nothing is ever as good as it was.

Lately I have been feeling quite nostalgic- particularly when certain moments, experiences, or photographs trigger a memory, and with that reflection comes a certain yearning for the past. Whether it is a longing for a particular person, place, thing, or all three, it is a small piece of myself that desires to have some part of the past back.

These thoughts come and go, but if you know me at all, you know I am a very passionate, sentimental, and yes, emotional person. I form great attachment to all types of nouns, most of which are just passing through my life for brief moments, yet once an connection is built with a certain human or city, I can’t let go without constantly looking back.

Anyways, this reflection has made me realize and ponder more about just how important photography and writing are in my life, and how they are much more than a creative outlet or mode of expression for me. They also help me connect my thoughts and feelings about the past, present, and future. My camera helps me understand and work through my own feelings, and aids in conveying these emotions and experiences to others when my limited vocabulary fails.

Since I’m on the topic of nostalgia, and this is an all too familiar topic that I discuss and photograph, I thought I’d do something a little different. Instead of doing the usual, go-to, old architecture shots or portraits, I photographed this weekend the apple blossom festival in Winchester, Virginia. This experience produced a lot of interesting and new situations for me to explore, yet it all simultaneously felt so familiar. Perhaps these contrasting emotions were based upon some innate understanding of what it’s like to have a cliché American moment, combined with memories and examples I’ve seen in movies and old photos, but it was something that I haven’t felt often, and obviously have trouble communicating in words. So I'll attempt to share what happened in words, but in the end, i have to turn to my camera to explain the rest.

The whole weekend I felt strangely connected to all the new people around me, as if we were simultaneously sharing in the experience of participating in the present, and creating new memories, while also preserving an ideal and an old tradition. With the entire town shutting down for fireworks, a grand parade, a carnival, and a peek at Debbie Reynolds, the whole thing seemed so novel and unreal to me, and it was amazing to watch it unfold. While watching the crowds get so excited and wave at all of the floats passing by, and the ‘little miss grand supreme’ princesses and aging celebrities proudly waving back, I couldn’t help but feel like I was taking a glimpse at moments that had been lived and felt by so many other people across the country. Taking in all of the sights and events, and even watching a DeLorean drive by in the parade, I kept forgetting that it was in fact present day, and I was only an hour and a half away from home. It seemed like I was living inside of a perfect memory and example of idealized America, where everyone says hello as they pass you on the street, children wave American flags in the air, and there is plenty of funnel cake to go around.


And now I'll let the photos do the talking,