Carlsbad Salt Flats

In July 2023, I reached out to my friend Melissa with an idea I’d been planning to do for quite some time, one sparked by a Pinterest image that I couldn’t get over. I had been searching for the right location for awhile and when I brought the idea up to Melissa, she mentioned a local Salt Flat spot in Carlsbad. I trusted her with the spot, we locked in a date and met at the location. It turned out to be absolutely perfect and just what I needed!

I showed up with a chair, some boots for her to borrow, and lots of excitement! Melissa nailed the outfit and even brought a spray bottle to keep her hair perfectly sleeked back, just as I had asked. I’m constantly amazed by how down my friends are to support my photo ideas and be creative. I’m so appreciative of them and for Melissa, who showed up fully committed and totally CRUSHED it!

She brought exactly the vibe I envisioned: edgy, raw, and just the right amount of fun and sexy. My friends continue to amaze me, I have even gotten more confident in directing them and telling them exactly what I am looking for in terms of posing and emotion.

Also, I figured it was the perfect chance to test out the last few images I had left in my Canon AE-1, which I was still playing around with at the time. Honestly? I was stunned by how they turned out. They were AMAZING! I just continue to admire film and the emotion it brings across with images. There’s something about it, something a digital camera wouldn’t understand hehe.

The photoshoot ended up being so much fun and I was STOKED with the final results!