Hayley Rosenblum Photography

A year and a half ago, .gif and Max adopted .miss.dahlia and in August she’ll be turning 2 years old.

When people walk by her on the street, they smile and audibly say she’s cute to whomever they’re walking with. People frequently ask if she is still a puppy. One time, someone in a car at a red light “catcalled” her as we crossed the street in the cross walk. She brings delight with her wherever she goes.

She loves sitting on park benches, and she loves me. If you say my name she perks her ears up like this. If you say “your best friend” she also knows that’s me. When I see her after a long while she wags her tail so hard and so fast it wiggles her whole body.

On Sunday, I captured this portrait of Dahlia and every day since I’ve looked at it and thought how happy it makes me. I made it my phone wallpaper so I can bottle that feeling up. This photograph reminds me of lots of little joys compounding together.

A photograph is literally a snapshot of a moment in time. And yet, somehow photographs can also tell you a story about all the moments that came before it, too.

Here, I literally see the challenge of getting her to sit still, Jeri waving treats over my camera, and the pollen making us all sneeze. I see Dahlia happy to be in her favorite place with her favorite people. I also see all the joy and comfort and laughs and tears and fun she’s brought us- that she’s brought me.

This is “my best friend” Dahlia, my puppy niece.

UNLOCKED Speaker Series
Hosted by in conversation with
, New York, NY

I’ve been thinking a lot about my connection to my camera this year. What it means for me as a creative outlet, and what I use my photography to say and share.

After years of consideration, last week I decided to unblock my creativity and lean into the equally exciting but uncertain and expensive decision to upgrade to a mirrorless camera. And I couldn’t think of a better event to be the first thing I photographed as this speaking series has the tag line, “Exploring the creative process.” Ilana beautifully moderated a conversation with Amanda, touching on their mutual roots in live theater, and created an elegant space for Amanda to walk through to talk about her own evolution in how she approached art, community and building the plane as you fly navigating this little thing called the Internet to build connection.

I sat in the front row of the tiny theater space, which is a time capsule experience of its own, and reflected on what it’s been like for me to have had a front seat (literally and figuratively) for Amanda and her process over these last 20 years. I thought about how, just like Amanda, I use to live experience in anticipation of reflecting on it and relaying the experience in blogs and social media, and now, I can’t bother to share because I’m now in the moment. I no longer feel the need to report a diary what happens in my life, but I do feel the drive to capture ephemeral events and share my photography as an artifact.

So here are captures I’ve made of this event, and I share them with you hoping each frame tells you a little story, void of their context - because you really had to be there.

June 26, 2024: ’ Base Camp: France at Le Brossay, a chateau in Renac, France.

I arrived at Le Brossay without knowing what to expect, exactly. I knew that I needed to represent Patreon in their partnership with Creator Camp, I knew that I needed to moderate a fire side chat with two creators on Patreon we invited to join us at the retreat, and I knew that I was there to help and inspire creators however I could.

What I didn’t know is that the castle itself would be a main character for us throughout the week. The trees, the sun that didn’t set until past 11pm, the stars that didn’t appear until after 12:30am, the sheep that would graze the grass, the bell that would ring for dinner, the trees that were vibrantly green and a character of their own, the castle itself built in 1895 and felt like the mansion in Clue, the bats that flew around the main hall, the largest bees I’ve ever seen, a month the size of humming birds, bewildered pigeon lost in the upper halls, and the hustling and bustling of two dozen creators building connections and making art.

I knew what I needed to do, I just didn’t know what would happen in the time and space between my responsibilities. It was that time where I connected with my camera, with my own complicated creativity and how I am often my own blocker with it.

It was the conversations in between everything else that I found to be so rich and insightful. I asked questions, the deep kind. I answered questions, the introspective kind. I feel accomplished in what I set out to do, and in walking away with so much inspiration from everyone I got to share this experience with.

I have so much gratitude that I get to do the work that I do, a mission I care so deeply about, and thankful to have had this rich experience. I spend most of my days building community virtually, so to experience a creative community in real life felt so special. Thank you , for caring so deeply for the next generation of creators, and enabling me to help inspire creators and share my experiences in such a special way. And of course, Creator Camp, you’re doing something very special.