At Flytographer, not only do we capture the memories of thousands of travellers, but we are travellers ourselves. This year the HQ team in Victoria touched down all over the world, and we marked the adventures along the way with our own Flytographer shoot (of course). Get to know the team at HQ by checking out our favourite personal travel moments of 2017.
Shay, Shoot Concierge
Captured by Flytographer Wendy in Maui
"This year my family and I went to Maui! We used to go quite often when I was much younger but we hadn’t been back as a family in 16 years, so this trip was very special to us. My sister is moving to Texas soon so it was nice to get some family time before she leaves. We always stay in same condo complex in Kihei, and we love it! It feels like a little home away from home. We love Maui so much! Its great for both adventure and relaxation. Our highlights were driving the road to Hana (do the loop route, and download the Shaka guide audio tour app!), watching the sunrise on Haleakala Mountain, swimming at Big Beach, watching the surfers in Paia, and doing a brewery tour and tasting at Maui Brewing Company. This trip, I had my first Flytographer shoot with Wendy in Maui and it was SO fun! We loved getting these special memories captured of our family, as we learned in the first week of our trip we are really bad at taking self-timer family photos! Wendy gave us a great recommendations of where to watch hula dancers and get some nice drinks in the evening, the Four Seasons Hotel. Mahalo Wendy!"
Liss, Shoot Concierge
Captured by Flytographer's Bayu and Ivony in Bali
"I'm a Shoot Concierge here at HQ, and I love what I do. I have now planned over 2,500 shoots, and had the opportunity to work with the loveliest people, plan with talented photographers, and seen thousands of breathtaking photos from all over the world. I recently got the chance to step on the other side of that, and have my very own shoot across the globe! For my 2017 trip I chose the gorgeous country of Indonesia - visiting the popular island of Bali as well as a few of the neighbouring islands. My shoot with Bayu & Ivony could not be more perfect. We arrived just after sunrise when the light was absolutely magical and the rice terraces were empty except for us and one farmer. I got to explore the breathtaking Tegalaland rice terraces with my best friend and two amazing (and very fun) photographers all while laughing and capturing priceless moments. It was such a highlight of my trip and I can't wait until the next!"
Tara, Creative Director
Captured by Flytographer Roberta in Rome
"In the spring, I went on a whirlwind adventure that started in Morocco and ended in Italy for our annual Flytographer meetup. After the meetup, we were lucky enough to spend our last weekend in Rome and hang out with our local photographers Roberta and Guido. We were so lucky to have Roberta as our guide around the city. On the Saturday morning, while the city was still fast asleep, Danica and I had a shoot with Roberta. Suddenly we turned the corner and it was as if we walked onto a film set. The colosseum didn't even seem real to me. We literally walked into a Flytographer photo in that moment and Roberta captured our reaction. It was just us, the ruins and the morning light. The city was still so quiet and empty. Words cannot describe how magical it was to experience Rome."
Tedi, Digital Marketing Manager
Captured by Flytographer Spencer in Puerto Vallarta
"This vacation was extra special - not only was it a chance to relax in the sun with a margarita in hand, but it was the first time travelling to another country with my husband and parents all together! We were celebrating my parent's 25th wedding anniversary, and it was an amazing opportunity for us all to spend quality time connecting away from our busy lives. Having these photos to remember this special trip is priceless - they're already on my walls at home to look back on and relive the memories! My parents had taken photos with Spencer exactly one year before, so it was great to reconnect on this trip - like meeting up with an old friend. He had amazing recommendations for what to eat, see, and do in Sayulita - it lead us to some of the best guacamole we ate in Mexico!"
Caitlin, Shoot Concierge
Captured by Flytographer Lauren K. in New York City
"This year I had the incredible opportunity to travel to the Big Apple to promote Flytographer at the Plaza Hotel. While I have incredible connections with our photographers in NYC and was lucky enough to connect with many of them for great meals and conversations, this was my first extended solo trip. Having the chance to live and work on my own in NYC will forever be a landmark memory for me, and I could not be happier with the memories Lauren K. was able to capture. We lucked out with an overcast early morning at the Brooklyn Bridge, with hardly any other travellers in sight. Lauren and I made our way across the bridge and into DUMBO, getting to know each other through great conversations along the way. I remember one specific moment stopped on the bridge, I was overwhelmed by the amazing view, and the way that Flytographer had brought me to that moment. I will forever be so grateful for these memories!"
Anna, People Operations
Captured by Flytographer Paul in Tofino
"Tofino is my happy place. As soon as my toes touch the sand I'm inundated with the west coast, the never-ending beach, the surging sea; it’s stunning. I've been there many times before, and each time I’ve tested my phone's photo storage capacity, convinced I could capture the raw beauty of the landscape, but after many attempts, I always concluded that Tofino’s allure couldn't be immortalized in an image. Needless to say, Paul proved me wrong. Not only did he capture the true beauty of the place I love, but he also captured sweet moments between the people I love - and he got them both in the same shot! Paul merged effortlessly into the flow of our family and collected a bundle of amazing moments that we’ll be transported back to for years."
Courtney, Developer
Captured by Flytographer Wendy in Maui
"I'd never been to Hawaii before and wanted to make sure I left with photos that captured how beautiful it is there, as well as at least one photo of me without my classic 'selfie face.' Thanks to Wendy I have both! We laughed our way through a wonderful sunset photo shoot on the beach, where I got to frolic around in the surf and make my best attempts at pulling off some yoga poses. There was one point where she asked if I wanted to try taking some serious photos, but we quickly gave up on that idea when I could not physically keep from smiling - I was just having too much fun! As the self-proclaimed 'Most Awkward Person On Earth,' I was really worried that I was in store for an awkward photo shoot, but Wendy put me at ease immediately and was all around an amazing person with insane talent, so instead of leaving with cringeworthy memories of me being awkward on a beach, I have a new friend and the best photos of me in existence on this planet."
Sarah, Controller
Captured by Flytographer Kelly in Seattle
"It goes without saying that Seattle is a busy city. No matter which way you look, you’ll see people going in every direction: enroute to work, walking their dog, or like my friend and me, out exploring while in town for a concert. When we met up with Kelly, time seemed to slow down and the bustle of the city seemed to disappear. Kelly led us to cool spots and had us laughing the entire time. Looking at my pictures, you’d think we were the only ones in the city. I still don’t know how she did that - magic, I guess!"
Michelle, Global Recruiter
Captured by Flytographer Sonya in Florence
"This past spring, I travelled to Italy for our annual Flytographer meetup, where a group of our photographers come together for workshops, collaborations, networking, tours, inspiration and, of course, non-stop shooting! Between all the planning and hustle of the meetup, our founder, Nicole, and I got up extra early one morning to sneak in a shoot with Sonya, one of our local Florence photographers. If I can give only one piece of advice for a great photo shoot, it is to book it for just after sunrise! The city was still asleep, the light was perfect, and after the shoot, I still had time to go for a quiet cappuccino before jumping into the day. It was one of my favourite moments of the whole trip, to take that time for myself to walk around and really breathe in the city."