A decade ago I picked up a camera and started shooting. I shot in auto mode with my mom’s little point-and-shoot and I didn’t know the first thing about editing. But over the years I’ve upgraded my gear (@sonyalpha ), learned how to shoot in manual and RAW, learned how crucial the camera’s histogram is, and how to edit in @lightroom .
There’s been a lot of trial and error and a of photos that looked good in the viewfinder but ended up being out of focus and/or overexposed. There’s still a lot I can learn but I’m really proud of how far I’ve come, especially considering I’m completely self-taught.
It took me a month but I’m super thrilled by how my photos from Peru turned out so here’s a little before/after edit comparison of some of them. If you can’t tell the difference, that’s a good thing! I pride myself in only doing small adjustments to the lighting, color temperature, and contrast. My goal is to edit the photos in a realistic way so that the end result is an slightly enhanced version of what I saw I real life. If you want to see more photos, I posted an album on my website along with a blog post recap of my trip. Enjoy!
A few moments from Peru caught on a disposable film camera.
⛰️ Machu Picchu
🚗 Cusco street
🇵🇪 Plaza de Armas (historic main square of Cusco)
😊 Our trekking group
⛅️ Cusco from high above
🦙 Nicole at Salkantay Pass
🧳 Cool looking artwork (tourism is a huge source of income in Peru)
👋 Me
🥾 Walking along the train tracks
🚌 Aguas Calientes (town at the base of Machu Picchu)
Just got back from a week in Peru and wow oh wow was it an incredible experience. Quite possibly the best trip of my life. Thank you @salkantaytrekking for creating an amazing 5 day tour of the Salkantay trek, thank you Carlos for being the best guide ever, thank you @afrenchiedraws for saying yes to the adventure of a lifetime and being the best travel buddy a gal could ask for, and thank you to my fellow hikers for your wisdom, friendship, and eternal happy faces. This trip was everything I could’ve ever hoped for and more. More photos and words to come but for now, time to rest!
After 26 years, my mom is moving out of her house! My childhood house where we had countless themed birthday parties, sleepovers, Christmas mornings, dogs, and nights spent watching TV on the couch. I’ll miss the house but home will be wherever my mom is. The end of one era but the beginning of another.
