The Bucket List Mermaid

Come Edit This balloon photo with me! Let's edit...but make it seem like we didn't Hey Reader, I almost didn’t edit this balloon photo. Not because it was perfect, but because it already felt right. The colors were there. The light was soft. The moment didn’t need saving… just guiding. So instead of pushing sliders, I made a few small, intentional adjustments in Lightroom, and recorded the entire process. 🎈 No over-saturation🎈 No heavy presets🎈 Just subtle edits that keep the photo honest If...

A quick rule I use while shooting on the road You didn’t miss the shot — you hesitated Hey there Reader 👋 Quick question — How many times have you almost taken a photo while traveling…and then the moment was gone? Or you second guess yourself and get impostor syndrome? That used to happen to me constantly. Not because I didn’t know my camera. Not because my settings were wrong. But because I hesitated. At some point, I realized most travel photos aren’t missed technically... they’re missed...

I took these during a snowstorm and you can't even tell Soooo winter photography is HARD Hey Reader, I spent this week photographing the ice castles (during that crazy historic winter storm, no less). I am the photography supervisor there and had some FUN! However, this meant sideways snow, brutal cold, and me standing in the dark with a tripod, a camera wrapped in a plastic bag with a hole cut out for the lens like some kind of feral winter photographer. Winter photography is not gentle....

Thank You For Being Here! Here's 20% off of EVERYTHING! Hey Reader, I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you. Thank you for being here. Thank you for reading, supporting, and encouraging my work. Thank you for being part of this little corner of the internet where adventure, creativity, and photography collide. As a small thank-you for being a subscriber, I’m giving YOU — and only my email community — 20% off all of my adventure photography products 🎉 No pressure. No rush. Just a...

Let's fix 'em! Mistakes You Might Be Making While Taking Pictures Hey Reader, Quick question... have you ever looked at your travel photos and thought, why doesn’t this look as good as it felt? If so, you’re definitely not alone. Most travelers make the same handful of travel photography mistakes, and the frustrating part is that they’re usually small, fixable things. Here are a few of the biggest ones I see all the time: • Shooting whenever you arrive, instead of paying attention to light•...

COME TAKE A TOUR OF MY CHAOTIC EDITING BRAIN Introducting Editing Demos! Hey Reader, I want to try something a little different... and honestly, a little vulnerable. I’m starting a new series of real-time editing demo videos, where I edit photos live, start to finish, with zero cuts. No polished tutorial voice.No “perfect photo” pretending.No magic preset button. Just… me. Thinking out loud. Making decisions. Second-guessing myself. Fixing things. Leaving some things alone. Basically, you get...

Snow days > shopping days Your Winter Bucket List Starts Here ❄️✨ Hey Reader, Winter is HERE...kinda. Seriously, I'm camped out in the mountains and I can see grass. Anyone else getting suspiciously warm weather? Okay, rant over. That doesn't mean I'm not gonna knock off a few bucket list things off with my camera! Here are some winter ideas for 2026! Which ones are you crossing off? ❄️ My Winter Bucket List If winter makes you want to hibernate and explore at the same time... then same....

Yes. It's real. Even with photography. Feeling Burnt Out? Me Too... Hey Reader, It's officially 2026! Can I be honest for a second? If you’re feeling burnt out with travel photography (or anything) right now, especially during the holidays, you’re not doing anything wrong. This season is supposed to be magical… but it often turns into pressure, comparison, content chaos, and the quiet feeling that you’re somehow behind. More trips. More reels. More edits. More “you should be grateful.” And...

A small action can make a big impact LET ME BE THE NEXT SALTY MERMAID! Hi Reader, My apologies for an eariler email... but I wanted you to spend time with family this Christmas (and not your inbox). This Christmas, I’m asking for something a little different. I’m competing to become MAXIM’s next Brand Campaign Model as the Salty Mermaid, but more importantly, I’m using this opportunity to support the Breast Cancer Foundation, a cause close to my heart. My great grandma battled breast cancer,...

How to become a travel photographer Want to Sell Your Travel Photos? Hey adventurer, You know how everyone on Instagram looks like they’re getting paid to travel… but in reality, half are just sunburned, over-caffeinated, and financially hanging on by a backpack buckle? Let’s change that for you. I just dropped a full, zero-fluff guide on how to become a travel photographer AND actually make money with your travel photos. This isn’t a “maybe if you’re lucky” Pinterest vision board...