Destination Weddings : Getting Married in one of these places? Hop aboard for an insane discount!9/1/2017 Hi there! I'm Lindsey and I run this blog and the photography company Lo Photo, LLC where I shoot weddings and lifestyle portraits. I'm a destination Wedding photographer focused mainly in Charleston, SC and Seattle, WA. I have some amazing places in mind that I just cannot wait to photograph a special elopment or ceremony at and because I simply can't wait I'm offering an INSANE deal to any couple down for an epic adventure!
My normal wedding packages range from $2200-$3200 but if you are looking to get married in one of the following destinations, I am offering a package for $300 plus travel fees! (Win! Win! Winning!)
Your package would include location scouting, documentation of your entire wedding day (start to finish) as well as other details from your vacation if you would like.
Contact me for more information and to discuss your BIG DAY! Email: LoPhoto@live.com Portfolio: www.Lo-Photos.com <3 LO
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Below is a list of the equipment I use. (Updated in July 2017)
All photos are active links to products on Amazon prime (Cheers to free 2 day shipping!)
This is my second time shooting Susan & I can't get enough of this girl. She's so much fun & truly a pleasure to photograph. This time we went to the Americano, a trendy little diner located in the heart of Mount Pleasant. Every corner turned into the perfect space with the prettiest colors. The green trees, colorful flowers & bright hanging lights made the best background for Susan. 
  I recently had the opportunity to visit Sam Rueter, a Charleston based artist, in her studio located in the Redux Contemporary Art building. It was so cool to experience first hand how Sam creates these stunning abstract paintings. Her careful choice of color, unique brushstrokes, and strong focus indicated just how passionate about she is about her work. I highly recommend checking out Sam's incredible pieces either at Redux or through her online shop!    
 The inspiration for this shoot was my black hat from Free People, and this brick wall. That is it. But man did we get a ton of great pics! Check out the gorgeous Susan who strolled some little Charleston alleys with me last week! One thing I've been doing more of lately is shooting women and every time I do, I realize how in love with it I am! I'm opening up shoots for women of all ages, lets go find some light and make you feel beautiful in your own skin, no matter where you are at in life! Contact me to book a session! Hello@LindseyO.com I've also been getting questions about doing 1 on 1 photo mentoring to teach people how to use their DSLR and shoot in manual. I'm bringing my session back, if you're interested, check it out here! 
 
Video - DJI Mavic Pro + Canon 5d Mark iii Photos - Canon 5d mark iii Model - Audrey Smoak Song - Twenty Something (Remix) - Lucian Styled, Photographed, Video by Lindsey O.  
 
 
Colonia Colonia was the CUTEST little town which is accessible via ferry from Buenos Aires, Argentina. The city was full of old cars, historical architecture, and vibrant colors + pastels.   
  
 
     
 
 
 Bodegas Carrau WineryHere we got to learn all about how they run their family business, the history, the challenges, the domestic sales, and the importation. We also go to tour the winery and get an amazing tasting!
    
MontevideoI loved Montevideo! It was much less crowded and a lot cleaner, safer, and more active feeling than Buenos Aires was. They have a beach lining the whole city and it is always full of people on the move! 
         
     I spent about 4 days in Buenos Aires, working with businesses in many industries and learning about the economy, challenges, and opportunities the people and businesses deal with on a daily basis. Check out the photos from a few spots around town! 
 
        
 
             Oliva & Ryan have been married for almost 2 years now. Their way of celebrating? Riding the vespa around the park, feeding the ducks, & popping a bottle of champagne.. makes for the perfect evening if you ask me! Check out these Italian inspired photos around Hampton Park! 
Want to see behind the scenes?My friend Christopher Dobey (instagram @christopherdobey) tagged along to make a video of a day in my life shooting portraits. Check it out! Welcome to Cusco, Peru - where the weather hardly changes year round, you're at 11k feet, the air is cold, the beer and wine are plentiful, and guinea pigs are for dinner!                         
 
       
 Kristi and Brian brought their family and friends to Sedona, AZ (one of their favorite places to visit) to witness their wedding. They were also kind enough to bring me to photograph it. The genuine love and friendships these two share is EPIC. I can't say enough positive things. Check out some of my photos below, and check out more at Lo-Photos.com
        
  
 
 
            
   
  From Cusco, it is a 3 hour drive to get to the Vinicunca mountains. This was by far my favorite experience in Peru. The hike is hard, its about 3 hours each way and goes from 12,000 to 17,000 feet in elevation. This was my first experience with this elevation and the low oxygen levels really take a toll on your ability. At the top of the mountain, I could only take bout 10 steps at a time before having to stop from being dizzy. The views at the top were so incredible and so worth it. What made this day so memorable for me was not only the views but the journey. The hike through the mountains felt so untouched and genuine. We were walking through these people's villages and seeing their daily life the entire way which to me made this day amazing. I've included many photos of the things I saw along the journey, as well as the photos of the rainbow mountain - each outstandingly incredible! How to get there? I paid about $35 for a company in Cusco to shuttle us there and back. They also took us to a small village on the way to eat a locally made breakfast (before) and lunch (after). I would definitely recommend booking once you are in Cusco, as some of the companies online are charging $180 for the same exact service. Once you are a bit into the hike, you can pay about $20 to have a horse and guide take you towards Rainbow Mountain and back, where the horse is able to.
  
                 
      
       
                    
            
       OK, can this place be any more magical?!? Maccu Picchu is one of those bucket list travel destinations for me, so when I found out I was going to Argentina, I signed myself up for an extra week in Peru.  To get to Maccu Picchu, you have to fly into Lima, Peru (I suggest staying a while!) and then fly into Cusco, Peru. From Cusco you take a car to Ollantaytambo, located in the Sacred Valley, and the board a train to Aguas Calientes. Here are some of the photos from the trip up. The Journey from Cusco to Maccu Picchu
  And then we arrived at this magical place in the clouds...
 
 
          
  
  
    Hope you enjoyed these photos! Make sure to check out my print store over at www.LindseyO.com where these will be added soon!
On a last note, visiting Maccu Picchu during rainy season was indescribably lucky. I was there with a handful of people as compared to the 10,000/day that visit during most of the year (the dry months) who are only allowed to stay for 2 hours and must go with a guide. It took a few hours for the clouds to break and rain to stop but I can't image having seen this place any other way. On my recent trip to Latin America we visited a variety of business in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Montevideo, Uruguay. Here's a little description of each! Business in ArgentinaAcindarAcindar produces steel used in agriculture, civil construction, the automotive, railroad, and mining industries, as well as many other industries. Acindar was founded in 1942, and is based in Buenos Aires, employing over 2600 direct employees at 5 sites across Argentina. Since 2008, they are a part of ArcelorMittal, the number 1 steel producing group in the world, operating in over 60 countries with around 300,000 employees. Acindar Grupo Arcelor Mittal has a 60% market share of long carbon steel in Argentina, making them the leading producer. Acinder was founded in October of 1942 in response to the steel shortage caused by World War II. Their first plan was in Rosario City, Santa Fe and had around 450 workers, producing 3500 tons of steel during its first year. After many years of growth, the plant upgraded in size. Following this, Acinder acquired the Santa Rosa company and merged with the Germendi firm. They also opened a new plant in Villa Mercedes, San Luis producing steel mesh and nails. All of this put Acinder in a great global position allowing another merger with the Brazilian Belgo Mineira company (part of the Acelor group). Acelor and Mittal companies, both leaders in steel production, constituted AcerlorMittal which is not the #1 steel producing group in the world, manufacturing over 100million tons per year (10% of the world production). Acindar has five plants in Argentina located in Rosario, San Luis, Villa Constitucion, San Nicolas, and La Tablada. They produce a range of non flat steel products including wires, cables, and tubes. Other examples include billets, beams, cold drawn and hot-rolled bars, welded meshes, and wire rod. Thy also produce cut rebar and nails. Acindar has an annual capacity of about 1.3 million tons. They mostly operate in Argentina, but have a manufacturing facility in Brazil, and a commercial office in Uruguay. Their production is mostly exported to South American countries, and they have about 38% domestic sales. Axion PowerAxion is in the oil & gas industry. 45% of their business comes from retail sales like gas stations. They have lots of business to business sales such as licensing to produce Mobil (Exxon)'s and Toyota motor oil. Recently, the goverment has called for non conventional energy supplies. Axion currently uses about 15% from other sources such as hydraulic but are still very 85%) dependent on fossil fuel in Argentina. They are always looking for new ways to turn their waste into cash producing materials. They were the first company to come out with paying for your gas via an app, so the driver never has to exit their vehicle at the gas station. Bragging point: They have a 2% better consumption rate than Shell via the additive they add to their gasoline. Capital MarketsCapital Markets is a firm that invests their customer money globally. This is a huge deal in Argentina right now because inflation is so high (40% last year). This means, if customers don't invest their money, they are loosing money each year (equal to the effect of inflation). So their savings account is worth less year after year. This is why Capital Markets chooses to invest on the global scale. GlobantGlobant is an IT consulting firm, and their office was decorated with video games, fun colors, a meeting room in a ball pit, and ping pong tables. They moved from being just consultants to actually providing full solutions. They work with companies like National Geographic, FIFA, Southwest, American Express, Coke, and Disneyland. They have offices all around the globe including the United States and are similar to companies like Deloitte and Accenture in terms of their niche. They focus on providing a "digital journey" which is a series of interactions based on dependencies. They don't want to just provide an application, but a journey of these inter dependencies and interactions that work seamlessly to meet customers needs that they may not even know they had. VolkswagenWe visited the Volkswagen factory in Buenos Aires where they produce 3 different vehicles including a cute little Volkswagen truck that is very popular, however not available in the United States. Their factory produces the cars very quickly, and was very clean. We got to see the entire process from assembly to testing, to painting which only takes about 2 days. Business in UruguayBodegas Carrau WineryOK, this was my favorite stop :) We visited the Bodegas Carrau family winery and it was VERY impressive. We got to see the entire process from harvesting grapes to making and bottling wine and champagne. Most impressive was their ability to keep their business in the family, as that can bring many complications. They have had 10 generations now, over 260 years of wine making. They started in 1752 in Cataluna, Spain, and in 1930 in Uruguay. They export about 50% of their wine to Brazil and 25% to the United States. I bought a bottle of the Tannat Reserve. Tannat is a rare grape that has a ton of antioxidants, super good for you! Why do business in UruguayIn South America, Uruguay...
Uruguay's Free Trade zonesFree trade zones in Uruguay offer..
ZonamericaZonamerica is a private free trade zone. They house companies working in idustry as well as global & logistic services. They are 1 of 11 free trade zones currently in Uruguay. Their profit model is that they built an entire community of roads, buildings, parks, etc and lease spaces, with the infrastructure companies need to operate. They also can help companies with their IT, data centers, and HR. The next 2 company visits are both located in and realizing the benefits of Zonamerica. Costa OrientalCosta Oriental is a logistics company who store their customers items while they are going through the processes involved with importing goods across South America. They coordinate with distributors (they don't actually distribute themself) and also can do value added activities such as customizing products to a specific country destination by installing the correct power cords and including the proper language instructions. Products stay here for about a month while their companies (ex. Loreal, Estee Lauder, Nike) wait to be cleared to import their goods to South American countries. They are located in the Zonamerica free trade zone in Montevideo. SabreSabre is a technology company in the travel industry. They first started as a joint project between American Airlines and IBM when the 2 CEOs sat next to eachother on a plane ride. They were the first company to do online airline bookings. Currently, they help corporations manage corporate travel, help travel agents, etc.
They are headquartered in Dallas Texas (about 4,000 employees) and we visited their office in Montevideo which focused mostly on customer support but also works on things such as business intelligence. OK, so before we dig into why this new "trend" of everyone eating collagen powder will not take away your wrinkles.. lets talk about where this rumor came from.. Social MediaI was on a plane this month headed to South America and sat next to a guy who was getting his PhD. He said the focus of his thesis was about how social media creates narcissistic behavior. After talking with him.. I cannot disagree with much of what he said. People have the ability to choose what is displayed about them on social media, and can create a whole life or business separate from who they actually are, and are all of the sudden "experts" on everything. It is all perception. Take a look at instagram, everybody is either a professional photographer, a fitness instructor and dietitian, a professional model, a business coach, etc. etc. Yes, I fall into this category but the problem lies with creating a FALSE reality. For instance, there are many "businesses" out there that are not businesses at all. They are not paying taxes, they may not even be generating income, and in many cases are not qualified. These are the accounts that are shaping decisions for many consumers and this can be misleading. So lets take a look at the millions of accounts out there claiming to be models, fitness models, fitness instructors, etc. These accounts have anywhere from 20,000 to 5 million followers, mostly girls who are looking to them as inspiration, and are influenced by what they say and promote. You will see a trend among them promoting this new "collagen powder" to drink. Some of these accounts were paid to promote this, and other smaller ones are promoting it for free because the accounts they admire did so. The claims are that this magic drink will improve the health of your skin and take away / prevent wrinkles. If any of these accounts actually had a degree in nutrition, medicine, or science they would know this is simply not true... so let's clear up WHY :) Why it won't work (the science)When you ingest collagen you are ingesting a type of protein. All proteins are composed of amino acids, and are broken down into amino acids in your stomach. Collagen is not going to be digested as collagen, and used by your skin, it will be digested as amino acids just like all other proteins. Marketers are preying on consumers hoping to sell that putting collagen in your body will create more collagen for your body but a little bit of scientific research says this simply is not true.  So, is collagen powder bad for you? No, but it is simply providing you with amino acids which you can get from other forms of protein as well including meat, dairy, etc. Save your bank account from splurging on this super expensive protein and get yourself a well balanced diet! These "collagen powders" are super expensive compared to other forms of protein.. save your money and treat yo self to that new bikini you've been eyeing! If you're still stuck on the whole collagen in / collagen out bandwagon, save yourself some money and buy a gelatin supplement or eat some jello :) yummmmm! In closing...Sorry if this post offends anyone, I think we have all fallen victim to the intense marketing these companies are using via social media. What I want you to get out of this post is that just because you see a pretty girl holding a product in a photo, does not mean you should immediately buy it to be just like her. Do yourself a little research and don't believe everything you see on the internet ;) Dietitians go through a lot of schooling so lets leave the nutrition advice to the professionals, or talk to your doctor!
Historic DistrictWe stayed in the historic district of Lima for 2 days before heading out to Cusco. Definitely not the "tourist" part of Lima as we later found out! So glad that we saw the city, the beautiful architecture, and the way the people of Lima go about their days. 
   
  
    
      MirafloresMiraflores is the "tourist" area in Lima where all the hotels are, lots of restaurants, beaches, surfing, etc. It definitely does not compare or represent the rest of Peru but it was a beautiful way to spend our last day in Peru (long layover).       
 Olivia is one of my good friends here in Charleston, SC. She married Ryan just over a year ago on the weekend of flooding in Charleston. Her wedding was moved indoors and she did not have any portraits from the day, or bridal portraits before/after. I had a vision of bridal portraits with a brilliant pink smoke against a blue backdrop. I immediately thought of the 3 locations I used around Charleston and about Olivia, who had the perfect look and dress for my vision. I feel like so many of the photos taken in Charleston are really similar & traditional, and I wanted to do something really out there! We shot this not as a "trash the dress" session but more of what I'm calling "bless the dress." This was all about having fun and celebrating with focus on color, laughter, sunlight, blue skies, and floral. I designed the flowers with supplies from Hobby Lobby and I used pink smoke bombs to create the effect. Olivia is a person who radiates beauty inside out and I am so happy to provide her with some images in her wedding gown. <3 Photos taken by Lo Photo, LLC Note, from a technical standpoint, I typically avoid taking photos when the sun is out in full force AT ALL COSTS. The weather on this day dramatically changed and I ended up shooting when the sun was the brightest. In the end, I'm super glad this happened because it taught me how to work with even the harshest light. The photos came out in a style that is totally different from what I normally shoot, but I'm happy to have this in my toolbelt now since many weddings I shoot end up having photos taken at this time of day.
 
 In the summer of 2016 I got the chance to spend some time in Zambia. I got to meet several people and learn their roles at the US embassy, met with all types of businesses in the area, trade organizations, and investors I was so intrigued by the amount of opportunity that exists in this country. Many other (non US) countries are taking advantage of this and are building infrastructure in Zambia, starting businesses there, and investing there. China, in particular, is investing here quite a bit from what I saw. But still, when I come back to the United States, everybody views all these many African countries as "Africa" even though they differ greatly.
Zambia impressed me. The people are driven, they want to learn, they want to start businesses, they want to grow their businesses, and they are peaceful. Everyone I met there gave me their business card and asked me for advice, they truly want to do well. Since I visited, I have been curious in how to invest in the Zambian economy. Here is some information that I have found:
OverviewPeru is a South American country bordering the Pacific Ocean, and the countries of Bolivia, Chile, Brazil, Columbia, and Ecuador.1 The land consists of the Andes Mountains, tropical forests, rivers, and peaks including the famous Maccu Picchu.1 Their rivers are mostly originating from these peaks. The Andes Mountains run parallel to the Pacific Ocean. Their Eastern lowlands contain tropical forests which are part of the Amazon basin. 1 During the Pacific War, in 1879 – 1883, Peru lost their southern territory to Chile after they were defeated.3 Peru is a major global producer of metals including Silver, Copper, and gold.2 These extractive industries have created a byproduct, being the evolving industry of Timber in Peru. 2 The United States and Peru have had a free trade agreement since 2005.3 After a 50 year border & trade dispute, an agreement with Ecuador was finally reached in 1998 to open their borders for trade and development.3 Peru’s government is called The Republic of Peru, a constitutional republic. They have a chief of state and a Head of Government, both President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski Godard. The president is elected by majority vote every 5 years.4 Besides the executive branch (President) they also have a judicial branch and a legislative branch. The judicial brand administers justice to uphold law and equal treatment of citizens, and the legislative branch passes laws & treaties and includes loans and budget duties.4 In 1993, they adopted a constitution which gave greater power to the president, and replaced a former socialist constitution.4 Peru is a member of the Andean Community (ANCOM), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).4 Peru is also a member of the UN. Peru has demonstrated peaceful talks rather than aggression in regards to border control. 4 DemographicsDemographically, Peru has a population of over 30.9 million people 5 consisting mostly ages 25-54 (40%) and 0-14 (27%) with a median age of 26 years and a population growth rate of 1%. 6 In terms of ethnic groups, Peru is 45% Amerindian, 37% mixed Amerindian and Caucasian, 15% Caucasian, and 3% other. 1 The population consists mostly (81%) of Roman Catholics. 1 GDP (Gross Domestic Product) is the monetary value of the goods & services produced in a country. According to World Bank as of 2015, Peru has a GDP of over $389 billion.7 This is comprised of mostly services (57%) and industry (35%) with only 7% coming from agriculture. 7 They are ranked 46/193 countries as of 2015 in terms of GDP. 7 Comparing this to neighboring countries, Peru is ahead of Bolivia (GDP of $73 billion, ranked 92/193) and of Ecuador (GDP of $183 billion, ranked 64/193). 9 GDP Per capita measures the average income per person in a country. According to World Bank as of 2015, Peru has a GDP per capita of $12,402. 7 Compare this to what we are used to in the United States ($55,837)10 and this number seems very low. Historically, Peru was a poor and unequal country. In the last 10 years, sustained economic growth has reduced poverty by over 50%, and extreme poverty by 75%. 11 It wasn’t until 2006 that the percent of the population living above the poverty line outnumbered those living below it. 11 The percent of those living above it continues to increase. 11 The disparity between the rich and poor still exists, as Peru’s rural regions are much less wealthy than the urban areas. 11 Indigenous communities lacking in education find home in Peru’s mountain highlands.11 These communities also experience cultural and language barriers with the Coastal areas of Peru. 11 As a whole, the top 20% of Peru’s population holds over half of the wealth while the bottom 60% holds around a quarter of it. 11 The total labor force in Peru was just under 17 million people as of 2014. 7 The jobs exist mostly in services (76%) with 26% of jobs being agricultural. 7 The unemployment rate in Peru is 4.2% (as of 2014). 7 This appears low when we compare to 6.2% in the United States 10 but is quite a bit higher than neighboring country Bolivia with a 2.7% unemployment rate. 8 CultureIndigenous genres and Hispanic influence combine to create a unique culture of foods, crafts, music, and dances in Peru. They have many celebrations and festivals celebrating their culture. Their vibrant artwork is very technically skilled, dates back to ancient times, and includes weaving, wood, stone, gold, pottery, mud, wood, gourds, and silver. 12 Ancient Peruvians used animal bones, reeds, and shells to create sounds for song and dance. 12 The catholic religion has a major influence on Peruvian culture and customs. Like every culture, there are “taboos,” or things that that you should not do because they are disrespectful. In Peru, it is rude to refuse a dinner invitation or to refuse to eat something when you are a guest. You should also avoid resting elbows on tables while eating, and resting your feet on chairs, desks, or tables. 13 Lastly, you should cross your knees at the knee, do not place one of your ankles on the other knee. 13 If you are invited into a Peruvian home, appropriate gifts include flowers, wine, or chocolate, nicely wrapped. 13 When socializing in Peru, going out for a beer at a pub or night club is popular. 13 Drinking and smoking are acceptable with a few caveats. Girls should not be openly drinking and smoking in public, and a single girl should not be out with a group of all boys. 13 Being excessively drunk is not perceived well. 13 In terms of business, Peruvians prefer the “soft sell” as opposed to conflict or confrontation in negotiations. 13 Peruvians tend to be very agreeable during conversation but this does not mean that a deal is made. 13 Highest ranking officers within companies are the decision makers. 13 The dress for work is conservative and formal, and include business suits and dresses. 13 Being on time is not as much of a priority, even in the workplace, as compared to focusing on relationships with others. 13 Peruvians value teamwork and producing quality results. EconomyPeru’s economy focuses primarily on industries of extraction. These include mineral mining & refining, steel, metal fabrication, and the extraction and refining of petroleum. 7 Their major 3 trading partners are the United States, Canada, and China. 7 The top 3 exported goods from Peru are Ores, Precious stones & metals, and oil & mineral fuels. 7 The most important natural resources in Peru are the three metals of Copper, Silver, and Gold. Peru is a main global producer of each of these.2 A by-product of these extractive industries is the timber industry which has begun to make a rise. 2 Fishing is also a major industry in Peru. Peru ranks second (behind China) in terms of weight caught from the ocean, catching almost 10 tons of fish each year. 2 Fish meal is a major export commodity of Peru. 2 As of 2015, Peru’s total exports totaled over $33billion. Of this, China makes up the largest portion, of $7.3billion, followed by the United States ($5 billion), Switzerland ($2.6billion), and Canada ($2.3billion). 15 Other major export partners include Japan, Spain, South Korea, Brazil, Chile, and Germany. 15 The top exported good is Ores, making up $9.9 billion of their exports. Precious stones and metals make up $6billion of their exports, and oil & mineral fuels make up $2.5billion. Other major exports include Copper, Fruit & Nuts, Animal Feeds, Knit apparel, Coffee & Spice, Seafood, and Vegetables. 15 As of 2015, Peru’s total imports totaled over $38billion. 15 Their top import partner is China ($8.6billion), followed by the US ($7.8billion). 15 Other top import partners are all under $2billion and include Brazil, Mexico, Columbia, South Korea, Chile, Germany, Japan, and Ecuador. 15 The top imported goods are industrial machinery, making up $5.5billion of their imports. 15 Other top imported goods include Electrical Machinery ($4.4billion), Oil & Mineral Fuels ($3.9billion), Motor & Vehicle Parts ($3.6billion), plastics, iron & steel, cereals, pharmaceuticals, and rubber. 15 The Currency in Peru is called “Sol” and consists of coins and notes (bills). The Nuevo Sol is divided into 100 centimos, 17 much like the US Dollar is divided into 100 cents. Coins are issued in ranges from 5 centimos to 5 sol. Banknotes are issued in ranges from 10 to 200 Nuevo Sol. 17 One Nuevo Sol is currently equal to $0.30 US Dollars (as of January, 2017). 16 If we look at the inverse, this means one US Dollar equals about 3.09 in Peruvian Sol. The currency is quite stable, and has a pretty steady exchange rate with the US Dollar. 17 Most places in Peru accept the US Dollar as currency.17 There have been many forms of currency historically in Peru, with the Nuevo Sol being the most recent. 17 The Nuevo Sol has been in circulation since 1991. 17 The central bank is called the Central Reserve Bank of Peru. 16 Peru is part of two regional trade blocs, ANCOM and APEC.7 ANCOM is the Andean Community, a customs union in South America. Countries included are Bolivia, Columbia, Ecuador, and Peru. APEC is the Asia-Pacific Economic Corporation and includes many countries including Australia, Canada, United States, China, Japan, and Mexico. 18 The Legal System in Peru has many branches. First, there is the National Police of Peru, who are there to maintain and reestablish order. The police provide protection to the community, and assist individuals. 19 They also help to enforce compliance with laws, prevent crime, investigate crime, monitor borders, and combat crime.19 There is also a national commission for fighting corruption and promoting ethics who recommend national policy to prevent and combat corruption.19 Peru also has a Judiciary council, a people’s defender, office of the attorney general, and ministry of justice.19 Foreign Direct Investments, or FDI, are investments from companies or individuals in another country’s business interests. FDI net inflows were last measured in 2015 by World Bank and consisted of 3.57% of GDP. The FDI net inflows include investment to acquire at least 10% voting stock or more in an Peruvian enterprise and is the sum of equity capital, long and short term capital, and reinvestment of earnings. 20 This number has been rising, as net investment cash flows to Peru were actually negative in 1992. The leading sources of foreign investment are Spain, the UK, and the US and the leading industries are mining, communications, and finance. 21 The Peruvian government is trying to attract investors in all sectors by dropping customs barriers, opening their economy to foreign investors, and establishing a representative for current and future investors called PROinversion. 22 The driving factors in Peru’s economy are their extraction of Ores, Precious stones & metals, and oil & mineral fuels as well as their detailed work in apparel and other handmade goods. RiskPeru has a country risk rating of A4, which is categorized as acceptable, with a shaky political & economic outlook and a relatively volatile business environment. The business climate in particular is rated as a B, which is categorized as mediocre.23 This is due to a wide variation in the availability and reliability of corporate financial information.23 Collection of debt can be difficult in Peru. 23 Transactions between companies have risks as well because of their unstable and inefficient environments.23 Peru has many assets going for them. Much of these exist in the form of their natural resources, as discussed earlier. These include commodities such as Ores, Gold, Copper, other precious stones & metals, and oil & mineral fuels. 15 They also have many intangible assets, which can be viewed as strengths when determining whether to invest in Peru. Peru’s has several strengths when we are looking at it from an investment point of view. First, they have a strong growth potential as a developing country. Another major strength they have, as mentioned earlier, is their membership in the Pacific Alliance which has opened up and encouraged trading with many large countries. Their natural resources, discussed earlier, such as minerals, energy opportunity, and agricultural resources are viewed as a strength as well. 23 Financially, Peru has a low public debt and a balanced budget, as well as a central bank with other sound banks. 23 Lastly, and the reason that I love Peru, is that it is attractive to tourists. 23 This is definitely a strength when we look at investment opportunities in Peru. Peru also carries weaknesses that you should be aware of when looking into investing there. First, they have an economic dependence on commodities and on Chinese demand. 23 There are regional disparities across the country, as there is a lot of poverty in the Andean and Amazonian regions. 23 The infrastructure, healthcare, education, and corporate credit can be described as inadequate. 23 Another worrisome aspect of Peru is that they have a large scale of Cocaine production and Coca cultivation. 23 Lastly, a negative factor for trading is that the informal sector in Peru is very large (about 60% of employment) meaning businesses that are not properly licensed, paying taxes, or even recognized. 23 Investing in Peru=Overall, I think that I would invest in Peru. Their government has been set up to support businesses, trading, and foreign investment. They have a lot of natural resources, and an amazing landscape that is very attractive to tourists. Peru also has a large GDP and is ranked as 46 in the world, despite their small size and disparity between regions. When I am looking for things to invest in, I look for things that I think are undervalued or are going to be growing. Growth is what brings profitability to investors. Because Peru has so much growth potential and a government set up to support this growth, this looks to be a good opportunity to me. I also believe that the South American region is undervalued by American investors, which makes this a good opportunity for me. Investing in Peru would also provide good exposure to commodities, as their current economy is very dependent on these. Peru also has much opportunity to grow outside of simply extracting commodities and start adding value in their country rather than just exporting to other countries who will add the value. Peru’s economic performance and rising middle class lead me to believe that growth and opportunity realization are going to continue to be a trend. The easiest way you can invest in Peru is through an ETF (Exchange traded fund) which is traded on the U.S. Stock exchange and is diversified among Peruvian stocks in a single security. Investing through an ETF takes out the worry of foreign legal and tax issues. There is only one U.S traded Peruvian ETF, which has symbol EPU and is called iShares MSCI All Peru Capped Index Fund. This fund consists of 26 Peruvian equities, many of which are commodity based (ex. Copper). Sources
Visiting Home for Christmas in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. I did a 9 mile hike in the snow with some friends to natural Hot Springs in Snoqualmie, WA. I also headed up to Snoqualmie pass (Gold Creek) with one of my best friends and her fiance to take their engagement photos! Check out some highlights below of Washington covered in Snow! Photos by: Lo Photo, LLC - photographer of Lifestyle and Love!   
 
   
   
This is my first time putting a video together. The clips are from my recent trip to the southern regions of Africa. Hope you enjoy and that I hope to continue to explore this as a new hobby when I travel :) Two of my good friends from Seattle (and one of my favorite couples ever!) had a destination wedding in Riviera Maya, Mexico. Here's a little video I put together of the few days we spent exploring the areas up and down the coast around Tulum while in town for Mike & Kami's wedding, followed by a few photos :) I think my favorite parts were: swimming with sea turtles in Akumal (not in the public beach area.. avoid!) and sailing and getting caught in a massive rain storm The Photos...      
We got away from the crowded tourist areas of Cancun and headed down towards Punta Allen in a rental car. The beaches here were empty and felt untouched except for a few (amazing) homes along the beach. One thing you see when you get away from the resorts (who clean their beaches multiple times a day) is the amount of plastic that washes ashore. I'm a firm advocate in reducing our use of plastic, particularly when it comes to things that we use one time. Plastic is something that can never be broken down, it never goes away, yet we are constantly using it for things that are instant garbage (water bottles, hotel shampoo bottles, etc). Take a look at the below photo to see what is washing ashore in this beautiful ocean, and getting in the environment and bodies of animals.  Throughout Africa and many developing areas, there exists markets referred to as "informal markets." These are where people go to buy and sell goods like food, handmade clothing, handmand furniture, household goods, and used items. They are called informal because the businesses operating here are not paying taxes and likely don't have a business license. However, this is the way that many people have to buy and shop in order to make ends meet. I couldn't take very many photos here but here is a sneak peak into what this looks like. 
 
 
     I stopped by Manchester on the way to Africa this June and took some photos downtown. What a cute little town! Not a ton do do downtown but i managed to get in a ton of shopping and stop for tea and breakfast at a local tea cafe.
 
Here are some of my must have items to make the perfect home office if you love everything rose gold like myself. Plus a few other cuties like cactus candles and a scratch off map.
Click on the image to open up the amazon listing in a new tab and add these babes to your wish list or cart! Rose Gold Everything... Literally everything
And a few other items I feel absolutely neccessary ;)
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About the Author
Lindsey O.
Creative business consultant + photographer with a passion for seeing this beautiful earth. Advocate + Educator for well rounded lifestyles. My mission is to inspire others to become multifaceted and to find a creative outlet they can turn into a profitable journey. Join the Tribe!
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