2022 Highlights: A Photographer’s Year in Review

A Year of Gratitude

2022

My word for 2022 was “build”. Because there was a lot to build (and rebuild) in the pandemic’s aftermath. And indeed, 2022 has certainly presented its challenges. A lot of momentum had to be regained.

So far this year, we’ve flown over 200k miles. (I’m currently writing this from my airplane seat.) By the end of this year, we’ll have spent over 203 days on the road. In 2022, countless lessons were learned. Many new relationships were established, even more were nurtured, and indeed, a lot was built. And for that, I’m incredibly grateful.

On that note, here are some of the core 2022 highlights that I’m reflecting on with eternal gratitude…

2022 Highlights: Time + Tide

A Luxury Safari in Zambia, Africa

Time + Tide is a family-owned luxury safari and island destination company spanning Zambia and Madagascar. In 2018, Time + Tide reached out to us to photograph their island, Miavana, which is located off the coast of Madagascar. I was so excited; Madagascar was always on my travel list for its biodiversity. It’s very unique, to say the least. We were completely blown away by our Time + Tide experience on Miavana island. Shooting that location was a photographer’s dream. We knew we wanted to see what else Time + Tide offers, so we were so grateful when they reached out for our photography services again. 

Finally, after a long COVID delay, we were asked to return to Africa for another Time + Tide photoshoot. This time, we ventured to Zambia to capture two Time + Tide camps; King Lewanika in Luawa Plains and Chinzombo in the iconic South Luangwa Park. The landscapes, the wildlife, the history, the luxurious camps, and the people were truly unmatched. It was an experience I’ll never forget as long as I live. We even got to bring my Dad, who was so excited to finally get to check “African safari” off of his bucket list. It was amazing to share our Time + Tide experience with him.

To read more about our trip to Zambia on our Journal, click here.

2022 Highlights: Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

Conservation Partners in Nairobi, Kenya

Following our time in Zambia, we returned to Kenya to continue our work with Render Loyalty, our passion project. Through Render Loyalty, we donate 20% of our print sales to our conservancy partners. The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is one of our Render Loyalty conservation partners (headquartered in Nairobi). It was incredible to return this year to photograph the elephant orphans they care for.

In 2022, Kenya (and much of Eastern Africa), has been in a severe drought—which has made survival even harder for wildlife. In response, Sheldrick Wildlife Trust has brought in more elephant orphans this year than in the last five years combined. It’s always simultaneously heartbreaking and extraordinary to see these orphans in person.

After our visit to the nursery, we chartered a bush flight and headed to East Tsavo National Park to one of Sheldrick’s breathtakingly beautiful camps near their Ithumba Elephant Reintegration Unit, where orphaned elephants are brought to gradually rejoin elephants in the wild. 

We were reunited with several elephants that we had previously photographed as babies back in 2016 at the Nairobi nursery, including Malkia (see below). It was incredible to see them growing and flourishing in Tsavo, taking steps towards leading wild lives of their own. We truly left our hearts in Africa and can’t wait to continue this work and return next year.

2022 Highlights: Dustin + Paulina’s Wedding

Blackberry Farm, Tennessee

We had the privilege of photographing Paulina Gretzky and Dustin Johnson’s wedding at the luxe Blackberry Farm in Tennessee in April. We always love shooting anything at Blackberry Farm! It’s peaceful, visually stunning, and there are plenty of sweet farm animals (so you know I’m a fan). For the wedding, Paulina wore a gorgeous Vera Wang couture wedding dress. It was special to be a part of their intimate and sentimental family celebration. The multi-day wedding was picturesque, romantic, and full of good vibes.

2022 Highlights: Destination Weddings

Mexico City, Lake Como, Mayakoba, Hawaii, Aspen, Wyoming + More

After so many ups and downs, postponements, and cancellations due to the pandemic, 2022 has been the comeback year for weddings. We were thrilled to finally be back to work in a more normal capacity, and for our couples to finally have the celebrations they had been waiting for. We had the privilege of photographing destination weddings all over the world this year, and for that we are so grateful. 

We photographed weddings in enchanted forests outside Mexico City, historic villas in the Lake Como region of Italy, beautiful beaches of Mayakoba, Mexico, shores of Oahu, Hawaii, and mountains of Aspen, Colorado and Wyoming, and more! We were so blessed this year. I can’t wait to share more about these weddings in detail in upcoming journal posts.

2022 Highlights: Building Our Creative Entrepreneur Community

KT Merry Education

I’m extremely excited to say that KT Merry Education (where I offer mentorship, training, and resources to photographers and other creative entrepreneurs) has really taken off this year! The community we’ve built continues to grow and evolve.  I’m thrilled that through this work, we’re able to collectively raise the bar in our industries.

As entrepreneurs, it’s incredibly powerful to be a part of an uplifting community where everyone holds each other accountable. We should always be striving to improve, learn, collaborate, and grow so that we can offer our clients the absolute best service and product possible.

This year, we updated our signature program, The Abundance Plan, and opened an advanced program called TAP Mastery, which is a continuation program offered to our Abundance Plan alumni. I’m so grateful for my KT Merry Education community.

2022 Highlights: Destination Engagement, Honeymoon, + Pre-Wedding Photoshoots

Maine, Amangiri, Austin, Lake Como, + More

While destination weddings will always light us up, I do love the opportunity to help co-create other kinds of artistic destination photoshoots. Destination engagement, honeymoon, and pre-wedding photoshoots are especially fun because we get to capture our clients’ personalities and stories while creating beautiful images in far away places. We love helping our couples pick meaningful locations, striking fashion, and stunning styling on these creative adventures!

This year, we traveled to Portland, Maine to curate and capture Hutton and Bobby’s sailboat engagement session. We shot in the other-worldly setting of Amangiri for Cassandra and Dan ahead of their Hong Kong wedding, and we captured Paige and Raul’s chic engagement session at the Commodore Perry Estate in Austin. We also followed Jourdan and Nick to Lake Como to document their incredible honeymoon.

2022 Highlights: Horseback Riding in Dartmoor, UK

A Wild Ride to Feed the Soul

I feel most alive and in touch with my soul when I’m creating, and when I’m around animals. I grew up around horses and developed a deep connection with them from an early age. Galloping through a beautiful landscape atop a horse is an indescribably powerful and joyful feeling.

I love horses so much that I have an entire collection dedicated to them in my photography print shop called Equus: Simply Wild, where 20% of every sale is donated to The American Wild Horse Campaign, an organization dedicated to protecting the American Wild Mustang.

I was so excited to travel to Dartmoor, UK in the summer for some adventure. We stayed at the Bovey Castle Hotel, which was a lovely place to stay and mingle with other travelers. We ventured out into the wilds of Dartmoor National Park on horseback with Liberty Trails, an amazing guided horseback riding tour company. Chad and I awoke early each day and  traveled out to meet the horses and rode with a group of riders, including former olympian Mary King!

Galloping through Dartmoor’s open moorland,  rivers, and valleys full of wild ponies and lush forests was the exhilarating experience we needed at the time. It was truly an experience I will never forget and will be forever grateful for. 

To read more about it, click here.

2022 Highlights: A Festive Holiday Wedding

Back to Blackberry Farm, Tennessee

In December, we headed back to Blackberry Farm in Tennessee (one of our favorite destinations) to photograph a winter and holiday inspired wedding. There is something so timeless and heartwarming about Blackberry Farm and the nostalgia it ignites. The time of year only added to the warm feelings!

Victoria and Sean’s beautiful December wedding perfectly embodied the holiday spirit and magic of Christmastime. It was such a great wedding to end the year with!

2022 Highlights: Named Top Wedding Photographer

BRIDES Magazine

I am so honored to be named a top American wedding photographer by BRIDES magazine for another year. I work in weddings because witnessing joy and beauty is the essence of life, and capturing it is even better. What an incredible note to be ending 2022 on. I’m looking forward to a new year filled with creating more art with the most incredible people in some of the most beautiful locations in the world—what a dream.

Congratulations to all the talented, creative photographers on this list and thank you for the constant flow of inspiration and beauty you put into the world. Cheers to a wonderful year of making magic—may it only get better from here!

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about my highlights of 2022 as much as I’ve enjoyed writing about them. As the year comes to a close, I always make an effort to reflect. It’s very important to me that I take stock of all that has transpired, been created, learned, and given. It’s in this reflection that I’m reminded of just how much there is to be thankful for. And even though there is still so much yet to accomplish, I know that there is always hope for an even brighter, more meaningful tomorrow. Thank you all for being a part of our journey. See you in 2023!

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