Member spotlight - Venture Ever After

A couple stands by the ocean as the sky grows dark.

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

I, Nadia, am based in the Pacific Northwest, and specialize in elopements and intimate weddings in the outdoors (and largely Public Lands) here. I’ve done most of my work in places like Olympic National Park, the Columbia River Gorge, the coasts of Oregon and Washington, Mount Rainier, Mount Hood, and loads of other magical places across the PNW.

A couple smiles off into the distance while holding lanterns in a forest.

Why did you join PLC?

Nature has always been an integral part of my own life, and having the privilege of getting to be connected to it and helping others experience it on one of the most joyful days of their lives is something I will be forever grateful for. There’s just something incredibly profound about folks marking such important milestones in their lives in these places that remind us of how beautiful and diverse the world is, and how we’re a part of it all. It’s at once a reminder of how small we are, and also how we’re connected to it all. Sharing intentional time together in these locations, I think, helps make that time even more meaningful and memorable.

What has been one of your favorite experiences with a client while working on Public Lands?

It’s magnificently hard to choose just one example for this, but I’ll go with a more recent one since it’s fresh in my memory. I had a couple who eloped at Crater Lake National Park this fall, and the weather was – to put it lightly – frigid. The temps dropped tremendously overnight, and the wind was relentless. The couple wasn’t sure if they were going to be able to rally for their private vows and hike, but we got them all bundled up and decided to head out for a shorter version of the originally planned route. Despite the wild winds and freezing temperatures, there were very few moments when I didn’t see the couple smiling and laughing. The dramatic weather made the location even more sensational than usual, and created the perfect setting for a movie-worthy exchanging of vows. And wouldn’t you know it, on our way back out from the trail, the clouds broke enough to create one of the most stunning, colorful sunsets I’ve ever seen. All thoughts of being cold seemed lost, and the couple were just so present in the moment with each other and their surroundings. It was breathtaking to witness.

That sort of harmony between place, time, and presence with each other is the heart of why working on Public Lands and in the outdoors is the most fulfilling work I could ever imagine.