If you take a walk down Ocean Boulevard in Coronado, you’ll see surfers headed to the beach, locals walking their dogs, and children dragging sand buckets. You may also see “the girl with the camera,” Mekenna of Mekenna’s Moments.
Whether she’s capturing scenes in her day-to-day life or travelling and adventuring with her husband, Mekenna turns fleeting experiences into lasting photo memories.
“I’ve had a camera for over half of my life, and after a few military moves, I started using it to document the areas around me. In Monterey, I documented the surrounding cities. We moved to Europe for a bit, and I documented the places we were traveling. Everything was so new and beautiful. Every time we went to a new country, it was like a whole new world.”
Mekenna’s Moments in Coronado
Mekenna’s relationship with Coronado is one that many other people who leave and return can relate to.
“We left Coronado, moved to Monterey, then went to France, came back to Coronado, and this place is paradise, but I had such a hard time coming back. I felt like a completely different person, but I was put back where everything feels the same here. Why do I feel so different?” She elaborates, “This should have been the easiest move back for me, because I had a history here. Every other move, it’s starting from scratch again. This should be the easiest thing, and I had a hard time using my camera because it felt routine and familiar here.”
A 52-Week Challenge
To break through the mental block, Mekenna decided to complete a 52-week photo challenge. Her husband was deployed for nine months, and she had an injury from an ultramarathon, preventing her from running. It was the time.
“I started going out with my camera at least one time a week,” Mekenna shares. “Eventually, I was going out maybe three to seven times a week. Sometimes twice a day. I go out at sunrise or sunset, and go for a midday walk, and I’d always bring my camera.” Mekenna actively reminded herself how fortunate she was to be in Coronado and to take advantage of it. “I went to the Coronado Flower Show, brought my camera, and started looking at Coronado differently. Looking at the people that are part of Coronado and the businesses that are part of Coronado, the beauty of all of it.”
While there are many indisputably beautiful backdrops in Coronado, like the Ferry Landing, the San Diego skyline, and Hotel del Coronado, that’s not where you’ll find Mekenna.
“It’s about capturing these small moments that people mostly overlook because we’re just so busy and caught up in our day-to-day lives. We don’t realize the magic in these things.”
Her unique style of photography
The images Mekenna captures are usually unposed. When she’s inspired, she uses her best judgment, balancing authenticity with respect and permission.
“I have to get close to somebody. It’s a balance of asking permission and also capturing something that I feel like the person would feel comfortable with.”
Mekenna shares one experience while walking on Orange Avenue.
“There was a woman squatted down in front of a store who must have been on a work break, smoking an e-cigarette. Her face was covered by the smoke, and I froze, and I took a picture.”
Mekenna asked the woman if she could take a picture, and ended up taking several.
“There is one image where her face is completely covered by smoke. That one spoke to me. It’s funny how our creations can sometimes show us what we’re feeling. Her image reminded me that while I’ve been creating for a long time, I have a tendency to hide those creations, and it inspired me to share my Coronado Photo Project on my website”.
At the end of the day, Mekenna values the connection she makes with strangers while working on the project.
“I want to understand the people that I’m taking pictures of. I’ve spoken with many people, and often I don’t even take a picture of the person I’m speaking with. I’m drawn to them for certain reasons, and then I start speaking with them. We have so much to learn from everyone around us.”
The more things change
Returning to Coronado felt like stepping into the past, but as she began the Coronado Photo Project, Mekenna viewed things through a different lens.
“There’s a new coffee shop here, a new building there, but it’s been wonderful to really observe everything around me, and realize I was documenting a slice of history here.”
“I think everything is the same,” she explains, “but a while ago, I took a picture of a sign that said ‘Coronado’ by the Bank of America. The other day I went out, and that sign is gone. Things are changing every day. There are houses I’ve loved that have now been bulldozed and replaced with new ones. It’s been very transformative.”
Helping others find their photography footing
Mekenna feels called to help other people on similar journeys.
“I wrote an e-book that teaches you how to use a camera simply. I know so many other people who would love to document their lives and look back on their family’s memories. There are military spouses who get stationed in beautiful places, and you want to be able to take pictures of your time there, or just maybe there’s something you feel called to document. But using a camera, learning how to use a camera, if you didn’t go to school for it, can be very overwhelming.”
On how impactful photography has been for her, she shares:
“My husband’s a Navy helicopter pilot, and we move around. The challenge of restarting every time you move somewhere. It’s important to find something to ground you throughout that process, and photography has been that grounding experience for me.”
You can find Mekenna enjoying a matcha at Bay Books or walking the streets of Coronado with her camera. Follow her journey on Instagram and her blog.
