Tag Archives: Travel Photographer
Travel Tuesday: Antigua, Guatemala | Destination Wedding Photographer | Travel Photographer
Travel Tuesday 11.5.13: Antigua, Guatemala
Traveled: March 2009, With Alex
Guatemala! This was my first venture into Central America, and it couldn’t have been better. Guatemala was actually on our short list of honeymoon destinations, but we ended up in Vietnam instead. This trip was a wonderful experience, and I’m so glad we got the chance to see a glimpse of this beautiful country that often gets an undeserved bad rap for being dangerous. Per usual, I hadn’t necessarily been planning to go to Guatemala, but ended up with an amazing flight deal in my inbox, and decided that clicking purchase was obviously the best choice. We ended up leaving literally the day after I was laid off from my old day job. So take that unemployment. 
Our first stop in country was Antigua. While quite touristy, it’s a beautiful city, full of cobblestone streets, colorful houses, brilliant churches, and a looming volcano on the horizon. We also randomly ended up being there during semana santa and saw quite the procession through the streets.
Travel Tuesday: Buenos Aires, Argentina! | Travel Photographer | Destination Wedding Photographer
Travel Tuesday for 10.29.13: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Traveled: January 2012 with Alex
Alex and I headed to south to Argentina for a winter break trip last year. I had wanted to go for awhile, and the timing worked out with his school break. While it was awesome to spend NYE in this fantastic city, one thing to note, this time of year is HOT. We also spent time in Mendoza going wine tasting and it was almost too warm to enjoy it. So if you’re planning a trip, perhaps keep that in mind.
That said, we had a great time. Buenos Aires was a very cool mix of Europe and South America, and you can’t go wrong with tango, amazing wine, and delicious steak. Wins all around!
You can’t have Buenos Aires without tango. We didn’t go to any of the tourist shows, but did stay in the San Telmo neighborhood, where locals would bust out the moves at random cafes in the streets. We also took tango lessons, which I’d highly recommend.
So much street art in Buenos Aires, especially in the area we were staying. A good portion of it also political.
Wander through a huge cemetery where Eva Peron was buried.
A neighborhood in BA, La Boca, is known for it’s super bright colors. While I was appalled at the exploitive tourism that has taken over this area, wandering a few blocks off the beaten path does lend to some actual character. And the colors are indeed very photogenic.
One of the more fun things we experienced in the city, New Years Eve! All throughout the day, before the party that night, people just chuck their old calendars and date books out the window! It was raining the previous years dates all day!
Posted in Travel
Also tagged argentina, buenos aires, Destination Elopement, Destination Wedding, Destination Wedding Photographer, Travel, Travel Photography, travel tuesday
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Travel Tuesday: Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic! | Destination Wedding Photographer | Travel Photography
Travel Tuesday 10.22.13: Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic
Traveled: April 2006, With Alex as part of my Around the World trip with Emily
So, as you’ve probably noticed by the excess of sneak peek posts, things have been a little bonkers around here! It appears I’ve missed the last few Travel Tuesday posts and am getting this one in just under the wire. I really love sharing travel stories so much, so didn’t want to miss another week.
Enough excuses though and onto the travel! This week’s adventure takes us to Eastern Europe and the Czech Republic. After making our way through Prague, Alex and I decided to hit up the little tiny village of Cesky Krumlov, and I promptly decided I was never going to leave. This place was just fantastic. A romantic little medieval city with beautiful green surrounding hillsides. It was even topped off with castle! You can’t go wrong. Someday soon I hope to make it back!
These photos were taken back in the old days of point and shoot, so forgive the quality, but I still can’t get over how wonderful this little place was.
Doesn’t this just look like a painting?
Happy Trails!
Travel Tuesday: Amantaní, Peru | Destination Wedding Photographer | Travel Photography
On the boat.
Travel Tuesday for 10.1.13 : Amantani, Peru on Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake.
Traveled: June 2010, with Alex
Alex and I made our way to Peru back in 2010 after I found a KILLER airfare deal on Travelzoo and convinced Alex we really had no choice. $220 roundtrip to Lima from JFK? It was cheaper for us to go to South America than home to MSP, we really were forced to buy the tickets. Which is also to note, for all those curious, I travel far and frequently this is true, but I do so on the cheap. I have learned the fine art of travel hacking and if you want to travel but think you can’t afford it, we should chat. Travel is for all my friends, not just the big bank accounts.
Anyhow, on our trip we made our way through Lima, Arequipa, Cuzco, Machu Picchu, and Puno as a gateway to Lake Titicaca. Lake Titicaca is incredible, not only for the beautiful mountain scenery, but for the altitude. Be sure to give yourself time to adjust. We knew we wanted to get out on the lake, and it turned out you can grab a local boat to one of the islands, and Amantaní seemed the most off the beaten path still offering a homestay. We ended up spending the night with the boat captain’s family and had the most wonderful experience in a beautiful place. You have not seen stars and galaxies until you gaze up at the night sky in a place like this, absolutely breathtaking.
Rocky beach shores of Amantaní.
Views from our homestay.
So much corn!
This island was FULL of sheep!
Ruins atop the island.
Two local women make their way uphill.
Posted in Travel
Also tagged Destination, Destination Elopement, Destination Wedding, Destination Wedding Photographer, Lake Titicaca, Peru, Travel, Travel Photography, travel tuesday
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Travel Tuesday: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam | Travel Photography | Destination Wedding Photography
Travel Tuesday Destination for August 27th: Ho Chi Ming City (aka Saigon), Vietnam
Traveled to: June 2008 with Alex
Alex and I had the opportunity to travel up the coast of the Vietnam for about 3 weeks as our honeymoon trip back in 2008. As you may have guessed, we’re not really traditional travelers in the sense that we’re against all inclusive resorts for hundreds of reasons, and I also get ancy sitting around for too long. I like to see new and different places. And mostly, if we had the time, why would we NOT go somewhere cool? While we had several places on our shortlist, and I’m happy to say I’ve made it to all but one of them since then, we ultimately decided on Vietnam as having the most to offer where our dollar would go the furthest. While we got loads of funny looks when saying we were headed to Vietnam on a honeymoon, it turned out wonderfully. The country was incredible, and the people were some of the kindest I’ve met in my travels.
Saigon was our first stop, and holy moly, what an introduction to this country it was. The capital is one hell of a crazy place. If you are looking for peaceful relaxation, I can most definitely say you have come to the wrong spot. HCMC is a assault on the senses with colors and sounds and everything all at once. While I’m told India is worse, this city is kind of the most glorious complete and utter chaos that actually functions in a way that I will never understand. I could sit at a cafe and just watch the circus of motorbikes at an intersection all day. Crossing the street is a death defying act in that there aren’t really traffic rules (aside from honking, everyone honks always), you just kind of slowly but surely make your way across like a game of frogger. You have to trust that the motorbikes will make their way around you, so long as you don’t make any sudden movements. This daily adventure is a big part of why I loved it so much.
While exploring the city we made sure to hop on a xe om (motorbike taxi) and zoom out to Cholon, the chinatown part of Saigon and saw loads of interesting temples, markets, and shops. While the temples in places like Bangkok are a tourist mecca, HCMC isn’t quite as developed in the same way (at least not then) and we found we often had the places to ourselves. It’s here we found everything from colorful fruits to crazy dried herbs, to snakes in jars featured in the photos below.
Enjoy!
Racing past on the streets of Saigon.
Temple in Cholon.
Pink prayer ribbons at a local temple in Cholon.
Incense prayer coils at a local temple. The coil burns slowly until it reaches the prayers contained in the red ribbon at the top.
Colorful dragon fruit for sale at the market.
Why yes, those are snakes in a jars in Saigon’s Chinatown.
Motorbikes on the streets of Saigon.
Happy Travels.
Posted in Travel
Also tagged Destination Elopement, Destination Wedding Photographer, Destination Wedding Photography, HCMC, Saigon, Travel, Travel Photography, travel tuesday, Vietnam
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Travel Tuesday: Dakar, Senegal | Travel Photography
In coming up with this week’s destination, I was having a hard time deciding where to go. I asked Alex what he thought, and he suggested Senegal. I had a hard time tracking down the photos, but was happy I did, as they’re now all backed up where I can find them! Added bonus, it was fun going through all these old travel photos. Being that as it is, please note, cameras have come a LONG way. (Along with my photography skills. ) These were taken with my very first point and shoot digital camera, WAY back in 2006.
Travel Tuesday Destination for August 20th: Dakar, Senegal
Traveled: March 2006 with Emily!
When my roommate Emily and I graduated from college way back when, we both decided that we wanted to get out and see the real world, rather then get into the “real world” that is the adult workplace. We schemed and planned and worked and made things happen in the spring of 2006. Emily had studied abroad in Senegal our junior year, so she decided to head back there first. She left first and stayed a few months, and then I headed over to meet up with her in Dakar to start our journey! In total we traveled about 4.5 months or so until July finishing our adventure in New Zealand.
This was my first time in Africa and it was a great experience, thanks to Emily’s awesome tour guide abilities and connections. While I might have been able to manage, or so I like to tell myself, having her French and Wolof skills, along with being able to meet her host family and friends made the experience all that much better. Senegal was a fascinating place, and I hope to be able to get back to this part of the world again sometime in the future. Perhaps this time with a better camera in tow.
Western most point in Dakar, and the African continent.
Boats in the harbor at Gorée Island, off the coast of Dakar.
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Also tagged Dakar, Destination Elopement Photographer, Destination Wedding Photographer, Senegal, Travel, Travel Photography, travel tuesday
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Travel Tuesday! | Colonia Del Sacramento, Uruguay | Destination Wedding Photographer
Time to switch up the continents!
This week’s destination: Colonia Del Sacramento, Uruguay. Traveled: January 2012, as day trip from Buenos Aires with Alex
I hope you all have been enjoying these Tuesday posts. If you have any places you’d like to see, let me know! Alex and I visited the little town of Colonia as a day trip from Buenos Aires during our winter trip last year. We’d heard good things, and it seemed easy enough to hop on the ferry and hit up a new country for the afternoon. Colonia was lovely, though it was hot, as was everywhere in this region of the world at that time of year. It made for a great day trip, lots of little shops and cafes and pleasant little streets to walk around. It’s certainly touristy, but nice to escape the big city of Buenos Aires for a bit!
As it’s right on the water, there’s loads of sailing going on!
I have a thing for taking photos of decrepit doorways. I have no idea why.
Loved the little cobblestone streets.
Someday, I would like a bright blue door.
Travel Tuesday! | Destination Wedding Photographer | Travel Photography
One of my goals has been to get more of my personal work out there, specifically my travel work. If you know me in real life, you know if you even THINK about something travel related, my face will light up and I will probably talk your ear off. I may have a problem. But it’s a good problem as far as I’m concerned, and one that’s led me to more awesomeness then I can even begin to recount.
SO. I have decided that every Tuesday around here, because coming up with creative titles wasn’t in the works this week (Sorry 12th grade AP English teacher), we’re going to have Travel Tuesday. Nothing fancy for now, but a few featured photos from a fun destination. At the very least you can count it as a distraction from weddings and elopements for a moment, at the very most, perhaps I can inspire you to just maybe click purchase on that ticket. Because, seriously, GO! You won’t ever regret it, I promise.
This week’s destination: Luang Prabang, Laos. Traveled in March 2013, solo.
I only got to spend a little over a week in Laos, and I’m already craving to return. This South East Asian country is beyond amazing. If you’re looking for a place to relax, without a timeline, where things truly do move at a slower pace, come to Laos. It’s beautiful, and as yet, still pretty undiscovered on the tourist trail, especially if you head north. Completely the opposite of the craziness you’ll find in Bangkok or Saigon.
Boats on the mighty Mekong River. I was here in March, which is especially hazy, so I didn’t get the spectacular mountain views, but I still thought it was beautiful.
Wat Xieng Thong. My favorite part of Laos was how relaxed it was. The wats in other places in Asia are a tourist circus, in Laos, I often had the whole place to almost to myself.
Rice cakes for the monks dry in the sun. Each morning before dawn, the monks walk through town to gather alms. People give these rice cakes as an offering.
Hope you enjoyed the trip! As a reminder, I’m slowly but surely building my etsy shop of travel work. Check it out here if you like!
Posted in Personal, Travel
Also tagged Destination Elopement Photographer, Destination Wedding Photographer, Laos, Travel, Travel Photography, travel tuesday
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Turkey: Part 2 | Istanbul & Göreme | Travel Photography | Destination Wedding Photography
A break in the regularly scheduled wedding photos to bring you some more fun travel images! I shared the first part of my birthday Turkey trip a month or so ago.
On my last day in Istanbul, I had a few places I wanted to see. First was this wonderful ancient cistern. I had seen something similar on a previous trip to Morocco and wanted to see if this one would also make for awesome photos. Success! I love this kind of places.
I then took the tram over to the other side of town to explore the area near Taksim Square. (Yes, where the most recent protests have been occuring.) I also climbed to the top of the Galata Tower for to get a few images of the city from above. While the view is cool from the tower, I got the nearly the same view from a cafe down the block where I stopped for a drink and a snack.
Finally, I knew I HAD to catch a sunset near the Galata Bridge. I wasn’t disappointed. The sky was incredible.
After enjoying the sunset, I headed back to my hostel to get up bright and early to catch my flight to Cappadocia. Why Cappadocia? This region of Turkey is one of the main reasons I’d had my heart set on going to Turkey for so long. It has one of the most interesting landscapes in the world. Hundreds of “fairy chimneys” sprout up from the ground giving it a crazy lunar feel.
I had a great time hiking through the rock formations, but the primary reason to come?
To fly in a hot air balloon! 
I stayed in Göreme, one of the main places to catch a hot air balloon. I went with Kapadokya Balloons , one of the most experienced ballooners in town and had an incredible time, though things started out with a hiccup. Normally, all the balloons are launched at dawn. (Which as a photogrpaher, I was THRILLED about. Golden hour light? Hot Air Balloons? Win. ) However, what I didn’t realize was that November was also the one month where they are often socked in with fog, making the launch impossible. I got up on the morning of my flight only to realize I couldn’t see anything outside. Not even across the street. Shoot. However, luckily they decided to try for a rare launch later in the day, and by 3pm, we were in the air!
Flying in a hot air balloon over this landscape was far and away one of the most incredible things I’ve ever done. It’s almost surreal. As the balloon ascends, you feel as if you’re floating and it’s completely silent after the gas is released.
If you’re ever in Turkey, this is a once in a lifetime kind of MUST do.
Now the question is, who wants to get married in a hot air balloon??
Cheers to new adventures!
PS. I’m also working on updating/getting more images up for sale in my etsy shop! If you like these images, feel free to check it out!
De Nueva Etsy Shop
Posted in Personal, Travel
Also tagged adventure, cappadocia, Destination Elopement Photographer, Destination Wedding Photographer, hot air balloons, Istanbul, Travel, Travel Photography, Turkey
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Turkey, Part I: Istanbul! | Travel Photographer
I’m pausing for a brief intermission from wedding photography to bring you some fun travel images! I just returned from Asia, but before I even get started on those photos, I figured it was high time I posted some scenes from my trip to Turkey last fall! I’m hoping to get my travel work more integrated into this site in the future, and perhaps a regular travel feature?? We’ll see how far I can get in busy season.
But for now, Part 1 of my adventure! Turkey had been on my list now for quite some time, and so when I saw a killer airfare deal about a year ago, and had miles saved up, I pounced! Because why not? I decided it would be an excellent birthday trip for myself, since I didn’t get to go as planned for my 30th. I spent about 10 days traipsing around Istanbul and also making a side trip to Göreme in the Cappadoccia region to go hot air ballooning. More on that in part 2, but it was the COOLEST thing ever!
The Blue Mosque, Istanbul.
While in Istanbul, I stayed in a hostel near the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia. While more touristy of an area then I’d usually pick, it was super convenient and fit the budget. It turned out great, and I was within walking distance of loads of great sites. The Blue Mosque, above, was stunning with gorgeous stained glass and mosaic ceiling.
Hagia Sofia, Istanbul.
I spent my first day wandering through the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market due to the rainy outdoors. These markets could keep you entertained for quite some time. And while I was worried of being harassed as I had been in the souks of Morocco, I experienced nothing of the sort in Turkey, a pleasant surprise for a solo female traveler.
The Grand Bazaar, Istanbul.
I sampled some Turkish delight, kind of like a weird powdered sugar gelatin dessert. Not my thing at all. I did, however, buy loads of wonderful spices AND eat my weight in all kinds of baklava. YUM.
Trip to the Princes’ Islands, Turkey.
One of the best parts of my time in Istanbul was a day trip to the Princes’ Islands. They are a short ferry ride off the coast and a beautiful respite from the craziness of city life. I also managed to meet an Iranian couple, a woman from New Zealand, and an entire troop of the Boyscouts of Libya while on this excursion. Because travel is amazing like that.
Büyükada, Princes Islands, Turkey.
You can stop at a number of different islands, but because I didn’t have a ton of time, I just took the ferry to the last island, Büyükada, and spent my afternoon there. It was lovely. There are no cars on the island, just horse drawn buggies.
Once I got off the ferry, I got my bearings and then decided to head for the highest point on the island. I had read it made for a nice hike and the views were stupendous. I wasn’t disappointed. There was a little cafe for tea and it was the perfect afternoon just to sit and enjoy the sunshine!
Next up, hot air balloons! Stay tuned!
Posted in Personal, Travel
Also tagged Destination Elopement Photographer, Destination Wedding Photographer, Istanbul, Travel, Travel Photography, Turkey
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