True GGEM: Finnley 💎
The project of photographing impactful women we met along the way on our GGEM adventure would be wholly incomplete without the inclusion of this beauty, whose impact - on GGEM and in LIFE - is incomparable. ✨
Totally unplanned… in prepping for my shoot with 💎China, I asked Finn if she’d help me scout (I was feeling out of practice and wanted to ‘grease the wheels’ 😉). Only a few minutes in, the skies opened up… undeterred (and having FUN!), we captured this image that I LOVE!
Honestly, living in Costa Rica challenged us in myriad ways BUT there were plenty of amazing moments that we’ll cherish - a few on ‘film’ but most others not: I channelled Walter Mitty A LOT 😉… this particular afternoon is definitely a memory that I’ll forever treasure. 🙏🏼
Truthfully, I took my ‘real’ camera out infrequently while on GGEM… with only a travel backpack and carry on for our 6+ months away, the body and lenses I took were both a weight + space ‘investment’ that I wasn’t always convinced had been the right one… BUT - as is true so often in life 😉 - it was an investment I was grateful for each time I wanted them - especially for these ‘True GGEM’ sessions.
Walking home from the beach. Our casita was about a half hour walk from the town/main beach…it was dry and dusty and hot AND also full of adventure and monkeys and conversation. I remember saying to the kids ‘this will be something we remember forever…in a GOOD way!’ I think they both rolled their eyes, but looking at these two shots, from this one evening walk from town, fills my heart with love for our family and this shared adventure. *Bonus: it was also on this walk that we saw a bouquet of hummingbirds in one of the trees that lined our path…there had to have been 75 in the tree, one local suspected it was for the insects in the tree as it was the ONLY time we’d seen them there. It was our first time EVER seeing so many hummingbirds together (we’d be lucky enough to see this phenomenon again on day 1 of our Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu in a field of wildflowers) and only added to the memorable evening we enjoyed as a family.
Bougainvillea: the lotus flower of the dry and dusty backroads of Guanacaste and Finnley: standing as strong, resilient, and beautiful as the flowers framing her. 🌸
When prepping for the trip I’d found this white slip dress online for $15…I thought ‘that could be amazing for a beach shoot’ and bought it without any real plan. When I later asked Finn if she’d like to A) pose for me and B) use the dress? She said ‘yes’ to both!
Toward the end of our stay in Costa Rica we decided to finally get organized and do her shoot - three months is at once a long time and one which seemingly evaporated! The stars aligned and we had an exceptional evening for her shoot…benefitting from the low tide and a glorious sunset. Here are a few of my favourites from our time together on Playa Sámara, in late April 2022.
Two of the sweetest souls a person could hope to know… to love… to be loved by. ✨✨✨
Finn + Pipa… this pup visited her bestie (our 4 legged neighbour, Nori) daily; which usually meant a visit to our casita too. We loved Pipa and we miss her. On this particular afternoon, while Nori was off surfing with her humans, Pipa was hanging with us and was all too happy to follow us down to the beach and pose for some pictures. ❤️
I’m her mom… read: obviously biased 😉…but bear with me for two quick stories that I think help elucidate who our daughter is:
1 When we were in Kenya the Maasai Warriors accompanying us loved that our son’s name closely matched one of theirs, in their native Maa tongue, and they began using their pronunciation for him… they then decided that Finnley should also have her own Maa name and quickly decided on: Nachipai, which means ‘happiness.’
2 One year, when Finn and I were returning from a mom+daughter trip to BC, we stopped at a pub in Revelstoke for dinner and the owner, who was bartending on this night, was in awe: he and his wife had also named their daughter Finnley, they’d chosen it as it meant ‘fair haired warrior’ in Gaelic.
And, so it is… the Universe gifted us this human who encapsulates and exemplifies happiness and courage. She’s quick to connect with others and warrior-like when she needs to be. She challenges and teaches and uplifts. She inspires me in ways I’m still trying to fully understand. She’s inherently empathetic, especially toward those in need of extra support. She feels deeply and strongly and isn’t afraid to say so. Though she may sometimes question who she ‘is’ in this big and sometimes cruel world, let me scream it from the rooftops: Finnley is a trailblazer and our world is infinitely better because she’s here to help change it!
Last year I included this drawing and quote on our holiday card, and…man… does it ever ring true as I type tonight. 🙏🏼
And so, here we are… ‘True GGEMs’ 7 of 7 complete. ✅ I would be remiss to not acknowledge the GGEM ‘team,’ as none of this would have been possible, nor the same, without them.
It’s been +/-12 years, when our eldest started kindergarten in the Spanish program, that we first contemplated taking a year off for a language immersion adventure. We pulled the proverbial trigger 4’ish years ago and started saving + planning. I’m deeply humbled and appreciative to be married to a man who loves our kids so fully + wholeheartedly that he would commit to such an extraordinary adventure + undertaking FOR THEM. Thank you, D, for a family adventure that we’ve all learned + grown from - so many laughs, some tears, some raised voices, and mannnnnyyyy bucket list moments. ❤️ I’m also in awe of our son, whose nature is more low-key, like his dad… he’s someone who enjoys home and routine and consistency; despite that, Maguire consistently participated, was a fricken’ mountain goat on the Inca Trail without one complaint, a worthy opponent in pool-toss/wordle/and hearts alike, an unwaveringly loyal friend both to us and to those we cared for along the way (Pipa + Nori were so lucky to have you and your sister as friends 🥰), and someone who deeply inspires me with his curiosity + intelligence. While he prefers a low profile, I am thankful that he is allowing me the opportunity to share a little bit of how proud I am of him. ❤️
The GGEM team @ Monte Albán, Oaxaca, MX
What a joy to share these seven women with you… it feels so damned good to celebrate the women who have impacted me and I hope you too have felt empowered and celebrated too - for each of us have inherent traits that make this world better for all. 🦋
A reminder that I’m currently running a 50% off sale on all in-house fine art and, if you’re in search of the perfect gift for a woman you love, I offer gift certificates…the experience of an empowering portrait session is a truly unparalleled gift (hint: gifting this to yourself is highly encouraged!). 🎁