So long, 2013

It's the first day of the new year! Normally, I would start to think forward (which I will after this post), but I wanted to take a minute to remember all that I did in 2013.  Thanks to Instagram, I can scroll through all of my photos and remember what I did.  I would usually do that in blog posts, but I haven't been making time for these posts as much as I have done in the past.  I am so grateful to all of my friends and loved ones in my life.  I am also thankful to the new friends that I met this year!

Here are some of my most memorable moments of 2013.

In 2013, I…

Drove through Big Sur on Highway 1

Spoke about my work at Open Show, Venice Arts

Awarded 3rd place for "Brothers" at Photo LA

Started my new series, "Reflected Identities"

Visited Death Valley for the first time

Photographed the Cover of Airstream Life Magazine

Hiked to the Hollywood Sign

First Place Winner for Instagram Series in PDN's Emerging Photographer Magazine

Images wheat pasted in Denver for the month of photography's "The Big Picture"

Went to Sequoia National Park

Selected for MOPLA Smashbox Show

Camped in the Alabama Hills

Slide Show Series Grand Prize Winner at the Palm Spring Photo Festival

Photograph published in Sunset Magazine
Celebrated 4 years of life without Alcohol on April 5th

Interviewed for the Candid Frame

"Brothers" photograph and story in Popular Photography Magazine

Photographed WW2 and Korea Veterans visiting the war memorials in Washington D.C.

Photographer for Airstream's Alumapalooza Festival

Photographs in Musee' Magazine

Lived in Portland, OR for two months

Published in Square Magazine

Had my heart broken

Learned the Wet Plate Collodion process

Watched my best friend get married

Licensed images to a big Agency

Spent a month Wandering around the Pacific Northwest

Selected as a finalist for Critical Mass

Took Film Images and used the darkroom to develop and make prints

Put on a wetsuit for the first time

Published in Seities Magazine

Selected for the Art of Photography Show

Attended Life Is Beautiful Festival in Las Vegas

Watched Numerous Sunsets and a few Sunrises

Lived in Austin, TX for a month

Photographed Max in a cotton field and in snow

Met some amazing new friends

Visited White Sands National Monument

Backcountry Camping in Big Bend, TX

Had 5 Images shown in a Museum (Ogden Museum of Southern Art) in New Orleans

First Portfolio Review

Took Portraits of 40 Friends for my series

Published in Black&White Photography Magazine

Four Shows in a row at the Center For Fine Art Photography in Ft. Collins

Spent Thanksgiving with Strangers

Interviewed for a Documentary

Spent Christmas Camping with my Mother

Visually, here's some of my favorite images from 2013:

My favorite moments of 2013 from Alison Turner on Vimeo.

Follow me on Instagram here:

http://instagram.com/alisontravels

I hope you have the best year ever in 2014!  

Looking for more?

Here's what I did in 2012, 2011 and 2010

You Are Living My Dream

When people find out about my current or past travels of living on the road, a lot of the time their response is, "you're living my dream!"  I am always flattered that someone would want to choose the lifestyle of traveling like I do.  Lately, I have been responding with, "you can do it too and live your OWN dream."  Most often, that is followed by, "I would if only..."

If only.

Those, "if only's" are choices. Choices we made in our life that we want to, or need to keep.  Maybe you bought a home that you feel you can't leave, or kids, or a marriage, or your job, or your pet... Those are all great reasons to stay put and not do anything different in your life (not that there is anything wrong with that life) except be envious by posts of other people living a life that is YOUR dream.  The question is, "do you really want to live your dream?"  If you do, what is preventing you from making the choices needed to pursue that dream?

The truth is, you don't have to buy that house, you don't have to have children or get married, you don't have to have a traditional 9-5 job in an office.  American culture wants you to spend your money on things to fill up the home you bought and throw away things that you are bored with.  All the while, you hope this will make you happy in your heart and fulfilled in your life.  It might give you a momentary sense of happiness but it fades and crashes fast and then has the opposite effect.  Over time it makes you feel overwhelmed and trapped.  The more space we have, the more we want to fill it with stuff.  

I know of several families with children who live on the road.  If you don't want to travel alone, you can do it with a partner.  I can't imagine traveling without my dog Max, but that is a choice and it limits what I can do.  I am ok with that.  

I own a home and rent it out when I live in the van.  There are several online companies that will help you find someone that will pay you to live in your home with all of your furnishings in place.  I come back a few months out of the year and each time I do, I get rid of things.  I sell or donate the ten years of stuff that I have collected in my garage.  A collection of emotional items (Grandparents furniture, photographs, art) to things I thought I needed.  It's a bigger rush to me to get rid of things now, as opposed to buying something new.  I put out a stack of plastic chairs that I had for parties (which I don't have anymore) out on the curb with a free sign on it.  I was so excited when someone picked it up.  It was giving them a new home instead of a landfill.  If I decide to have a party, B.Y.O.C (bring your own chair) will now be included on the invitation. I digress. 

Here's the thing.  YOU CAN live your dream...whatever that is.  It's all a matter of choices and planning.  Do the work.  Be persistent with your goals and do something to move closer to them every day.  I will leave you with a short clip of artist, Chuck Close on what he would tell his younger self.  

What I took away from this is:

1.) You can do anything

2.) Inspiration is for amateurs.  Professionals show up and do the work.

3.) Continue to do the work, even if you don't feel like it.  Eventually it will get you somewhere.

Time to live YOUR dream.

A Drive Along The Oregon Coast

One of my favorite drives in this country is along the Oregon coast. For some reason, it puts you in a good mood and for a moment, everything seems right in the world. Ok, that might be a bit dramatic but it truly is a sight to see. I've done this drive a few times and each time I do, I find something new.

I took a few days and stopped for the night in some nice camping spots along the way. A drive on the coast isn't complete without a stop at the tillamook cheese factory to taste samples and get a huge scoop of ice cream.

Max loves the beach and he gets a bit crazy when we play in the sand. Sometimes, he even lets me bury him! We had such a good time on the coast. If you're looking for a scenic drive on the ocean, Oregon has it!

Here are a few iPhone pics from our Oregon drive plus a few near the border of California in the redwoods.

Making Friends With Chipmunks

I took the most beautiful drive the other day on highway 212 in Wyoming. It was amazingly beautiful. Each turn had something new to look at. If you have the time, this by far is one of the most beautiful drives I've ever been on. At the top, you get a stunning view of bear tooth mountain.

On the way down towards Montana, I stopped at another viewpoint and the chipmunks were the friendliest I've ever encountered. They were all too eager to ham it up and be in my photograph. One looked like he took pleasure in photobombing my shot! It really was a beautiful drive and I would recommend making a trip if you've never been.