Hawaii Couple Session

YOU GUYS! These are my sweet parents. I got the opportunity to go to Hawaii in February right before Covid-19 took over the world. (We are pushing through.) But my sweet parents got in front of my camera and we took some KILLER couple photos. LOOK how gorgeous they are!! I was texting my mama while I was editing cause I WAS BAWLING. Their love is so strong and I am so inspired by it. I love them. I love Hawaii. I love this beautiful light. I love the passion they have between them, 8 babies and 20+ years of marriage and they still got it. CHECK THESE OUT! Don’t forget to PIN your favorites to Pinterest.

Eiffel in love with you

My extremely cheesy title deserves an applause. 👏 👏 I just love these two. I met them in Yosemite, California and ended up doing a shoot with them in their cute hiking attire. We then met up in Naples, Italy and Andreá showed us around his home town and favorite restaurants. They live in Paris, where we got to go to the Pont Alexandre iii bridge and get a beautiful view of the Eiffel tower in the background. We got to watch the tower sparkle a few times, which made my heart SOAR. These are just some favorite photo highlights of the photoshoot. Such a beautiful cold crisp December evening. I miss Paris already, i’ll be back soon!!

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European Italian Updates

WHY TRAVEL? How I got to Europe

Pompeii, MT. Vesuvius // What is destroying you?

Pompeii. Food for thought.

I had the chance to wander around Ancient city of Pompeii by myself for a few hours and wow. I walked around silently at first, reading posters and learning a little more history. And then I listened to Preliator by Globus the rest of the time... (A very strong ancient epic song) and thought about these people that lived here during the destruction in 79 AD... We are learning from these people more 2000 years later. I’m sure so many of them asked why this was happening to them? Why would their gods let this happen? But…maybe it’s for us. Maybe they died so we could understand them, to understand ourselves better. The human race is so beautiful. The human race is intelligent and brave... but oh so similar in our emotions, and we always have been. How long we can fight, how long we can brave the intensity of destruction. Their world was devastated and destroyed by a volcano. In this instance, for the people of Pompeii, it was volcanic lava the destroyed them. But some food for though.. what is your lava? What is your volcanic ash destroying and burying you? In a metaphorical term, of course. I had these thoughts while walking around this ancient city… it was a rather riveting experience to be completely in my head and to myself.

Journal Prompt I did while walking around… “What am I learning from these people? What should I learn?”

1. We are all born into our status in life…right. Whatever our parents have, we have. But we aren’t deemed there forever. We can change. If you were born into a family that is poor, doesn’t mean you have to stay poor. But back then it was different, if you were a servant... always a servant. If you were born as royalty, you were always royalty. You can be whoever you want to be and whoever you choose in todays time. How rare and a precious thing we take for granted. I am learning that I need to show gratitude in my life, all areas. First, to be born to such a wonderful family and to wonderful parents who have shaped me into an amazing person. And to be grateful for all the scary, all the anxiety and all the emotions I experience. We have a very black and white mindset of good and bad and I’m learning to just put everything in the middle and overwhelm it with a light and love that is warm and accepting.

2. I learned that we all give up. We all give up at some point. Pompeii was preserved under calcified layers of ash. About 3/4 of Pompeii's 165 acres have been excavated, and some 1,150 bodies have been discovered out of an estimated 2,000 thought to have died in the disaster. But these bodies were found crying in agony or praying. (See photos below)  So which person do I want to be? A surrender or die fighting? And in what way is that shameful or empowering? Is it empowering to fight to the very end? Or is it better to pray to the one you believe in for help, maybe a last sign of devotion? I do not know the answer… but I know that these questions made me think. Each pose that I saw… the last movement of a human being... it brought different emotions. Maybe sympathy or maybe their pain? I wondered what thoughts they were thinking… their last thoughts. 

I want to challenge you to dive into your soul a little deeper today… ask yourself some of these questions and really take a minute or two to ponder about this part in our world’s history and what you can learn from it. Oh, and don’t forget to keep scrolling and enjoy some of the pictures from Pompeii + Mt. Vesuvius.

Rome, Italy // Romance

Rome is so beautiful. It has the feelings of chaos and calm and scary and beautiful and spiritual and I could go on and on. This city has lit me up like I have never been lit. I am in awe and in love with Rome.

But one thing that was pointed out to me while in Rome was that all the couples are very romantic and sensual and open with their feelings towards one another and there is no shame in their affection.

A small section I wrote in my journal on the 3rd day in Rome was this:

“The couples all have a very open sensual, but also super playful. I saw a middle aged couple (40s) on these stairs and the man picked up the woman underneath her butt and and carried her down a few and then pretended to toss her and she was giggling and laughing and then they went into kissing each other and sat down and just started making out on these stairs. Everyone just loves to touch. This other couple I was standing behind, he just kept rubbing her back and shoulders and butt. Like not a small touch. A pat and rub and all over, completely touching loving. Right there in the streets. And she just nuzzled into him. Touch is delightful here. It’s rejoiced and welcomed. Nothing about it is shameful. But I do recognize that they have a fine line where they touch, just to touch. And then touch to be sexually turned on. Every few moments I’ll notice someone kissing their significant other on the cheek or forehead and it’s so special. Or you’ll see a couple making out passionately. Romance is alive here, definitely.”

I know that for me, I always think of the “honeymoon phase” as this. But here, at least in Rome, all ages are welcome to openly express their affection towards each other and it is NATURAL and COMMON. Now, it might be welcome and open to express anywhere in the world. But in my opinion, Italy holds no shame in their sensuality. and Romance. They take precious care in moments happening and enjoy it 10000%. They take joy in moments and not in the destinations. Here are some of my favorite pictures in Rome! (I know, I can’t narrow it down!)