Photoshoot Collab: Behind the Scenes, iPhone edition

If you've dared to join the new fad in the 21st century, you probably own an iPhone... or at least, you drool over your best friends who own an iPhone, and try to constantly "borrow" it to take the oh-so-popular instagram snaps on, text w/ funny emoticons, & send silly snapps to random people. Or was that just me? Nonetheless, I think you can guess where I'm headed -- iPhones are huge now, and they're a lot of fun too! Just recently, I myself had finally caved in and gotten one. During my exchange I didn't really use a cell phone that much (considering I had a tank, a.k.a. a Nokia, which cost +many euros to use it)  but I quickly learned the ins & outs of how to use my iPod touch to the best of it's ability. Quickly I fell in love with the world of instagram, alongside many other misc. apps  and games. Now that I'm back at home in the states I was finally able to put a bit of an investment in an iPhone 4s and before you knew it 

i was in love. 

iPhone-ography // Midwest, Illinois @6AM

&& so despite the fact that in this collaborative shoot, we're all photographers with nice DSLR cameras (both digital + film) we still managed to have the desire to pull out our phones and snap pics away. I guess there always will be a difference between the two -- and it was fun to see what kind of creative shots we could -- along with some fun behind the scenes too. 

The Crew! from left to right: Kyle Dunn, Myself && Hannah G-G

elämä on ihana // life is lovely 

Check out our instragrams @: alisa nicholle, Hannah G-G, & Kyle Dunn

A collaboration photoshoot with Hannah G-G & Kyle Dunn

Photo Credit: Kyle Dunn 

I have had the wonderful opportunity to do a double-featured photoshoot with two extremely talented local artists, whom I'm also so proud to call my dear friends as well. Our main photogapher, Kyle Dunn, was the first one to initiate the idea of doing a collaboration together -- and after a long & anticipated year of being apart, due to my studying abroad it had felt so great to be out on a collaborative shoot again! 

Photo Credit: Myself // Candid, behind the scenes 

Hannah Gottlieb-Graham is a lovely gal, filled with much creativity and talent -- ranging anywhere from modeling to photography, writing and fashion. Her and I were the main models for Kyle, but alongside we both took photos // whether of each other or of behind the scenes. Overall, allowing the 3 of us to get much coverage of the entire shoot with much variety. 

Photo Credit: Myself // Modeling: Kyle Dunn

Kyle Dunn is an extremely talented local photographer, originally based from the C-U area, but has been currently studying at the Art Institute of Chicago as a photography major. The two of us have done collaborative photoshoots throughout the past few years and I was excited to be working together once again after such a long period! 

I feel as though having the 3 of us together once again after such a long period of time, we were able to really let our creativity overflow. With three independent artists... all with a visual in mind, we were able to combine our talents and create something beautiful. Quickly, we found out that not only did we get along great as friends but also worked really well as a team. Which overall, made the entire experience all the better! 

Photo Credit: Myself // Model: Hannah G-G

Photo Credit: Kyle Dunn // Models: Myself, Hannah G-G

Photo Credit: Myself // Model: Hannah G-G

Photo Credit: Kyle Dunn // Models: Hannah G-G, Myself

Photo Credit: Kyle Dunn // Models: Hannah G-G, Myself

Photo Credit: Kyle Dunn // Models: Hannah G-G, Myself

Photo Credit: Hannah G-G // Model: Myself 

Rakastan Suomi

hold on, to me as we go

as we roll down this unfamiliar road
and although this wave is stringing us along
just know you're not alone
cause I'm gonna make this place your home

// listen

RYE: Grand Rapids

RYE Conference; 4 rebound students from 6490

Our very last thing as a Rotary Youth Exchange Student (rebound) was to attend this huge exchange student conference in Grand Rapids, at Calvin College. Last summer, right before we had left for our exchange we had attended this same conference -- in prep for what we were about to face during our exchange year. It's a requirement for anybody in central states to attend this conference both right before you go on exchange, and also just when you finish your exchange. I only was home a short few days before traveling to Michigan for the conference during the weekend of July 11th-14th. I was happy to be attending though as it really was a great closing to my entire exchange year. 

Nina (rebound from Japan) and I, D6490 @Grand Rapids

Throughout the weekend we had some different small groups and lectures to listen to about re-adjustments back home and other tips on starting our lives over once again. I think last year as an outbound I had gotten a lot more out of the conference from the classes, but this time I got more out of the social. All of us from my district from D6490 (central Illinois) were all re-united and it was so cool to see how much we had all changed & grown up during our exchanges. I don't think any of us had realized how close we really had gotten the year prior to our exchanges until we were together once again during this weekend. We all hung out together more often than not and it was so nice to be able to get to know everyone for who they have become. They're like my family & I am so thankful to have such an amazing circle of friends in my district!

from left to right: Michael (rebound, france), Me (rebound, finland), Nina (rebound, japan) & Erin (rebound, austria)

Love from, Louisiana

A care package sent my way… 

// from my darling sister, Rosalynne.  

My sweet sister put together this precious little care package as a surprise to my homecoming in America! Throughout my year abroad, her and I took the time to write one another and send small things along the way when we could. Although seldom, it was always such a delight to find a glitter-filled package in the mail with curiosity in what it contained each time. I was surprised to see a package arrive here at my home address in the USA.. just a few days after coming home. This small package included a few hand written letters, my favorite make up, hand-drawings, and a mixtape CD. She is just so thoughtful! I thought the entire package was way to sweet to not snap a couple of photos and share with you all! 

A new beginning!

Hello, my loves! 

As most have you know, I have been an active blogger this past year documenting my time abroad in Finland, where I was an exchange student through Rotary International for one year. Always having a love & passion for photography, at the start of my exchange I had decided that what better way would there be to share all of my photographs while abroad other than to blog them. At first, I didn't like how it worked... writing was difficult for me and I noticed it had taken a lot of time to not only think of what or how I wanted to blog, but to also actually do it. Quickly though I started to figure out what worked for me and what didn't and before you knew it I was in love with the blogging world. 

I soon found out that blogging was not only a way of documenting my time abroad but also a great way to express myself in many different forms. People responded quickly, and I was getting a ton of positive feedback. Constantly, people would comment on how much they loved reading my stories - whether it be my family, friends, Rotarians, from finland or america... I loved what I did, and people seemed to like it too. 

My year on exchange was more than I could have ever asked for. I went in knowing no clue what to expect, and I came out as an entirely new person with a changed world. If you'd like to read stories & check out photos from my year, check out my previous blog here: http://rye-finlandbound.blogspot.com/

And So Now

I am back home in the USA, figuring out how to start this new chapter of my life. Transitioning from a teenager to a young adult in the past year I now have a whole life ahead of me, with endless possibilities. Now 18, soon to be 19 I'll be starting my studies at a local community college and will soon be looking to start work once again. Still extremely passionate about photography and documenting anything of interest I wanted to try something new, by continuing to blog but in a different kind of light. This will be a bit of an experiment but I hope that just as my first blog, as time goes on I'll be able to find my groove of things and create something interesting to read both for myself, and for all of you! 

So, to all of you whom had followed my blog this past year... THANK YOU!
The endless love & support I had received throughout the entire time meant so much to me, 

and to be honest I don't think I could have done it without all of you. 

If you choose to follow me through this next chapter, I cannot promise you it's going to be as adventurous as the first...
but I at least can try my best. <333

all my love to each and every one of you, 

xoxo,   alisa nicholle