Oh, hi!

Oh, hi!

It’s been awhile since I did one of these. Life has really kept me on my toes and you have all kept me so so busy, in which I am incredibly grateful for. It is now slow season and I am spending a portion of it where I have the last three years, this is year four believe it or not. I have just finished up my first week here and although the plan is to stay a few more, time feels like it is moving so quickly as I have a LOT to catch up on. There are all these silly little behind the scenes things we must do as small business owners that I often push to the side as I’m running around shoot to shoot. And on top of those things I am continuing to lay some roots here and figure out my next steps, and I also have a few other fun projects to work on :) 

Most days I wake up, take a look at Mt. Vesuvius and start the morning slow. The day times are spent visiting friends, learning to cook, figuring out the nuances of day to day living here and practicing my language. I usually take the train to a nearby town and as I race to catch the train I’m greeted with a loud “Belllllaaaaa, Buongiorno!” So I start my day with a smile. If I don’t leave this little town, then I stay and find some sun in the villa, talk to some locals, or take a walk to the sea. In the early evening I usually head back home, as that is when America is heading to work, and I do the same. Then, in the later evening I have dinner, and usually work on some personal things, occasionally seeing a friend here and there. It is quiet, sometimes lonely, but overall very peaceful and feels like my second little home. 
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The last time I wrote about my little journey in Italy, the plan was that for now, there was no plan, you would just often find me here because I simply love it. But the more I have come, the more I have found is here for me and the biggest thing I found, is a version of myself I never knew existed. So while yes I will still continue to come here, I am hoping, if life allows it, to start following a strategic plan to not just come and visit often, but to also build something here for myself and continue to go between the two places I adore. I have met with many people and gotten much advice and for now, for this year, my main goals are to focus on learning the language and building a photography portfolio from Italy. While yes I have tons of photos of Italy, for now I am focusing more on people, on portraits and building Luved Photography in Italy, much as I have in Chicago. I will continue to scour and look for a place of my own, but for now, I have secured a place in a town I can call home when I come, and for me it works just great until a perfect place of my own comes around. 
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​My next steps while I am here this month is to hopefully do a couple more shoots, and I should be returning in April to complete some more. Soon you will see a page on my website dedicated to Luved Photography, the Italian version with samples and a list of dates I plan to be here. I will post the dates on Instagram as well, as soon as I have them set. I want to extend the offer to any of you, my clients, any of your friends, and any locals to the Amalfi Coast/Sorrento Coast region for a photo shoot, my treat. The goal is to spend the next year building a portfolio that I can be proud of, so when it’s time to take the next step, I am ready :) So… tell your friends! Or book a trip and we can set up a no cost session here. 

Although I am really missing my friends and family and little pup, I am excited to see what the next three weeks will bring, even if it’s just quiet little moments to get set up for the coming year :) Ciao!