I can’t believe it’s August already. July rolled around quickly, and I have to say this is my favorite month in 2016 so far. There are some reasons why July is better than the previous months this year…

Doing photography full time

As some of you might have known, I quit my job and began doing photography full time. A few projects have come in for the next few months, and I’m so excited!

A few weeks ago I printed my cards and that’s when it started to feel real. I’ve been doing a lot of work on the website, so you’ll see my updated portfolio soon. 😉

My sister is here!

I’m just glad I have her here back so I can blackmail her to by my model, assistant, traveling partner, and sometimes, photographer.

Spending more time with my dog

There are so many reasons why I love working from home, among those: 1) No need to battle the horrendous traffic every day, 2) I’ve got this cute companion.

She can be rude sometimes, though. When I’m doing the hard work, she’s just lying around, playing, and sunbathing. But okay Olive, you’re cute and you’ve saved me from depression so I forgive you.

An engagement shoot

I did an engagement shoot with my friend and her boyfriend earlier in July, and it was quite special as it reminded me of the reason why I wanted to do this photography thing in the first place, and how it gave me the opportunities to hear love stories from people I wouldn’t have met otherwise. I wrote more about it here, if you’d like to read it.

A friend’s wedding

It’s the same friend whom I did the engagement shoot for, and when I saw my photos at her wedding my heart just burst with happiness. I wasn’t there as a photographer though, but as a friend (member of the bridal party!), so I just shot between chatting and laughing and eating, something I wouldn’t do when I’m working. Even so, I posted some photos from the wedding on my photo website, and you can see it here.

They were my closest friends in college, and after all these years, they continue to be good friends. It’s not always easy to meet up considering we’re scattered across the world now, so this wedding was a good chance for a reunion (as most weddings are). And truth be told, they make things a lot easier.

A weekend getaway to Bandung

At the end of the month, I went to Bandung for a bit R&R. I had a good time, and as always, Bandung never disappointed me (except for the traffic).

The slow weekend was just what I needed before the start of August that would be busy, hectic, and fun.

Exercising More

This is something that I’d intended to do right after I quit my job. Remember when I complained about being sluggish and feeling like I had no energy, but struggling to exercise as my old job left me feeling exhausted by the end of the day? Now without my old job, I’ve been doing more exercise and I think it’s one of the reasons why I feel so much better these days. My body can also feel the difference, and is pretty happy about it.

And so that’s July! If it’s any indication of how the second half of 2016 would be, then I’m excited for the upcoming months.