but not really... just heading home to SB for a bit...  see my place... do some shoots... and drive a car (its amazing how novelty that can be when your other home is an island with horses and bikes ;-)

If anyone is interested in a quick photo shoot or consultation or if you just want to catch up and chat.. I'm around...  just let me know...  

Here are a couple pics of the island from the last few days... bye by Mackinac, I'll be back again soon!!

Love,
A

(geez I hope my Italian is right)...  "bo?!?"

Okay ... where to begin..  I really can't put into words what a life experience this wedding was. First (before the mushy stuff) the back-story... how the heck did I end up shooting an Italian Wedding in Ibiza Spain...

Well, the bride, Nadia, and I met over 12 years ago while I was studying art in Firenze.  We instantly became friends (especially since I loved her nose ring and HAD to have one... so we were forever bonded when at the age of 20 she took me to a 75 yr old pharmacist to have my nose pierced.. she even drew the dot on my nose where the future hole would go)... so... fast forward 10 years... I'm back in Firenze ... and we re-connect over a coffee... then last year when I was back in Italy she tells me... "I'm not engaged.... YET... but when I am ... be ready to be there"... so less then a year later... there I was...

...40 Italians over taking a small Spanish Island.. with an Italian Couple... a Spanish Priest and an American photographer...  "madonna".  It was AMAZING... the longer I was with my new Italian friends the more I realized how universal weddings are...  language really doesn't matter. What is going on between two people who love each other... and their family and friends that are their to celebrate them... is the same... whether its Italian, Spanish, or English.  Granted...  listening to these wedding speeches in Italian was MUCH MORE entertaining  than any other wedding I've ever been too.. and I don't even know what they were saying... all I know is hands were flying... laughter was echoing... and it was like watching a tv show unfold... I was just waiting for the food fight to begin (but the cake was really way to good to be wasted on a fight... so instead "mange mange")

I honestly felt so honored to have been a part of this small intimate weekend.    The minute I saw Nadia and how beautiful she was in her dress moments before walking down the aisle...I couldn't help but tear up...  it was definitely a weekend of touching moments and TONS of laughter... geez those Italians know how to laugh smile and have fun (no wonder I love them so much)!!

The four very fast days I had in Ibiza will forever stay with me...thinking about how our lives take shape... how friendships can  last longer than one would ever think across oceans, language, and cultures ... and how the world really is a small community when we focus on our similarities...

THANK YOU ... Nadia and Filippo for giving me the opportunity to be a part of your amazing weekend. Even from this "American girls" perspective its clear to see the joy between the two of you... how much fun you have together... and the clear love!!  To see how all your family and friends are caring, funny, and incredibly loving is a clear sign of the two of you!!! I am so excited to have a new group of "amici de Florentina"... am I making up Italian again? (u get the idea)...

Baci
A

 

Pheww... what another adventure...  from 5 days in Chicago (with no internet mind you) to what was supposed to be 4 days in Ibiza Spain... to an unexpected detour through Madrid for two days, two canceled flights, rerouting through Paris and over Greenland (thank you ash cloud)  ... but now  I sit in New York after playing with my niece and nephew for a few days ... getting ready to fly home tomorrow afternoon.

Where to begin... I'll make this short and sweet... well at least for my standards!  Chicago was awesome. I've been wanting to make it to this sweet windy city for years, I have a ton of clients that live in the area old... (Faith & Mark... it was AWESOME to see you two... always makes me laugh and brought back such great memories from your wedding last summer)...  and new.  I did a super fun engagement shoot with Erika and Brad with a backdrop of the city and the beauty of the Field Museum (pictures to come...).  but I wasn't only I there for business ... I also met up with friends I hadn't seen in YEARS... we're talking ten years.  man I love how friendships can transcend time.  It was so fun to see different parts of the city and to have such gorgeous views from the rooftop bar.  I love it when time can pass yet you can still sit and chat with friends as if it were yesterday.  Thanks Rachel, Annie, Josh, and John...  can't wait to be back in Chicago and have a few more reunions...

So you'll have to excuse anything in this note that does not make sense... I am trying my hardest to stay up to 10:30 p.m. and beat this jet lag... I will win.. oh yes I will win...

I arrived home last night... THANK GOODNESS...  my flight out of Amsterdam was the VERY last flight out before the whole place (or should I say all of northern Europe) shut down for what they are saying could be 6 days.... THANK YOU!!!  That's all I have to say. 

So here I am in front of my computer...  with 30 minutes to go before I am allowed to lay my head down to rest.... must be ready for tomorrow's wedding with Janey here in Santa Barbara (so excited to see her... its always fun to shoot with a friend, especially such a talented one).

Okay... I digress...  while I was in Paris I had mentioned that I was lucky enough to meet up with Fady and photograph some head shots.  He is an extremely talented Opera singer. It was quite interesting and super fun. As you know my style is super lax and comfortable my favorite portrait shoots are done over a conversation and a coffee... so this one was especially up my alley... LITERALLY at a Parisian cafe right near the Bastille Opera House... then a little walk to the steps.

Here are a few pics from that afternoon...

Thanks Fady for the photo shoot... and the cafe!  Good Luck with all your upcoming adventures.

I just love it when projects appear out of no where... may you all have unexpected little gems pop into your horizons!!

OH.. and don't think I forgot to blog about ITALY... its coming.. I just had SO many pics... I'm trying to narrow it down... it will be up shortly!!

Love
A

Brit's official birthday began with a cocktail at the George V... then off to Chanel... every girl deserves a little indulgence on her birthday... especially on her 30th!!

We then left Paris headed over the waters to London...  Paris was amazing... beautiful...  but LONDON... is officially my new love.  I was not expecting to fall so hard for this city.  the streets... the people... the cabs... and the food.. YES the food... I was always under the impression that the English were "not known for their food" (to put it nicely) ...but  WOW... we have had some of the best food yet...  I had the most amazin Falafel I have had in 11 years... no joke (my friends keep laughing because its been over a day or two now and I am STILL talking about the falafel). 

I also have to send out a thank you to "the boys"...  Guy, George, and Charlie (Britainy's close English friends from college) were such good sports for putting up with our ridiculous Americaness...  thank you thank you! 

Now... one more day left in London... then off to Italia...  ahhh mi Firenze... 

I hope you all had a beautiful Easter holiday!

Love
A

BTW... we were SUCH tourists... the dark night city shots were done during the Jack the Ripper tour.... SOOOO creepy!!