudoun street

Rebekah — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 21:20:42 +0000

Well, it’s happened.

The realities of responsible adulthood have stepped in and decided things with / without the consent of my irrational optimism.

Largest and most significant – giving up my studio.

( next week. )

I’ve had it for exactly a year, and its purpose has changed a lot since we began. My darling friend Carrie and I originally opened it together as a shared workspace for our businesses and client meetings, (you can see our in-progress here, and the finished post here!) and it was the proudest and happiest venture I could imagine. I loved getting to plan and decorate our little work-home together; collecting furniture from local antique stores and winning all sorts of frequent buyer club awards at the paint store.

Then sad things happened, and Carrie and her husband moved to California for his work. They are loved by so many here and the Wedgewood quite misses its Collective.

In the spring I had a happy girl named Beth start working for me, and then over summer I moved in with my two brothers. It’s a pretty homeplace where there’s always an xbox controller in the kitchen and a soccer ball in the bathroom and I love what close friends we are. Last month I started noticing we have a bright office-sized room that’s going to waste, which brings me to now.

Knowing that Old Town Leesburg is too difficult a drive for most of my DC/MD clients, plus the fact that I’ve already booked all my weddings for next year, (and not to mention office rent hurts after a while) it just makes sense to move my office back to my home. I’m refusing to consider this a failure, more a smart decision for the next step of my life and work.

Even though I know all the reasons why, it’s of course difficult to leave. I’ve loved getting to walk around these creaky wood floors and see people enjoy the hard work put into making it beautiful.

It was a place of my own made possible by people in love believing in something I did.

I guess that’s changing, but not really. A Collective is more than a building, and accomplishments don’t need an address.

Huge thanks to everyone who helped and visited and loved it as much as I have…now you can just stop by my house instead!

(thanks Beth!)

Beth is just the greatest. And then I splatter painted new note cards today, which always makes me happy. I’m reallyreallyreally loving this set!

Anyways, so that’s a little update on my life. It’s been the busiest year of travels and changes and I’m so excited for a few slower months to catch up and catch my breath. Some other (happier!) changes are coming soon and I can’t wait to show you all. xo!

happy weekending | home

Rebekah — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 02:17:01 +0000

While an earthquake and hurricane are trying their best to disrupt my life and travel plans, today and this weekend are a lot like perfect.

Joe and some friends and I were supposed go to New York City for a few days but we canceled at the last minute (an hour before our bus, to be exact) and are having a staycation instead!

I love trips and excitements as much as the next, (and New York is always a favorite) but having a few days at home (and off work!) is also pretty easy to love. We’ve had no plans except all the projects we’ve meant to do and places hoped to explore, and it is awesome.

Between the long drives to nowhere, good finds at antique stores, and sunsets over city lights, I really couldn’t ask for more. I’m thankful for beautiful nearly-autumn days, a faithful God, and a boy named Joe who loves me.

(& now we’re off with the rest of panicking civilization for the obligatory hurricane food stockpile.)

the same old rain

Rebekah — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 06:48:09 +0000

then something unusual, something strange,
comes from nothing at all

home

Rebekah — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 01:31:54 +0000

Oh, forgot about us here.

Where to start?

I loved my weeks of adventures in Scotland, (planes and trains from Edinburgh to Aviemore to Edinburgh to Glasgow and Alyshire to Edinburgh to London! to Edinburgh to Aviemore to dear dear Edinburgh) with stories and jam biscuits fitting nicely in every crack of the beautiful chaos, downed with a strong cup of Darjeeling. (milk please, no sugar.) The love of wine and leftovers and Wimbledons won as a family coaxed a rubbish old place into a summer house into an stunning estate to graciously host a most beloved summer day, in a strange place with daylight stretching till nearly midnight. I adored the honest love of people joined by grace and held by the same, who adopted me into their lives and family, but still had the nerve to not let me come along to Florence.

And then there was Puerto Rico.

The beaches and hammocks and sand dollars tossed to freedom and the wind by a sister-friend I’ll miss so much. I loved traipsing through Old San Juan with Carrie and Joe, adoring every new indigo-stoned street and ice cream cone we found. I loved the simple spending of time there, and a couple so instantaenously fun and welcoming that you couldn’t help but enjoy it all. (if they could survive the abrupt absence of officiant and bridesmaid dresses – not to mention three years without a matching time zones – what was there left to stress about?) I love that the boyfriend was courageous enough to try another wedding, with his grin and bow ties and telepathic tendencies.

And then there’s home.
And this weekend, home at a new address.

Not exactly ideal time for a move, but what can you do? It’s been a long time coming and I’m quite excited. (or will be, once the quarry dust settles tomorrow afternoon.)

When you start traveling more often you realize geography doesn’t change the perspective of your mind as much as you thought it might. Magnificence can be stretched upwards in front of you but missed if you’re not all there.

I want to be all somewhere.

I guess it involves knowing who and why and what all you are, and what you’re even looking for.

(and the night-hued lights of the District just seem prettier every time I come back.)

the lately.

Rebekah — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 23:01:46 +0000

aviemore

Rebekah — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 19:26:51 +0000

18 window seat hours later, I’m back home in the heather-drenched world of Scotland with eyes already too full to accept this as real.

I keep remembering the last time these expanses were the backdrop to change, and I can only feel grateful for where I am now, in every figurative, literal, and geographical sense of the word.

(and stoked out of my mind, because this is going to be SO MUCH FUN.)

Much love.

happy weekending | scotland, again!

Rebekah — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 14:55:46 +0000

Well, I’m going back.

Leaving in ten days to be in Scotland for twelve days and London for two, for one wedding, six photo shoots and infinite sputterings of joy.

(Since I’ll have portrait locations like this island.)

( credit: arjayempee )

Words hardly seem to do my emotions justice, so I’ll settle for punctuation.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Better.

When traveling as a photographer there’s always that identity crisis of not wanting to look or feel like a tourist, but still wanting to casually document ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING you find beautiful. But logistically that can be a bother. Keeping a camera around your neck is an instant fail, toting a camera bag feels too much like I’m working, and compromising with a point and shoot just leaves you frustrated. I went back and forth on Kelly Moore / Epiphanie bags, but just never got around to getting one.

Well anyways, Photojojo just started carrying this camera bag insert, and it’s GENIUS. It fits a camera + extra lens INSIDE most large purses – making it the most convenient (and affordable) solution for my indecisive self.

ONA, the company who makes the bag has a few regular camera bags too, especially for guys. I’m starting to teach the boyfriend photography and he’s catching on pretty quick. Since getting to date your best friend is just the best of fun, I’d bet shooting jobs together would make for a good life too. (That or he’ll get big and famous and buy me out.)

And finally, these outrageously attractive people are getting married tomorrow, and guess what I get to do : )

cancun!

Rebekah — Tue, 03 May 2011 20:33:08 +0000

So you know that Terra Dawn who everybody loves? Well, she’s shooting an exceptionally awesome wedding this weekend in Cancun, aaaand I get to come along! : )

(We dislike the term “assistant”, so you may instead refer to me as Murray, the Head Minion.)

We’ll be staying at the incredible-looking-ish Hacienda Tres Rios resort, and we have all sorts of spontaneous excitements planned. I leave in the morning so of course I’ll be up all night scrambling to finish a few truckloads of work (& find my underwater camera case?) so I can make the most of my 5 days there.

I’m thrilled about getting to come along, and for all the other international weddings I have this year. For however long I get to do this photography-with-a-passport thing, I hope to never lose the quietness of gratitude. I don’t know why I’ve been so blessed with opportunities but I promise it’s not because I deserve it.

(And once they get around to making friend-size luggage, you’re welcome to come along!)

xo.