The oldest surviving photograph was taken less than 200 years ago. Not that long ago if you really think about it... and I doubt the photographer Joseph Nicéphore Niépce could have ever imagined what photography would one day become! Despite the fact that we carry cameras via our smartphones everywhere we go and over a trillion photos are taken every year, why is it that we often feel the need to wait to take a professional photo? Whether it’s waiting for a “good enough” reason or special event, waiting for a husband/wife/partner to take the photo, or my favorite, waiting to get in better shape or lose a few pounds to have photos taken… why? 

Why do we make ourselves wait again and again while amazing moments pass us by? Why do we feel the need for perfection - hint: it’s unattainable - in order to be photographed?

I could write for pages and pages, but I’ll summarize it with this:

Take the photo. Eat the donut. Book the trip. Drink the wine. Live your best life, as the saying goes. It’s not a one-and-done saying though, so I practice what I preach. 

Here a few of my stories:

Paris, 2017

I was taking my daughter on her “first big trip,” and I knew that documenting our time together in the City of Lights with professional photos was something I would cherish for a lifetime. I began my hunt for the right photographer for us. From Google to Instagram to various travel groups on Facebook, I scrolled until I found Katie Donnelly.

Originally from New York City and now a Paris resident, I knew she was the one for us. My daughter Giuliana warmed right up to her and it felt like immediate friendship! We were glad she spoke English too, because our French began and ended at “Une baguette, s'il vous plaît.” She even guided us to a cute coffee shop with hot cocoa as we sipped and laughed together. This experience sparked what would become a tradition of mine to hire a photographer and inevitably lead me to pursue this magical career for myself.

May, 2018

The Hawaiian islands were calling.

The adorable beach town of Lahaina was our home away from home during our stay, so I knew I wanted to have family photos done with our toes in the sand and the sound of the waves serenading us.

Through some Instagram research, I discovered the amazing Krissy Millar who kindly put us in touch with a local lei maker. We each donned a beautiful lei po’o (a Hawaiian flower crown) that she kindly picked up for us on our way to our session. Olowalu Plantation was the perfect backdrop for the photos I still cherish today.

Everything I envisioned about Maui was showcased for us on this early morning shoot. With not a soul in sight, we had the entire location to ourselves. The experience itself was worthwhile alone, but the images Krissy delivered were nothing short of greatness! She has now relocated to St. John’s Island in South Carolina, should you ever find yourself there. 

May, 2019 

The array of pastel colored houses that make Italian architecture so lovely were a dream come true to walk along in person.

At the time, I was exploring (and eating) my way through Naples and knew I wanted to pay a visit to the Amalfi Coast as well. I was traveling with my mother and a friend of hers, and I thought it would be fun to have some portraits taken in front of the well-known “city on a hill” in Positano. I found my newest friend Andrea Gallucci via Instagram - are you seeing a trend here? - and his extensive portfolio and English captions were an easy sell! I messaged him on Instagram, promptly booked a morning session, and as the big day arrived… my mom and her friend decided to go to a museum instead! 

I was thinking, “Well... I have a nonrefundable shoot, and I am going to make the best of it!” I boarded a train to Sorrento by myself (the first time ever!) and then a bus to Positano where I finally met Andrea outside of Chez Black.

From the moment we met, I was so glad I made the choice to follow through with the shoot. Andrea cut straight through the “stranger” phase into friendship.  He easily kept the conversation going by asking me questions about my travels, my Italian experience thus far, my family. You name it, we talked about it! All the while, he was snapping away on his camera and before I knew it, our shoot was finished, and I was sad to say goodbye. 

I spent the remainder of the day sampling cannolis, enjoying a glass of Italian wine and exploring the towns of Amalfi and Ravello. I even strolled by Andrea’s family-owned hotel: Hotel Bonadies. Within just a few days, I had my gallery of images delivered and my love of solo sessions was born. I realized I didn't need "someone" or a "reason" to book a shoot (and I definitely didn’t need to lose 5 pounds before it). I just went for it and had a blast!

October, 2019

My trip to Scotland was one for the books! Not just the almost painfully picturesque Edinburgh, but also the famed Scottish Highlands and of course, Isle of Skye. Notice something about the spelling? It’s part of my choice for Magnolia Skye Photography! 

Circus Lane and the hills leading up to Arthur’s Seat were my chosen locations for a session here, and of course, I went to Instagram to begin my research. I discovered Natalia Swiader and was overjoyed that she was available during my stay. I grabbed my friend Lia who was traveling with me, and we laughed our way through a wonderful portrait session. While I love a good selfie as much as the next person, I’ve learned that nothing can beat the professionalism and beauty of a professional photograph… especially when you don’t have to take it yourself! We have photos together to celebrate our friendship and solo photos as well to look back on for years to come. If you find yourself in this beautiful city - and I sure hope you do! - book Natalia! Circus Lane is in the Dean Village area. After our sunrise session, we stopped into Patisserie Florentin for a morning coffee and French croissant.

November, 2019

My family and I were taking a trip to Barcelona for Thanksgiving, and of course, I wanted to hire a local photographer to take photos of us. I jokingly reached out to Andrea from Positano asking if he wanted to travel to us...and funnily enough, he actually had plans to come already! After comparing dates, we realized our trips were overlapping for 2 days. I was absolutely ecstatic! I not only enjoyed Andrea’s company, but loved his work as well.

We selected one of the quintessential gothic cathedrals of Barcelona as the backdrop for our session. It was a beautiful and meaningful location that still takes me right back to those winding streets. These photos mean everything to us, especially as we haven’t had the opportunity to all travel together since this trip. We often find ourselves reminiscing over the memories they provide. Andrea also won my official photographer MVP award!

January, 2020 

Little did I know when I was planning this trip with my friend Lia that this would be the last time I would be in Europe for a while, due to the pandemic. We decided to treat ourselves to the beauty of the French Riviera. Since it was off-season, we knew there would be fewer tourists and cooler weather. Naturally, I began planning when, where and who for my now-mandatory travel session. 

I reached out to Andrea about his travel rates for Nice and booked him to join us for a day! We flew into Paris first and spent the day there seeing the sights. Although both of us had been to Paris before, who doesn't love the Eiffel Tower and a pain au chocolat? 

The next afternoon we flew to Nice and checked into Hotel West End, which we scored a phenomenal deal on. Thank you off-season rates! We met up with Andrea a few days into our trip and spent the morning seeing the sights. Lia and I often say that THAT morning was the most fun we had in Nice and photos to prove it. Once again, Andrea delivered images that we both loved and were eager to share with all of our friends and family. 

July + August, 2020

While it’s certainly not as international as my other trips, I was able to make just as many amazing memories in Seattle. Tucked away in the Pacific Northwest, it’s gorgeous, unique and has incredible coffee!

It’s practically a requirement to grab a fresh brew from the original Starbucks in Pike Place Market, although beware - there is always a line due to popularity. While I usually prefer off-the-beaten path activities, you have to admit that the popular things are popular for a reason! We saw the ferris wheel, checked out the famous gum wall (masked up!) and meandered through the busy market stalls, all while Laura Wick was snapping away!

For my second photo session, I met Marcella Laine at Myrtle Edwards Park. It’s situated along the water and absolutely gorgeous. Although the mountains were too far off to see in the images, it was a beautiful view of the peaks lining the horizon.

February 2021

I’ll let the photos speak for themselves regarding this magical trip to Joshua Tree National Park! You can read all about my adventures and session with Marcella Laine there in THIS blog post, including the sweetest and most adorable love story you could imagine.

I could go on and on about my many adventures (and let’s be honest, I definitely will), but all of this to say…

HIRE THE PHOTOGRAPHER

Take the photos because you will only live that exact moment with those people - or with yourself! - once. So document it. Make a new friend (Hi, Andrea! Hey, Marci!). You truly never know where life will take you, but I can guarantee you will never be sorry about the photos you took. Just the ones you didn’t.