Jen Allison Photography

The sound of water lapping up on a shore is one of the most soothing sounds for me. It's instantly calms me. I've been trying to make more trips to the lake with J so I can get a few moments of that serene calm sound. As we walk closer and closer we cross this barrier where all the noise disappears and all I hear is the water. Those moments are everything.... Because the rest of the day feels like the exact opposite of calm. I took a social media break and although I'm here posting, I don't suspect I'll be on here as frequently as before. It's noisy and I don't have the capacity to cut through the noise right now. What I am hoping to do is share more about the creative adventures I've been on lately. How I'm finding new creative outlets that feel like their are fueling inspiration and motivation for future photography endeavours. Here's to moments of calm, even if they are a couple seconds long.

Wishing you all a very safe and magical holiday. And sharing an update that I'm going to be self-isolating a bit from social media over the holidays. My capacity has been low these past few weeks and I'm finding the more I am on social media, the more frustrated and angry I'm becoming. So, to control the things I can control, I'm going to step away for a bit and take a break. ... I'm looking forward to slowing down and reconnecting with my family. Whether here at home with my husband and son or virtually with my mom and siblings on opposite coasts of the continent. I'll have more capacity later and I'll also find the magic I'm looking for this holiday season. I've been thinking a lot about how to make this year magical still. Not just for my son, but for me as well. Part of what makes the holidays magical for me is being with family, which isn't happening. Then I read a post my friend shared from her Pastor that really provided a beautiful perspective to this strange holiday season. I hope this perspective resonates with you. "It’s okay to grieve what you’ll be missing this year. It’s okay to have a sad day here or there. But also, be able to find joy in the mundane. When the lights glisten on your street. When you light a candle and one of your kids inevitably asks to blow it out almost immediately (or is that just me?), let them. Then relight it. Find joy in their giggles. Dance to Christmas songs in the kitchen. Re-write your own lyrics. Play charades. There is so much joy in the simple things." Regardless of the holiday you celebrate, I hope you can find the joy in the simple things this year and find some magic too. And please stay safe. #jenallisonphoto

Daydreaming of being in a pub again soon! Photographed for @oldestonebrewingco