Morning in Malibu

There's a calm that exists in the early hours of a new day. I awoke before the sunrise to shoot with photographer Kat Harris a while ago. Darkness surrounded me as I drove my Wrangler up the Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu. The air was crisp and salty and a bit chilly. Just as the sun came up we snapped our first image. It was gorgeous. My skin was glowing in the warmth of the light although I was literally freezing. But you have to make sacrifices to get the right shot... and we got a lot.

Photography by Kat Harris
Hair & Make-up by: Amy Clarke
Swimsuit: J. Crew
Hat: Anthropologie (similar)
Sweater: Thrift store
Coverup: Madewell
Printed Bikini: Madewell
Rashguard: J. Crew
Bikini Bottoms: J. Crew

Together, Kat, Amy and I worked to create something simple, earthy, and breathtaking. You can almost feel those moments of stillness and clarity in the images. Everything about this is tangible. No fake laughing, no fake sexy face, and no retouching (you can see my stretch marks). I didn't have to pretend to be someone that I'm not. That's all real. I forgot we were shooting and I just got in touch with myself. I listened to the ebb and flow of the ocean water and I let my soul dance to that rhythm. I can still hear those waves and the memory makes me smile. Thank you Kat and Amy for the love and appreciation. This is all so beautiful.

xoxo,
N