Category: Favorite Things

June 27, 2018

Favorite Things – Travel

It’s Friday so here’s another Favorite Things – Travel! I love getting out of my bubble and exploring the world. My favorite areas tend to be where the nature is breathtaking, but visiting unique and fun cities can be pretty amazing. I’ve been super lucky and have traveled to over 20 countries.

Walking through the canals in Venice was like a time warp. Amsterdam had such a cool vibe to it. I loved how so many people traveled the city on bikes. They had entire parking structures dedicated to the two wheeled vehicles. Some of my absolute favorite adventure was backpacking through Iceland and Switzerland. Looking up at the sheer cliffs and the green rolling hills of Swiss Alps is a memory I hope to never forget. When we went to Iceland, we were there for summer solstice. That was such a unique experience to stay in a world that doesn’t darken.

This year I’m planning a trip Poland with my boyfriend, and hopefully a couple of the surrounding countries. My best friend lives in Prague, so I’m sure I’ll probably go there again. I’ll be backpacking Havasupai Falls in a month with several friends. My boyfriend just booked a backpacking trip for us on Santa Rosa Island, which is a part of the Channel Islands National Park. We’ll also be going camping at Yosemite National Park sometime this summer.

I really love traveling!

Last couple of years I was living on the east coast in Pittsburgh. I had to travel with all my camera gear back and forth from there to California. I also photographed a destination wedding in the Riviera Maya. Are you planning a destination wedding? Get in touch, I’d love to work with you, and depending on the location, the travel cost may be included in your wedding.

June 27, 2018

Backpacking Havasupai

Last month I took a break from wedding photography for a week and went backpacking to Havasupai. It’s a tiny little village on the edge of the Grand Canyon, tucked about 10 miles down. I went with a large group of friends. We got to the site the night before and set up camp at the trail head, then the next morning, dark and early at 4am, we got up, packed our gear, and began the hike. The weather said it was going to be in the high 90s which is why we left so early. We really wanted to get ahead of the heat since the first several miles have almost no shade. There’s also no water on the hike until you reach Supai, which is 8 miles down so we had to carry about 3 liters of water with us in addition to our gear.

The hike itself was easy, nothing technical or too extraneous. It was just long and hot which were the only challenges. Once we got down to the camping area, you are greeted with an amazingly tropical and gorgeous oasis.

This was such a cool experience, being able to swim in the crystal clear water after a long hike was the perfect reward. I kept seeing all these beautiful spots that would be perfect for someones wedding or engagement photos. That’s what happens when I go on vacation now. I think of how cool the area would look as a backdrop for wedding photography. I brought my camera with even though I really didn’t want to add the extra weight, but I got some pretty photos from the trip. No brides or grooms in them, but waterfalls, happy faces, and beautiful scenery instead.

Here are some of my favorites from backpacking Havasupai…

A few of my good friends and fellow wedding professionals were also able to join me on this trip. Here’s me with Tim and Monica from In The Mix Events, and Scott from Good Times Entertainment, and our friend Vivienne!

Now I’m not a landscape photographer, and I’m newer when it comes to taking night photography shots like this… but one of the guys that came on the trip showed me a photo he had taken and I tried to get my own since I thought it looked so cool! Here’s my attempt at a night waterfall shot.

If you want to have your engagement photos or wedding photography taken at some amazing location that requires a bit of hiking and sweat to get there, contact me! I’d love to go on some crazy adventure with you and get some epic photos together!

June 27, 2018

Favorite Things – My Dogs

I’ll sometimes share Favorite Things on Fridays since it’s one of my favorite days. I love animals. When I was little, I thought I’d grow up to be an animal trainer. I didn’t end up taking that route, but I did train my dog, Squishy and my boyfriend and I are working on training our new puppy, Xander. It’s challenging, repetitive, and time consuming, but it’s so nice to have a pet that listens to you. It’s definitely worth the time.

Meet Our Pups

Squishy is my little Yorkie. I got her about 10 years ago. One of her ears never fully strengthened so one sticks up. She looks like a little stuffed animal. She’s really smart! She knows over 15 commands and multiple words and phrases. She has her own Facebook page and her own Instagram. I’ve used her in my commercial photography and she’s been seen in magazines, websites, and advertisements around the world.

Meet Squishy

In January we added another furbaby to the family. We got a 2 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback. He’s likely going to be close to 10 times Squishy’s size, so it’s crucial that he’s trained well for her safety. So far he’s learning pretty well and Squishy isn’t shy about putting him in his place. He’ll soon be just as famous as her. I’ve already started taking lots of photos of him, and I don’t think that’ll stop any time soon. He has his own personal Instagram page so he’s also super trendy!

Meet Xander

Need Help With Training?

If you have a dog and you’re not sure where to start with training, I highly recommend contacting the Dog Genie. She’s really great and has given us some tips and tricks that have already helped a lot! We have her come to our house for private lessons and the individual one on one time is great. She also has beginner puppy classes, but that didn’t feel right for us and where our dogs were at in their obedience level.

Want Photos of Your Dogs?

I love dogs and love when my clients bring them along to their wedding or engagement session. If you just wanted to get photos taken of your fur baby, reach out, I’d be happy to schedule something!