May 20 2012

Grant & Ruthie {Dodgeville & Madison Engagement Session}

It has been said that we need just three things in life: Something to do, something to look forward to and someone to love ~ Mayo Angelou

Grant & Ruthie…a facebook match made in heaven. Well, sort of. Ruthie started a facebook group to grow interest in building an indoor bicycling track in Madison, i.e. a velodrome! Grant found the group and was very interested in the velodrome project. He still is…but he’s more interested in Ruthie.

This pair shares plenty of interests–cycling, beer, being outdoors, and adventures. So it was my fortune to shoot their engagement session (Part 1) at Governor Dodge State Park outside of Dodgeville. With the skies looking ominous for an April downpour, I knew we’d be in luck as Grant is a legend in the cycling circuits for his rain dance. Before the storm hit, we were able to snap a few photos by Stephens Falls and Twin Valley Lake.

We set up a rain check for a month later, when the May weather felt like summer in Madison. A perfect night to retrace their first date…drinks at Brasserie V. And then, the real fun began…Orange Crush (their gorgeous commuter bike) made its appearance and we cruised on over to the Mendota lakeshore for a trip through the woods and along the water. The love, the happiness, the laughter–these two are continually smiling and laughing with each other. It’s a bit contagious, too, and my cheeks hurt from smiling with them. Their wedding day is sure to be full of fun, love and lots of laughter.

Grant & Ruthie, your future is so bright. You have so many things to do, with someone you love dearly… with so much to look forward to.

Travel Series: Europe {Where We’re Staying}

Part I of the Travel Series here.

So…how did we decide where to stay and what to see? We relied on pinterest for a lot of inspiration. Once we had a rough idea of where we wanted to go, we narrowed it down using TripAdvisor forums. And in the end…this is the itinerary we arrived at. If you’ve been to any of these places, we’d love to hear your input on what to eat, see and do!

Day 1: Annika arrives in Vienna. Spend the night here: Imperial Riding School Renaissance Vienna Hotel.

Source: Uploaded by user via Annika on Pinterest

Day 2-3: From Vienna we’ll head over to Salzburg, via Hallstatt.

Source: flickr.com via Annika on Pinterest

Our hotel in Salzburg, Hotel Sallerhof:

Source: sallerhof.com via Annika on Pinterest

While in Salzburg, we’ll most certainly be playing tourist for the Sound of Music tour (a classic, yes?)

Source: sallerhof.com via Annika on Pinterest

And we’ll check out Hitler’s Eagle Nest

Source: visit-salzburg.net via Annika on Pinterest

Day 4-5: From Salzburg we’ll head south–going through Lichtenstein, Germany, Switzerland, and end up in Bellagio, Italy. On the way we’ll hopefully see this near Fussen:

Source: google.com via Annika on Pinterest

In Bellagio we’ll be staying at Il Perlo Panorama, with gorgeous views of Lake Como.

Source: hotelilperlobellagio.it via Annika on Pinterest

Still figuring out how we’ll celebrate my birthday…but I think a day on the lake sounds like a great idea.

Day 6-9: Leaving Lake Como might be tough, but not when you’re ending up in Cinque Terre for 4 days! On the way, we’ll stop in the beautiful Portofino.

Source: une-deuxsenses.blogspot.com via Erica on Pinterest

And then begins my version of heaven on earth: Cinque Terre.

Source: photobotos.com via Annika on Pinterest

The apartment we’re staying in doesn’t have a website, but was through the recommendation of my friend who stayed in the building next door. (Thanks, Dano!)

My sister and I plan on hiking between all 5 Cinque Terre fishing villages, sea kayaking, and taking at least a thousand pictures.

Day 10-11: From Manarola we’ll head to the Chianti Region of Tuscany. Rough life, I know.We’ll be staying at Relais Vignale with views like this

Source: Uploaded by user via Erica on Pinterest

Day 12: From Radda we’ll head into the city of Florence and stay at Hilton Garden Inn (thanks to my work travel, member points pay off). Hopefully we’ll get a photo like this…

Source: Uploaded by user via Annika on Pinterest

Day 13: From Florence, we’ll make our way to Venice to spend a few hours checking out the floating city

Source: google.com via Annika on Pinterest

and from there on to Slovenia and Lake Bled. We’ll be staying at Pension Bled and plan on hiking the Vintgar Gorge & checking out Lake Bled.

Source: slovenia.info via Annika on Pinterest

Source: i.images.cdn.fotopedia.com via Annika on Pinterest

Day 14: Our final day we’ll travel from Bled back to Vienna and stay near the airport at Hotel Das Reinisch.

We’d love input on restaurants, vineyards, things to do & see. Let me know if you’ve been in any of these areas!

Travel Series: Europe {Planning the Trip}

In 6 weeks I will be en route to Vienna, Austria to embark on a whirlwind two-week adventure with my youngest sister who is studying abroad there for a month. Her and I have talked about this sort of trip since we were very young, and it’s finally come to fruition. After what feels like months of planning, I think I’m ready to just be there.

As I’ve been asked by a number of people how the planning process is going, I’m going to do a recap before & after the trip, to document what I’ve done so far and what worked (after the trip).

{Our Route through Europe}

Planning- my process

Step 1. Determine your budget.

Do you plan on staying in hostels or 5 star resorts, train or car, buy from market or eat out? Your budget is a good starting point to determine the length of the trip, as well.

Step 2. Set the dates of your trip. Make sure you can take this much time off from work/school.

Step 3. Set up a spreadsheet, calendar, list–whatever your preference is–to jot down ideas and places you want to go. Some people choose to know their arrival and departure dates, and determine the rest when they arrive. This is not me. I would much rather know that I have a nice hotel to sleep in and things to do and see.

I utilized Google Docs (now Google Drive) to create a calendar spreadsheet of each day and where we’d be staying. Since we have 14 days to cover 6 countries, we will be busy girls! (Feel free to email me if you would like a copy of my spreadsheet.)

Step 4. Research. Gather info. Plan.

Tripadvisor.com soon became my favorite website and app. As did Rick Steves’ Europe. I utilized these forums for tips on planning, packing, what to wear, what to see, etc. I also can’t thank my friends & family enough for the countless emails I’ve sent to those who have traveled through these same regions.

It’s also crucial at this time to figure out if you will be traveling by car or train through Europe. We chose car, as we’ll be going to many ‘off the train route’ areas.

Another great tip during this phase of planning is to find a credit card that has no foreign transaction fees or mastercard/visa fees. I got the Capitol One Venture and couldn’t be happier. This article helped me make my decision.

Oh, and how can I forget Pinterest!? My sister and I made a board where both she and I could post our ideas. We actually chose our stop in Slovenia simply because of a photo of Lake Bled.

Source: i.images.cdn.fotopedia.com via Annika on Pinterest

Step 5. Talk with your travel companions.

In my case, my sister and I had many Skype conversations to figure out what exactly we wanted to do and see. I wanted to make sure we were on the same page, and if one of us wanted to see something really badly–I made it happen. Luckily, we have very similar interests.

Step 6. Make reservations

I chose to book everything in advance of our trip, as we’ll be in some popular destinations in June. I was very particular about where to stay in Cinque Terre and Lake Como. Who am I kidding, I was pretty picky about every single location–but I really wanted to ensure we got the best hotel for our $$. When making reservations, I utilized my good ol’ buddy Ebates.com (for cash back) and hotels.com (they simply offered the highest amount of $$ back). I used Economy Car Rentals for the car reservation, as they had the easiest process for the Eastern European countries (Slovenia) that we’ll be visiting. During my research I realized that many other car rental agencies had high fees hidden in the terms & service. Read that closely! Another perk of the Capitol One Venture is it does cover the car insurance, so I can waive that with the rental company. Oh, and avoid the pick up and drop off locations being in different countries. The fee for that is pretty outrageous (sometimes over 500 Euro/$650). That’s more than our 2 week car rental total!

Step 7. Start thinking about what to pack/bring/wear.

I already had a recent passport, so I was all set there. I did, however, need to get an International Driving Permit (IDP) as this is required by some car rental agencies. Not all require it, but I’ve heard that if you have an accident, they take your US Driver’s License. I’m fine with them taking my international driving permit, instead.You can get the $15 IDP from your local AAA office in person or by sending in a form and two passport style photos. Don’t act too fast though–the permit should be issued within 6 months of your trip, and it does expire after one year. You can read more about IDPs here.

I plan on packing only a carry-on rolling suitcase and a large cross body tote that will fit under the seat in front of me on the plane.

I won’t be bringing my MacBook Pro, but instead will try to create a workflow for photo management using my iPad 2, CF to iPad converter, and Dropbox/Google Drive/cloud storage. I will have my Canon 7D body with, and only my 10-20 mm f/4-5.6 and my 24-70 mm f/2.8. I don’t think I’ll have much use for my 70-200 mm f/2.8 while I’m there.

As for what to wear, I’ll let you know when I return how my clothing selection went. I know it’ll be HOT in Italy, but may be cooler up in Austria.

This should be a good start…stay tuned for my next Travel Series post about where we’re heading. A post before we go, followed up by a review after we return. Does pinterest make it look better than reality? We shall find out!

Bittersweet Endings & New Beginnings

Is it possible to be passionate about more than one career or field in your life? I sure hope so, because I’m living it.

While my photography career fuels my creative energy and fulfills the visual part of my brain…my cancer research career fuels my love of science and desire to continually learn.

With mixed emotions, I’m hanging up my clinical research associate hat and on Monday I’ll be gearing up for my next role as a medical science liaison. I say mixed emotions because I wholeheartedly LOVE what I do as a CRA. I love my colleagues across the country and around the globe. I love the sites I work with. I love the doctors, nurses and study staff. I love learning. I love the difference I make. I’m a helper by nature, so this role feels natural and easy for me. But, it’s time for me to move on and make a difference in a new way (luckily at my same company, working with the same sites, and interacting with the same people–just in a different capacity).

And to give you some background, because it usually takes me a good 5-10 minutes to explain to people what I do…

A CRA…

- monitors clinical trials. (You know how the FDA in the US regulates our prescription drugs? In order to get FDA approval to sell those, drugs need to go through a series of clinical trials to show safety & efficacy.)

-ensure compliance to the research protocol

- make visits to hospitals & clinics (in my case, cancer centers) and meet with doctors, nurses and other study staff to educate them on our trial, compound under research, and monitor patient’s records.

- often works in the field or in a home based office (both a blessing and a curse)

As I’ve been working from home for nearly the past 4.5 years, I can say it’s a blessing and a curse. Yes, it’s great that there are days I can stay in my yoga pants and t-shirt all day…BUT I also feel that because my office is right upstairs–I’m always tempted to work. Work never leaves when it’s in your home. Finding a work-life balance is something I continue to strive for. (This is likely a struggle for professional photographers who work out of their home, and all others’ that tele-commute)

Since both Matthew (an environmental engineer) and I work from home, I found this article in TIME so intriguing.

Their tips for working remotely:

1. Get Organized

This is a no brainer for any career, yes? To be efficient, I stay organized.

2. Check in with your manager frequently

I would say this depends on your manager. Some are micro managers and others are very hands off. Determine where your manager falls in between.

3. Push yourself to network

Your peers, colleagues, external and internal customers — they are all valuable resources and people full of information. Why not share and network and grow in the process? You’d be surprised just how small our world is.

4. Take Breaks and get fresh air

This is my new goal that I need to work on. Find time to get out of the house in the middle of the day to get fresh air or have lunch outside. Heck, just take a break for lunch away from my desk. Like I said, having work at home makes it hard to step away.

5. Work in a productive space

I need to work at my desk with my to do lists spread out and all of my supplies at my fingertips. On the occassion that I’m not at home, I’ll find quiet alcoves at the cancer center or rooms where I’m by myself. I don’t do well with others’ talking in the room or other noises distracting me. Matthew, on the other hand, can work at our kitchen table, on the couch, in his office…every day is a different setting.

6. Use collaboration tools

I’m a huge fan of Google docs and Google’s shared calendars. We don’t have the luxury of using that at work, but oh how I can dream! We do utilize shared web space. And one of my new favorite photography tools is Dropbox for sharing of large files.

7. Respond to emails quickly

Again, this is a no brainer, right? Common courtesty is to be prompt and respond right away. Most of my colleagues know that if they haven’t heard from me in a day–to send out a search party. With technology at our fingertips, I can usually have 2-3 devices tell me when I have email. I strive to answer emails same day and keep my inbox to zero at the end of the day.

As my last day as a CRA winds down, I want to remember the emotions I’m feeling. Feeling torn between happy and sad. Excited for the next chapter and thankful for all I’ve learned over the past 4.5 years. I’ve worked with incredible individuals who have a desire to make a change in the cancer world. I’m inspired on a daily basis. And I hope I’ve provided a positive, lasting impact on all those I’ve encountered through this career. While I don’t get to work with the patients directly, I hope my efforts have a trickle down effect.

So…onward and upward I will go. With my eyes wide open and heart ready to fall in love with a new venture. Reminding myself that any change will create some anxiety, even if it’s a good change.

Grateful and humbled by all I’ve learned and all I’ve yet to learn.

Annika

Harvard, Being Above Average, & Happiness {TED talk by Shawn Achor}

TED talks are becoming my new favorite thing. In 2012 I may not be a student any longer, but I will be educated by the inspirational speakers I’ve watched on TED.

One of my new favorite speakers is Shawn Achor.

About Shawn: “Shawn Achor, author of The Happiness Advantage, spent over a decade at Harvard University where he won numerous distinguished teaching awards for his work. He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard and earned a Masters from Harvard Divinity School in Christian and Buddhist ethics. In 2006, he was Head Teaching Fellow for “Positive Psychology,” the most popular course at Harvard at the time. In 2007, Shawn founded Good Think Inc. to share his research with a wider population. When the global economy collapsed in 2008, Shawn was immediately called in as an expert by the world’s largest banks to help restart forward progress. Subsequently, Shawn has spoken in 45 countries to a wide variety of audiences: bankers on Wall Street, students in Dubai, CEOs in Zimbabwe. Shawn’s research on happiness and human potential have received attention from the Harvard Business Review, New York Times, Forbes, CNN, and NPR.”

Before we jump into his talk, I wanted to lay the groundwork for why his words really mean something to me. And why I think it should matter for everyone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have you ever felt like you needed to do one more thing to be happy–get better grades, get into a top tier school, land the dream job, meet your soulmate, buy your dream house? And then, once you get there–you’re still not happy? You’re simply making new goals and re-defining ‘success’ so you’re never quite happy in.the.moment. Anyone? No? Just me?

Shawn taught at Harvard when I was a student (online) there in 2006. I remember when I was ‘accepted’ into graduate bio-statistics there and I remember how happy I was when I got an A from Harvard. But then it was–if you got an A at Harvard, you better get a 4.0 through your entire graduate program. Do better. Do more. Then you’ll find happiness.

In a 3 month time frame in 2007, during one of my darkest points in my life, I came to a realization that happiness does not come from success. You can be accepted into the graduate program of your dreams, have your dream job, own a house and still find ‘more more more’ that you need to strive for. Happiness does not come from success. Success is the result of being happy, positive, and optimistic.

My favorite quotes from the talk…

“If we study what is merely average, we will remain merely average.”

“[It’s] the lens through which your brain views the world that shapes your reality. And if we can change the lens, not only can we change your happiness, we can change every single educational and business outcome at the same time.”

The 5 steps he provides to ‘train your brain to be more positive’ are short, sweet and simple. And I didn’t even realize it at the time, but in 2007, these principles are what shifted my life.

1. Write down 3 things you are grateful for every.single.day. (for 21 days–you will rewire your brain. Pretty awesome, huh?)

2. Journal.

3. Exercise.

4. Meditate.

5. Practice random acts of kindness.

Check out Shawn’s funny, educational, and uplifting talk and let me know what you think.

Do you already live your life following this mantra or do you need to adopt some of these practices?

I’d love to hear about your tipping point and how positivity, optimism, happiness and success are now defined in your life.

Driftless Living Photography | Southwestern Wisconsin Lifestyle Photography | Annika Swenson »

Grant & Ruthie {Dodgeville & Madison Engagement Session}

It has been said that we need just three things in life: Something to do, something to look forward to and someone to love ~ Mayo Angelou

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Travel Series: Europe {Planning the Trip}

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Bittersweet Endings & New Beginnings

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Harvard, Being Above Average, & Happiness {TED talk by Shawn Achor}

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