I awoke to the sun breaking through my blinds, pressing against my eyelids and casting a red glow onto my retinas. I sighed and supposed that, with the timing and angle of the sun, something must want me to rise. Remembering that I planned to take photos that day, I dragged myself out of bed and texted Halle Paulus to make sure she was awake as well. 

“u up? remember we’re meeting in 45 min at rb state park, make sure ur dolled up lol,” I typed as my toothbrush vibrated across my teeth.

 I was slugging down a cup of coffee when she replied, “Yep! See ya there!” 

Taking my carpeted stairs two at a time, I bounded back up to my room, checked I had everything I needed to take photos and got ready to head to the park. 

I had spent the night before stressing out about school, already wound up from a busy week of practice, homework and chores. I was texting back and forth with my friend Sophie Eaton, trying to make sure I didn’t take a dark, blurry mess of a picture.

On the way to Rock Bridge State Park playing Ariana Grande just a little too loud, I smiled to myself in my rearview mirror, choosing to take the clear skies and pleasant weather as a good omen.

I didn’t have to wait long before Halle Paulus’s black Nissan Altima pulled up next to mine in the parking lot. Even in the early morning heat, she smiled at me through her windows. 

Hopping out of our cars, she greeted me with a “‘Sup, loser?” 

I threw my head back, laughed and shot back at her, “Not much. How’s your Nissan running?”  She chuckled back, and we headed towards a trail.

After searching for the right spot to shoot our photos for about half an hour, Halle Paulus settled down onto a tree stump and I put a canary wildflower in her hair, attempting to mimic the artsy photos of Instagram. Following some initial frustration due to lackluster pictures and multiple location changes, I was finally satisfied and felt as if I had gotten the photo that I had come to capture.

I was thankful I could do this photoshoot with Halle Paulus, and for her easy-going attitude in the midst of my impatience. Her experience with photography helped give me inspiration, and her patience helped calm my temper. Moments of silence were comfortable rather than awkward from our friendship, and she took my advice about posing well, because she knew what looked right. 

In the end, I chose one of her candids (a photo in which she wasn’t posing) because it captured her in her most unfiltered state. I thought the picture was most appropriate to show her essential self, in a natural environment. I believe all people show their true beauty when they are completely themselves, rather than when they are posing to be beautiful. In those moments, they aren’t hiding what qualities they deem to be unattractive. Society often teaches people to hide certain parts of themselves, or that certain traits are inherently ugly. In my experience with friends and family, however, they are always their most radiant when they are being truly themselves.

What natural area of Columbia makes you feel most comfortable? Let us know in the comments below.