The Rolleiflex 2.8F is a legend in the photography world — known for outstanding optics, precise manual control, and a cult following. And this one, in particular, is a treasured family heirloom with a bittersweet story. Before coming into my possession, it belonged to my uncle, who inherited it from my grandfather, who bought it in the early 1960s. They both passed away long before my time. given the camera's sentimental value, my always mom thought this Rolleiflex was 'too precious to use.' So it stayed on a bookshelf in its original case, just waiting... But I always felt this camera c ..read more

Have you been following along with my recent photography retreat in Sicily with House of Notoire? If not, discover more here! Needless to say, I drew a lot of visual inspiration from every corner. It was great to travel with other photographers who understand the importance of taking it slow and consciously exploring a new place in an effort to spot the little details, like fresh morning dew on leaves, bright, colorful petals and expansive island views. Sicily further heightened my interest in all things floral. I was enamored with Mediterranian blooms like fuchsia bougainvillea, purple morni ..read more

I recently visited Sicily together with House of Notoire for a week-long women’s photography retreat. It was my third trip with the global community after our previous trips to Bali and Marrakesh. This time, we headed to the Mediterranian island of Sicily and September is the perfect time to explore — from secluded rocky beaches in a dreamy seaside town called Mondello, located on the northwest coast of Sicily to the capital, Palermo and over to the beach town Cefalu. Here are a few of my moments from our golden, sunny days in Sicily. Shooting film in Mondello We stayed in Mondello, a quaint ..read more

In preparation for our trip to Paris this month, I dug through my film archives and discovered these shots, which brought back a lot of nostalgia, so let’s take a trip down memory lane. It was 2005, the summer after my freshman year of college. After four years of studying photography, I was a budding camera collector and Lomography fanatic. I was heading to Paris with a friend, but she bailed on me for a boy (spoiler alert: fast forward, they eventually got married, and their wedding was a blast). And that's how I ended up alone in Paris for two weeks with a backpack full of cameras. Around ..read more

Every summer, around the end of July and early August, Amsterdam kick's off LGBTQ+ Pride Week. Right now, the city is buzzing in the summer heat, with an overdose of rainbows and glitter. It’s electric! As special as this week is, it’s important to mention that Pride exists within all of us 365 days a year. Celebrating Pride is not only when cities and corporations bring attention to the LGBTQ+ community (sometimes for their own benefit). There are many ways to connect, learn, heal, and celebrate during Amsterdam Pride Week and throughout the year. Amsterdam’s queer community reaches ..read more

Home to 180 nationalities, Amsterdam prides itself as a melting pot. As a freelance culture + travel writer, who also happens to be a mixed-race buitenlander, I often shine a spotlight on diversity in my content because representation matters and so does local impact.
 I recently curated a guide to Black-Owned businesses in Amsterdam In collaboration with The Quick & The Brave for the inaugural edition of their TQTB Journal. I’m a big fan of handheld maps and all things paper, so it makes sense that our very first ‘Mini Maatje’ features a pull-out map that can travel along with y ..read more

I moved abroad to Amsterdam in 2009 and started freelancing as a creative copywriter in 2016. Over the years, the two frequent questions keep popping up: “How did you move abroad?” and “Do you have tips for freelancing?” I’ve had similar conversations countless times with so many different people— each in a different chapter of their life and careers and I’ll be honest with you… Living abroad and freelancing are both exciting journeys individually, And when you put the two together, it’s a lot of work! Before we dig into it—is it just me or does it seem like freelancing is kinda glamori ..read more

The Simple Things is an independent British lifestyle magazine that advocates taking time to slow down and make the most of where you live. As a travel writer and creative consultant, I was commissioned to write the March 2019 feature article “My City | Amsterdam.” This story offers a guide to Amsterdam highlighting personal stories and photos, enjoy! Read the article below or browse the full issue ..read more

Welcome to Amsterdam—one of the most bicycle and pedestrian-friendly cities in the world! Amsterdammers are known to be quite intense in the bike lanes, and I can’t stress this enough—Cycling through the city isn’t for faint-of-heart or distracted visitors. If you do opt to cycle here, be sure to stay to the right side of the fietspad (bike lane) and be prepared for the fast locals to whiz by. Watch out, or you’re sure to receive some aggressive bells ringing or even get cussed out by a local. I love to show my friends and family around with a special guided bike tour, but for tourists and ne ..read more

Vibrant, cheerful, and statuesque, there's something incredibly powerful about sunflowers. Symbolically, sunflowers represent optimism, honesty, joy, loyalty, and longevity. In fact, their scientific name helianthus comes from the Greeks word helios (sun) and anthus (flower) which is fitting not only for their appearance but for their sun chasing habits. Sunflowers engage in heliotropism (sun turning), maneuvering their crown of petals to follow sun rays and catch every bit last bit of vitamin D. Throughout their lifecycle, sunflowers stretch up to ..read more