One of my favorite things about Italy is the magnificent architecture, especially of the churches and cathedrals. I’m not Christian, but I find their history and beauty fascinating. Other than The Vatican, the cathedral in Italy that enraptured me the most when I visited two years ago was the Basilica di Santa Croce in Florence. Besides having a commanding physical presence, it is home to the tombs of Michelangelo, Niccolò Machiavelli, and Galileo Galilei, and monument to the writer Dante. Here are some of my photos of the cathedral.

It’s the largest Franciscan church in the world. The original structure was built in the 1200s, with much of it later being added in the 1400s. The marble facade was added in the mid-1800s by a Jewish architect (which explains the prominent Star of David).

In addition to the famous tombs and monuments inside, the museum has many ornate frescoes and paintings, multiple chapels within the church, and a separate exhibit area.

Monument for Dante

Galileo's tomb

The tomb of a knight in the ground

Michelangelo's tomb

Old church music

Robe of St. Francis of Assisi

Have you ever been to the Basilica di Santa Croce?

Visiting museums is one of my favorite parts of travel, and the Seattle Art Museum was no exception. Seattle was full of incredible ones–I also loved the Experience Music Project and Olympic Sculpture Park.

The impressive art museum in downtown features modern art, Native American art, African art, Japanese art, Islamic art, American art, European art, and other works from all over the world. I also enjoyed an exhibit that talked about the truth and fiction behind the representation of Pacific Northwest Native Americans in the Twilight movies (yeah yeah, judge me all you want). Here were just a few of my favorite pieces.

An unusual installation at the entrance! Inopportune: Stage One, 2004, by Cai Guo-Qiang

"Heart Sutra, the shortest and most popular Buddhist text, is incised onto the surface"

Native American totem poles

The artist, Do Ho Suh, made this with dog tags with gibberish (see up-close below). Some/One, 2001.

This represents the opression the artist experienced in Eastern Europe

African tribal costumes

When my husband and I went to Seattle this summer, we stayed in Belltown, a hip neighborhood a few blocks north of downtown. We were only a few blocks from the Olympic Sculpture Park, so when the sun came out in full force one afternoon, we walked over to explore it. The modern art won’t appeal to everyone, but anyone can appreciate the gorgeous waterfront views.

The park opened in 2007 and is free and open year-round. The nine-acre, waterfront space was once an industrial park that now features green spaces and unique works of art. You navigate it through a Z-shaped path. According to the Seattle Art Museum, “Weiss/Manfredi Architects designed a continuous and constructed landscape for art. Their vision was to transport art outside the museum walls and bring the park into a landscape of the city.”

Schubert Sonata, 1992, Mark di Suvero

Me in front of The Eagle, 1971, Alexander Calder

Father and Son, 2005, Louise Bourgeois

Bunyon's Chess, 1965, Mark di Suvero

Love & Loss, 2005-2006, Roy McMakin

Split, 2003, Roxy Paine

On my August trip to Vancouver, one of the attractions I was most looking forward to was the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden in Chinatown. It was the first large-scale classical Chinese garden outside of China. It’s also a non-profit that aims to serve as a cultural exchange between Chinese and Western cultures. This stunning landscape opened in 1986, and it’s free to wander around the main area of the garden. We immediately knew we were in Chinatown when we saw this:

The garden is named after Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, shown in the bust below, who is recognized as a symbol of modern China. According to the garden’s website, he worked toward establishing democracy in China and helped lead a revolution in 1911 that overthrew the Qing dynasty. In 1912, he became the first president of the Republic of China, but quickly resigned in order to work toward the economic development of China instead.

The architecture brings together all of the elements of a traditional Chinese garden from the Ming dynasty: jade green water, weathered rocks, mystical plants, and beautiful buildings that appear to be floating.

The park is full of beautiful wildlife, including these critters:

The most amazing part was that this garden was set amongst urban Vancouver, as you can see from the condos and office buildings in the background, but it felt like you were in a quiet part of China.

The garden was a joint effort between the Canadian government, Chinese government, and private workers in both countries. They brought 52 master craftsmen all the way from Suzhou China, who worked with local Canadian to build this within one year.

The halls and walkways of the garden were built so precisely by the master craftsman that they didn’t use any nails, screws or glue.

The garden also had several indoor rooms that you could explore, many with traditional Chinese art, writing, and clothing. You have to pay a small fee to enter this area.

The garden was such a peaceful and quiet respite in the midst of a busy city. Have you ever been?

When I went to Greece two summers ago, I fell in love. After daydreaming about the country for years, that didn’t surprise me one bit. The white-washed buildings, sparkling sea, unusual geography, and extraordinary history swept me off my feet. My sister and I took a five-night cruise on Louis Hellenic Cruise Lines with Contiki, and it allowed us to explore several of Greece’s most incredible islands.

Here are some of my photos from several twilight hours we spent in Mykonos Town (aka Chora).

Octopus was on many menus here

Even this gay bar is white-washed!

That section of buildings on the water is called Little Venice

The windmills are no longer in use, but remain iconic here

Earlier this month, I went to Savannah, Georgia for the first time for a wedding. I live in Texas, and while people here definitely have Southern hospitality, we aren’t quite “the South.” New Orleans is the closest I’ve gotten to it, and both Savannah and New Orleans ended up really reminding me of each other. It had true Southern charm and made me wish we had more time to explore.

It was a pathetically quick two-night trip. We arrived late on a Friday night and flew out at the crack of dawn on a Sunday. But the wedding was on a Saturday night, giving us the afternoon to explore the city’s Historic District. We stayed at the Four Points by Sheraton at the edge of the Historic District; it was very affordable, very nice and clean, and a pretty short walk to great bars and restaurants. It wasn’t as central as some of the other hotels, but it was just fine.

I enjoyed Savannah’s ornate architecture and incredible American history. We kept stumbling upon plaques that told of the events that took place in the city. In certain areas, I felt like I was transported back in time. Many of the beautiful older homes are now B&Bs, and while I really wanted to stay at one, the group rate at the hotel was just too good. Next time, I definitely plan to stay in one of these historic inns.

I was told by several people before I went that Savannah was known for its wide streets shaded by large, mossy trees. It was more beautiful than I could have imagined:

I found out when I got there that the Historic District was filled with squares. Every few streets, there is a massive square that stretches several blocks. They all featured large, old trees and massive historic monuments.

I took this in Madison Square (named for the president), which has this beautiful monument to William Jasper, a man from Savannah who was a sergeant in the Revolutionary War:

The architecture of the homes in the Historic District was very regal and detailed, and reminded me a lot of New Orleans:

The couple we were there to see get married recommended checking out Forsyth Park, which has a famous fountain in the middle of it. If you keep going, you pass by acres of grassy lawns and more historical monuments. With its long walkways, shady trees, and massive fountain, the park looked like something from a love story. In fact, I took a photo for a couple who said they got engaged right there exactly five years ago! I couldn’t pass up getting a photo of me and my husband in front of the fountain:

I also saw some fun street art in the city:

And let’s not forget the Southern food. We were in Savannah so briefly that we hardly had any meals there, but we had a fabulous dinner at The Olde Pink House. It’s where the wedding reception was held, though several people on Twitter actually recommended it to me as a place to eat before they found out I was already going there for the wedding! It’s a gorgeous old mansion with a very elegant, stately feel, and massive amounts of history took place in it. The appetizers were mini crab cakes, beef tenderloin crostini, fried green tomatoes, and I think the last one was friend macaroni and cheese with jalepeno poppers. For my entree, I had a fabulously moist pork tenderloin with sweet potatoes and collard greens. My husband had one of the most famous Southern dishes around: shrimp and grits (pictured below). All of the staff there were so friendly and funny (we were at a table full of people from the Northeast, and they just couldn’t get over how hospitable people were in the South). They also served dessert to the guests instead of a wedding cake, and my chocolate torte with graham cracker crust was just sinful. We left blissfully stuffed.

Have you been to Savannah? What did you think?

When we went on our delayed honeymoon last month in the Pacific Northwest, one of the activities we really enjoyed in Seattle was a harbor cruise. It was a fun and relaxing way to see the area and learn more about it. When we moved on to Vancouver, Canada–another town on the water–we chose to do another harbor tour. We used the company Harbour Cruises, which sets sail down right next to the entrance to Stanley Park.

They have several departures throughout the day. We went in the early afternoon, when it was beautiful and sunny out. Our tour was on one of the smaller boats, and it was frustrating that the seating on the top deck was very limited. Our Seattle boat had a massive top level, so anyone who wanted to sit outside could. Here, it filled up quickly, leaving many people stuck inside. Other than that, it was very enjoyable. They serve drinks and snacks on-board and have bathrooms.

We passed by Stanley Park, two major bridges, downtown, BC Place, marinas, a sulfur plant, adorable seals (including a clumsy baby), and even a stunning bald eagle. Our guide taught us about all of the sites we passed by and gave us some insight into local history.  I definitely recommend it if you want to learn more about Vancouver. It was also a nice way to explore the outdoors while giving my legs a break from all of the miles of walking we did every day! Here are some of the photos I took on our hour-long journey:

Our boat, the Constitution

A floating gas station for boats!

A majestic bald eagle

The eco-friendly BC Place (the statue of the Orca was built to look pixilated)

The famous spikes of BC Place and a cruise ship docked there

We saw tons of puddle jumpers take off and land, many going to Victoria

Edge of Stanley Park

A sulfur plant we sailed by

I really enjoyed this harbor cruise tour. There are also many bus tours available in the Vancouver area if you prefer to see it that way.

I’ve played cello since fourth grade and have been obsessive about music practically from birth (thanks Dad!), so I was dying to visit Experience Music Project museum in Seattle when I went there last month. Art and history museums are great, but I loved the idea of a hip museum that celebrates rock ‘n roll and pop culture. The building, designed by Frank O. Gehry, is totally modern and beautifully bizarre. The museum opened in 2000. I enjoyed activities like visiting Pike Place Market, but visiting this museum was one of my favorite things we did.

They were hosting a new Nirvana exhibit called “Nirvana: Taking Punk to the Masses,” which had over 200 artifacts from the band and others in the Pacific Northwest music scene. Whether you like Nirvana or not, it truly was an innovative band at the time that kicked off a grunge movement with a punk vibe that spread nationwide. Even my husband, who hates their music, enjoyed exploring it. Their music truly resonated with me when I was in middle school and high school.

There was a small sound studio you could go into and record a video of yourself explaining how the band affected you, and then the recorded videos played on a screen that everyone could watch. They featured never-before-seen photos of the band, including many candid photos taken of them out having fun. They had video interviews from major musicians talking about Nirvana and how they were influenced by them. There was tons of interesting memorabilia, from record contracts to award statues to Kurt Cobain’s outfits to their instruments.

Jimi Hendrix, a native of the area, had a phenomenal exhibit there. It chronicled his life from beginning to end, and displayed some of his famous outfits, notorious smashed guitars, and memorabilia such as his personal journals. I am a huge fan of his and was obsessed with Woodstock ’69 in my major 1960s music phase in middle school, and seeing the actual guitar on which he played “Star Spangled Banner” made me weak in the knees. The exhibit had videos of the legend playing live shows and of musicians discussing his impact in the music scene.

There was a cool exhibit on guitars that showed the evolution of the instrument, with guitars from every era. I loved observing the evolution of this powerful instrument. The museum also had an interactive music section where you could play electronic drums, play on a keyboard, sing, mix songs, strum guitars, and more. It had an allotted amount of time for each activity so that others could participate, but each was occupied and there were lines, so I didn’t get to do any. The museum randomly doubles as a sci-fi museum, so I also saw a real-life prop from “Battlestar Galactica” on our way out. Here are some of my photos from my visit there:

Outside of Experience Music Project

View of the Space Needle from the outside entrance of EMP

Their massive theater plays music videos non-stop

This amazing pillar of instruments was two storeys tall

The guitar Jimi Hendrix played at Woodstock '69. O.M.G. I almost died on the spot.

A guitar Jimi Hendrix smashed

One of Jimi Hendrix's outfits

Another famous Jimi Hendrix outfit

Jimi Hendrix's journal

Prop from Nirvana's In Utero tour

One of Kurt Cobain's outfits and Nirvana's MTV award

Dave Grohl's drum kit

Nirvana's original record deal with Sub-Pop

Me in heaven

Battlestar Galactica props in the sci-fi part of the museum

When deciding what to do in Seattle, visiting this museum was a total no-brainer. I loved the city and all of the cultural things it had to offer. More west coast travel is definitely in my future.

Have you been to EMP? What did you think?

One of the many joys of traveling is taking photographs of the things you see, the people you encounter, and the food you eat. Travel photography captures once-in-a-lifetime moments, allowing you to treasure them forever.

The problem is that many of us only feel comfortable shooting in automatic mode. It’s a one-size-fits-all setting that has the ability to produce great photos, but prevents you from making custom tweaks that create stellar photos. It’s such a bummer to come home from an amazing trip with mediocre photos.

My blogger friend Bethany Salvon runs the travel blog Beer and Beans, and she is also a talented professional photographer. She just released a wonderful ebook called “Getting Out of Auto” to help you learn how to take advantage of all of the powerful settings available on your camera. It’s only $9.99–a seriously great deal considering how much expert information is jam-packed into it.

Learning manual photography on a 35mm camera in high school was tricky for me, because when experimenting with shutter speed and aperture, I couldn’t see the results instantly. I had to wait until the prints came back or I developed them in the darkroom. If I took notes about which settings I used, I could compare the settings once I had the prints, but that delay was frustrating. Digital cameras allow you to experiment with your settings and see the results right away, making it easier to learn what works and what doesn’t. It has made photography more accessible, though learning the basics can still be deceivingly tricky, and just because you bought a nice camera doesn’t automatically mean you will know how to take great pictures.

Enter “Getting Out of Auto”

Bethany’s ebook is geared toward the average person who wants to learn how to take better photos and learn how to use more advanced settings, whether it’s with a cheap point-and-shoot or a sophisticated DSLR. Some photography books can be so convoluted and make the average person feel stupid. Instead, she offers easy-to-understand explanations along with photos and diagrams to help you understand each concept. The tone of writing is friendly, clear, and informative. It has a fun design and it’s very well-organized.

I recently said something about aperture and the rule of thirds to someone, and they had no idea what I was talking about. I really realized how few people knew the basic elements of photography. So I was thrilled to see that Bethany breaks down every major concept of photography, helping newbies learn the difference between shutter speed, ISO, and aperture, in addition to providing advanced tips and tricks for more experienced photographers.

Helpful Diagrams and Images

I have found over time that many photography books and guides online show tons of images, but only of actual photos. They show photos overexposed and underexposed. Photos with a high shutter speed and a low shutter speed. Using the rule of thirds and not. That’s fantastic, and Beth’s ebook does all of that. But she goes above and beyond and has images of where you can find the settings on your actual camera in the first place. Modern SLRs are extremely complicated machines, and if you’re new to them, all of the buttons, dials, and displays are overwhelming. To the right is an example from her ebook that shows what I mean.

There are also many great cheat-sheets and cut-outs that can really help. Here is one chart she made that I think is very helpful for people trying to get the hang of aperture:

Loaded With Great Expert Tips

Besides covering photography basics, Bethany throws in tons of great tips, shortcuts, and ways to remember things. She also tells you when there is photography slang for something, so that if you hear someone say, “I’m stopping down,” you’ll know they mean they’re going to a larger f/stop number. Knowing the lingo can be important, so I loved that she fills readers in on the industry jargon in an educational way. She fills the ebook with fantastic tips that the average person wouldn’t intuitively know. Here’s just one of many examples: “Using a Point & Shoot that won’t let you choose your shutter speed? Look for the Sports mode – it will automatically try to increase your shutter speed to eliminate blur.”

Beyond the Basics

Rather than just telling you the effects of different settings, such as high shutter speed and low shutter speed, Bethany answers the question of why you should experiment with them. She shows images of what each extreme looks like. When discussing ISO, she lists specific travel situations in which raising ISO could help you, including taking discreet street photos, taking pictures of food, or taking pictures in a museum.

She then launches into a very detailed section on composition and then on light, with dozens of her own photos to beautifully illustrate her points and tie it all together. She talks about what changes you need to make when you’re shooting on a foggy and cloudy day or when you’re shooting into direct sunlight. She offers advice on depth of field, tips of shooting portraits, and white balance. These are all important things to know if you want to take pictures on your trips, and she provides tips that are very applicable.

Best of all, there is an entire chapter devoted to tips and tricks. She spends an entire three pages to how to take amazing food photography, which I seriously wish I read before my recent trip to Seattle and Vancouver. One of her photos from that chapter is the image to the left. I took some great food shots on my trip, but there were several times where I couldn’t for the life of me get a good food photo in certain settings. I love how thorough she gets. She also has a section on how to shoot HDR photography, which makes this elusive strategy much simpler. There is also a very detailed section on how to take photos that require stillness without a tripod.

The Verdict

Whether you are an avid photographer who wants to take your skills to the next level or if you’re a total newbie who doesn’t understand many of the settings on your new camera, this massively thorough ebook will help you master the basics in addition to acquire many more advanced skills. If you are interested in photography at all, I truly encourage you to buy it now. I’m not just saying kind things about this because I know Bethany and have seen her amazing photography; I think this truly a fantastic ebook that has the ability to help anyone, from beginner to intermediate to advanced. It is full of countless valuable tips, tricks, and advice from a professional. I learned tons of pointers from it myself, and it helped me brush up on some concepts I hadn’t used in a while. And the fact that all of the photo examples in the ebook are images she took herself is a testament to her know-how and skill. I hope you buy her book and find it as helpful as I did!

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of the ebook for review purposes, but as always, these opinions are my own.

Message from our partners: If you’re going to Australia, there are plenty of great Perth hotels and Cairns hotels to choose from!

Last February, my husband and I went to Boston for a few days so he could scope out law schools. I don’t advise going there during that time of year; it was so frigid that my face stung the second I stepped outside. While that was my second time there and I think it’s a really great city, it’s probably best that we didn’t end up there. I don’t think I would have left the house in the winter.

Before heading to Boston, I read a travel guidebook that insisted a visit to the central branch of the Boston Public Library in Copley Square was a must-do. I didn’t go to it the first time I went to Boston, so I made to go this time. The central Boston Public Library branch is actually divided across two buildings. We went to the McKim building, which is what houses their research collections (of more than 1.7 million rare books and manuscripts!) and exhibits. The Johnson building is the main headquarters and functions as a regular library, though we didn’t go there.

The McKim building was constructed in 1895 and was restored in the early 1990s. It features opulent marble stairs and columns, murals by famous painters such as John Singer Sargent, and many ornate statues and ceilings. Following are some of the photos I took while visiting the McKim building.

The exterior of the McKim is actually quite unassuming:

The entrance area has many mosaics on the ceiling, all of which look similar but contain the name of a different writer at the bottom:

I took this up-close photo of the mosaic for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:

The grand entrance is quite regal; it almost feels like you’re in a European palace.

From the ceilings to the floors, this building was ornate and stunning.

Lion statues honoring military members flank either side of the grand staircase.

Us on the second floor. I was loving how beautiful it was!

I looked outside and saw that the building had an interior courtyard. I wish it was a different time of year–I’m sure it’s beautiful in the spring!

After ascending the stairs, I saw this strange but beautiful book display.

The library had intricate gilded ceilings and murals with symbols from a mix of religions and cultures.

While at the library, there was a large Edgar Allan Poe exhibit. The writer was born in Boston, and this exhibit has dozens of hand-written letters from Poe. Here is one of them:

There was also an exhibit of incredibly complex and artistic dioramas. I wish I could remember the artist’s name.

While much of this library consists of exhibits, there are also rooms where you can walk through aisles of books and read to your heart’s content.

Have you visited the Boston Public Library? What did you think?

I visited the Blue Mosque, more formally known as Sultan Ahmed Mosque, in Istanbul on a cold, cloudy morning. I tried to, at least. Unlike its architectural rival across the street, Hagia Sofia, the Blue Mosque is still in use. Prayer services take place several times a day, and it’s not exactly encouraged for visitors to enter during those sacred times. Service was in session. I saw the local men washing their feet in the fountains lining the exterior. I gawked at its intimidating minarets reaching for the sky. I decided to wander off to the Spice Market and come back later.

I was finally able to arrive in between services and see the behemoth’s interior. Here are some of the photos I took during my visit.

It was built in the early 1600s with a mix of Ottoman and Byzantine design, but it looks as vivid as ever inside. The soaring ceilings were filled with mismatched mosaics made of thousands of handmade ceramic tiles that somehow, despite the vast range of patterns and colors, all fit together. Stained glass lined the walls in a series of stacked layers. Massive chandeliers suspended from the domes above hung surprisingly low to the ground. People talked in hushed whispers. Even though there wasn’t a service in progress, some men still prayed on their knees.

After spending some quiet time soaking in the architectural masterpiece, I walked outside and saw a wedding in front of it as I left.

The following is a guest post from John Durfee.

Emily taking a photo in Scotland

One of the greatest pleasures of taking a trip is capturing your favorite moments on film. However, there are many out there who come back from an amazing experiences abroad and only have lackluster photos to share. Many people aren’t bad photographers, they just have not been trained in the basics. Before you head on your next trip, here are some guidelines to follow to help you capture the incredible people, places and wildlife of your next trip:

1. Research the location you’ll be visiting: A prepared eye will help you frame the story that you’ll be creating. You can do a brief Google image search of the area in order to see what photos other people have taken to find some inspiration.
2. A matter of focus: Digital SLR cameras are great because they have range for depth of field shots. These are images where a certain object or area is in clear focus, while the rest of the photo remains a bit blurry. You can use this for portraits of local people, street signs, interesting items, or action shots.
3. Simplify the story and get closer: Too often travel photos are shot from the hip. When traveling abroad, you feel that rush of excitement and one’s gut instinct is to snap right away. A common error that beginning photographers make is that there is too much clutter in their images. They may have a great shot hidden within the noise of the background. Step in closer! If you’re in a bustling colorful market in India, it can be a feast for the eyes. Instead of
   trying to take in the entire scene, find the colors and images that stand out to you most.
4. Be mindful of the horizon: For wide shots of entire scenes (cityscapes, landscapes, ruins, and temples) you want to be mindful of where you place your horizon line in the image. Photos where the horizon is low emphasize objects or structures in the distance, whereas photos with a horizon high in the image emphasize objects in the foreground. It
   may seem like common sense, but once you start applying this method you will see drastic results.
5. The right equipment: If you really want to take memorable photos, you should consider investing in a DSLR camera. Many all-in-one kits are available from major companies like Canon, Nikon, and Sony. They include the body, kit, small size card, and battery. Consider buying last year’s models to save money. These kits usually come with a standard 75mm objective lens, which will let you perform the techniques I’ve described. You may also want to purchase a wide angle lens for wide sweeping and vista shots.

Remember, less is more. You want to capture the sense of excitement you felt on your trip in your photos. It’s one thing to have a bland photo where you need to explain the story behind it. It’s quite another to have a great photo that tells a story by itself. Remember, your trip is a set of moments captured in time–your individual and special memories. If you’re more
mindful of the composition and the timing of your photos, each photo will have a much greater impact for its viewers.

John Durfee is a Gulf War veteran and the marketing manager for Airsplat, the nation’s largest retailer of Airsoft Guns including Spring Airsoft Rifles.

What are your best travel photography tips?