Member spotlight - emily noelle photo

Where are you based? Where do you photograph the most?

I’m an Oregon elopement and intimate wedding photographer providing a customized adventure experience to couples who prioritize dreamy, nature-filled photography that highlights the beauty of their relationship. My passion behind photographing couples stems from what I believe my purpose to be: celebrating and sharing the beauty of relationships. I’m here to capture couples as they are in this season, to commemorate what they have been through and accomplished together, and give them a celebratory send off into the next phase of your relationship! Including the beautiful nature of public lands is a plus when photographing beautiful relationships.

Why did you join PLC?

I initially joined because of a negative experience with a park ranger that told my couple to leave during their first look in Olympic National Park, WA and put a huge damper on our day. My couple flew in from out of town and paid for their elopement day and the ranger was using the wrong park rules which resulted in us having to waste 45 minutes of their 4-hour elopement package to drive to a new location that was not their #1 location while when I tried to amend the situation, I was told the only options were to leave or get arrested, so we left, but I knew he was in the wrong. It was very hard to stay strong and not let this experience get us down and not let negative emotions fill the day. I did not want that to ever happen to another one of my couples again so that is how I ended up finding Public Land Creatives through a photographer facebook group! I truly want to make sure that couples can enjoy their elopement days without the confusion of permit rules being misunderstood by different park rangers. There should be clear rules and everyone should have the same information. I love that PLC focuses on solving issues like these

A couple holds each other on a cloudy coast line.

Share one of your favorite stories while photographing an elopement on public land.

In October, G + K had the sweetest (and rainiest) intimate wedding ceremony ever on the Oregon coast! Their closest friends and family stood in the rain with them to witness their vows to each other! They also walked half a mile through the mud and rain to get to this ceremony location. THAT’S LOVE. After the beautiful and rainy ceremony, everyone got to stay cozy inside at a nearby home and enjoy cake + pizza! This couple chose to travel from out of state to experience the beauty of the Oregon Coast for the moment that they would promise to love each other forever and I love that so much. I’m very thankful to get to document days like these for couples that also appreciate and take care of the beauty of public lands.

Why do you think it is important to protect public land use?

I want the lands to be accessible for many many years to come! I enjoy them immensely and I want future eloping couples to be able to experience these lands too. Everyone should be able to get married in the beautiful public lands if that is what they dream of doing! Enjoying nature in everyday life and on elopement days shouldn’t be such a hassle. As a photographer, I hope to always be able to photograph the beautiful sceneries that are part of public lands.