the beach

I step onto the fine grainy surface of the sand & wiggle my toes until they are buried out of sight. The rather strong breeze gives my face a caress, bringing with it the scent of that deep blue, watery version of the sky. The sound of crashing waves on the shore makes tingles of excitement run down my back. I take a deep, refreshing breath and can't help but smile. Three whole seasons of absence have been too long a time... way too long. I'm back now. Back where waves lap gently against the shore, leaving behind seashells - whose pasts are forever destined to remain untold. Back in the land of unending hues of sapphire, where the colour of the horizon is a blend of the two dreamiest shades of blue. Back where inspiration seems to crash into you, just as easily as the white crests of rolling waves. Yes, I'm back in my own little 'Narnia'.
Do you have one too? :)

Christine || birthday portraits

**linking up with Jessica. you can view the sooc here**

On a lovely rainy day, a couple of days before her birthday, I asked Christine to come out to the backyard with me for a birthday photoshoot. She was kind of reluctant at first, because she hates it when I chase her around with my camera (so guilty), but I did, eventually, persuade her. And yes, I had to do/say quite a few funny/crazy things to make her laugh, but all in all, we had an amazing time! :)
You might have noticed that the above photos are edited (just basic touch-ups, no actions or anything like that), but still, none of them are SOOCs. Quite unusual for me, but I really wanted to try something different, and I'm very satisfied with the results. Your thoughts? :)

when words fail

black & white

sooc shot

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curves & colour balance adjustments

curves & colour balance adjustments

curves & colour balance adjustments

curves & colour balance adjustments

curves & colour balance adjustments

colour balance adjustment

sooc shot

sooc shot

sooc shot

curves adjustment

when words fail, the only thing left to do is grab a camera.

and April slipped into May

sooc shot

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curves and colour balance adjustments

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black & white

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black & white

May is a lovely month, don't you think? It's when flowers show off their bright colours and sweet aromas. When soft lilac-scented breezes caress your face and play with your hair. When the weather warms up, and when snowflakes don't suddenly appear and settle themselves in your hair. May is that single month of the year when the weather is perfect - not too cold or too hot, but right in-between.
And this particular May? Changes will be hitting the blog! Nothing too big, like a name change or anything, but I am in the process of putting together a new blog design, so keep an eye out for that. ;)
As for April, I want to apologize for not posting that much, it was quite a busy month for me. Many thanks to Emily Grace, for her lovely guest post on my blog! :) And since we're talking April, I might as well mention that I made cookies for the first time ever last week... and burned them... a little (I've done cupcakes, and normal cakes, and six layer birthday cakes before, but never cookies :P). This April, I also had my first ever Skype call with a bloggy friend & I guest-posted over at Nela's blog. Those were three major achievements that I simply had to mention.
Also, if you're interested in guest-posting on Essence of Eve during May, please e-mail me at swordmaidenforchrist(at)gmail(dot)com. I'm planning on posting at least two times every week, but with the design and all the work I have to do, guest-posters are welcome and much appreciated. :)
I'm going to bed now. It's 11:30 and I'm so tired - which is mainly why this post is not that very organized. That first paragraph has nothing in common with the other two... but I really can't think straight right now. Please ignore this messy post, enjoy these April photos, and goodnight.

flowers, showers & and an April update

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curves and colour balance adjustment

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sooc shot // sooc shot

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And this? This is the new roller coaster at Canada's Wonderland. The Leviathan - 306 feet tall, 80% drop, 148 km/h fast, and 5486 feet long. Basically, it's something I wouldn't want to find myself on.

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black & white // my mom <3

These are from last week, before April decided to turn into March. It snowed this afternoon... but at least it didn't stick. Crazy weather! :P
I've only posted five times this month, six with this post. *sigh* I'm desperately trying to get myself organized to finish school by the end of May. So that's one reason I haven't posted as often as I normally would, and what's more, I've taken up babysitting (saving up for a camera upgrade!). I think I'll make myself a posting schedule for May - something I should've thought of earlier. But anyways, I'm so sorry for not stopping by your blogs and commenting, guys!
Also, I'm going to be changing the content of my posts a bit. I want my blog to become a clearer reflection of me. I'm not the kind of person who likes to share personal thoughts, moments, and life experiences much; I like to keep them to myself. But I've come to realize just how much I've been encouraged by those kinds of posts on other blogs, and I want my blog to be a source of encouragement too. These past couple of months, I've mostly been posting just for the sake of posting, but with not that much content. I want my blog to be a diary, MY diary. And currently, it's only about 1/4 of what I'm striving for. I'm taking blogging to the next level & I hope you'll bear with me. :)