A few weekends ago I had the opportunity to shoot the lovely Jodie and Ian’s engagement photos around Denver’s RiNo district.
RiNo stands for River North, and is the art district in Denver. Tons of funky murals and cool craft breweries to spark creativity. Check out some of these sweet backdrops to get you inspired for your next trip to The Mile High City.
Don’t tell me they aren’t the most darling couple ever!
xoxo,
Kate
I spent two weeks this summer traipsing around Europe. From Italy, we visited Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. What a whirlwind!
We chose to travel by bus and train only, (with the exception of one ferry ride to Croatia) because it would allow us to chat with people and see the countryside go by. We met some interesting people along the way, a German PhD candidate studying dams and waterways in Amsterdam, a Frenchman who used to work on movie sets in Hollywood, and an Austrian brandy maker in traditional lederhosen, just to name a few.
Right before the trip, Anthony surprised me with an early birthday gift. A Polaroid Instax Mini 8 to use on our adventure. It was such a sweet and thoughtful gift and we defiantly got good use out of it during the two weeks on the road.
I also brought along my Cannon and switched between that and my phone to snap some photos along the way.
These pictures are just from my Cannon, though. I’d like to post some phone shots later.
Sunsets in Zadar, Croatia are the best.
How we spent our 5th wedding anniversary.
Swimming under waterfalls in Krka National Park.
Enjoying Salzburg, Austria. We constantly had a pretzel or sausage in hand the entire time.
Notre Dame in Paris.
French kids.
Eating a Nutella crepe in front of Notre Dame and a Paris ferris wheel.
Brussels buildings.
The French countryside.
A few things I noticed after coming home and looking through my photos:
1.I really would like to improve in my street photography skills. I find myself feeling embarrassed or a little slow when snapping the one in a million moment of a stranger. Does anyone else get self conscious when they try to take on street photography?
2. I need more candid photos of Anthony. He turns completely goofy whenever he notices the camera pointed on him. I love that, but often I want to catch the sweet or serious or amusing moment right before. I should work on my quick draw camera skills.
3. I’m much more comfortable with my phone. It’s much easier to pull out my pocket, less bulky, and less noticeable. When I do take a good shot with my camera, it surpasses the quality of my phone photos. Still, the sheer number of phone shots I took this trip doubled my camera. I want to be more comfortable and quick with my camera.
Does anyone else feel this way when taking photos? Any advice?
xoxo,
Kate
Spending our honeymoon in northern Michigan this past summer was such a great decision that it became almost hard for us to leave when we had to head back home to the Big Apple. Not only is it always a joy for us to be able to swim in a lake that’s like the ocean (unsalted), but this particular area of Michigan holds so many of our cherished memories as Scott’s family has owned a cottage up there for over thirty years!
Because it had already been 6 years since our last trip to the cottage, we made sure to soak up every second of our time back up North. I’ll be real and tell you that we spent the majority of it either at the lake or a local brewery, but then again, what are vacations for if they don’t also involve some form of leisure activity for an extended period of time? ;) To give you an idea of what our week was like, here are some of my favorite memories from our time up North:
Petoskey Stone
Scott wandering around some sand dunes in Petoskey State Park
Private beach by the Cottage
Locals enjoying the last bit of summer from Petoskey Pierhead Lighthouse
Views of Walloon Lake from lunch at Barrel Back
Michigan Beach Park in Charlevoix
Sunset view from Bay Shore Michigan
To sum it all up, our honeymoon was nothing short of amazing and we are already waiting for the next opportunity we get to head back. Also, just a quick shout out to my mother-in-law for creating this sweet surprise (pictured above); she even included some goodies for our dog, Baxley!
xo,
Jamie
It seems everybody has a signature hashtag. Entire cities have a go-to hashtag that can be used with your Instagram photo when you visit. OSS has used the hashtag #adventuresomewhere for past adventures and meet-ups and #30photosaseason to push us and others creatively to step outside our photographic boundaries.
Since moving to the Eternal City my life has turned into one big whirlwind. Like any big city, there is rarely a down moment or a place of stillness in the hustle and bustle.
I started searching for the fleeting #quietmomentinrome as I explored my new surroundings to remind myself that beyond the Colosseum and the tables littered in wine bottles, people live here permanently and are able to find a place of solitude in the city that hasn’t slept in over 2,000 years.
Help me find a #quietmomentinrome on your next visit. I’d love to see what you come up with.
xoxo,
Kate
Procida is a tiny island off the Naples bay, formed from an ancient (and now dormant) volcano. When the island was formed, little coves were created that make great beaches. We did a quick 48-hour trip there from Rome over the weekend and I think I fell in love. Procida is a lot like Capri but without the tourists or the tourist prices.
Our Air B&B host was amazing and gave us tons of advice for our stay. I thought I would share my 3 favorite tips on experiencing Procida like a local.
Check out the Chiaia beach.
This was the preferred beach for our b&b host and other locals on the island. While the Ciracciello beach is longer, it tends to be more crowded and “touristy”. Chiaia beach gives you the perfect look onto Corricella and lacks the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds other beaches on Procida tend to have.
Book a boat ride to the La Conchiglia restaurant.
If you are not planning any other boat trips while visiting Procida, at least make a reservation to eat at La Conchiglia. When calling the restaurant, tell them you would like to be picked up at the Corricella Marina and give them the time, about 20 minutes before your table reservation. On Saturday, after spending a day at the beach we had an aperitif in Corricella and then caught a boat ride to the restaurant. This is a free service, and will make your dinner more memorable.
Take a kayak tour.
I guess when you live on an island that is less than 2 square miles in size you have a connection with pretty much everyone. Our b&b host’s boyfriend’s friend (or something like that) runs the A.S.D. Kayak company on Procida. We spent 4 hours Sunday morning kayaking around the island, all for only 30 Euro a person. The adventure included ducking into caves and having a snack of homemade cakes and fruit on the beach. Really, this is such a great way to see Procida and totally worth the money.
Procida is a great mini vacation if you are looking to experience the beauty of the Mediterranean. While the Amalfi coast and Capri are both iconic and breathtaking, they are more pricy and cater to tourists. Procida is just as stunning but more off the beaten path and lets you experience part of the Italian culture.
Let me know if you know any other tips or things you did if you have been to Procida.
xoxo,
Kate
Our Sweet Somewhere 