"Do Big Things" is my attempt to show people that there is no need to fear the world outside your door. To open yourself up to new experiences and to go do big things in new places.

Doing big things doesn't necessarily just mean traveling to the other side of the world to climb Mount Kilimanjaro or catching the waves at Nazare Beach where the swells can reach 100 feet. It could encompass learning a new language, starting a new business or even working on a book when everyone says no one buys books anymore.

Overcoming the doubts and fears that have kept you from doing something that could be life-changing is the very definition of Doing Big Things. That is what this project has been for me.

The focus of "Do Big Things" is the country of Portugal. While most travelers to Europe were heading to Paris, Rome or Munich, I touched down in Lisbon with no plan, no real itinerary and no preconceived idea of what the next 10 days had in store for me. All I knew was that I wanted to document my travels through stories and eye-catching photographs.

What you will see over 110 colorful pages is a broad look at a country whose known history stretches back to at least 45 B.C. when it was incorporated into the Roman Republic. But it is now on the cusp of becoming a full-blown tourist destination.

This book is a journey seen through curious eyes as I visited a variety of different destinations. From the popular cities (Lisbon, Porto, Nazaré) to the overlooked locales (Fatima, Obidos, Batalha), the photographic trip is of a country with one foot anchored in the past with eyes gazing toward an uncertain future.

This will be the first of many travel books to come. Thanks in advance for taking this photographic journey with me as we get a look at the people, history and culture of Portugal.