It was on my first solo trip to Italy and Sicily in 2007 to reconnect with my family roots that I began taking photographs of the beautiful landscapes and historic attractions there. Now, 13 years, five trips and 22 cities and towns later, I have been fortunate to share that travel photography with friends, family and clients.
With more time at home these days due to the impact of COVID-19, many people (myself included) are using this spare time to decorate some areas in their home: a remote workplace, studio, living room, etc. Not just for decorating sake but because artwork and decorating brings comfort during this time of a heightened sense of anxiety and uncertainty.
Whether it was while walking down the street in a small town in Sicily and capturing the simple daily activities of this neighborhood or blending in the crowded piazza in Venice, I was able to not just take photographs but was able to experience the culture in a way that inspired me to look deeper within myself and the world around me. The quest of snapping up every bit of this culture would continue for years during my travels. And although I cannot travel now and have postponed my summer trip this year to Italy and Sicily, I can still reflect on my experiences by having wall size displays of my photographs throughout my home.
On that first life-changing solo trip to Italy and Sicily in 2007, there was another solo female traveler - a photographer from Australia, who was on the same bus tour with me. We immediately became friends, and she taught me some simple things that have helped me to capture some of my best photographs. Like, how best to use natural light and when you go inside anywhere, look up! With that tip, I took one of the photographs that I am most proud of - inside Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome.
The saying "a photograph is worth a 1000 words" is ever true as it speaks to how that photograph tells a story of time and place, but also the emotion it evokes for years to come and the memories it holds, like a photograph of my father and I on my very first trip to Sicily when I was nine years old to visit our relatives. This photograph would not only tell about a beloved time that I had with my father, great-grandmother and my family in Sicily but would be the beginning of a life-long story to reconnect with my family roots and how that was significant in my personal growth and self-discovery.
To view more of my photography, please visit https://www.onlisasjourney.com/photos-for-sale. If you are interested in purchasing any photography, please email me at lisa@onlisasjourney.com
How it all started - first trip to Sicily with my Dad and great-grandmother to her hometown of Vallelunga, Sicily. I would return to this town in 2007 (over 20 years later from when this photo was taken) to find my family there and reconnect with them.
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