When we visited Paris and saw the “Love Locks Bridge”, we had no idea it would be the last time we’d get the chance to do so. Since our visit, it’s been all over the news how the locks are damaging the bridges (parts of…
I am a big believer that our life’s stories shape how we view the world and especially how we create art. I realize although many of you appreciate my photography and enjoy reading my stories, you may not really know all that much about me.…
Raise your hand if the idea of going to a restaurant or movie alone sounds like your personal nightmare. Until recently, I had no idea just how many people felt this way and won’t do things alone and it truly surprised me. Is this because they worry…
Word on the street is, American travelers aren’t very good at blending in. It pains me to hear this because I think I am QUITE the awesome traveler but many international folks disagree and feel we Americans can be quite noticeable and have some easily recognizable…
I am a big believer that our life’s stories shape how we view the world and especially how we create art. I realize although many of you appreciate my photography and enjoy reading my stories, you may not really know all that much about me.…
How often do you find yourself participating in this age old conversation filler: Person 1: Oh my, is it May already? Wow – where has this year gone? Person 2: I know, right? It seems like it was just January and now the year is…
I absolutely adore reading. I have always been an avid reader and didn’t let the “required reading” of school/college even try to beat that out of me but I also have learned when I get sucked into a book everything else in my world disappears.…
When I travel, I like to make lists of things I’d like to see where I prioritize my “CAN’T MISS” items near the top and work my way to the less important “We can go if we have time”, but still interested items, at the…
I have been incredibly lucky to live near the ocean for most of my life. My entire world has been shaped by the ocean lifestyle of seeing people run across A1A with their surfboards in hand, skipping school to hang at the beach (which was…
It’s been awhile! I’ve missed all you amazing people and WELCOME to all the new people who signed up during my canvas wrap giveaway. Lots of new faces around here. So, where have I been? After Christmas I decided I was doing things the hard…
Today, I say thank you to you – yes YOU – for supporting me and being an amazing fan of my art. 2014 hasn’t been an easy year for me and, to be honest, there were enough big wham-o life changing things that happened to me…
My mind’s eye never stops “composing” shots. It’s incessant. It’s something I’ve done since I picked up a camera and made it my own when I was 13 years old. Back then, I took more social shots of friends and classmates. I would catch them…
Being hobbit sized (almost 5’2″) means I spend most of my days looking up at things. My husband is 15″ taller than me. I need a footstool to reach the 2nd shelf in our upper kitchen cabinets. I need a full chair to get to…
Before going to California, the number one question I was asked was “Are you planning on driving the Pacific Coastal Highway?”. I was told repeatedly how it is beautiful and definitely worth taking the extra time to drive it. We decided to drive it from…
What’s the first icon everyone thinks of when imagining Paris? That’s easy – the Eiffel Tower. It’s also the number one request I’ve gotten for photos since I traveled to Paris and I thought it would be fun to just go all out – go…
We arrived in Santa Monica, California at night, checked into our hotel, got ourselves settled into the room, and then we crossed the street to visit the Santa Monica Pier. Yup, our hotel was across the street from the beach (jealous?!?). It was late at…
I recently decided to re-read the Harry Potter series from start to finish. I was watching one of the movies and realized I was now remembering the stories based on the movie plot lines and forgetting a lot of the amazingly intricate details and characters…
When I was in college, I had the most amazing opportunity to study abroad in London while completing my degree. The program was based on my degree, International Affairs, and we spent a majority of our time in London working with the House of Parliament…
I know I’ve said this before but there is nothing better at Walt Disney World than seeing the Magic Kingdom AT NIGHT. Most people never make it to the evening, especially when traveling with younger children, but I feel like you are really missing out…
My theme for this month of January? Hold onto your shorts. I thought with the end of the Holidays, the new year would start off allowing me to eeeaaasseee on down the road like The Wiz……apparently not. It has been fast and furious both at…
Previously, I shared some of my favorite photos I’ve taken of the London Christmas Lights but I didn’t include this one, even though it is my favorite. Why is it my favorite? Let me count the ways: The classic London buildings lining the edge of the…
I wanted to post these photos before Thanksgiving but figured there’d be a “Thanksgiving hasn’t even happened – slow down!” backlash, so I waited. The thing is, London doesn’t have a Thanksgiving holiday so the Christmas lights start “switching on” in mid-November. So, to Londoners…
I live on the East Coast of Florida which means we have sunRISES over the beach – not sunsets. In other words, to see the beautiful light on the water I need to get up early and, well, that’s really hard for me. I always…
During the fall season, I get very jealous of the beautiful weather happening up north. Florida’s fall weather consists of cooler temps (70’s), some rainy days depending on the fronts moving through, and the official ending of Hurricane season (yes, we Floridians celebrate the end…
Let’s continue the “Ten Things I Learned While In Paris” with Part 2 – Lessons 6-10. Did you miss Part 1? Click here to read lessons 1-5. Ready? Let’s jump right in. 6. See that double decker tourist bus roaming the city? Doooooo it! Think…
While I can’t, in any way, claim to be an expert on Paris I can say on my recent trip I learned a few things while there that really made my time memorable. I’ve put together my list of “10 Things I Learned While In…
Full disclosure: You have my full permission to laugh. I would (and do!) laugh at this story. Approximately 3 months ago, I went on an amazing trip to New York City, NY and Paris, France. My husband and I visited Paris once before but it…
“History with its flickering lamp stumbles along the trail of the past, trying to reconstruct its scenes, to revive its echoes, and kindle with pale gleams the passion of former days.” – Winston Churchill I felt the contrast of the entrance to the Tower of…
Not too long ago, I went on an amazing trip to New York City and Paris and have been madly editing photos since I got back. I typically take a million bajillion images and then get home, super excited, attempt to edit them and then…
It is grey outside. Dreary, wet, and grey so I was craving some color. I know I shouldn’t complain as some people are dealing with snow. I am dealing with the post “I took my holiday decorations down” blues and the weather isn’t helping. This…
Tomorrow, I am officially on Holiday Break. Physically, I am here but mentally…..I am far far far away. The lights are on but no one is home. And so on and so on. We recently got a new addition to our household, a new black…
I bought a 50mm f2.8 lens a few months ago but only used it once and then set it back into my bag to collect dust. I wanted to try it out but couldn’t think of a place to go and decided instead to create…
We couldn’t have asked for a better day. The weather was absolutely perfect, the sky was clear and blue, and everyone was excited to see the roll out of the Shuttle Atlantis. It was amazing to see Atlantis up close, watch the parade, and witness…
I know it’s late October and this means I should probably share images of Fall but – honestly – that’s pretty hard to come by here in Florida. In my opinion, we have two seasons – “Hot” & “So hot your face might melt off…
To me, this is the classic Walt Disney World memory of Magic Kingdom: Walking up Main Street, Cinderella’s castle lit up in the distance as a beacon of imagination, balloon vendors selling the classic Mickey balloons, families stopping in the middle of main street to…
I have been sick with a cold, so I have no energy for wittiness or descriptive writing. I’ve been working my way through the 7 Cold Dwarfs: Sniffy, Drippy, Coughy, Sneezy (a classic), Achy, Chilly, and Sweaty (the twins). Loads of fun, I tell ya. My…
Celebration! Only 5 days late this time on getting the wallpaper onto the blog. Oh yeah, a definite improvement. This may look familiar to some of you. It was taken in the same place as this photo, the canal in my neighborhood. It’s a beautiful…
It’s hard to visit cities like Boston, Massachusetts and not be in awe of the amount of history and culture embedded into every day life. I have only visited Boston once and it definitely stuck with me (and I plan on going back again – many times).…
There’s a story behind how I took this photo (aren’t there always?). Some days, I drive around aimlessly in order to scout nice locations to take a photo. In this particular instance, I was driving home from dinner, decided to take the road along the…
I know that technically I am supposed to love all my photos equally, like parents do with children (ha!) and not have favorites, but I have to be honest, I have favorites all the time. There are some images where I look at them and…
I showed this to someone recently & the first thing they said was “Cool sky. Is that a stock image or did you Photoshop it in yourself?” Huh? What? Until that moment, the idea that the sky looked so nice that I couldn’t have possibly…
So, I’ve been wrestling a debate in my own mind for months now & I think I’ve finally come to an understanding. (Note: Debating yourself is not a pastime I would encourage. It’s exhausting, to say the least.) What was my debate? Well, I know…
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. – Martin Luther King, Jr. Website – Blog – Facebook – Twitter – Instagram – Etsy – Newsletter
Apparently it’s Fall, or at least Fall is nipping on our heels. I walked into CVS today & was hit with the Halloween Candy aisle (I resisted!!) & had to remind myself Halloween is not so far away. I can’t tell what seasons are in…
For our Labor Day getaway, we stayed at the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Studios in Orlando, FL. This is the view of the Portofino Bay Hotel while standing waiting for the ferry to the park. These hotels are pet friendly & incredible to stay…
It’s morning and I am tired. Normal, right? As I shuffle….shuffle….shuffle to get my coffee in the O’Dark 30 AM, something catches my eye as being out of place. I look to my left and here is this frog just…………hanging around (I couldn’t resist). I…
Florida is known for its sunshine but it is also known for being the #1 most dangerous US state for lightning death. As a result, we Floridians don’t play around when the storms hit. During the summer, they come like clockwork between 3PM-5PM (right when…
When visiting Epcot, most people do 1 or 2 things: Ride all the rides in Future World and/or drink their way through the World Showcase. Now, I know that’s not true for everyone but it’s very common. I feel like people are missing out so…
Is it cheating if I post two “Sea Oats At Sunset” photos back to back? I just couldn’t resist sharing this photo though! I didn’t want to wait and, being as impatient as I am known to be, I am going ahead. I had to…
Confession: I’ve been super terribly horribly bad about posting on my blog lately. I just can’t get a schedule going that keeps everything consistent but I am definitely working on it. In the meanwhile, to appease the masses I wanted to share this picture I…
All I keep seeing in the news & on practically every social media site is HOW HOT everyone is, so I thought this might be nice and refreshing to look at when you’re sweating & you’re just ready to lay on the ground and melt.…
When Pam asked me to take her pictures, it was during a corporate event & knew we would be tight on time. It was an INSANELY hot day and though there were plenty of places inside the hotel to take pictures, I really wanted something…
Otis stayed with my parents last weekend and had many adventures while he was there. My parents have a pool and with his being blind, it made me nervous he was going to fall in. He doesn’t float well and just sinks like a stone.…
Sometimes I fly through the day taking pictures and I forget what I’ve seen. I remember the big things and I rush to edit those pictures but as I scroll I will see something and say “Oh yeah, I remember that now” or “Good –…
I need your opinions! Which do you like better? The color photo or the black and white photo? And why (if you don’t mind)? Go with your instinct. Both have their positives but I want to choose the one with the biggest impact. This was…
I know. I know. I know – and for measure – I know! It’s a week late. Sooner or later I will get this out on time. I selected a classic photo of mine that’s pretty popular, especially around my hometown. Hope this helps everyone…
Cindy contacted me recently asking if I would be interested in doing some head shots that she could use for her website & life coaching company, Inner Revolution. She hadn’t done a photo session like this before, so the best thing for us to do…
They always say this about Disney, “It’s all in the details”, & it is so very true. Even the covers on their lights depict a scene. I just couldn’t resist this with the shadow and the wallpaper below. I took this at the Disney’s Wilderness…
Yup, it’s May 6th. Yup, I know that’s a little later than May 1st. BUT – You can still enjoy this desktop wallpaper calendar for the next 25 days, I promise. (The image below is blurry due to my blog resizing it but I promise…
When we were in Boston, we didn’t have a lot of time to sightsee but my husband and I both knew that Harvard University was definitely somewhere we couldn’t miss during our visit. When we arrived at the school, it was surreal to be standing…
Last week, the Shuttle Discovery was flown from Kennedy Space Center, Florida to Washington DC where it will now live in its forever home, The Smithsonian Museum. I was very lucky in that I was given the chance to see the shuttle when it was…
This is the perfect reason why I love living in Florida (yeah, yeah, I can hear the northerners groaning now). It’s April, so a lot of people have SPRING on the brain and therefore it’s talk of blooming flowers, beautiful weather, etc. So, I thought…
YAY! Here is a FREE desktop wallpaper calendar for April, available to download. Think of it as a more pleasant way to start April, without the Fool’s part. Enjoy! Website – Blog – Facebook – Twitter – Etsy – Instagram – Newsletter
There’s something magical about this picture. I just keep coming back to it. I’ve shared this photo before but it was tucked away amongst a big batch of other photos I took while a guest at a friend’s wedding, so some of you may recognize…
We hit up Times Square towards the end of a long day of walking and I was hoping to catch it before it got dark. I wanted to try for some different light than what I usually see of the images in Times Square, i.e.…
Just a warning to everyone – I will be sharing a lot of photos of NYC and London over the next coming weeks/months. I was thinking rather than saving a huge batch of photos at a time, I would just post them as I edit…
After the final shuttle flight, STS-135, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center held an event for the employees to personally say goodbye to Atlantis, the final shuttle to be launched, and the program itself. They worked to make it really special by including food, take home memorabilia,…
In July, my husband and I had the opportunity to visit Boston, Massachusetts. We were attending a wedding nearby in Maine so it was a great time for me to (finally!) visit Boston. You know how most people have that one place they have always…
When I left my house to meet up with the Arnold family, the sky was blue and there were SOME clouds in the sky to the East but nothing to worry about. Then, as I turned West and got closer to the shooting location, it…
Christmas is right around the corner and if you were thinking of getting a portrait done of your family (including your fur babies!) for your Christmas cards, now is the time! The 2011 Limited Edition Holiday Mini Session fee is $50.The mini session fee is…
I am very excited to the share that Christian Tamburr chose to feature one of my images as the cover for his next CD release, “Places”, on sale beginning 11/04/11. He is an incredibly talented jazz musician and I cannot wait to hear the album!…
Exciting news! Check out this article from Daily Worth featuring my “Plane Takeoff in Sunset” photo.The article gives advice on getting the best price for airfares this holiday season. If you’re not already a fan, check out their website for an excellent community that teaches…
I have been doing a lot of clean up of my photos and trying to see what needs to stay/go and came across this wonderful photo – already watermarked and ready to go! I have no idea how I never shared this before as it…
Recently, hubby and I were honored to be guests at a dream destination wedding in Maine. It was intimate and beautiful – full of everything you see in wedding magazines and the joy of seeing your closest friends getting married and meeting everyone close in…
I wanted to share my day and night images of Hollywood Beach, Florida. I tried for a sunrise shot as well but the hotel room was so cold it not only fogged my lens for almost 10 minutes but my internal sensor went haywire. I…
Hi All! I wanted to take the time to share an interview of me posted on the Florida Etsy Street Team (FEST) blog! Hop on over & check it out to get a chance to learn a little bit more about me, my creative process,…
I can’t even imagine how cold it gets in winter and have a job where you are required to stand outside. We came in from the December cold of New York City to grab some warm dinner & I looked up to see this gentleman,…
I must need a vacation because, lately, I seem to have hotels on the brain. I posted a photo of Disney’s Contemporary Resort earlier this week and today I share an outdoor photo of Loews Portofino Bay Hotel’s “The Thirsty Fish Bar” (both hotels are…
In all my trips to Disney, I have never truly explored the Contemporary Resort. We’ve eaten breakfast there once many moons ago and I’ve ridden through the resort on the monorail countless times, but this evening we decided to have dinner there. I had no…
I’ve had these flowers sitting on our dining room table since Valentine’s Day. They dried in their vase while the petals were repeatedly knocked off and I just kept telling myself “You need to take pictures of these flowers – and soon – or there…
When I look at this picture, I always think of the childhood sing-song “step on a crack, break your mother’s back”. I think it’s because of the line breaks on the sidewalk from both the tree shadows as well as the hand rails. If that…
This past Christmas, my family stayed at the beautiful Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Studios Orlando. It had a great Italian theme, which included this water view with gondolas and boats (permanently anchored).This was looking away from the main hotel, so this was the…
It’s not as sharp as I would prefer but I was busy taking pictures of something else and then had to hurry on. As I walked I spied this scene and just put the camera at my waist and fired off three shots hoping it…
Walt Disney World’s Grand Floridian Resort, as viewed from the dock at the Polynesian Resort. I’m not sure which is more my favorite, the smokey gray/blue against the golden lights or the silhouette effect of the lamp. What do you think? Website – Blog –…
Had I the heavens’ embroidered cloths, Enwrought with golden and silver light, The blue and the dim and the dark cloths Of night and light and the half-light, I would spread the cloths under your feet: But I, being poor, have only my dreams; I…
I wonder how they don’t slide off the table? Is it your eyes – or just the alcohol talking? Hope you have a wonderful weekend! Website – Blog – Facebook – Twitter – Etsy – Instagram – Newsletter
You wouldn’t believe me when I say this photo session began with watching an escaped herd of cows be herded back to their home by a station wagon honking it’s horn, then I wandered around a 132 yr. old graveyard, and ended the twilight hour…
When we were visiting New York City, my husband was incredibly understanding and insisted we make every effort to visit anything and everything we could to get some great pictures of NYC icons & this, most definitely, included Grand Central Station. It was an incredible…
I don’t know when it happened. When I was little, I could spin & spin & spin & spin & spin until I just couldn’t see straight and thought it was the best thing ever. Now, well, just writing spin that many times made my…
I keep a running list of places I think would be great for taking pictures. I have every intention of going and even make detailed plans to get there. Sometimes, though, I just decide to veer off the road I am driving on to find…
This is one of my most favorite places in Walt Disney World’s Epcot – the Rose & Crown Pubin England. I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend (it’s rainy here in FL). If you’re lucky enough to be in Epcot this weekend & get…
Tying into the random and awesome things spotted while walking around New York City (like this amazing graffiti roll-up door), I wanted to share two more examples of what you’d miss if you’re too busy looking up and staring at the skyscrapers (don’t worry –…
It’s the place of legend. Every tour bus/book/guide tells you THIS is the place to eat and experience the real NYC. That place is – Katz’s Delicatessen. I didn’t believe the hype. I thought “Eh, what’s so big about a deli?” and being from Florida –…
This is one of those pictures that immediately evokes a memory. Every time I look at this, I think of how I took this out of the need to do SOMETHING while my husband and I waited, on this bench’s twin, until the company we…
“As we drew near New York I was at first amused, and then somewhat staggered, by the cautious and grisly tales that went around. You would have thought we were to land upon a cannibal island. You must speak to no one in the streets,…
I don’t think I’ve had a family/friend yet visit Brevard and not also want to go to Ron Jon’s for a souvenir, including a shirt (the usual), a surfboard (for the bold), or a sticker (for the person who doesn’t want to pay the Ron…
Many moons ago (well, three months ago), I decided to head over to the Cocoa Beach Pier at sunset to try and see what pictures I could take. I was rushing to get there before I missed the “good light” because I get off of…
While in NYC, Hubby and I realized we needed a few toiletry items and went down to the local Duane Reade to get them. When we returned to the apartment, the door was locked – as in not even the key in our hand would…
Taken from a rooftop in SoHo, the NYC buildings silhouette with the blast of blue sky in background and the sun’s rays. It was nerve-wracking on the roof taking this photo, but well worth it for this end result.
At the beginning of December, Hubby and I took a trip to New York City for several days so we could see the Christmas decorations. We were absolutely pumped to get there and try to get as much done as possible, since there wasn’t a…
My wonderful husband bought me a five year anniversary gift, a Nikon D3100, and I was just itching to get out and take some pictures. I’ll admit, I was nervous because as I was driving home the sun was fading fast and I have never…
I’ve been prepping for a major festival for this weekend and it finally motivated me to really get into my “stock” photos and edit (FINALLY!). I just wanted to share some photos that I have let sit around unedited for quite a while. Bad, bad,…
We’re going to Disney this weekend (I’m somewhat of an addict), so I thought this photo would be perfect to feature. It’s my 2nd cousin as he is watching the Animal Kingdom Parade. It was taken two years ago. I love his waving at the…
Thanks so much for your participation in the giveaway. There was a FANTASTIC response from everyone on Facebook, Twitter, and here on the blog. So, now the good stuff. And the winner is. . . . . . . LISA MIQUELI! She let me know…
I was recently issued a challenge by my husband. Prior to his going out of town, he told me while he was gone I needed to go out and just take pictures. He wanted me off of the internet, away from editing “older” stuff, and…
You could win a free 8 x 10 of any photo in my Etsy shop or a Set of 10 Greeting Cards (with any photo you want from my shop– no mix and match of photos).Giveaway begins September 09 & ends at midnight on September…
It can be hard to think of good things when Monday rolls around, so I thought I’d try to put myself in the right frame of mind and start the week off with remembering things I am grateful for. This week, I’d like to talk…
Updated for 2012: For my entire life, I have been drawn to photographs over other forms of art. Only recently have I started to appreciate painting, and it all began with this: My motto? Color, color, and more color. I am highly drawn to brilliantly…
Aspiring Images by Rachel 