Have you ever lived near a place you just, well, despise? Sure, it has its pretty views and days of looking radiant with the mountain in the distance, historic buildings and scenic waterfront views but there's just something about Tacoma, Washington I always seemed to turn my nose up at. It's dirty, it's industrial, it's not Seattle...ew. I just started coming up with reasons to cringe when I had to spend more time than necessary in this place. I am happy to say after a foggy afternoon spent shooting my collaboration blog series (Pop of Color) in Tacoma with my dear and talented friend Kami of KNDM Co., my skewed opinion has changed.

I didn't know I could be so inspired by a place I've grown up near for so many years. I had a few items on my bucket list for our photoshoot I thought would look good for photographic purposes but wouldn't necessarily "inspire" me as both a creative and as a blogger. I was sorely mistaken. Taking the time to outfit swap, model and soak in the downtown / urban vibes was inspiring in itself.

Not to mention, Kami is my favorite companion to explore places with when seeking inspiration. She is also one of my biggest inspirations as a young 20-something, business owner and talented photographer, I'm in awe of not only her creative work but her bad-ass poise, (yes, she makes that a thing) when working and collaborating with her. Her work speaks for itself and collaborating with her for our first series together sparked a creative fuse for us both and we intend to make collaborations "a thing." So you're in luck!

Throughout our day exploring we managed to visit and shoot at some of Tacoma's finest places, a great way to change your perspective on the area by soaking in the artistic and historical district of downtown up to the rich and flourishing greens and blossoms up the hill at Wright Park. If you find yourself looking to do a photoshoot in the area I highly recommend these areas we visited (as seen in my blog series, POP OF COLOR).

*Click the images to enlarge. If you repost these photos please provide proper credit to West Coast Aesthetic and KNDM Co. Photo, thank you! xo