Yeah, it’s been that kind of week. And I know I’m not alone, after commiserating with and comforting so many friends in their own struggles.

In a sea of bummers, here’s a good thing: my claw foot tub is operational again. It’s been out of commission for an embarrassingly long time. Baths abound! Plus everyone knows that a portrait photographer and a claw foot tub go together like peanut butta and jelly.

I always get SO NERVOUS posting anything that shows even the tiniest bit of my own skin, despite my love for skin in general, especially in photographs (that almost came out a little creepier than intended). But hey, if we don’t break our own barriers, what kind of life is that, right? That’s what I’m going to tell myself so that I can sleep tonight.

Another really good thing is that the day of our vacation to Rome is creeping ever closer (embarrassing happy dance)! It hasn’t set in yet – you know, the gear panic. What lenses do I pack? Which tripod? Will our Airbnb be photogenic enough? Do I actually understand how to take decent landscape photos, or will I totally blow it like I did on our trip to Germany in 2008? (Let’s not talk about that. I wasn’t even much of a portrait photographer back then, okay?)

Obviously I’ve spent most of the time leading up to this moment thinking about Italian food and shopping. And probably an inordinate amount of time considering which of my shoes is the most important to pack. I’m going to try and go against my nature on this trip and NOT photograph every single moment, but I can’t make any promises. Living in the present and not only creating for the future is important, but it’s hard when you see so much beauty around you!

I didn’t get much from my self portrait session, but here’s one other one that I thought was interesting, at least. Ciao!