This year, more than anything, has been about getting out of my comfort zone. It’s been an exercise in giving up old habits that weren’t benefiting me, in rethinking opinions that were rooting in misconceptions, in taking some “crazy” ideas and actually rolling with them. And travel is the most obvious vehicle for all of this.

It all started in April, when a very well-timed trip to NYC in the middle of heartbreak reminded me of the beauty of self-sufficiency, but even more so of community. This was the first trip that I posted a model call in a Girls Love Travel sub-group and got to photograph with four incredible women, including GLT founder, Haley Woods. At first, my intention was simply to build my portfolio in New York, to use these images for advertising. But as I’d begin to get into each shoot, I’d become mesmerized by yet another fierce woman who was building a life on her own terms - of love, independence, kindness, curiosity and community all while exploring the world. After that trip, I started spending more time interacting in the group, and planning photoshoot where I could meet more people.

As an introvert and a listener, I much prefer to observe others. And I really don’t like small talk. But, once I’ve got a camera in my hand, a more commanding and confident version of myself surfaces. So, spending an hour with a person I’d never met before while nerve-wracking beforehand, was actually quite fun in practice.

Throughout the course of six months, I’d become comfortable asking if people were interested in working with me, with meeting up with those who were, with spending an hour or two with them often getting right into their faces all while digging into their life goals or travel anecdotes or self-likes and -dislikes. But, all with a camera in my hand. So, the next thing to do was get rid of the camera.

Just kidding, I would never do that, that would be beside the point. But, a couple weeks before my recent trip to Portland, I got the idea that instead of just doing more portrait sessions, why not actually spend some quality with the women in this community that has so graciously accepted me. And what better way to do that than a road trip to the beach?

Cherise and Robin both immediately responded to my post, so we got a group chat going and had a date nailed down within minutes. Fast forward a couple weeks: I picked up the rental car and met up with the ladies at a coffeeshop. What did we immediately start talking about? Our latest trips, of course. We got more caffeine for the road and set off, no specific plan in mind.

I talk about that a lot - not having a plan. That’s become rather important to me this year. I mean, obviously it’s useful to have some sort of game plan for a lot of things (I know several routes I’d like to explore in my business next, for example), but the key is to not get hung up on one objective, not fixate on one goal. So, when I organized the trip, all I said was that I wanted to go to the coast and I wanted to take photos, and that if we added in a winery visit I would not complain.

The best part about adventuring with locals is pretty obvious - they know what they’re doing! Robin is a member at Montinore Estate so we set our course and began the day with a wine tasting. I won’t pretend to know much about wine. I’m still perfecting my swirl and still just nod along when people are talking about the science behind each bottle. But I know what I liked. And that wine, I liked.

Several purchased bottles later (not for me, I didn’t even have enough room in my carry-on for a second pair of pants), we hit the road again, this time in search of nourishment. Since I don’t even remember what beach we visited the only other time I’ve dipped my toes in the Pacific, I didn’t have a preference of beach, so entrusted my tour guides with the decision. Naturally, we ended up at Cannon Beach, which was the perfect choice.

We stopped in at Pelicans for cioppino and beer first. We’d all been drooling over burgers, but when you can see the ocean through the window, it’s hard to turn down seafood.

And then, what I’d been waiting for: time to go to the beach.

I am not a traditional beach person. I sunburn when it’s cloudy, I melt when it’s over 75 degrees, I don’t even own a swim suit. But the beach in winter? Now that I can do.

It had started to sprinkle, so we decided to go ahead and make our portraits just in case anyone’s hair got ruined. Since this wasn’t a typical portrait session, but a small part of our overall day, I opted to snap some quick personality portraits first and then let step back to let these two new friends interact while I photographed from a distance.

I’d been wearing the same pair of pants for four days at that point, but Cherise showed up to the coffeeshop cute as a button with the most perfect jaunty hat on. As soon as I said “okay, let’s make some portraits!” she whipped out her best grin looking directly at me with all the confidence in the world. People who are so ready to have their picture made astound me, but they sure do make my job easy. After a couple hours in the car, I’d gotten to know Cherise through her numerous adventure stories, her gushing about her husband and son, and her career dreams, but this whole time I’d had my eyes on the road, so seeing her charisma blossom in front of the camera felt like we were getting to know each other even more without any words needed.

For Robin I took a different approach. By no means was she shy. We’d both gotten to the coffeeshop super early so we shared a few minutes of conversation before Cherise arrived, and immediately she gave off a warm and inviting aura, pulling me into conversation easily. It was her smile and laugh that I wanted to capture most, so instead of having her pose for me, I simply struck up another conversation at the beach, talking with my finger on shutter button, and anytime I saw the makings of a smile, immediately started clicking away trying to catch both the laughs and the pauses in between.

Portraits complete, I threw off my boots and fuzzy socks, rolled up my pants and ran into the freezing cold water. The moment just before my toes hit the waves, when my mind was a flurry of anticipation and exhilaration, was probably my favorite moment of the whole day. It was only 50 degrees, end of November, raining, and I was running into the ocean.

Last up for the day, Robin (who actually develops maps for in-dash navigation and was therefore the perfect guide), had spotted on a map Indian Beach in Ecola Park, so we headed a few minutes up the road to this almost-deserted strip of beach to enjoy the last few minutes of daylight. It was pouring by this point, so Cherise smartly opted to stay warm and dry in the car, but I had no such caution and walked boots-in-hand down to the sand to photograph the surfers dancing with the waves.

After I finished off that roll of Ektar, we headed back to Portland, this time just quietly listening to music, enjoying the pleasant quietness that comes with being very comfortable around your companions.

This day was the perfect metaphor for all of the beauty that’s come from getting out of my comfort zone: new friends, new stories, a new outlook. Though I plan to continue with these GLT portrait sessions whenever I travel, I’ll have to incorporate some road trips or adventure days, too.