THE BEGINNING

I wanted to live consciously and simply with purpose and intention. I have been doing just that, guided by the ancient Japanese concept of ‘Shibui’ as my value and action framework. ‘Shibui’ encompasses simplicity, implicitly, silence, naturalness, everydayness, modesty and imperfection. Today, I choose less. But better.

Today – February 1, 2018 – marks the birth of Missoulala on the web. In the real world. At last, talking and dreaming out loud the swirling thoughts in my head. I dedicate time, space and passion to my way of living and how Shibui is braided into every image I take. Every decision I make. Every step I take.

I will write about my daily Shibui inspired life because it makes me who I am and sets me up for our next endeavour, becoming farmers. My pre-Shibui me could not have handled an unhurried life, filled with small pleasures and simplicity.

Shibui is the Japanese concept of beauty, referring to a particular aesthetic of simple, subtle, and unobtrusive beauty, economy of form, line, and effort, producing a timeless tranquility. There are seven elements that help to describe something Shibui: simplicity, implicitly, modesty, silence, naturalness, everydayness, and imperfection. These qualities enhance the underlying essence of life.

As a photographer I yearned for my very own “signature style” right from the start. I came across Shibui during my travels through Japan in 2007, but it took a career change and many years of practice, questioning, learning and most importantly over 300.000 images to arrive here today. What started out as a concept of aesthetic to apply to my imagery expanded to my very own lifestyle. No matter if I photograph a wedding, a newborn or nature’s beauty or if I travel, cook, hike, decorate our house or buy a cardigan – I am looking for simplicity, not drama. I am looking for silence instead of useless information, for modesty instead of the superfluous.

It has done me the world of good. I did not become a nutty artist or a girl with a camera. With Shibui I have found my way to become a creative entrepreneur, a well rounded professional and intentional artist. It is an exhilarating journey, and I hope you’ll come along.

I am an advocate for a life that really matters and one you will not need a vacation from, because you’ll be riding the high wave. Turns out, you can live a life you love. It’s the one by choice.

Missoulala is my blog dedicated to my journey of living a life by choice and, guided by Shibui, prepping myself for our next endeavour: being farmers.