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Selasa, 15 November 2016

Happy WineAversary to Us with Trinchero Napa Valley

This November my husband and I celebrate our 12 year wedding anniversary. Time flies when you're having fun and building a life together. My husband David and I were practically kids when we married. He was 23 and I had just turned 21. Like any relationship our journey has had twists and turns we never expected. We've traveled literally around the world together. From New Zealand to Europe, Mexico to the Caribbean. We've brought two lives into the world, we launched businesses, and we experienced heartbreaking failures. We didn't always win, but we never really lost because we had each other. This year we partnered with Trinchero Napa Valley and celebrated more than a decade of having each other's back, forgiving each others flaws, and enjoying more than a few glasses of wine together. Cheers to being rich in love!

Trinchero Napa Valley Legacy

The Trinchero name may be new to you, but their legacy is one that reaches back to the very foundations of Napa Valley's beginning. The family celebrates three generations of wine making and are the founders of the famous Sutter Home, the second largest wine and spirit company in the country. After 70 years in business the Trinchero family is finally putting their name on a wine they feel truly embodies their story. Their commitment to quality, community, and family is the essence of their new label.

Amy and David enjoy a sunset picnic with Trinchero Wine

Amy West kicks up her heels during a warm fall sunset

The Trinchero Napa Valley wines are perfect for celebrating our own family's journey. How fitting to pair their family tribute with our memorable day.

Amy and David West holding hands at sunset

It's a Destination

In April we'll head to wine country with our family. On our bucket list for the trip will be one of the best hidden gems in the Valley. Trinchero recently reopened their redesigned namesake tasting room. It has been updated to pay homage to the family's success and future in the wine making business. What a great way to experience in person a piece of Napa Valley's defining history, while celebrating it's modern day innovation.

David West holds a bottle of Trinchero Napa Valley wine and a wine glass

David West pouring a glass of Trinchero Napa Valley wine

Life is about relationships. Relationships with friends, family, and meaningful folks you meet along the way. Choose to cultivate those relationships, and you will always be rich. Here's a toast to our first dozen years together and many many more adventures to come! Adventures we hope to share with you as we experience life together.

Until then...

Enjoy the Journey!

xo- Amy West

www.amywesttravel.com

Celebrate life with Trinchero Napa Valley by purchasing online or at select

Total Wine & More locations.

Behind the scenes this little one looked on with those big blue eyes.

Behind the camera. Sienna jumped in and helped take the images of David and I together. We are more than a little proud of her talented eye.

Rabu, 13 Juli 2016

Sunset in Kentucky | Must Have Maxi

From the moment I saw this maxi dress at Anthropologie I was smitten. I loved the color play, fabric, and fullness of the skirt. The charming front tie detail gives it interest but also shape. Dress it up and wear it out for date night, or dress down for a walk at sunset. During our recent visit to my family's farm in Kentucky, I did just that...

Plenty by Tracy Reese Maxi Dress found at Anthropolgie

Amy West wearing multi colored striped maxi dress

A Feast for the Eyes

One of the reasons I love returning home to Kentucky is the sheer beauty of the land. My dad is a cattle farmer and you don't have to look far to find cows grazing. Hay bales stand at attention awaiting the winter when they will provide a feast for the herd and their young. As a child, those hay bales were my play ground. My sisters weren't born until I was a teenager bordering on adulthood. As a result I spent a lot of time exploring the land on my own. Alone with my thoughts my imagination ran wild. The perfect haven for a young mind to roam.

Amy West wearing Plenty by Tracy Reese Maxi dress

Things Remembered

This trip was a sentimental one. It has been years since I spent a summer in Kentucky. I was well into my own life at the age of 17 having graduated high school when I was 16. I entered the work force full time, then moved to Texas for a year. Before too long I married my husband at 21. It happened so fast, I'm not really sure I had time to make the transition or say good bye to my childhood. All too ready to grow up, I moved on. But in some places, time seems to stand still. A new generation is graduating now. My sisters are almost grown. There are things they don't remember. The way things were. Some things I'm happy to see left in the past. Some things are missed. A gathering of families, randomly stopping by to visit a friend unannounced, the view of the skyline without cell towers cluttering the horizon, or what it was like to live in an old farm home without central heat and air.

Amy West in Maxi Dress outside of old barn

Amy West looks out over the hills of her family farm in Kentucky where cattle graze

Faithfully Yours

Can a geographic location be in your DNA? It certainly feels like it to me. No place captures me quite like this one. The hills, the sky, the valleys. The taste of a Kentucky tomato fresh out of the garden. It's a world built on blood, sweat, and tears. A few of my own have fallen on this soil. Perhaps in this my soul has claimed this bit of earth. For wherever I roam, I will always look to Kentucky as my home.

Amy West walks through the hills of Kentucky in a colorful maxi dress

Amy West looking out over the valley farms below in her Maxi dress

Amy West watches the sun set in this striped maxi dress on a farm in Kentucky

It was a beautiful visit, and I have more to come from the trip. Returning home is possible, although it's not always easy. I loved seeing my daughters experience many of the things I had as a girl. More on that in the next few weeks.

Until then...

Enjoy the Journey!

xo- Amy West

www.amywesttravel.com

Shop Here

Plenty by Tracy Reese Spectrum Stripe Maxi Dress • Plenty by Tracy Reese • $168
Milly Strappy Stripe Maxi Dress • Milly • $475
Tularosa 'Toni' Stripe Maxi Dress • Tularosa • $180
Rebecca Minkoff 'Georgina' Studded Leather Sandal (Women) • Rebecca Minkoff • $87.50–99.90
Steve Madden 'Werkit' Gladiator Sandal (Women) • Steve Madden • $59.95
Sam Edelman 'Gigi' Sandal (Women) • Sam Edelman • $49.90
gorjana 'Cayne' Crescent Pendant Necklace • Gorjana • $78
Sea Life Stone Pendant • Banana Republic • $48
Déjà Vu Double-Sided Studs • $39

The Man Behind the Camera

Jumat, 27 Mei 2016

Capture Your Travels With PicTrip | Trend Report

Long ago before I was a professional travel writer and blogger, I was a teenager working at a spa. I spent many days opening and closing that spa, daydreaming about the travels I wanted to take. I would muse over different business ideas that would allow me to travel for a living. One of the outrageous ideas I thought up was "Personal Paparazzi". My concept was that I would follow the rich and famous around on their luxury vacations and capture their special memories. Alas that concept wasn't the path I would travel to get to my ultimate goal, but it wasn't far from the target of where I eventually landed. Imagine my surprise when I heard of PicTrip. Not just for the rich and famous, PicTrip does exactly what I was dreaming of. By working with a hand selected group of talented photographers, they help you capture your travel memories the way you always imagined them. Read on to learn more.

Everywhere You Want To Be

Whether it's London, NYC, LA, or Dubai you can be assured PicTrip has talented photographers all over the world. Imagine magazine worthy images of you and your loved ones captured in one of the worlds most iconic destinations. Can you think of a better way of memorializing your girls trip, proposal, family trip, or honeymoon? Don't see your location on their website? Contact them anyways, they may be able to find someone near you.

Talented and Trusted

Feel secure knowing each of the photographers are hand selected and local to the area. No need for Dad to miss out being in the picture, or to come home with only selfies to show from your trip. These photographers know the best angles of each location and have the insiders scoop on avoiding the crowds so you can capture that perfect moment.

Easy to Use

The website is easy to use, simply choose your package, meet your photographer, and five days after your shoot you receive a link to download your images. Packages range from one hour to four or you can create a custom package that's right for you. Prices begin around $320 and include hi resolution edited images ready for you to print or share online. As a bonus, if you sign up for their newsletter you'll get 10% off your shoot. I'm personally impressed with the turn around time of 5 days. We all know "that one couple" who waited a year to get their photos from their last professional shoot. No need to worry here, these photographers follow strict guidelines to ensure you have the best experience possible.

The Best Souvenir

T-shirts get worn out, objects gather dust, and food gets eaten. Invest in a souvenir from your trip that will last a lifetime. Photos are the vaults of our memories. They keep precious moments safe. Travel changes you for the better. What better way to treasure the moment than to capture it for always?

For your next trip, book a shoot with PicTrip and treasure the iconic moments of your life.

Until then...

Enjoy the Journey!

xo- Amy West

www.amywesttravel.com

This blog was sponsored by PicTrip, however my opinion about their services is entirely my own.

Minggu, 08 November 2015

10 Super Easy Photo Tips Anyone Can Use

For almost a decade now we've had our own photography business. From portraits, to commercial images we've learned a thing or two about how to craft a better image that will both pop on your social media feed, and be a reminder of treasured memories for years to come. Give up the selfie, you don't want to remember your timeless travels with strictly selfie shots. Here are some tips for making your pics look like the pros.

Shooting from a higher vantage point creates an image that pops

1. Try Shooting from a Different Perspective.

For example, it may be obvious to shoot a picture of an attraction (like a castle) from straight on. Instead try getting a higher vantage point or getting lower to the ground for a more unique angle. For shooting people, try shooting them walking away for a more mysterious image.

Try to keep your subject in one third of the image

2. The Rule of Thirds

Every pro uses the rule of thirds. It's a more aesthetically pleasing visual. Try to keep the main subject matter in one third of the image. The right or left, or the center. When you get it in the muddy space in between it doesn't stand out as much.

Beautiful landscape of the Pacific Coast

Capture the story of your destination by including more of the foreground

3. Incorporate images that take advantage of Foreground, Midground, and Background

Instead of just the ocean, try grabbing some of the sand, or rocks in the foreground for a more interesting shot. Mid ground would be the ocean, background could be the sunset or sunrise. Bonus* Incorporate people to add a sense of scale when shooting large structures

Shoot the horizon above or below the center of the photo

Adjust the horizon line above or below the center of the image

4. Change your horizon line

Instead of keeping it in the middle, try moving your horizon line to the top third or lower third of your image.

Less is more when it comes to on camera flashes

5. Use Flash Sparingly

If you are taking a photo of the inside of a large space, or of an outdoor landscape at dusk, a flash will be useless unless your focus is on a person. Skip the flash for these settings unless you are taking aim at a person and if you are, be prepared to lose the background in the process.

Take an image horizontal to include more of an epic landscape

6. Horizontal vs Portrait

If you are taking a beautiful landscape, don't waste it on a portrait or vertical image. Move your shot horizontal that way you can take in the whole scene.

The Ollo Clip helps eliminate the need for an extra device. Your iPhone can be everything all in one.

7. Ollo Clip

These nifty iPhone lenses will take your mobile pics to a new level

Professionally edit your images with great apps like VSCO CAM

8. Apps

Apps like VSCO cam and Camera + are great apps for editing your images to make them more appealing. Don't be afraid to experiment. A great book for utilizing these tools is iPhone only photography by David Molnar

Unless you are using your manual settings, the use of a DSLR may be unnecessary

9. The Truth about DSLRs

Unless you are willing to learn the manual settings, you may want to consider leaving your DSLR at home. These bulky cameras can take some great photos, but if you plan on shooting in manual and program the whole time, just use your iPhone and some of the great tools mentioned in 7 and 8.

A lightweight handheld tripod will eliminate the need for countless selfies and ensure the entire family makes it in the shot

10. Love your not so selfie

Invest in a lightweight tripod to avoid selfies and ensure everyone makes it into the shot.

What are your favorite travel photography hacks! I'd love to hear your tips and tricks in the comments below.

Until then...

Enjoy the Journey!

xo- Amy West

www.amywesttravel.com

Watch me discuss this topic with the ladies of The Chat

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Senin, 10 Agustus 2015

Love Grows | Outfit Post Featuring Pink Blush Maternity

Not long now before the newest addition to our little band of traveling adventurers makes her way into this world. It's been an eventful year full of exciting journeys to lands unknown and I've enjoyed bringing you new content featuring my favorite destinations, travel tips, and style advice. You can look forward to more great discoveries in the near future, but right now it's time to pause and celebrate new life. Thank you for being a part of our journey and following me on this great adventure we call life. I wanted to share this special moment we had as a family recently capturing this precious time in our lives. Here's a peek inside our recent family maternity shoot featuring this cute maternity top from Pink Blush Maternity, and a glimpse of our nursery.

Love Grows

Amy West and family in a maternity portrait

Home is where the heart is

We didn't know if we were going to have any more kids. Our first experience was a bit of a roller coaster. You can read a little about some of the trials we went through having our first daughter Sienna here. After much careful thought and lots of prayer we determined our family wouldn't be complete without one more child. We were excited to learn last December that we were expecting again and I'm so blessed to report the pregnancy has been stellar and extremely positive. Parenting is one of the most challenging paths to walk in life, but also one of the most fulfilling. I wouldn't be who I am today if I hadn't become a mom. It's made me stronger, wiser, and more assertive. In fact, I'm not sure if I would have had the boldness to launch my TV show and this brand if I hadn't been tested in the fires of motherhood. I read one blogger call becoming a parent for a second time a "promotion" and I like to identify with that. Sometimes the thought of adding to our plate feels overwhelming, but I realize the truth is that I will now become a steward to another precious jewel. It won't always be fun, or easy, but nothing could be of more value than speaking into the life of a human soul and watching them grow.

Amy West and daughter sharing a special moment

Sweet kisses

Styling the Shoot

For our maternity shoot I wanted something very intimate in our home. I love light, and I love our beachy casual home. Of all the places we travel, home is truly where the heart is, so what better place to capture this moment. I kept my maternity style simple so all the focus was on our relationship together. I love this grey maternity top from Pink Blush Maternity because it hugs all the right curves, but also features a little crochet detail in the sleeves that adds a sweet feminine touch.

It's all about that belly

The fabric is super soft, but also stretchy, freeing you up to get your groove on. If you are looking for a trendy maternity boutique featuring both casual and chic styles at an affordable price then you will love Pink Blush Maternity! You'll find great separates and my favorite, stunning maternity maxis!

Amy West and husband sharing a moment during 35 week maternity shoot