There’s something special about seeing a familiar place through fresh eyes.
When you live somewhere long enough, you naturally stop noticing some of the things that make it beautiful. The road you drive every day becomes just a road. The mountains in the distance become part of your commute. That little gas station on the corner, the empty field outside of town, or the single tree sitting off the highway becomes something you pass without thinking twice.
When I travel somewhere new to photograph a couple, I don't have that familiarity yet. And I actually think that's one of the most beautiful parts of hiring a destination photographer.
I'm seeing your home or your chosen destination, for the first time.
I'm noticing the light hitting that field. I'm staring at the mountains you've seen a thousand times. I'm looking at that weird little gas station and thinking, wait... we could make something really freaking cool here.
Your ordinary isn't ordinary to me.
The Advantage of Fresh Eyes
There are absolutely advantages to hiring someone local. Local photographers know their area incredibly well. They know hidden locations, seasonal changes, parking situations, and exactly where the sun falls at certain times of day.
But bringing someone in from somewhere else offers something different: a completely fresh perspective.
I haven't photographed the same overlook twenty times. I don't already have a mental list of the five places I always take couples. I'm arriving curious, looking around, watching the light, and noticing things that might normally be overlooked.
Sometimes the most beautiful photograph isn't taken at the famous location everyone recommends. Sometimes it's a random pull off we notice on the drive there.
That's part of what I love about destination photography.
But How Do You Know Where to Take Us?
This is probably one of the biggest questions couples have when considering a photographer who doesn't live in their area.
And it's a fair one!
The answer? I research the LIFE out of it.
Once I know where we're going, I start looking at the area as a whole, not just the first three locations that pop up when you search "best engagement photo locations." <--- I actually never do that.
I'll research parks, mountain roads, trails, downtown areas, architecture, overlooks, lakes, fields, little towns and even interesting roadside stops. I'll look at drive times, accessibility, how much walking might be involved, what the landscape should look like during the season we're photographing, and how much variety we could realistically get from each area.
I want us to have options that actually make sense for you, not just locations that photograph well.
I Don't Just Send You a List of Locations
This is where I'm probably a little extra.. and I'm completely okay with that.
For destination sessions, weddings or elopements, I love putting together a visual location guide for my couples. Instead of sending you five location names and expecting you to figure it out, I'll gather photographs, descriptions, drive times, accessibility information and what makes each location special.
I want you to actually be able to picture yourselves there.
We might have one option that's incredibly easy to access with gorgeous views right from the car. Another might involve a 20–30 minute walk but give us something completely different. Another might be a small downtown or mountain village where we can photograph around storefronts and streets before heading somewhere open and scenic.
Seeing everything together makes choosing a location feel exciting instead of overwhelming!
Sometimes the Unplanned Places Become My Favorite
Research gives us a plan. But I never want the plan to make us blind to what's happening around us.
If we're driving somewhere and I see an incredible field with the light pouring through it, I'm going to notice it. If there's an old building with amazing texture, I'm looking at it. If we pass a slightly questionable gas station that somehow has the exact vibe we need... don't be surprised if I say, "Okay, hear me out."
Those spontaneous places can create photographs that feel completely different from anything we originally planned.
And because I'm seeing the area with fresh eyes, I'm constantly looking.
What Hiring Me for a Destination Session Actually Looks Like
You don't need to contact me with an entire itinerary already planned. Honestly, I'd rather you didn't feel like you had to.
Start by telling me where you are and what you're drawn to.
Do you want mountains? Open fields? City streets? Water? Architecture? Something quiet and romantic? Something adventurous? Somewhere meaningful to the two of you?
From there, I'll research the area, gather options and help us narrow everything down based on the experience you want.
We'll consider things like accessibility, driving time, lighting, season, crowds and how much variety we can realistically fit into our time together.
And once we're there, we'll leave enough room for a little spontaneity too.
Because I want to arrive prepared, not restricted <3
Your Home Deserves to Be Part of the Story Too
Destination photography doesn't always have to mean flying somewhere exotic.
Sometimes I'm traveling to your home.
And I think there's something incredibly meaningful about documenting the places surrounding this season of your life.
The little downtown you spend your weekends in. The mountain range you see every morning. The road you've driven together a thousand times. The bar where you had your first date. The convenience store where you always grab drinks before heading out of town.
Those things might feel insignificant right now.
Years from now, they may not.
I want your photographs to remind you not only of what you looked like, but of what your life felt like.
Why I Love Being the Outsider
There's something incredibly inspiring about arriving somewhere I've never photographed before.
I get to experience a tiny piece of your world for the first time.
I'm looking at everything. I'm noticing everything.
And sometimes I get to show you that the place you've passed a hundred times was worthy of being photographed all along.
That's what destination photography means to me. It's not simply getting on a plane or adding another state to my portfolio.
It's bringing fresh eyes into a place you already love, and creating something there that belongs completely to you.
Sometimes you just need someone new to remind you how beautiful your ordinary really is.
Ready to Bring Me to You?
If you're considering bringing me along for your wedding, elopement or engagement session, you don't need to have all the details figured out before reaching out. Tell me where we're going. Tell me a little about the two of you (or maybe more!) <3
Tell me what you're dreaming about. I'll take it from there.
Get in touch
You don’t need to have the location picked, the timeline figured out, or every detail perfectly planned. Tell me where you are, where you’re dreaming of going, and a little about the two of you. I’ll bring the research, the fresh eyes, and probably a few places you never thought twice about.