Emily O’Donnell
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faelai.bsky.social
Emily O’Donnell
@faelai.bsky.social
290 followers 760 following 640 posts
Photographer, Writer, Feminist, Witchy Woman, Fangirl. Feline Enthusiast. www.emilyophoto.com / www.emiodowrites.wordpress.com / https://medium.com/@emiodo42
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faelai.bsky.social
Travel Photography: Portugal / Chaves

Traveling within the Douro Valley of Portugal took us to some exceptional towns that are not often thought of by tourists. One of these was the colorful city of Chaves, an ancient town that once served as an…

https://emilyophoto.com/2025/10/21/chaves-portugal/
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October 21, 2025 at 7:00 PM
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Travel Photography: Portugal / Lamego

Continuing my travels in Portugal took me to Lamego, a beautiful city in the Douro Valley. Towering over the city is the Lamego Cathedral, with its stunning Baroque architecture. From the city below, you can…

https://emilyophoto.com/2025/10/18/lamego-portugal/
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October 18, 2025 at 7:01 PM
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Travel Photography: Portugal / Bragança Castle

Over the summer I had the opportunity to travel to mainland Europe for the first time and visit Portugal. My sister had already been there for some time, and did some excellent location scouting for places…

https://emilyophoto.com/2025/10/17/braganca/
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October 17, 2025 at 3:33 PM
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Goddess Photo Series: Medeina

Last summer I did a goddess shoot with my oldest sister Carolyn, the one who first brought me into the pagan ways in my youth. For her deity, she chose the ancient Lithuanian goddess Medeina - guardian…

https://emilyophoto.com/2025/04/23/goddess-photo-series-medeina/
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April 23, 2025 at 5:17 PM
faelai.bsky.social
I did an impromptu hair wrap today and now I feel like I belong in a medieval painting.

Also wild that my first selfie to Flashes is me with zero makeup on, so brave.
A pale white woman with tortoiseshell glasses and a striped blue and white floral dress wears a sparky blue and green infinity scarf wrapped around her head reminiscent of women in medieval paintings.
February 26, 2025 at 3:57 PM
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Omg I’m so excited for the Bluesky photo app to launch so to celebrate here are some pictures of a recent fairy garden I made recently to boost my serotonin.

#arewehashtagginghere #crafts #fairygarden #mushrooms #moss #fantasy #witchy #fae
A fairy garden on a carved wooden tray with a moss covered mushroom in focus and another in the background. It rises out of a bed of moss surrounded by tiny crystal spires and otherworldly succulents. A fairy garden on a carved wooden tray with a moss covered mushrooms on each end. They rise out of a bed of moss surrounded by tiny crystal spires and otherworldly succulents. Three LED candles illuminate smaller purple mushrooms and flowers in the middle. A fairy garden on a carved wooden tray with a moss covered mushroom in focus and another in the background. It rises out of a bed of moss surrounded by tiny crystal spires and otherworldly succulents. A fairy garden on a carved wooden tray with a moss covered mushroom in focus and another in the background. It rises out of a bed of moss surrounded by tiny crystal spires and otherworldly succulents. Three LED candles illuminate smaller purple mushrooms and flowers in the middle.
February 25, 2025 at 5:07 AM
faelai.bsky.social
I took this picture the other night to show my sister how my art space looks, and also did a little portrait of this statue that feels strongly like my patron goddess Brigid. Thought it turned out pretty nice so thought I would share it here.
A figurine of a faceless woman wearing yellow and holding a basket of flowers, flanked by two lit candles in teacups - one pink and one yellow. In the background is an attic studio art space illuminated by fairy lights with a bisexual pride flag, various matted art prints, and flowers.
January 27, 2025 at 6:06 PM
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Photography (obviously?) I started in the darkroom as a teenager and always knew it was going to be my profession. Still miss the darkroom though. This rose silhouette was one of the very first photos I printed in the darkroom.
A film based black and white photo of a silhouette of a black rose with many leaves stretching out across a white sky.
January 24, 2025 at 5:11 PM
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Fantasy! I’ve been a lifelong genre fan but fantasy has changed my life many times. It has taught me so much, helped me forge friendships, and allowed me to escape from the horrors of the world.

Somehow I even have a photo for this, of an immersive fantasy exhibit called Dreamscapes I visited.
A giant white paper maché dragon with rainbow coloring and wise eyes.
January 24, 2025 at 4:19 PM
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Mushrooms. I hate mushrooms for a long time until I learned how to cook them the way I like. Now I love them to the relief of my husband. I also love all the cottagecore mushroom decor. Of course I’ve got a picture for you.
Mushroom decor from the mushroom farm in Iceland. One mushroom has a red top and the other is beige. They appear to be made from stone or ceramic. Mushroom decor from the mushroom farm in Iceland. It is made of two grey stones stacked atop each other. The top stone is painted red with white dots. Mushroom decor from the mushroom farm in Iceland. Three virtually identical mushrooms in descending size of large, medium, and small. They are made of wood with shiny metallic tops. Three wooden mushrooms clustered together in a wooden base. There is a shiny golden plaque on the base with Icelandic writing. I believe it was an award but not sure for what (probably mushrooms).
January 24, 2025 at 3:39 PM
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Fairy lights. As a photographer I’m extremely sensitive to light. I don’t believe in the big light. Give me all the soft romantic ambient lighting. Half of my house has fairy lights draped over things for the *vibe*

Let’s have another picture.
A photo I took to show my brother the old canon camera I found in my storage. In the background is my crafting space with fairy lights strung along the upper wall above the window and altar.
January 24, 2025 at 3:30 PM
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Another not thing I love is my cats. Truly I love all cats and lament I cannot hug every cat. But Morgana and Talula are my special babies.
A tabby cat cuddles with a black and white tuxedo cat on a vivid red quilt. They both peer up at the came a with some suspicion in their green eyes.
January 24, 2025 at 3:23 PM
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I know that I said something I love but I should probably start with my husband @futurerobert.bsky.social as we approach our anniversary of 14 (!) years together. Also this gives me an excuse to post a wedding photo.
A photo of a man and woman kissing in an aisle of fir trees. She wears a blue dress laced with blue ribbons in the back and a crystal crown. He wears a black, green, and yellow striped kilt and a wool jacket. They hold hands behind her back as she tilts her face up into the kiss.
January 24, 2025 at 3:21 PM
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Another timeline cleanse for you. These are landscapes from my trip out west to photograph the National Parks a few years back. More can be seen at emilyophoto.com
A view of Canyonlands National Park with golden light shining on distant cliffs and a cloudy blue grey sky above. A view of Arches National Park with twilight illuminating distant peaks in red, gold, and purple. A natural arch can be seen on one side. A cloudy blue sky above. A view of Canyonlands National Park at twilight, a deep ravine snakes through the Canyon bathed in blue and purple hues. A western ridge illuminated in golden light that reveals shades of red and rocky texture. Yellow plains below and a cloudy blue sky above.
January 24, 2025 at 2:44 PM
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It’s freezing and terrible outside in the world. So here is a timeline cleanse of some pretty orchids I photographed last year at Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh. More can be found on my website at EmilyOPhoto.com
A cluster of white orchids with purple spots in the center of each flower. White and purple spotted orchids with green leaves out of focus in the background. Two deep red orchids, with white around the stamen in the middle. Green leaves out of focus in the background. An unusual looking yellow and pink orchid with green leaves out of focus in the background.
January 21, 2025 at 7:09 PM
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A purple front door with a rounded top and a window with a hexagonal design. A small brass antique doorbell is below the window.
November 12, 2024 at 9:50 PM
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The ferry to the island of Heimaey had so many lush landscapes. Here are some images from this beautiful island. As always you can find more at www.emilyophoto.com! #heimaey #heimaeyisland #iceland #icelandtrip #icelandnature #landscapephotography #naturephotography #photography #travelphotography
An Icelandic landscape divided with the ocean on the left with rocks jutting out of the water, and cliffs on the right. Cloudy blue skies swirl above. A landscape on the island of Heimaey off the southern coast of Iceland. Distant mountains frame an ocean inlet with a land bridge in the middle. A yellow boat entering a cave with a sheer rock face and moss above. A standing stone sculpture with four rocks balanced atop one another sits in the foreground with the ocean, a cloudy blue sky; and a smaller island in the background.
June 27, 2024 at 3:37 PM
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People seem to like my Icelandscapes so here are some more from the Snaefellsness peninsula. #photography

#iceland #icelandtrip #icelandnature #naturephotography #landscapephotography #professionalphotographer #travelphotography #fineartphotography
Two snowy mountain peaks with clouds above in Iceland. A natural arch in the ocean off the coast of Iceland. Cliffs of Iceland with a cave beneath and the ocean beyond. A stone fort with a trail leading to it is framed by two mountains in Iceland with a cloudy sky above.
June 23, 2024 at 4:02 PM
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A few more Icelandscapes today. See more at www.emilyophoto.com
#photography

#iceland #icelandtravel #icelandnature #photographer #travelphotography #landscape #landscapephotography #naturephotography #waterfall #goldencircleiceland #goldencircle #thingvellirnationalpark #urriðafoss #öxarárfoss
The Öxarárfoss waterfall in Iceland, silky water flowing over rocks with a green streak. Framed by basalt rock formations with a cloudy sky above. Basalt rock formations along the path at Thingvellir National Park in Iceland with mountains in distance and a few people walking away from the camera. Silky water cascading down a multi-tiered waterfall and dark rocks at Urridafoss in Iceland. An Icelandic landscape with golden and green fields reaching out to a distant mountain. A small house with a bright green roof on the left, with cloudy skies above.
June 22, 2024 at 3:47 PM
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It is way too hot in the world so here are some literally cool pictures I took in Iceland last month. For more visit www.emilyophoto.com
A close-up shot of a piece of ice that looks like an abstract sculpture on the black sand beach in Iceland at the glacier lagoon. Drifting blue icebergs streaked with black volcanic ash gradually fade into the mist in the water at the glacier lagoon in Iceland. Close up blue icebergs that resemble tall sculptures in the water with distant mountains at the glacier lagoon in Iceland. Wide angle shot of blue icebergs streaked with black volcanic ash gradually fade into the mist in the water at the glacier lagoon in Iceland.
June 22, 2024 at 4:16 AM