When a New Jersey Wedding Photographer Travels The World, Part 1
*Please turn your mobile device landscape, or scroll all the way down to see the pics. Enjoy!*
I encourage you to read the travelogue below. If you’re ready to depart ASAP and want to view the rest of the photos that didn’t make it to the blog, or order prints and wall art, click here for your boarding pass.
I’ve had the itch, the yearn, the desire, and the need to travel for years. However, life happens, dreams go into an indefinite holding pattern, and you end up feeling like you are waiting in line in a queue at a boarding gate for a flight that will never ever lift off.
Then, when you least expect it…the winds die down, the skies clear, your plane finally begins to board, and your journey of a lifetime is finally underway.
This year, my life’s itinerary has been nothing short of spectacular. The sheer volume of couples whose love I’ve photographed has been staggering. My New Jersey based wedding photography business has me feeling like I’m flying business class.
Not to mention, I have found a loving, inspiring, intelligent, beautiful co-pilot; although we both know she actually found me (that first photo in the gallery to the right…yep, my 🦋❤️and I at sunset, standing on top of China Walls, Honolulu.).
My boarding pass has been validated. So…Wheels up; let’s do this!
My desire to expand my world through adventure, meeting new people in new places, and coming home with images that felt like taking a bite sized portion of where I’ve been has been a long-standing one. My photographic journey actually started long, long ago. I took road trips with my camera, I slowed down, and I let the vibe of whatever environment I was in speak to me.
Years ago, this used to be so easy. I used to shoot everything but people. However, once I was bitten by the wedding bug, I began shooting nothing but people. My playtime was grounded, my pilot’s license temporarily revoked.
You can imagine what a liberating feeling it was getting my wings back this year! With both my business and my personal life climbing to new altitudes, my spirit is on fire.
What does this have to do with anything? How does it all tie together? I’ll tell you.
It all started when I bought my Fuji X-T2. I needed a toy; a bite-sized nugget of a camera… something I could throw in my car at a moment’s notice. I then decided to bring my new toy to client consults. This gave me clearance to offer new wedding couples a test drive. It became obvious that the ability to just pick up, go, and shoot was the one thing missing from my pre-flight checklist.
Jump forward a few months, and my flight path is now forever altered. Remember that co-pilot I mentioned? She’s inspired me to discover new routes; internally, domestically, and abroad. We’ve merged fleets, and we’ve been flying the friendly skies ever since; literally and figuratively.
We recently traveled to the UK, spending time in London, as well as visiting Stonehenge, Bath, and Windsor Castle. I was excited to see new sights, eager to do much exploring, and to brush off the dust on my landscape and street photography determined to meet new people…yet I wanted to take it one step further. I wanted to photograph the love of strangers.
I wanted to show myself that I can hit the ground running with minimal gear, and make any location (and any love) look alive, and larger than life.
Well…the flight attendant announced over the speakers that we have reached our destination! Wheels down, and off I went.
I had my Fuji X-T2, Fuji 16m, 23mm, 35mm, and 56mm lenses, one Godox V860ii flash and transmitter, one MagnetMod Magsphere & MagGrid packed in my Think Tank Retrospective bag, and my Manfrotto Nanopole clipped on top.
I will tell you that without my friend @likeamcheen connecting me with a new friend from across the pond; @adammacphoto, I most likely would not have experienced the London Streets from Shoreditch to Carnaby Street to Soho to Brick Lane and beyond with such success.
To see more of my wedding work, please visit @danielnydick. To see more of my travel work, please visit @dlifesjrny.
Click any image to view full size. Click here to see the full gallery.
