Santa Cruz is one of the most beautiful places in California, hands down! Since moving away from California, I realize how beautiful my home state really is. I was within a 3-hour distance from Santa Cruz, Fort Bragg, San Francisco, Tahoe, and the list goes on. 
My friends and I decided to take a weekend camping trip out to Santa Cruz, California and coincidentally ended up being there on Earth Day (totally unplanned). I had photoshoots that day on top of my full-time job so I didn't end up getting out there until pretty late. Although, it was a perfect ending to a busy day. We all sat around a camp fire telling stories and then when it was time for bed, we all crammed into a huge tent laughing til our cheeks hurt. That morning we all got up really early and headed to the beach. Well.. truth be told we stopped at quite a few different beach spots in Santa Cruz and even went off the unbeaten path. Somehow we made our way to half-moon bay where we laid out on the beaches, went looking for seashells, and dug a large hole so all 10 of us could fit inside it.
It's nuts how loud and powerful those waves can be. I can't help but sit there in awe and stare out miles and miles away to see no end in sight. The earth is truly a magnificent place and was such a beautiful, adventurous, and soul finding experience. 
Being a traveling photographer is truly a blessing and a curse. Don't get me wrong, I am extremely thankful for all of the memories and for being fortunate enough to experience all of this. Although, I sometimes forget to put the camera down and soak in the experience in all of its glory and entirety. I know that's not just a photographer problem, a majority of us want to savor these memories to look back on and cherish in the many years to come, although it's just as important to set your phone, camera, video recorder, drone, whatever it is, down and just enjoy. Enjoy the moment, the scenery, the fact you're in a new location and environment, and thoroughly soak it all up! 

Being around like-minded, positive, and inspiring people really feeds the soul. In 2018, I was invited to attend the Reve Creations Fashion Show in San Fransisco's fashion district as a photographer, and I got to do just that!

Meeting designers, models, photographers, directors, authors, and more was nothing short of a dream come true. As a little girl, I always aspired to be a fashion designer and be involved in this fast-paced lifestyle. So attending this VIP fashion show as a photographer and networking with some of the most uplifting people was like living in a fairy tale. 

I have always been a firm believer in the law of attraction. Speak your truth, dreams, aspirations, etc. into existence and work towards it! Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do something because I promise you that if you work hard enough for it, you WILL get there!

Follow me on instagram to see more and follow my journey. More fashion shows are in the works! 
@kaylaraehennesey 

Right before my then-boyfriend was headed off to basic training for the Air Force we decided to have a last minute adventure together. Basic training itself is 8-weeks without any connection to the outside world and then following BMT is tech school which ended up totaling 6-months being away from one another. Knowing it would be a tough couple months ahead of us, we wanted to have a last minute trip that we could hold onto during those rough nights apart. 

We set our sails out to Fort Bragg, California and saw everything we could in a tight 2-day window. The first morning we were there we went hunting for sand dollars and sea shells along Sand Dollar Beach then made our way to Glass Beach from there. It was early in the year, so the weather was cold and foggy but that didn't take away from the trip at all. We ended  up hiking along some of the most beautiful trails, stuffed our pockets full of treasures from the sea, and watched as the waves crashed into the coves.  

As a photographer, anything that catches my eye in the slightest is a "must-have" picture. I've always been obsessed with flowers so I snapped pictures of a huge variety which included the California state flower (poppy), multiple succulents, and more. As you can probably tell from my other blog posts, I snap flowers in nearly every location I go. Their beauty and uniqueness is truly breathtaking and I mean, hey, they make for great wallpapers! 

Even though I identify more as a family/couples photographer, landscape has always been something I thoroughly enjoy shooting. I love to look back on these photos and think about the memories they hold but also as a reminder that I have left my footprint in some truly remarkable locations. In a way, it's like having unity with the earth, nature, and those who have been there before. 

Growing up in Northern California, I have been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to travel to San Fransisco relatively often. The bay breeze and all the fun activities haven't failed me yet! In 2018 specifically, I traveled to San Fransisco a lot (no kidding, at least 10 trips here). Whether it was for fashion shows, leisure, or photography sessions with clients; it holds some of my fondest memories. 

Pier 39 is typically my go-to spot when visiting San Fransisco. One of my more enjoyable trips consisted of my sister and a couple of friends where we made a day out of it. If you've been to the Bay Area, you know how cold and rainy it can get so this time in particular, we took full advantage of the weather and the fact that there wasn't nearly as many people as there usually is. We danced around in the rain, went to Ripley's Believe it or not and got stuck in the mirror maze, all got matching mood rings, watched the seals lie belly up trying to catch as much sun as they could, took at least a hundred pictures, went four leaf clover hunting, and walked around all the little antique stores. 

& SURPRISE! More pictures of flowers! Who could've guessed? San Fransisco, California is a must when visiting near the area. You're bound to have a fun time and create everlasting memories! 

Something a lot of people may not know about me is that I have a full-time job as a COO at a crane school. Luckily, this has allowed me to expand my horizons as a photographer and take photos nationwide as I travel for work. Just this past year, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica; specifically a small surfer town located in the Puntarenas province called Santa Teresa. 

This was my first year traveling outside of the United States and the experience was one I will never forget. Beaches are clean and crystal clear, you're able to hear the howling of monkeys, chirping of exotic birds, and adventure on unknown territory. Santa Teresa used to be a small town that surfers would embark on to catch some of the best waves but more recently, people from all over the world have traveled to this destination to enjoy the warm tropical weather to vacation with their families. I was lucky enough to travel here in both the peak and low season, so I caught the rainy and dry seasons. 

Unlike the states, tourists and locals have a much slower pace of living. A typical day would include riding ATVs around the sandy beaches, eating some of the best natural foods, finding hidden spots to hike and swim, and immerse in the active night life. Not too far from Santa Teresa is Mal Pais, Banana Beach, and Montezuma all of which are uniquely different in the best of ways. The views are one you can only dream of. As a passionate nature lover, it was an amazing opportunity to be able to see a variety of different sceneries. Whether we were knee-deep in a jungle or our feet were immersed in the sand; everywhere you go you're able to see what that "pura vida" is all about.

Being a huge animal lover, one of my favorite things were that dogs just run wild where locals and tourists alike will feed and love on these stray dogs. Trust me when I say they are everywhere! In fact, dogs aren't the only domesticated animal around and oddly enough, at one of the local restaurants resides a family of raccoons that have lived there for decades. You're able to feed them french fries and watch as they feed their tiny babies (super cute!). Aside from animals, the food is seriously the best as it gets! Everything is made naturally whether its pasta, salads, breads, or fruit; every restaurant gets their ingredients locally and the savory tastes are one you will crave long after you're gone. 

All in all, Santa Teresa and its neighboring towns have been the best destination I have visited to date. I mean just look at the gallery above! The evergreen jungle and striking beaches speak for themselves!