Hey so… sorry I’ve been MIA! I’m not dead I promise.
I have some exciting new things coming in the near future. I’m in the process of revamping iamcodi.com! My website and blog will be all pretty and new (finally), and I am currently booking photo-shoots for each blog post.
I have a lot in mind for the future of this blog of mine, and I would love to collaborate with some awesome individuals! I’m looking for:
Photographers/ Videographers
Models
Designers (Clothing, jewelry, product..etc)
Companies needing advertising
Artists
Makeup Artists/Hairdressers
Graphic/ Web Designers
Interns (I will teach you all I know, young Padawan)
This list can go on if you do something that you think I could incorporate into my blog, just contact me with any questions or inquiries! These collaborations will primarily be for the blog but it could trickle into my Fine Art work depending on the project. So if you or someone you know would be interested in working with little old me shoot an email over to:
codi@iamcodi.com
Sorry this is the most boring and businessy (yes, that is a word) post I have ever done! But this will be grreeeaaat!
And I also apologize for the blog post drought.. I’ve been doing my rain dance and I think I feel a storm coming..
Ok that last sentence was dumb.. bahaha I think I am just excited!
This might be a rather quick post. It’s been quite the week, my first week of school, plus I am leaving on a cruise tonight! Wahoooo! My pasty white skin needs the sun!
Tuesday as I was getting ready for class, I stopped and realized it was my last first day of school ever! At first I started jumping around in excitement. Then I realized… holy crap.. this means I have to be a big kid now! I will have to have a big kid job, stop wearing diapers, stop eating baby food, and learn how to walk.. no more stroller rides for me. So then after I realized all this I was kind of worried! This is a big deal, I really have to start gearing down and figuring out what it is I want to do. For the past 3 years I was sure I wanted to just freelance with my photography. But this past year I’ve started rethinking this.. so many other things have happened or come into my life and there are many paths I could take with my career.
Where to go?!
We all come to many forks in the road in life like this where we will have to consider our different options. It’s crucial of course to have a grasp of what your talents and skill sets are. But the other important part is to think about how much you sincerely enjoy whatever it is you are going to do. For me, I have spent years studying fine art, digital media, and photography. I have also studied and immersed myself in fashion and a bit into design. I’ve learned what I love, and what I loathe ENTIRELY (meant to be read in the Grinch voice). For example.. I have shot multiple weddings, family photo sessions etc, and do I like to do them? No. Do they pay? Yes! Whereas when I come up with a concept and shoot an artistic idea of my own, with my models props etc picked out, I LOVE doing this! Do these shoots pay? They have the potential to, it would just take more time and determination on my part. Which.. I will have more of once I am graduated! So we will see where I will go, but for now I will focus super hard on my school work and my senior portfolio. I’ve found whenever I put all I’ve got into a project or job I always get so much out of it. I’m very grateful that these past few years of school I have really pushed myself and put so much time and energy into my schooling. Not only did my techniques improve, but my concepts became stronger and I grew a backbone! I also learned some new techniques and processes that I never would have known I enjoyed had I not went out of my comfort zone and tried them.
I’m looking forward to my next chapter in life, where I will be able to use all of the things I learned in school out in the “real world”. I am determined to focus my time and energy on each project I take on, I know this always results in success! So for now, blogging is one thing I’ve been focusing on, and I will continue to!
With that being said.. here are the photos I took today! Since I am leaving to the Caribbean tonight.. and want to look semi-tan I thought I would wear one of my favorite white DVF dresses. This is the perfect dress if you want to keep things simple, I think it is also magic because it makes bums look good haha. You can never go wrong with a solid monotone dress, it is easy to pair with just about anything or just wear on it’s own. I chose to just wear it plain, with some blue Kate Spade earrings for a pop of color. And did my hair a little wavy, because why not!
One thing that has been on my mind quite a bit lately is blogging. I enjoy it, but not as much as I originally thought I would. This week I realized that maybe it is not blogging itself, but they way I am doing it that I don’t enjoy so much. As you know, for my posts I photograph myself in different outfits etc. Though I enjoy this.. what I truly love is photographing other people, with a more artistic twist other than them just standing in front of the camera. The next few months I will be working much more of this into my posts, and including more of my artwork into my blog posts.
As I was racking my brain about blogging and why I didn’t particularly love it one girl kept coming to mind; Kier.
I for one liked her bow. I am bummed this photo isn’t in focus!
When I first met Kier I was intimidated by her! I was like holy cow.. could one woman be any more gorgeous and confident? Then as I got to know her I learned a lot more about her, like how she is not only beautiful and confident, but also so so driven. She runs her own fashion blog and is always so on top of things! She knows exactly what she loves to blog about and how to do it so it is enjoyable for her and her viewers. Her drive carried through to our experience on House of DVF. I was always very impressed by her strength and go-getter attitude. If she doesn’t like something, she says so, if she wants something she goes for it!
Kier was also like an older sister to me. I felt like she had my back, and knew I could talk to her about anything. This might seem strange because she has such a strong personality, but I really connected with her. When started going through my divorce Kier was one of the first girls who I opened up to about it, and she was so sweet and really cared about me and my happiness. She also was always very respectful of me and my beliefs, and truly understood me as a person. I have so much respect for her and am so glad I now have such a strong friend! I am also so proud of how much she grew and learned on House of DVF. I know we all did, but I saw it the most in her.
She also probably received the most negativity from House of DVF viewers. I think she brushed it all off like a champ and realized that people who continually tear others down do it because they themselves are insecure. Reality tv is actually not reality.. there is SO much that is not shown and people can be made to look any way. And I know who Kier is, and everyone who doesn’t should go follow her blog and learn more about her and her true character! She is strong, a great friend, a go-getter, and know what she wants.
Like Kier, I want to learn to really go for what I want, and let go of what is not good for me. I am slowly learning this but I know as I graduate and move to a new chapter of my life, I need even more drive to go for what I want. And I know this process involves choosing to lose things that aren’t meant for me.
Starting today I thought I would include one of my photographic films, which is part one of my senior portfolio. This film is commenting on loss, particularly the things we have to choose to let go of. This may include relationships, habits, objects, jobs, opportunities etc. Loss is something we can all relate to and will all have to experience at many times in life.
This is a fine art film, so it is the sort of film you would see playing in a museum. It’s just important to keep that in mind.. or otherwise you may think it’s just really weird haha that’s often what art is… weird. Enjoy!
Well, I’m off to the Caribbean now! Guarantee I’ll get a sunburn, it ‘s a talent I have. Til next time!
First I’d like to apologize for a couple of things:
1. I’ve dropped the ball. Yes, I am a slow poke and was supposed to write this post a few days ago. But then finals and work happened and I almost keeled over and died. So here I am, late. But still keepin on!
2. I don’t know why I said I’d like to apologize for “a couple of things” because really that is the only thing I am apologizing for…at least at this time.
You can see me right there in the green. It’s really how I feel lately.
First of all. I would like you all to know I just typed out my entire blog post. Only to have my internet freak out.. and it ALL got deleted!! Wow why is everything against me right now? Am I not supposed to be a blogger? Will someone tell me what my future holds?
Ok so hi! Here I go again. As I was saying, I’ve been swamped with homework, finals and work. This past week I thought back to the very moment I registered to go to the University of Utah. In 2010 I was sitting in Moscow, Russia on a very balmy day. Well.. if you consider being so cold that your nose hairs freeze balmy weather, it was extremely balmy. I was Skyping with my parents as they helped me get my photos together to put into a portfolio to take up to the U. I remember feeling SO stressed (probably similar to how I just felt when my whole post got deleted..) I just had so many worries on my mind. “Well I probably shouldn’t major in Fine Art.. that won’t make me enough money.. I need to do something that will be harder for me.” and “The program takes four whole years to complete? I am going to be 198 years old when I graduate, my children and my children’s children will be there to see me get my diploma, and then they will fly home in their hover car.” But ultimately I gave my parents the green light to take my portfolio to the school.. I was going to do what I loved.
As I’ve gone through the process of finding what I love to do, it’s been important for me to learn as much as I possibly can. I’ve always felt that education is such an important thing. Over the years I have had so many people ask me why I would go to school for fine art. “You already have a nice camera, and why waste money on going to school when you are already good at it?” This bothered me so much. Yes, school is expensive, and yes there are many things you can learn on your own outside of a classroom. But I wouldn’t take back a moment of my schooling. There are so many things that I couldn’t have learned any other way than through my college experience.
I had reservations about studying something that had a reputation of producing a bunch of poor, starving hipsters.. I was seriously torn; I thought I should just study something that could make me rich, and make me sound one million many more smarter. But I knew that the Fine Art program was right for me; and I was going to do my very best and work my butt off. I think this decision was one of the most important I’ve ever made. I have learned so much through my college experience, and it had effected my life in so many ways since the very first day. I know that I was given my talents and gifts for a reason. I am a huge advocate of doing what you love, and growing your talents to their greatest extent. When you do this, doors will open; you will meet people you couldn’t have any other way, and you will be directed down an awesome path made specifically for you.
Shortly after I started my artistic journey, my two sweet children came into my world; aka my laptop and my camera. Since they are so near and dear to me it’s always been important to keep them safe; I have had some really beautiful laptop bags over the years. At one point I carried my laptop around in a bag that looked like a giant diaper and said something like “Orthopedic Surgery” on it. Lets just make it very clear I have always been so very stylish!
Before I went to New York I stumbled upon a shop called Fullgive here in Salt Lake. I was immediately super impressed by the quality and originality of their handmade leather goods! Scott from Fullgive made a custom laptop bag before I set out on my House of DVF journey, and I can safely say I have never been so in love with a bag!
It sure means a lot to me to be able to do what I love. And I don’t think anyone fully understand how important my laptop is to me. It holds all of my school work, photo work and… life! It sure is nice to have a rad bag that reminds me of how lucky I am to be able to do what I love.
So I know I am behind- but I’d like to tie my girl Abs from House of DVF into this post. When I think of going for what you love I think of this girl. She is such a go getter- and has come such a long way in her life and career already. She has such a diverse range of talents- from design, to acting.. but my favorite quality about her is her amazing sense of humor. I’m pretty dang sure that she made me laugh more than anyone else did from House of DVF. I don’t get how she does it, but she is just so funny!
Babe status.
I am also so thrilled to see where she goes with her career. When we were back in New York shooting promo shots, Abs told me that she was getting her reels together to get more into her acting career. I know she will be so successful! I couldn’t act to save my life! She has also designed some freaking amazing clothes.. that I would be happy to take off her hands if she ever needed to get rid of them for some mysterious reason.
Seriously though? Ok.. coolest skirt ever!
I could go on and on. Her hair- yes. I was always jealous, she always looks like a model. Also she wraps turbans like a champ.. refer back to episode one of House of DVF and you can see her work her magic on Tiff and I.. haha! I could not pull that turban off like she can.. no way! So basically I just think she is amazing. And ultimately am super impressed by her go getter attitude and confidence; she will go so far. Just look at what she has accomplished by doing what she loves and challenging herself every day.
We should all be more like her.. and get out there and be our very best selves! That’s how you get the furthest and reach even the furthest seeming goals.
So please- go do what you love and be confident in it! Gifts and talents aren’t meant to be ignored, they are meant to be used and grown.
In closing, I’d like you to know how impressed I am in myself that I just re-did this entire post after it got deleted. I think I will go do a small jig now. Waaahhhooo!
