Your Retreat Deserves A Professional Photographer And Here Is Why
Within the past three months I have had the opportunity to photograph two destination yoga retreats . Through those experiences I have become certain that having a professional photographer at your retreat is a very worthwhile and, I will be as bold to say, necessary investment.
In early 2024 I attended and photographed The Retreat with Catherine Gignac at Amansala in Tulum, Mexico. A couple of months later I attended and photographed Wake Your Wild Retreat with Brittny Manos at Idyll in Hocking Hills, Ohio. Both were so beautifully curated and to this day have made a lasting impact on myself and those in attendance.
You can read more about my personal experience at these two retreats at the bottom of this post. (coming soon)
After witnessing the power of retreat I wanted to share what it looks like to have a photographer in this sacred space because I think it is genuinely important to document an expansion so profound.
So if your curious if you should bring someone along to professionalIy document your retreat, I am here to say without a doubt, yes - hell yes. Here is why…
Let’s start with the obvious : The nature of photography
Photographs preserve the creation that is your retreat.
"The person who set out on the journey is not
the person who arrives"
—David Whyte
Why Your Retreat Needs
A Professional Photographer:
01 | Photographs help preserve the creative creation that is your retreat
There is a lasting feeling of embodiment that comes from having photographs from our experiences. We want to be able to drop into that feeling again. Think about your attendees looking at these images a month after the retreat when they are still feeling all the energy of this experience you so intentionally crafted. Photographs are also a great way for your attendees to reflect and digest as they process the experience.
02 | Present and engaged attendees
There is a type of tension we feel when trying to hold on to an experience. Especially one that is packed full of life-giving moments that unfold over a few days or weeks. There is so much happening and our human nature is to try to remember it all. We want to remember the “aha” we felt in an exact moment. We want to be able to tell our loved ones about the experience. It is that feeling of “I wish ___ was here to experience this.”
With a professional photographer taking care of
capturing it all, your attendees don’t have to feel that unnecessary burden. This allows them to be more present and engaged along the way.
03 | Community!
The heart of what makes any individual retreat flourish, is the community of the exact people in the room. Photography is a beautiful way to stamp that truth. Individuals will likely only grab snap shots with those they already know, selfies or worst case scenario none at all because they feel silly or strange asking to take photos with others. The photographer’s job will be to photography the group in its entirety. This is also a great way for people to stay in touch once the retreat has concluded.
03 | Professional marketing material
Professional imagery from experiences is paramount because words alone cannot always communicate how something felt. And retreats are all about a feeling - stepping away from our day-to-day “to-do” brain and dropping into our heart-brain.
To be able to use the images from your specific retreats (vs stock images) creates elements of trust, excitement, curiosity and professionalism that will stand out and create connection on your website, social channels and anywhere else you choose to share and market your offerings.
04 | Word-of-mouth marketing
Most people don’t often have professional photographs of themselves (especially taken in breathtaking environments) making it such a treat to have. Your attendees will love sharing the images which in turn creates the absolute BEST KIND OF MARKETING. Testimonials from those who have experienced something first hand will always be the best way to attract like-minded people to adventure into your space.
After delivering the full gallery I loved watching people share the photographs on Instagram with their personal reflections.
Two Bonus Reasons:
Witness your own evolution as a retreat host and experience curator.
How powerful and rewarding to witness and celebrate your growth as a retreat leader. Bringing a photographer on your retreat each year can be a beautiful way to document and process your own evolution. A client of mine does this and you can see so much embodied confidence and ease over the years in her photographs.
Attendees can book individual shoots to take advantage of the environment and give homage to their personal experience.
In Tulum, I was able to do headshots for a woman who is a life coach which she used on her website (seen here).
I also photographed an intimate portrait session for a woman honoring her sovereignty as she stepped away from caregiving duties as “mom”.
Others used sessions to express the magnitude of their creative spirit that retreats bring up and out of us.
“I recently had my first ever professional photo shoot. I initially felt awkward, as being in the spotlight is out of my comfort zone. Thanks to Morgan’s reassuring presence, I quickly relaxed into the experience and began to feel embodied and empowered in my 58 year-old body. The first time I viewed her finished product, I had chills. Morgan was able to capture the beauty and essence of who I am. I have always believed that people radiate light from the inside out, but I witnessed it in myself through Morgan’s magical work.”
Things to consider when hiring
a photographer for your retreat.
Now that I have listed about probably only half of the reasons why having a professional photographer at your treat is a good idea, I would like to share a few things to consider when hiring a photographer of your retreat.
Include your photographer as an attendee first, photographer second. Here is why:
"I think it's great that you were able to integrate into the group, while simultaneously able to pull back and capture the group - I think that is so much more natural than having a photographer who is not part of the group.” - Liz A. (retreat participant)
If you’re feeling concerned at all about a photographer feeling invasive, having your photographer also participate as an attendee will relieve this concern completely. Those attending will view the photographer as another member of the retreat who happens to also be documenting the experience rather than a photographer being an outsider with a job to do.
Being immersed in an experience supports the photographer in connecting to what the others in the room are feeling. I remember on the very first day of The Retreat in Tulum I burst into tears on my mat during a heart releasing somatic movement. In that same class, someone (now a good friend of mine!) pulled me aside with tears running down her face and asked me to photograph her in her deep state of release and gratitude. It was really beautiful being able to take her photo from the perspective of really knowing her shared (and unique) experience.
Allowing your photographer to have their own experience will humanize the person behind the camera. I’d like to think my vulnerability in that moment and others I shared along the way, took away from any unease some may have felt with a camera even present in the room.
Note : I do think that a contract should be agreed upon to ensure that the there are clear and agreed upon terms of the assignment. Which brings me to my next point -
Create clear expectations of what it looks like to be a participant and a hired contractor.
Here are some clarifying questions that can be discussed ahead of time:
How heavily do you want the retreat to be documented?
What specific elements of the retreat are important to capture?
What are the deliverables and when are the deadlines?
Who has rights to use the images and for what purposes?
What do you need from me to make the experience of working together feel as amicable and easeful as possible?
Are there any expectations on communication, honoring the experience for the attendees or anything else I should know?
The number one thing to do before hiring a photographer is to get to know one another.
Like all intimate experiences, it will be important that you have a good vibe and sincerely connect with each other.
On a personal note
I had no idea how much I would enjoy, from the bottom of my heart, photographing retreats until I stepped into this space.
There is a certain type of divine magic that happens when people invest in themselves on retreat. These nourishing spaces are the perfect alchemy of solidarity and community, rest and movement, introspection and the letting go needed for inner-peace.
I am so thankful to have learned so much through what only experience can teach. If you have any questions about hiring a photographer or are looking to start the conversation around what it would look like to work together, I am here for it!
How I personally show up to support your retreat:
I have had a committed yoga practice since 2009. Yogis are my people and I am very familiar with all the shapes and moments of the practice that make for great imagery. In fact…
The Breath + Body Collection is one of my three main offerings.
As a mother and business owner, I know the power of retreat and when to push the pedal and pump the breaks as an active participant.
I am an avid traveler (I have even lived overseas!). Therefore, I am very comfortable with navigating my travels and accommodations.
I am a Reiki student/practitioner. Energy work is part of my daily practice and I know how powerful it is to be in spaces where people are moving through energetic transformations.
“Your energy is gentle, radiant, and beautiful. I am sure that even if you had not participated in the retreat and came just as a photographer, your delicate approach to shooting would have made the process very comfortable for me. But you also participated and it was amazing!
But by going through your own process during the retreat, you were able to capture moments deeper and subtler. Your artistic mind has highlighted some particular moments which I might have missed without your presence”