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I recently had a chance to work with Peggy Hall, founder of Yoga for Surfers, during her teacher training retreat in San Clemente, CA. Her assistant first contacted me and said “We are looking for lifestyle images of our training that really capture the heart of who we are. It involves a week long shoot of yoga and ocean….” She said a lot of other things, but I don’t remember what they were. She had me at “heart, yoga and ocean”:)

All I can say is that it was wonderful! I truly enjoyed making these images, but the very best perk was to meet Peggy and all of her trainees. Yoga for Surfers brings together people from all corners of the world who have a few things in common: They are open-minded, adventurous,  brave, and most of all, they are more interested in giving than taking. To all of you in this training, I told you in person and I’ll tell you again: I’m keeping you! You are now my friends 🙂

 

 



  • Peggy Hall - Mali, you were absolutely a dream to work with!! You captured the heart & soul of our beautiful trainees, and the pure stoke we share on the ocean waves — and the waves of life! Can’t wait to introduce more people to your art and talent. Sending love & hugs your way!!

Our week in Ambergris Caye, Belize, was incredible! I’ve received more messages asking for details about this trip than I could possibly respond, so I’m answering them here for everyone 🙂

This island is the perfect balance between unpretentious and sophisticated. You can have lunch in an infinity pool overlooking the ocean at Rojo or be picked up by boat to dine at Mambo or Portofino. You can also have a $1 delicious street taco at Albertina’s in San Pedro. You can find everything in between. If you like sea food, you can’t go wrong on this island.

The water really is THAT clear! We had high expectations for water visibility and marine life in Belize, but we were blown away. Swimming in Belizean waters took the expression “being one with the ocean” to a whole new level. There are many tours you can take, so shop around to make sure you find the perfect one for your family. We found that smaller companies were more flexible and catered to our individual interests.

A visit to Caye Caulker is definitely worth your time. The 5 mile island is so fun! People were friendly and helpful, food was delicious and our manatee swim was magical.

If you are into Yoga, check out Akbol for a morning class with breathtaking views.

We stayed at X-Tan Ha Resort and highly recommend it! It’s absolutely beautiful, the service is amazing, and it’s on the most gorgeous sandy beach on Ambergris Caye. It’s a short kayak paddle away from the second largest barrier reef in the world and right in front of Mexico Rocks (one of the best snorkeling spots in Belize).

Thank you Jolyn for making swimsuits that are perfect for strong and active girls who also want to look beautiful!

(All water images were shot with a Sony a6500 in an SPL waterhousing)

I hope I answered your questions. If not, please feel free to message me again 🙂

And to see more pictures, go to Mali Workman Travel.

 

 

 

Traveling to Cuba is like stepping into an alternate universe!

In a lot of ways, Cuba is the exact opposite of the US. There are very few stores and most of the shelves in grocery stores are empty. There seems to be food for everyone, but not many options. There are, however, plenty of restaurants for visitors/tourists. Some neighborhoods look rough, but we felt safe everywhere we went. We opted to stay in a Casa Particular (private home) instead of a hotel for two reasons. First, we didn’t find any hotels with good reviews and many houses on Airbnb had great reviews. Second, we thought staying in an authentic Cuban house would give us a better feel for the culture and people. That was exactly what happened. Both families we stayed with were wonderful. They were like hotel concierge customized just for us! They helped us with everything we needed, from restaurant recommendations, to transportation, etc., and made us delicious breakfasts. They also answered our endless questions about Cuban life in general. Cuban people are very friendly and relaxed. It seemed like no one is ever in a hurry or stressed out. Most people we talked to were open, willing to share their experiences, and also thankful for the friendlier relationship with the US.

On our last day we wished instead of going home, we were moving on to the next city for another week of exploring. There is so much more of Cuba we want to see! It truly is a beautiful country, full of friendly, resourceful and creative people.

More images on Mali Workman Travel



Documenting lovely families is not only my work, but one of the things that brings me most joy in life. Every single family I meet is exactly like mine in so many ways… They are wonderful, beautiful, messy, crazy, imperfect and joyful all at the same time, and I love everything about them! Thank you to everyone who has hired me this year! I hope your holidays are full of love!

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Five years ago I was blessed to meet the sweetest family from Switzerland. They hired me for a family session during their vacation in Laguna Beach. (You can check out that session here). Of course they fell in love with our beautiful town and just recently visited again. Their mom-son connection was once again inspiring to see and capture. Photographing this little guy was such a joy that I could easily forget that he didn’t understand a word of English 🙂

I really hope they keep visiting, or maybe some day I’ll shoot their portraits in Switzerland… That would be a dream!

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