Photography

Postcards from Porto

Postcards from Porto, Portugal: A Photo Diary

Postcards from Porto

Welcome to my lil photo diary of postcards from Porto, Portugal!

Although I’ve been to Lisbon a few times and consider it one of my favorite cities in Europe, up until recently that was the only place I had ever been to in Portugal. But, I recently visited Porto and loved it. I loved it SO MUCH. I couldn’t believe it was only my first time there, or that it had never even been on my radar before. Like… what!? Well let me tell you, I definitely underestimated Porto! It’s the second-largest city in Portugal, home of Port wine (which is absolutely DELISH, but more on that later), and it’s honestly one of the most photogenic places I’ve ever been. The “old town” is so amazing that it’s actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site!

Even though I didn’t love Porto in a “I could see myself living here sort of way” like I did with Lisbon, there was definitely something really special about the city and surrounding region. I found it captivating and ended up taking so many photos of Porto because I was just in awe of how beautiful the city was. I thought I’d share a few photos I took, because a lot of them look like they could be postcards!

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A Dublin Autumn – in photos

Although I absolutely love all things summer, there’s something to be said for autumn, too. Even though it’s the beginning of the weather getting colder and the daylight hours getting shorter, I really don’t mind. Sure, there can be some VERY dreary days, but when it’s sunny, it’s just amazing. Is there anything nicer than going on a walk on a sunny, crisp autumn morning with a big coat on and a hot coffee in your hands? I’ll tell you the answer – no, there is not. And trust me, autumn in Dublin can be pretty magical.

Now that it’s December (wtf?) and Autumn has come and gone and replaced by winter, I thought it was the perfect time to look back at the GORGEOUS autumn we had this year here in Dublin, Ireland!

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My Spain Video Diary - April 2017

My Spain Video Diary – April 2017

As much as I love living in Ireland, sometimes I really, really crave the sun. Back in Louisiana, I used to go to Florida beaches at LEAST once a year, and it was a great way to relax and unwind. I just love the sound of the waves and the sun on your skin.

So, as many of you who follow me on Instagram *may* have guessed (based on my influx of posts), to cure the beach withdrawals I decided to take advantage of Easter break this year and book a lil getaway to SPAIN! That’s the great thing about living in Ireland – all of Europe is right at your fingertips. It has such diverse culture and weather between all of its countries. Plus, everything is just a few hours flight away. A 2-hour flight from dreary Dublin transported us to a sunny Madrid!! Sunny skies, sand, beaches, and cheap cervezas, what more could you want?!

Our trip started in Madrid and ended in Murcia, with stops in Valencia and Alicante along the way. Nothing like a little Spanish road trip to get some Vitamin D into me! And even better, since it’s still not summer yet, the beaches weren’t as busy as peak season and we were able to relax without the massive crowds. We did sightseeing in Madrid, snorkelling in Alicante, and a lot of paella-eating in Valencia. So all in all, one can say it was a SUPER successful spring break trip!

After my Iceland video, I decided to try my hand again at a little highlight video of my trip! I’m new at the whole video thing, but I’m really having fun with it. Like photos, videos are a great way to remember the highlights of your trip and have something to look back on.

So here is my short Spain video diary of my Spanish road trip last week! Can’t wait to share more details about the trip later on!



Since I’m still experimenting with video editing, let me know what you think of my Spain video diary in the comments below!

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Iceland

My Iceland Video Diary – September 2016

I’ve been reminiscing on Iceland SO much lately. The glaciers, the volcanic landscape…it’s only been a few months since I’ve been but I’m already DYING to go back! It’s such a unique place with the most unbelievable natural beauty. There’s not really any other place like it. So even though I recently posted my photo diary from the trip, I decided that I also needed to post an Iceland video diary too!

When my friend Ciara and I went last September, we saw glaciers, beaches, waterfalls, and mountains. We got to snorkel in the Silfra Frissure, go glacier hiking on Solheimajokull Glacier, and take a dip in the Blue Lagoon. Such diverse landscapes and such varied activities, all in one trip!

The weather was moody and it was EXPENSIVE, but those unique landscapes and terrains really made it all worth it. It was just so different than anywhere I had ever been!

Usually, a take a few videos when I’m traveling but I don’t really think much of it. And I certainly don’t do anything with the footage other than a few Instagram video posts. But I decided to try my had at a little bit of video editing. I love editing photos so why not try videos, too?!

So here is my short, shaky Iceland video diary with footage from my trip in September 2016.


Any video editors out there that can give me any tips, please do!
Let me know what you think of my Iceland video diary in the comments below!

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Iceland In Photos

Iceland, In Photos

Iceland In Photos

So, I’m basically obsessed with Iceland. So I just had to share a little photo diary of Iceland, because it’s seriously stunning.

I came back from my trip over a month ago with 2,000+ photos of Iceland – including the cool city of Reykjavik, mountains, glaciers, caves, fissures, and about 43,039 different waterfalls.

The diverse landscape was the most stunning and naturally beautiful one I’ve ever seen. I mean….REALLY cool stuff happens there – hot water shoots up from the earth, tectonic plates shift and create a huge (and beautiful) fissure, glacial ice melts into a lagoon you can swim in, just to name a few. All this within the backdrop of moody Autumn skies, and my picture-taking-loving heart was in heaven.

I can’t wait to share in detail about my adventures there, as well as share a few tips of places you MUST be sure to check out on your visit there AND ways to travel Iceland on a budget.

But until then, feast your eyes on my favorite pictures from the trip. Iceland is GORGEOUS, you guys. So here it is: Iceland, in photos.

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My 15 Favorite Travel Photos of 2015

My 15 Favorite Photos of 2015

One of my favorite things to do when traveling is taking pictures. People who travel with me know that not only am I going to have my huge Nikon DSLR around my neck, but will probably have my GoPro and iPhone in my bag as well.

This has been the biggest travel year of my whole life. Sure, I may not have been to as many different countries as some other years, but instead of just traveling around, spending a few days in each country, I’ve actually fulfilled my dream of moving to Europe. Well, Ireland (which is technically Europe but the Irish don’t consider it as such). I’ve been able to travel to some amazing places in Ireland, and used it as an easy base to travel other parts of Europe.

So, I decide to steal this idea from Lauren on Location, because it’s a great way to look back on this amazing year through one of my favorite keepsakes – pictures. I’m using her great idea to look back on 2015 with 15 of my favorite travel photos from the year.

Now, these won’t all be stunning landscape shots or epic GoPro pictures. But, they’re the ones that mean the most to me, and the ones that highlight the best parts of 2015 for me. So without further adieu, here are my 15 favorite travel photos of 2015.

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Fall in St. Stephen's Green

Fall in St. Stephen’s Green // Dublin

Fall in St. Stephen's Green

Louisiana is one of those places that only has 2 seasons – really hot summer, and then a little less hot “winter.” Some years the winter can be classified as “cold.” But most years, you can get away with wearing a thin, long-sleeve, silk blouse on Christmas Day.

And obviously, such is not the case in Dublin. And that can be seen by simply taking a stroll in St. Stephen’s Green park in fall.

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Paris: A Photo Diary

Paris // A Photo Diary

Paris: A Photo Diary

It is with a heavy heart that I write this post.

Of course, everyone knows of the tragic events that occurred Friday night in Paris, France.

Paris is the City of Love and the City of Light, and with good reason. But a few days ago, someone tried to darken that light and fight love with hate.

Because of these recent events, I thought it was only appropriate to start this week off by appreciating the beauty, uniqueness, and glamour of one of the world’s most amazing cities with a photo diary of Paris.

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Copenhagen, in photos

Copenhagen, Denmark in Photos

Copenhagen, in photos

For those of you didn’t know, I recently took a long weekend trip to Copenhagen, Denmark, a place that’s been on my “list” for a while now! I had heard nothing but great things from friends and fellow bloggers, and it definitely did not disappoint! Copenhagen was just as pretty in person as it is in photos!

To me, Copenhagen is a city of cleanliness, of markets, of bikes, of tolerance, of beautiful people with beautiful blonde man-buns, of history, of impressive architecture reminiscent of Paris, Amsterdam, and even New Orleans.

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London, shot on film

Central London, Shot on Film

London, shot on film

Upon arriving in London, my spirits are lifted and I immediately become happy. I’ve been 3 times, and the beauty of the city still floors me every time. I really just love everything about it.

I realize that I may have a romanticised view of London. But I don’t care. I just love the hustle and bustle, and how there’s always something to do there. It’s a place I could definitely see myself living.

And whether you like London or not, you can’t deny that it is an iconic city, with numerous world-famous landmarks, and scenes and images that are just quintessentially “London.”

The first time I went to London, I shot some images with my old Pentax film camera with 35mm color film. I love photos taken on film because they have a certain graininess and rawness to them. And, it’s such a surprise when you get them developed and see them for the first time. Sometimes you find they came out horribly, and sometimes you end up with amazing photos.

Since I recently got that film roll developed, I thought I’d share some of the good ones. These photos capture what is, to me, the quintessential look London. Some of the most iconic London scenes and landmarks including Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and the iconic red telephone boxes.

Here are a few great photos I got of London, shot on film.

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