Split, Croatia

For our one-year anniversary, we decided to head back to Europe for another coastal adventure. This time, our destination was on the other side of the Adriatic Sea in the lesser-known country of Croatia. Why Croatia? You get all the perks of Italy (food, views, weather, etc) without the crowds or high costs. Besides, it's also where King's Landing is! Mind you, we didn't have high expectations (Italy and Greece were GORGEOUS, see blog posts from last year's Honeymoon). However, our initial assumptions were quickly blown away...

We landed in Split, which is the second largest city in Croatia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A view of the city from the ferry.

Split is also home to Diocletian's Palace, which was built for a Roman Emperor around the 4th century AD. It was built with local limestone and high quality marble. At night, those steps turn into seating for a nearby restaurant, where you can enjoy cocktails and live music.

The inside of the Bell Tower of St. Domnius. You can pay a small fee to climb to the top. As with most European churches and historical sites, it's not for those who are claustrophobic. Not pictured: the very narrow, winding marble staircase leading up to this point.

The view from the top of the Bell Tower of St. Domnius.

The charming alleyways had similar characteristics to those of Rome.

Another view of Split from the pier.

Steps leading up to Marjan Hill, which has some of the best views of Split.

A small, magical cafe that is hidden along the steps to Marjan called Vidilica.  The perfect place to stop for a drink (especially after climbing all of those stairs!)

The view from the cafe, Vidilica, in Marjan.  By the way, we were able to walk here from where we were staying in Split.

Another view from Vidilica, where we stopped for drinks. A true paradise on top of the hill.

Situated between the dense forest of pine trees and the Dalmatian Coast, is a small church on Marjan Hill.

Marjan is a great place to see amazing views of the city, as well as take a nature walk or go for a jog.

As you can see, the views are comparable to those of Italy!

You can see as much or as little of Marjan as you like, there's something different depending on which path you take.

Europe always amazes me on how well their architecture withstands the test of time. Croatia was no exception.

The Bell Tower of St. Dominius

The basement of Diocletian's Palace...also where Daenerys' dragons were kept

A small part of the basement of Diocletian's Palace is open to the public for shopping (individual vendors selling local goods). However, find the side path where you pay a small entrance fee to tour the remains of the basement. You will find this part to be much less crowded.

Basement of Diocletian's Palace

Basement of Diocletian's Palace

Another view of Diocletian's Palace at dusk. You can see that people are already congregating on the red cushions, waiting for the live music.

Cheers!

Croatia has a mix of Italian, Mediterranean, Bosnian, and lots of fresh seafood!

Pizza is always better in Europe

Stuffed bell peppers (punjena paprika) is part of the local cuisine of Croatia

Fresh calamari

Black seafood risotto with cuttlefish

Split is beautiful at night. Lots of restaurants along the bay stay open late. Even in late May, the weather was cool and perfect for sitting outside.

Night strolling is one of my favorite/must-see things to do while on vacation. The bright lights and lighter crowds make for some good photo opportunities.  Two nights in Split was plenty of time to see and do everything that we wanted to. Taking a ferry to Hvar tomorrow, get ready for even more incredible views!

Flying the Drone Over Houston in 4K

This is one of the things I've been working on lately. It's been a while since I've done video and I'm slowly getting back into it.

Have a look and let me know what you think!

The Houston Water Wall

Hidden in a park right in Uptown by the Galleria, the Water Wall is a huge 64 ft tall U-shaped fountain.  The park is a great spot to take the kids, walk the dog, or have a picnic on a nice day. You may even catch a proposal or two while you're there!

Downtown Houston with the Mavic Pro

So I recently picked up the Mavic Pro to add a new perspective to my photography.  After some short flights from my front yard, this is quickly becoming my favorite camera and here are some of my first impressions of this drone.

To start, it's incredibly easy to fly.  The controls are intuitive and it's so compact that it's really easy to bring around anywhere.  It flies incredibly smooth and stable as long as it's not too windy out.  It's so solid that you can even do some long exposures while the Mavic hovers in the air.

So far, the only downside that I have for it is that the low light performance is not that great and the noise creeps in pretty quickly once you start raising the ISO past 400, but it's kind of expected due to the size of the sensor.  All in all, its a very minor trade off for all of the other features you're getting with it.

If you're in the market for a drone, the Mavic Pro is definitely my top choice due to how small and compact it is.  It will easily go with me in my travel bag when I take trips and it gives me a completely different way to take photos.  

Braxton's First Birthday

With my nephew's first birthday quickly approaching, there was no better way to document this momentous occasion than with a family photoshoot.  Besides, I knew that Vicki wanted to use some photos as decorations for Braxton's Mickey-themed birthday party.  He looked like a little man dressed up in his button-down shirt and jeans.  It's been a privilege to be able to document these precious moments.

To see more of my work, browse through the rest of my blog.  For rates and availability, shoot me an email.  You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram.