Summer (Patreon)

I'm so insanely excited to share this video. 

It was a hot summer in Sicily. I had just met up with my good friend and fellow creator, Kacie Marie, the day before. We were both in town modeling for Anastasia Arteyeva's photo workshop in Sicily. Our first day of shooting was on this beautiful beach a couple hours away. We were up at the crack of dawn to ensure the best light. If the sun gets too high, the lighting can be harsh. The water was a little rough, but it felt incredible. Actually, it felt perfect. I don't know how, but the ocean water in Sicily is perfect.

Anastasia mentioned a cave we could get to if we swam out a little bit and around the corner. It sounded amazing, but I was a little on the fence. I actually used to be super terrified of open water. It's still a struggle, but I've been working hard at overcoming it. Plus, how could I pass up this opportunity? She talked about the plant life and colors in the cave; vibrant purples, oranges, and greens. It sounded incredible. With barely any convincing, Kacie had me out there lickety split.

On our swim out, everyone else from the workshop was already on their way back, but no one could have stopped us. We eneded up having an adventure of our own. We explored a little bit, but were hellbent on getting video. Kacie has such an eye for detail. She recorded the waves crash and bubble, the sky, the cave walls, and we also recorded each other; under the water, above the water, in the cave. Everything was so beautiful, we honestly could have spent more time in there than we did.

This short film is Kacie's compilation of footage from that moment. It might actually be one of my favorite collaborations we've done. I love the anonymity of it. There are moments where you can't tell who is who. But it wasn't just about us. It was about the place; the experience.

Summer