Jaci Peña Photography

07/07/2026

a last minute trip to las terrenas in dominican republic was a great idea. it’s sunset colors and beautiful beaches are what attract visitors from all over the globe.

this is playa bonita, known for surfing, nature lovers and locals who come enjoy this area. unlike all-inclusive resort towns (no thanks), this is highly walkable, lived in community where you can stroll from the sand to beachfront restaurants. there is authentic french and italian cuisine, but my favorite was the “comida criolla” … also known as typical dominican food.

Such as: Mangu, salami doninicano, sancocho, pollo guisado and habichuelas.

My palate is still missing the fusion of these amazing tropical flavors and vibrant colored foods. It all tasted like. home.

08/13/2025

west coast beach vibes hit different

07/12/2025

hey portland, you are awesome. just as I imagined.

we flew over to oregon last fall, and boy was it beautiful. we drove over to washington state for one hike, well, also to check another state off our list. made time to drive to the coast line and spend a beautiful afternoon with friends.

when you experience a new place, you realize everything you thought was just a mixed bag of opinions and unsolicited advice.

hope to visit this quirky vibrant city again soon

10/04/2024

COLORADO ROAD TRIPS ARE THE BEST

Ok I might be a bit biased here. But that’s alright.

This trip was from 2022. I just got back from Portland, Oregon and let me tell you…that was awesome.

I’ll be working on those here shortly.. or after my next trip this month. Who knows.

09/25/2024

Pittsburgh in the fall is not to be missed.

It’s kind of crazy how many trips and places I’ve traveled to in the past 2 years alone.

Whats even crazier is that these are from 2022 and I just finished retouching them. We’ve been a little busy lately ok.

This was from a special trip we did to Mike’s hometown, often referred to as “dirty ‘Burgh” or “City of Bridges.” Personally, I like the dirty nickname the best, has character.

We’re heading to Portland in a few days and I’m hoping fall would be in full force. Send any recommendations!

09/21/2024

time for FALL theme posts!

they never get old. ever.

🍁🍂

09/04/2024

My Personal Projects page from my The J Projects website is LIVE! I photographed and retouched meaningful images from places I've traveled to recently.

Traveling at least once a month this past year and photographing beautiful hotel properties has given me some amazing photo opportunities. It's been exhausting and exciting at the same time.

I always found time despite 12+ hour production days to pick up my camera again and go walk / drive somewhere. Not every time presented a Kodak moment, but some did. The best piece of advice I was given was to continue to shoot the stuff you really enjoy, make the time and share them. You never know who is watching.

Personal Projects is a collection of images curated and produced of hotels, places visited, coffee shops, architecture and people.

08/31/2024

morning walks below the train tracks are the best.

so much is constantly happening.

it can be a bit of a sensory overload for some, but I fully embrace the urban atmosphere. I decided to edit a few images black and white from my recent trip to chicago, makes it all less distracting.

I really love how this one turned out. the shadows and light coming through the rails was beautiful. it is also nice to shoot horizontally. embracing all the feels.

08/31/2024

officially my favorite town to shoot.

not sure if that has changed since I left back in 2011, honestly.

chicago has always been a special place. that city not only taught me countless life lessons but it also made me grow up in a short amount of time. I am forever grateful.