Edinburgh Castle is Scotland‘s most visited paid tourist attraction and sits upon an extinct volcano. The castle has undergone so many attacks during it’s 1100 years of history, it is the most besieged place in Great Britain and one of the most attacked in the world!
I captured these photos after touring the Castle and walking down toward Princes Street Gardens.
As you approach the castle to enter, this is your view…
Having researched The Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Scotland before my trip, and checked out some photos of it, I have to say it’s even more beautiful in person! It stretches from the Edinburgh Castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, hence the name. A little known fact, at least to those who don’t live in Scotland, it’s actually a bit longer (.12) than a normal mile, because it’s a Scot’s mile. After spending four nights in Dublin, my friend and I flew on Ryan Air to Edinburgh to explore for four days. The architecture can only be described as being Grand and the City is filled with so much history! Compared to Dublin, the City of Edinburgh is much hillier and to me more interesting.
I reserved an Airbnb, located within 15 minutes walking distance from The Royal Mile, and was very pleased with the Apartment. It’s a three-bedroom and we had to share it with other people. The first couple that stayed for one night of our stay weren’t very friendly, but the next couple were very talkative and nice. Cute living/dining/kitchen area…
Breakfast was included with the rental and the owners made sure to keep it stocked with yogurt, cereal, milk, fruit, bread, etc.
Here’s my friend Teresa taking a photo of her bedroom…
which looks just like my bedroom…
The weather was overcast much of the time, and rained for part of one day, and drizzled a bit another day, but nice the remainder. The umbrellas are nice for photographing!
Kilkenny’s rich medieval heritage is evident in the city’s treasure trove of historical buildings and landmarks, especially the magnificent Kilkenny Castle. Kilkenny is Ireland’s most beautiful medieval city. My day trip from Dublin through Collins Day Tours included this majestic city. I walked around the castle looking for a variety of perspectives.
The back “yard” goes forever, with its lush and green manicured lawn!
Who doesn’t love fountains!
A couple of young lads enjoying the day! Nice to see them phone-less.
The city of Kilkenny through my eyes and lens…
Arriving to Dublin in late afternoon, I settled into the Airbnb I had reserved, located in the Temple Bar area, within walking distance to all of the major attractions. My friend and I went to a nearby grocery store for some breakfast and snack items (along with some local wine) and went out to dinner. We had Irish excursions planned for the following two days, so we didn’t really explore Dublin until our last day in the City. We had wonderful weather and I was so excited to be in Ireland! Dublin is a very walk-able city. I asked these two beautiful lassies for their photo…
A typical Dublin street…
The famous Ha’ Penny Bridge.
Trinity College’s “Book of Kells” was amazing! The Book of Kells, created in 800 AD, is composed of four gospels of the New Testament. The room itself is magnificent!
Glendalough, or the Glen of two lakes, is one of the most important sites of monastic ruins in Ireland. It is also known as the city of the seven Churches. Fourteen centuries have passed since the death of its founder, St. Kevin, when the valley was part of Ireland’s Golden age. For my second full day in Ireland, I booked another day trip, this time through a company called Collins Day Tours. My friend Teresa was my beautiful model…
These trees were kinda trippy!
I’ve began collecting photographs of people taking selfies!
The moody skies were the perfect backdrop for the 6th Century monastic settlement, providing just the right atmospheric setting!
The Cliffs of Moher, located 3 hours from Dublin on the West coast of Ireland, rising over 750 feet at their highest point, are one of Ireland’s most spectacular sights! As a day trip from Dublin, it makes for a long day (12 hours round-trip with stops), but an unforgettable one! We were fortunate to have beautiful weather, a bit windy with temperatures near 70 degrees. The rugged and stunning scenery was simply gorgeous!
Walking from one end to the other along the paths was invigorating after the bus ride…
I booked the trip through a company called Irish Day Tours and the guide’s accent was charming! He warned against standing on the edges because tourists have either fallen or the cliff has given way.
My friend Teresa looking lovely as usual!
At the bottom of a steep yet very narrow and winding road in the town of Loveland, Ohio, stands a medieval castle named Chateau Laroche (aka Loveland Castle & Museum). Built by Harry Andrews, a former World War I army veteran, who acquired the land in 1927 and began construction in 1929, it was a labor of love.
Andrews carried tons of stones in an estimated 56,000 five-gallon pails from the Little Miami Riverbed upon which the Castle sits and made bricks by pouring concrete into old milk cartons.
It was during his tour of duty in Europe that Andrews fell in love with castles. Upon his return, he formed the Knights of the Golden Trail (KOGT), a group he said would be dedicated to helping save civilization, which he felt had seriously eroded. Their code of conduct is simply to follow the Ten Commandments.
Working on the castle every weekend until he retired in 1955 at the age of 65, and then full-time, the castle was Andrews’ life work.
The castle boasts a great hall, a banquet hall, an armory, a bedroom for Andrews, a watchtower, and a real dungeon with cells. Some of the rooms are full of memorabilia from the dark ages. Continue reading
Lake Erie has a tiny two by four mile island — “Put-in-Bay“, known as Ohio’s premier summer-time party spot, located only 20 minutes by ferry from mainland. Every year my friends and I organize a long weekend away that usually includes relaxation, hiking, good food, fun, and a hot tub! We enjoyed our trip to Put-in-Bay so much last year, we decided to return for this year’s annual get-away.
This shot was taken early Saturday morning just as the sun was rising…
Friday morning we drove from Cincinnati and caught the 12:30pm Miller Ferry ride (during high season they conveniently leave every 30 minutes) to the island. We left our car parked (it’s free) in their lot and carried our bags on board.
Once on the island, having reserved a golf cart (the preferred method of transport on the island) through Miller Marina, we were able to fit six women and all of our stuff on it! Yes…it was only for the weekend!
We stayed at the Island Club Condos aka Put-in-Bay Condos at a beautiful end unit with a view of the pool and Lake Erie to the left. Our two-bedroom/two-bath condo was perfect!
Put-in-Bay’s split personality ensures that everyone has an unforgettable time…think Gatlinburg and Key West on steroids! While exploring the island with your fun mobile, make frequent stops for shopping, dining at one of the colorful outdoor cafes while listening to live music, and cooling off at a swim-up bar with a frozen tropical beverage in hand. When or if your senses become overloaded from the people watching and intoxicating excitement, hop back on your cart to experience the other side of Put-in-Bay, where you’ll find serene and tranquil spots to gaze at the sailboats gliding by on the glistening blue lake.
When we weren’t out exploring, you could usually find us out on the patio enjoying nature…
I arrived to my Cousin Steve’s farm late on Tuesday evening after spending the afternoon exploring the gorgeous Amish countryside in Holmes County, Ohio. His farm is in Mt. Vernon, Ohio, almost 1 1/2 hrs. Southwest of Holmes County, on the way back to Cincinnati. I’ve only visited once before, a few years ago, so I was looking forward to it! As we brought my overnight bag into his home, the setting sun caught my eye, glowing gold behind bottles on his kitchen windowsill…
Steve took me on a tour of his place. His cute bunny rabbits…
His friendly horse…
and inquisitive cow…
Monday afternoon I decided last-minute to take a 3 1/2 hr. drive Northeast of Cincinnati to Holmes County, Ohio to visit the Amish countryside. On the road by 11am Tuesday, the drive took me past rolling pastureland, through small Midwestern towns, with names like Utica and Stillwell. Listening to an audiobook on tape, I would alternate my attention from the book to the passing scenery. I was excited to finally have a peek into the somewhat guarded and secretive life of the Amish. I spotted my first Amish horse and buggy in Danville, about 30 minutes from my first stop in Millersburg. When I finally arrived at the Chamber of Commerce in Millersburg to pick up some information, the excitement was building. My route was to travel 7 miles on to Berlin, 4 miles to Walnut Creek, 6 miles to Sugarcreek, 8 miles to Farmerstown, and 4 miles to Charm.
I had read that the Amish don’t like having their photograph taken, so when I saw this gentleman coming down the road in Farmerstown, I jumped out of my car, pointing to my camera as I gestured my question. He shook his head “yes”.
This couple was passing my vehicle on a back country road in Charm. The outside corners of their lips are turned upward in a small smile….
I couldn’t have picked a nicer summer day to be taking my tour. The sky was a brilliant blue with puffy white clouds and a light breeze brought scents of freshly cut grass and wildflowers through my open car windows. A couple of times my eyes pricked with happy tears for the beauty I was bearing witness to.
Everywhere I looked, well-tended farms sat on hillsides or in the valleys surrounded by green and blue. The only sound within these peaceful communities was the clip clop of the horses’ hooves making contact with the road as they transported the Amish to and fro…
Three weeks doesn’t seem like a long time, but as I look back through the moments captured in time, I realize that “time” is a tricky thing. I started a temporary (mostly full-time) job working for the Census Bureau and got bit by a rather large dog the first week. Luckily, he just left a small abrasion and bruise on my forearm. I was a trooper and got the interview…they probably felt bad for me. I took the position because I can make my own hours and work around my photography assignments. Speaking of photography, here are some of my photos for my own business. My friend Teresa (pictured on the left) hosted a surprise birthday party for one of her daughters (next to her) and retained me to take photos at the event. The other two women are also her daughters…aren’t they all so beautiful! Dusk was falling and for the shot, I asked them to put their heads close together…
Later in the evening (after a drink or two) they were willing participants for this shot…
The birthday girl is dating one of my friends, who went with me to Europe last year for a month. Don’t they make a cute couple…
One of my husband’s co-workers needed his son’s senior graduation photos taken. I call this one “Head in the Clouds”…
Two of my photographs of local wineries have been bought by Great Lakes Publishing! They’re the parent company of a variety of publications, including Ohio Magazine. I received an e-mail a while back concerning the second photograph taken at Vinoklet Winery and after inquiring as to their interest in other winery photos in the area, they loved this photograph taken at Meranda-Nixon Winery in Ripley. In the past couple of years, I’ve had a variety of people ask if they could use a particular photo for brochures and other uses, including one for a publication concerning climate change in Africa. In fact, a few months ago, a lady asked if a photograph I took of Ault Park (third photo) could be used for the wall of a building that wasn’t quite completed in Downtown Cincinnati, and agreed to give me photo credit (“Sherry Lachelle Photography“) on the wall. Having a strong presence on the internet helps put your photography out there for those searching!
Meranda-Nixon Winery, Ripley, Ohio
Vinoklet Winery, Colerain, Ohio
Ault Park, Cincinnati, Ohio
Social media is amazing!
The Cincinnati Flower Show, hosted by the Cincinnati Horticultural Society, kicked off its 26th year with a profusion of breathtaking floral beauty! According to the Society, it “dedicates itself to promoting the environmental, aesthetic, and educational benefits for parks and green spaces, and to providing opportunities for the enjoyment and appreciation of nature and horticulture.” The show has evolved into five days of garden-inspired shopping, international exhibitors and judges, guest speakers, nature inspired art, and gardening activities.
This year’s exhibition is set up along the Ohio River at Yeatman’s Cove and you’ll find tents filled with floral displays, dramatic table settings, and creative and unique container gardens. So many ideas for transforming your own gardens into a spectacular space!
The tents provided a nice backdrop for my favorite flower…the tulip!
Cincinnati’s infamous Findlay Market (farmer’s market) was used as inspiration in this display…
The ninth annual Dancing for the Stars event was held April 11th at Cincinnati Music Hall. Pairing eight Cincinnati celebrities with some of the area’s finest professional dancers to raise funds for Cincinnati Arts Association’s Overture Awards and Arts Education Programs. I took more than 200 photographs, as the freelance photographer for Cincinnati Refined. After taking some posed shots of people at the event, I found a spot on the dance floor hugging the sideline, and the dancing began. First up, the professional dancers tangoed and fox trotted their way around the floor, entertaining guests with dramatic swings and finales!
The settings on my Nikon D5100 were ISO 3200, Shutter 125 and Aper 5.6. I knew a shutter speed of 125 can help stop action, and because I didn’t want to use flash, I knew I would need to have a high ISO speed and sacrifice some resolution of the photos.
Before I even dreamed of becoming an Event Photographer, I was living the life of one. Most everywhere I’d go, you would find me taking photographs of people, things, and the beauty around us, and it was something I truly loved! They say, find something you’d do for free, that you’re good at, are passionate about and doors will open. The door opened for me through Twitter almost 18 months ago. A friend saw a tweet from a local online magazine for Channel 12 in Cincinnati and notified me. I met with the Editor and was hired as a Freelance photographer and occasional Travel Writer. With almost 40 events and 15 articles under my belt, it’s been a great experience and I continue to learn and grow.
Because I live about 35 minutes from downtown Cincinnati, I usually drive at least that far to an event, and spend about 90 minutes at the event, taking atmosphere shots and at least 20 posed photos of people. At home, I upload the photos to Lightroom, do a little cropping, etc., and then upload them onto the magazine’s sight, along with captions and names. I find the difficult part of the job to be writing down all of the names at the event. It’s usually loud (i.e. music playing, etc.), and there are some funky (hard to spell) names out there. As in life, you take the not so good with the great! Here are some of the events from February and March.
Prohibition Party at The Woodward Theater
Bockfest in Over-the-Rhine, Cincinnati, Ohio
(my hands were freezing that day)
Celestial Ball (a benefit for Cincinnati Children’s Hospital) at the Duke Energy Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Encore after party at the University Club Continue reading
Sherry Lachelle Travels 