Thirteen Photos from Budapest, Hungary

Growing up, I loved playing Where in Europe is Carmen Sandiego? That elusive Carmen Sandiego would always end up in far away lands, frequently found in the Soviet Bloc, eluding Interpol. I loved finding her. Later on, with the Bourne movie series, my love for Eastern Europe was rekindled. Prague remains one of the most beautiful cities I’ve visited and I dreamed of seeing Budapest. Well boys and girls, dreams come true. After the Amalfi Coast, we made it to Budapest. A city that Deya repeatedly called “grand.” A fitting adjective for this historic place. The Hungarian Parliament Building is not only larger than the US Capitol Building but more than 88 pounds of gold were used in its construction. Hotel Rum was HQ during our stay and we highly recommend it, especially due to the breathtaking rooftop breakfast. Be sure to not miss the street art and ruin bar tour, it’s awesome. The Szechenyi and Gellert thermal baths are unique and you’ve got to photograph the city from Gellert Hill at night. Find my top thirteen photos below plus the gallery.

Szechenyi Spa Baths

Gellért Thermal Baths and Swimming Pool

Tram Transport at the Great Market Hall (Nagycsarnok)

Deya at For Sale Bar Budapest

Mirror Image at the Aria Hotel

Hungarian Parliament Building

Budapest Stumble Stones

Szimpla Kert Ruin Bar Trabant

Hungarian Parliament Building Interior

Mazel Tov Ruin Bar

Budapest Panorama from Gellert Hill

Hungarian Parliament Building at Night in Budapest

Shoes on the Danube River

Check out the full album below:

Budapest | June 2018

Thirteen Photos from Lisbon and Porto, Portugal

Deya and I knew we had to go to Portugal in the summer of 2018 but we were undecided exactly where other than Lisbon and Porto. Both of these cities offer a rich and cultural history that span centuries. The food, people and scenes in Portugal cannot be beat. Below, find my favorite thirteen photos from Lisbon and Porto. I hope you’ll add these spots to your places to travel. When you go to Lisbon, be sure to head across the river to eat at Ponto Final. Take a jacket, the wind is cold! If you want to see the rooftop from Santa Justa Lift, skip the line and take the stairs behind the lift. It’s free and fast. Try a ginjinha drink, it’s a Lisbon classic. Be sure to eat at O Asiático, it’s fantastic. Visit Porto Cruz in Porto and have some tapas with their spicy porto cocktail. The teleferico is touristy, but so what? It’s a beautiful way to see the river and the city. Here are the thirteen photos from the trip and the gallery below.

Restaurante Ponto Final

Nan and Deya at the Carmo Convent

Deya at

Scooter in Lisbon

Santa Justa Lift at Night

Teatro Nacional D. Maria II from Rossio Square

Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology - MAAT

Restaurante Ponto Final

Porto and the Duoro River

Boat on the Duoro River in Porto

Teleférico de Gaia with the Dom Luís I Bridge

Man and Cat Looking Out the Window in Porto

Deya at Livraria Lello Bookshop Porto

Check out the rest of the album below:

Lisbon and Porto, Portugal | May 2018

Thirteen Photos from New York City

Ah, New York City, the center of the universe. It had been a few years since I’d visited the city, but when my dad sprung the opportunity to visit the New York Auto Show with him for a few days, I couldn’t pass it up. We stayed in the absolutely enormous Marriott Times Square and bounced around town. These photos were taken with the mind-boggling Sony A7RIII. Enjoy my thirteen photos from NYC.

Brooklyn Bridge at Night

Sonos Store New York City Greene Street

Grand Central Station

Panorama from the Top of the Rock New York City
This photo is huge and is best seen on a big screen.

Oculus Manhattan

Times Square Fisheye

Saint Patrick's Cathedral

Atlas at 30 Rock

DUMBO

Ballet Dancers at Columbus Circle

Leo at the Washington Square Arch

New York Public Library Rose Reading Room

Dancers at Times Square

Check out the album below:

NYC | April 2018

Thirteen Photos from Paris, Versailles and Rheims, France

Deya’s lifelong dream was to visit Paris, France. She dreamed about it, pinned photos on Pinterest and simply could not wait to go. Thankfully, we had the opportunity to not only visit Paris but we also toured Versailles and Rheims, where proper champagne is made. It was a delight to see Deya light up in having a dream fulfilled. If you’re traveling soon, I highly recommend the Headout app. It’s available in a handful of major cities and it let’s you book tours at a discount with many featuring a “skip the line” option. If you’ve never signed up before, here’s my referral link for $10 off your first booking. We used the app to skip the line into the Paris catacombs, which was especially timely as it started to rain and hail. Below are my favorite thirteen photos from those three cities in France, with a focus on my favorite model.

Deya with a Red Vespa in Paris

Nan and Deya at Daroco Paris

Deya at Centre Georges Pompidou

Louvre Glass Pyramid

Sacre Coeur

Eiffel Tower - Tour Eiffel

Louvre Pyramid

Arc de Triomphe

Versailles

Deya at Versailles

Versailles

Veuve Clicqout Reims France

Champagne Mumm Reims France

Enjoy the entire set:

Paris, France | June 2017

Thirteen Photos from Prague, Czechia

In October 2009 I made my first trip to gorgeous Prague, CZ. I had no idea the impact this trip would have on my life. During the visit, I saw cathedrals, Old Town Square, spires and buildings of the like that I’d never experienced. It was breathtaking and I was angry. My photography was abysmal. Utter frustration. When I returned home I was determined to suck less at photography. For Christmas that year I received my first camera with manual functions-a Canon Powershot S90. I knew that anything larger than that pocket-sized camera would be left at home. The S90 looked like a plain point and shoot camera, but it was groundbreaking at the time. A fast f/2.0 lens, an oversized sensor, full manual controls in a pint size prevented me from excuses. Watching YouTube videos, reading online and practicing, I started to suck less. I memorized the technical aspects of photography when it came to aperture, shutter speed and ISO. Knowing these basics allows anyone to use nearly any camera. In 2012 I made a crazy request to Olympus to send me a camera and lenses, which they did after a humorous call. Then in 2013, I was invited into a group of wonderful photography influencers, much more skilled than me, to participate as a Samsung Imagelogger. An incredible gift! I met photographers and new friends from all over the world and we shot photos in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, and Marbella, Spain. I still can’t believe it. The Imagelogger program has since been disbanded after Samsung left the camera market, but I’m still shooting with the gear. Speeding forward to 2017, lovely Deya and I planned a two week trip to Europe that had special meaning for both of us. I needed to go back to Prague for unfinished business – photograph this beautiful place with her and she needed to get to Paris, a lifelong dream. I hope you enjoy my thirteen photos from Prague, Czechia.

Deya at Charles Bridge at Sunset

Prague Castle from Charles Bridge

Church of Our Lady before Týn

Tram Near Wenceslas Square

Memorial to the Victims of Communism

Strahov Monastery Library

Deya with Bubbles in Old Town Square Prague

St. Vitus at Sunset

French Bulldog - Stitch the Frenchie

Charles Bridge at Sunset

Jan Hus Memorial in Old Town Square Prague

Old Town Hall Prague

SAM_5462

Enjoy the entire set:

Prague, CZ | May 2017

Thirteen Photos from Washington DC

Photos from Washington DC captured with the Samsung NX500 and the 16-50mm S Lens by Nan Palmero

Washington DC renewed my sense of pride in our country. Although I spent most of my time inside a conference room during this trip, we had some time to explore in the evening. Here are thirteen photos from Washington DC captured with the Samsung NX500.

Deya at the National Gallery of Art

Monk at the National Gallery of Art

Robert Indiana Amor Sculpture at the National Gallery of Art

World War II Memorial

Deya on the Stairs at the National Gallery of Art

Lincoln Memorial

Washington Monument from the Lincoln Memorial

Dwight Eisenhower Building

Red Tulips

Cherry Blossoms near the Jefferson Memorial

The Gibson Speakeasy

World War II Memorial with the Lincoln Memorial

The Humanity of the Vietnam Memorial

Enjoy the entire set:

Washington DC | March 2016

Thirteen Photos from H&M San Antonio Launch

H&M is a Swedish, hip multinational company that makes really cool clothes at affordable prices. Last night, a ton of people camped out on hard concrete to have their first look at the new store at The Shops at La Cantera. Die hard fans for sure. Thanks to @torijohson, I was able to get a sneak peek into the excitement. Here are thirteen photos from the grand opening day of @HMUSA’s San Antonio store. If you’re interested in more fashionable goodies, be sure to check out Tori’s blog, The sTORIbook!

H&M La Cantera San Antonio Entrance

Dressing Room

Pink Sunglasses

Hands Up

Blue and Green Shirts

Hanging Shirts

Awesome Abe

DJ Jazzy Fashion

Hair Piece

Glasses on a Mannequin

H&M Selfies

H&M Shirt

Secrets, Important, Bits & Pieces

Thirteen Photos from San Francisco – Engagement Edition

I’ve found one of the great ways to love @HolaDeya is to make a list. I ask her about adventures she wants to have in her life, specific ones and I make a list. My memory is bad, but @evernote does an awesome job at it. With the help of Deya’s sister, Viole, and my @SamsungCameraUS photographer friends @mrcippy, @themrscippy, @techdadreview & @mdflores (in spirit), we gave Deya a memorable marriage proposal. Below are thirteen photos from our adventure together leading up to the proposal at Battery Spencer.

The @MysticHotelSF Fire Escape Fun

Deya at Mystic Hotel on the Fire Escape

“I’d like to ride a cable car.” – DONE!

Fisheye from the Front of the Cable Car

“I’d like to go to the top of Lombard Street.” – DONE!

Deya and Nan at Lombard Street

A ride on the cable car, then we’re in Chinatown!

Deya with a Watermelon in Chinatown

Lychee Cotton Candy at The Slanted Door After Lunch

Deya and Nan with cotton candy at The Slanted Door

Coffee at @BlueBottleRoast Coffee in the Ferry Building

Deya and Nan at Blue Bottle Coffee Ferry Building

Cupid’s Span Troublemaking

Deya at Cupid's Span

Painted Ladies Made Famous by Full House

Deya and Nan at Painted Ladies

“Ride Across Golden Gate on Bikes” – Done!

SAM_1121

Proposal Complete!

Deya and Her Ring at Battery Spencer

Dinner at @ChefChiarello’s Coqueta with a Surprise Bottle of Cava from My Sister and Jesus

Deya at Coqueta

A Fun Ride to the Airport Thanks to @Scout!

Deya in a Limo

Deya Gets a Surprise From @VirginAmerica!

Deya's Surprise from Virgin America

Do you want to see the actual proposal shot by @mrcippy, @mrscippy & @techdadreview? Head over to Facebook! You can read the story about Deya and me on the Samsung Camera blog.

Look below for the rest of the photos from the proposal weekend!

Thirteen Photos from Cabo – Wedding Edition

Wedding photos from Cabo San Lucas and Los Cabos, Mexico photographed by Nan Palmero with the Samsung NX30 Smart Camera.

My sister married Jesus, an awesome man, an IronMan, in Cabo. We had the pleasure and fortune of going to celebrate their love for one another in a beautiful place. Here are thirteen photos from Cabo San Lucas and the Los Cabos area in Mexico.

Boat Silhoutte at Dawn












The rest of the story…

Thirteen Photos from Concerts – Part 2

Concert photos by Nan Palmero featuring MS MR, Young the Giant, Cayucas, The Features, Haim, The Naked and Famous, Hands, Silversun Pickups, Wild Cub, Quiet Company, and Chromeo.

So many concerts and so little time. Thanks to prodding by @scottriggs and @jsasse via @slackerradio, I discovered some great bands and here are some of my favorite photos from the last year.

All Alone with Thousands of People

The Naked and Famous


Haim


Silversun Pickups


Hands


Wild Cub


Cayucas at Red7


The Features


Young the Giant at Austin Music Hall


MS MR


Quiet Company


Young the Giant at Lambert’s


Chromeo


Local Natives