photo diary | 20th Birthday in Ft. Lauderdale
blogging
photo diary | photographing a wedding in Key West
On May 4th, 2017, I was blessed with the opportunity to travel to Key West for the weekend to photograph a wedding! My best friend Jessie, her mom and soon to be husband came to me in hopes that I do my part in capturing their special moment. Humbled and absolutely floored, I accepted the offer and headed south towards the Keys. Not only was the destination gorgeous, but I got to spend time exploring this gorgeous place with one of my best friends!
The wedding ceremony took place on a sail boat, which was a first for me! I’ve been on many boats in my life, but never a sail boat. I was in awe from our gorgeous views and just being able to feel the wind in my hair.
Here’s a few wedding photographs.
photo diary | foodies take NYC (& a video)
Ahh, yes. Another visit to the ever-so-magical New York City. I was given the opportunity to go with my friend and business partner, NateDoesFood. We spent four days scouting the city for the finest food spots and coffee shops. This was a unique experience for me, as I’m particularly used to Starbucks and corner hot dog stands.
The snow-covered scenery practically took my breath away. 
We started off our trip with a 5-course lunch at Bouley. The first room you entered was filled with beautiful flowers and a wall stacked with fresh apples- the smell was indescribable. 
This is the main dining room. It immediately transported me to a castle in France- from the smells, to the architecture, to the paintings on the walls. The men were required to wear suit jackets and I felt disrespectful if my pinky WASN’T in the air every time I sipped my beverage. Needless to say, it was a very classy place.
Fresh green apple sorbet
Later on that day, we had reservations for a 15 course private Chefs Table at Empellón Cocina. 
Inverse Taco al Pastor
Ice Cream Tacos
The following morning, we beat the sun rise and ran to the hotels roof top to catch some spectacular views. I was sleepy, but completely in awe of the golden morning views of the city skyline.
The first stop of the day was at Devoción Coffee Shop in Brooklyn. The vibes were inspiring, from the brick walls to the giant plant walls. I definitely felt at ease here as I sipped my beautiful Latte. 
The next stop was a small hole-in-the-wall place called Sweatshop. We filled our bellies with yummy Avocado Toast and Acai Bowls. 
This was easily the coolest plant shop I’ve ever been in. We came in here simply to warm up from the frigid temperatures outside and found ourselves inspired by the aesthetics.
Roberta’s Pizza in Brooklyn
Mountain Province Espresso Bar in Brooklyn. I was a happy gal sipping on a warm Chai Tea Latte. Nate ordered a Taro Latte, which had beautiful purple tones.
D.U.M.B.O, Brooklyn; The transition from day to night absolutely blew my mind. What was once a pastel orange sky, quickly faded into deep, dark tones, illuminated by sparkling city lights. I will forever be in awe of this view; this view is what keeps me going.
Ludlow Coffee Supply
Stopped at the Chelsea Market for some tacos! It was my first time here, and I’d definitely recommend it if you’re in the neighborhood and looking to try new foods.
The Solomon R. Guggenheim museum. Another first for me! I enjoyed walking around this spiral museum and being delighted by the some of the worlds most famous pieces. I was particularly taken back by this letter written by Vincent Van Gogh. While museums are typically filled with artwork, it’s not every day you see handwritten letters from the artist. 
A Beet Juice Latte from Bluestone Lane Coffee. I was a bit nervous to try this, but new it would be extremely photogenic. To my surprise it was actually delicious!
We spent the last day meeting up with Jae NYC eats- Janice de Castro who is a Queens-based pastry chef and creator of ‘Cakies’. She took us to New Territories- an ice cream place known for their monstrous creations.
Overall, I had an overwhelming, but wonderful experience. My taste buds were enlightened; I will forever have a newfound appreciation for food.
an intro to astrophotography
As a little girl, I’ve always been fascinated by the stars and moon. My nose pointed up at the night sky soon became my nose in books- reading about and memorizing planets and constellations.
Flash forward a few years and I’m sitting in a college Astronomy class, wide-eyed at the plethora of information being presented before me. I fell in love. My professor, Dr. Mike D. Reynolds happens to be just as passionate as myself, if not more. I formed an immediate appreciation of his passion and took it upon myself to email him some of my Lunar photographs. He instantaneously responded, discussing how much he admired my work- even sent the photographs to the President of the college.
After much thought, my Professor decided to launch an Astrophotography class for the following semester- and here I am. Once a week we come together with an army of DSLR cameras, tripods and telescopes. Us nerdy Astro-folk find ourselves getting chills by the views that we witness and are fortunate enough to photograph.
Prior to this class, I used a telephoto lens (300 mm) to photograph the moon. However, I have recently discovered that you can literally mount a telescope onto a DSLR camera to counteract as the lens. This allows for crazy details and incredible deep space photographs.
While this is just the beginning, I am quite proud of the photographs that I’ve achieved. I hope to do another update by the end of this course to showcase further work.
photo diary | Gainesville
photo diary | Thanksgiving in Mexico
It boggles my mind how, even after fourteen cruises, the beauty of it never ceases to amaze me. From the warm glow of the morning sunrise peeking over the horizon, to the white caps of the salty waves crashing into the distance. There’s something so incredibly calming about every detail of the ocean. I have no words for how thankful I am to live the beautiful life that I do.
A photograph of my mother and I mesmerized by the sunrise. Taken by my wonderful Dad.
photo diary | adventures in nyc
Prior to this trip, I sat down on my bed with a pen in one hand and my journal in the other. I wanted this trip to be unique- an adventure. I wanted to see and experience New York like I never have before. So, I did some research. I jotted down events and locations that caught my eye, and made a tiny checkbox next to each one. It was my mission to check off every single box.
DUMBO, Brooklyn; this was my very first time visiting this part of town and let me tell you- I was utterly and completely in love. It was an artistic community filled with gorgeous buildings and lovely coffee shops. If I could pack up my things and move there tomorrow, I most definitely would.
Here is a photograph of me in a state of complete happiness, complimented by the ever-so-glorious Manhattan skyline. The photo is a bit overexposed and the shadows on my face are weird, but my smile is so genuine that I just fall in love with this photograph every time.
Turtleneck gal (me) in a subway station
Another first: visiting Chelsea! If you ever find yourself in this part of the city, check out The High Line. (It actually runs through multiple parts of town: Lower West Side, Meatpacking District, etc). Anyway, The High Line is an abandoned railway that was eventually repurposed into an elevated public park. It’s filled with so many lovely plants and flowers and you get to walk through and above the city. HOW AMAZING IS THAT
Washington Square Park; finally got a chance to walk under the Washington Square Arc and take in the gorgeous scenery of this park. (didn’t intend to make that rhyme)
Lastly, I took a ride on the top of an incredibly touristy sightseeing bus. Whether you’ve lived in NYC or not, I highly recommend spending the money to take this tour. My parents and I learned so many interesting facts about the city, like how the Oreo was invented in Chelsea. On top of that, I got amazing photographs of the city that wouldn’t be achievable from walking around on the streets.
Overall, I managed to complete my checklist and experience one of the most incredibly unique trips to New York I’ve taken thus far. This city never fails to inspire me and keep me coming back for more. You have my heart, New York.
