Three

     They say 3 is a magic number. Whether that be searching for advice or using common phrases such as 'Three's a charm'....three just seems to be a lucky number. Three years ago today I sat down on my bed at night and began writing my first blog post. It didn't turn out to be a long one...because well I didn't really know where it was all going. All I knew was I had this passion and I wanted to start something...writing it online for others to stumble upon sort of made my dream more real, even if I doubted anything ever coming from it.

     What I didn't realize at the time was that every project I would lose myself into, every photograph would further bring out the person I was becoming... or rather the person I was all along. The past three years have been an amazing journey filled with opportunities and experiences I never thought I would have. This past year I had the honor to photograph my friend's wedding.

   If you told me three years ago I would be photographing a wedding, I probably would have laughed. I mean me? Photograph a wedding? No way. At times I tend to look down upon myself and think I should be farther than where I am, why is it taking so long to get where I want to be? But God is good. He has blessed me with amazing people in my life that constantly push me and have faith in me, more than I ever do sometimes. I can't believe it has already been 3 years, but then I can't believe it's only been 3. I feel as if I've accomplished so much... more than I ever thought I was capable of when I first started. 

     And so I say don't give up. Ever. Life is hard...but what would life be like if there was nothing to look forward to? Dreams keep us hoping, keep us moving forward towards that day we've been waiting for. Sometimes it turns out God has other plans for us though, but I've come to understand that His plans have always been far more amazing than anything I'd ever wished for. I'm so happy I wrote those few words that night and jumped into an unknown path. It has been one filled with laughs, learning, and more tears that could probably fill an ocean... but to me, dreams are worth it all. I can't wait to see what the future holds. Thank you for following along my adventures, for my heart resides in all of the photographs I capture. Happy almost Friday! ♡

Italia 2014 | Sorrento

     Along the Southern coast of Italy among the many cities by the sea, you will find the enchanted town of Sorrento. To reach Sorrento from my family's hometown, it's about a one hour drive. I was incredibly excited when the day finally came to pack ourselves in my cousin's car and venture for this magical place. I had seen dozens of movies and lusted over countless photographs of Sofia Loren walking around the streets of Sorrento, and so my mind was overly excited for all of the beauty I was about to encounter myself. 

     Along the road that lead us by the coast, my cousin pauses halfway and points to the car window, "Guarda che bello....siamo arrivati" Take a look!....we're here. I turn to see that image I had seen appear on photos, on TV, in magazines... the Italian coast in all it's glory, the REAL mountains with the cobalt blue ocean below it....right there before my eyes. I gasped and was completely astonished... it seemed like a dream. They didn't have to ask me twice to jump out of the car to take a closer look. 

     The rest of the day, with a map in hand and camera in other, we walked our way through the town. We passed through the colorful streets with markets selling their famous limoni (bigger than both my hands!), handmade gladiator sandals, gelato, and typical seafood dishes. We walked and walked, with one place set in our minds to find: the sea port. When we finally saw the strip of ocean peeking from the roads, my two cousins and I squealed and ran towards it like we were children running to an ice cream truck. It was every term for beautiful you can think of. The colorful houses stuck together with the small boats in the port, and the countless people splashing in the water added to that la dolce vita feeling. 

     After, we stopped along one of the restaurants by the oceanside and ate a delicious pizza. We then headed through the town again and stopped for souvenirs and a granita al limone. One day simply wasn't enough to soak up all of the beauty this place had to offer. From the colorful houses that lined the cobblestone roads to the lemon trees and beautiful turquoise waters... it was beyond what my mind had imagined. If you plan on visiting Italy, make sure you stop along the coast to visit Sorrento...it's a definite must see. Here are my favorite photographs I took throughout my visit, a little peek of the beauty of this place through my eyes.