Pieces of Life

Philly, Philadelphia, El, Kurt Vile, mural, Fishtown, fashion, lifestyle, Free People,
A big problem that I have with blogging is that few dare to be transparent anymore. Blogs seem to either read as advertisements or something that's been watered-down and filtered. In the midst of all of this curation, we've forgotten that perfection is kinda bland. I try to make it a point of being open and honest about my not-so-perfect life, which is a learning process. As I was going through some old photos, I laughed to myself at the amount of "outtakes" I have-- you know, the "less than perfect" bits and pieces. If you blog, you know what I mean. The "slightly unflattering angle," or it's slightly-out-of-focus, or you love the photo but it may seem a little "out of place." Yes, I have hard drives full of those. When you look at photos on here, you probably don't think of the test shots of Brenden simply standing there being cold. Danielle takes so many photos but you rarely get to see her face or a little thing we like to call #DanielleDrinkingThings. Behind every moment, there is a moment. 

Elixr, coffee, philadelphia, latte, drinking, These photos weren't "up to standard" and only took less than a second to capture but for some reason, they stick with me. Despite the vast amount of time I've spent in New York, I will never forget breathlessly gazing up at those buildings and trying to compose a perfect shot while fighting against the rush of a pre-Christmas crowd. I remember Brenden's glasses fogging up along with my camera lens as I took a photo of his hands holding his coffee mug. I remember how Danielle and I couldn't find a place to sit in Elixr and had to bundle up and drink our coffee outside. (In JANUARY!) I remember how Brenden and I posed for a quick picture while hanging out with my sister only a few hours before he asked me to be his wife. Yes, all of these pixels hold significance to me and I love having photographs to look back on and reminisce. I cherish these moments when I'm stuck in those dismal times. I'll look at B's handsome face or recall a joke Danielle shared that made me laugh so hard that I snorted. I'll sneer at younger versions of myself for being afraid to post a photo because I may look "fat" and just be content that I am blessed to be able to do what I do. These slightly-imperfect moments are the ones that challenge me and cause me to grow. I would not trade them for anything.
xo, e.m.
p.s. how dope it it that in the first photo, the Kurt Vile mural is in the background? Philly is a magical place.

10 comments

  1. My favorite blogs are the ones that share. It's difficult to stay interested in ones that are 100% perfect advertisements/brands. I don't even read magazines.

    It's funny those photos weren't up to standard but taking another look at a different time changes it. These capture real life. I *love* pretty lifestyle photography

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    1. Thanks! And seriously, I hope something changes or else nobody is going to read blogs anymore!

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  2. 9th Street is one of my favorite streets in Philly. Great photos!

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  3. I wish the photos on my blog were as pretty as your "imperfect" ones. I agree with you that blogs that are too perfect are just boring. I personally enjoy reading blogs where the author has really strong opinions about things (even if I don't agree with them) and can poke fun of themselves here and there. It's the internet. It's not serious.

    PS - I recently visited Philadelphia and I loved the city. I want to go back because I didn't have enough time to explore past our hotel (I did make it to Steve's).

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    1. Exactly! I think it's crazy when I see folks my age or younger trying to portray these perfect lives and talking themselves WAY too seriously. We're supposed to make bad decisions! We won't learn any better if we don't!

      Also, you should definitely come back but wait until the spring or summer because winters here are killer. I have an ever-expanding list of things to do here on my about page. It's mostly restaurants because I REALLY love food but there are some other gems on there ;) http://www.larkandlace.com/p/about.html

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  4. Agreed with the whole "perfectionism is bland." Real life is much more interesting!

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  5. Yes yes yes yes! Just like a TV show, you grow bored with everything's good, everything's happy, etc. all the time. You need realistic moments and conflict to feel connected. I am like that with blogs. I've always said that people who reads blogs religiously do it in the same way that they go back to a good TV show. They have to keep up and know what's going to happen next. And this is something bloggers don't seem to get so much lately. :/

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  6. Yes yes yes yes! Just like a TV show, you grow bored with everything's good, everything's happy, etc. all the time. You need realistic moments and conflict to feel connected. I am like that with blogs. I've always said that people who reads blogs religiously do it in the same way that they go back to a good TV show. They have to keep up and know what's going to happen next. And this is something bloggers don't seem to get so much lately. :/

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