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For me, traveling is about more than just visiting new places. It’s about creating lasting memories that stay with me long after the journey ends. As a travel lover, mom, and wife, I’ve always sought meaningful ways to capture the magic of our adventures. Being a professional photographer myself, I always come home with a gallery of gorgeous photos. However, I am in very few since I am often behind the camera. Enter Flytographer, a team of vacation photographers worldwide, ready to help me solve that problem!
Today, I want to talk about a true game-changer in travel photography: Flytographer. My family just returned home from a trip to South America and had a fantastic Flytographer session with Claudia on the vibrant streets of Rio de Janeiro!
Click HERE to get $25 off your first Flytographer Shoot!
All of the photos shown in this blog post were taken by Claudia for Flytographer Rio de Janeiro. These two are my favorites!
Flytographer: Vacation Photographers
In this blog post, I am excited to share our first-hand experience with Flytographer. This service seamlessly connects travelers with local photographers in destinations around the world.
From the picturesque streets of London to the exotic beaches of Bali, Flytographer brings the magic of professional vacation photography to travelers worldwide.
Join me as I delve into the world of Flytographer, exploring the vacation photographer booking process, sharing our unique experience, and providing insights to inspire and tips for working this experience into your travel itinerary.
Because sometimes, it’s not just about the places you visit; it’s about the moments you capture, ensuring they last a lifetime. More importantly, I want to show that I was, in fact, there too! And not just hidden behind the camera.
Our Flytographer Experience in Rio de Janeiro
I had heard about Flytographer a couple of years ago and actually considered booking them for our recent trips to Greece, Paris, London, and Amsterdam. But I never pulled the trigger. In hindsight, I 100% regret not doing it. Moving forward, I plan to use Flytograher for our 2024 vacations and travel in 2025!
So, for this trip to Brazil, I made it happen. I booked an afternoon session with Claudia for the 3rd day of our trip. Keep reading because this is one mistake that I made! I will tell you why shortly.
Booking Our Session
The process was very easy. We worked through the Flytographer website. I could choose from various locations in and around Rio de Janeiro. I chose Ipanema Beach, and the meeting point was just over a block from our Airbnb. So, it worked out great!
During Our Photo Shoot
Our 30-minute session flowed really well. Claudia was familiar with the area and directed us to pose in various spots and create candid moments. It was a hot day in Rio, and the beaches were crowded, but she assured us it was ok! She was shooting intentionally to avoid distractions and ensured she could clean up photos in post-processing. As a photographer myself, I appreciate that!
After Our Session
Within 24 hours, she sent us a sneak peek, which we loved. A couple of days later, the whole session was delivered in an online gallery via the Flytographer website. It’s easy to download, and she definitely over-delivered. We had a great variety of photos, and I greatly appreciate her time and efforts!
My family has not had professional pictures taken by anyone other than me in a very long time. So, having these photographs as a set of family photos and a glimpse into our bucket list trip to Rio is priceless!
I know most of you aren’t going to Rio de Janeiro anytime soon. But the good news is that Flytographer has vacation photographers all around the world. Let’s look at their business model a little deeper.
What is Flytographer?
Flytographer is a game-changing photography service that is transforming how we document our travel adventures.
Imagine having a local photographer capture the essence of your vacation, providing you with a curated collection of stunning, professional-grade photographs. That sounds good, but who has time to research photographers in a city halfway around the world?
Flytographer serves as the bridge between travelers and talented photographers in over 300 destinations worldwide. They boast over 25,000 5-star reviews from across the globe! This service is not only for far-off destinations and bucket list trips. Flytographer has destination photographers in 16 cities in Florida alone!
The concept is simple: The Flytographer platform allows you to seamlessly connect with a skilled photographer at your chosen destination, ensuring that your travel memories are captured with just as much meaning as the trip itself.
With a commitment to authenticity and a deep understanding of each location’s unique charm, Flytographer enables travelers to return home with souvenirs and a visual storybook. Whether you’re celebrating a family vacation, a romantic getaway, or a solo adventure, Flytographer offers a personalized and convenient solution to transform your travel moments into timeless works of art.
The Flytographer Booking Process
The Flytographer website offers a step-by-step guide on booking a photo session. Here is a brief overview of the process!
1) Choose a photographer & request your date.
2) Within 48 hours, you’ll finalize availability and confirm your booking.
3) Before your shoot, you will connect with the photographer and confirm details.
4) On the day of your session, you’ll meet up with your photographer 10 minutes before your shoot and start the session.
5) Within 5 days, you will receive your Flytographer gallery.
At that point, you have your photos and are free to share them! They offer the option to purchase a photo book or prints, but other than that, there are no hard upsells. You are given the best of the best photos, and the quantity is determined based on the session you choose. These range from 30 minutes (15 photos) to 2 hours (60 photos).
They do offer additional services for an additional fee. This includes helping you plan a surprise proposal. How magical!
Flytographer Cost And Travel Photo Packages
Speaking of packages, let’s review Flytographer pricing. Here is a quick breakdown of the 4 standard packages that Flytographer offers. Digital photos are included in all of the packages. Prices are updated and current as of October 1, 2024.
Package 1: The Short Storyteller
- 30 Minutes
- $325 USD
- 20 Photos
- 1 Location
Package 2: The Subtle Chronicler
- 60 Minutes
- $425 USD
- 35 Photos
- 1-2 Location
Package 3: The Classic Souvenir
- 90 Minutes
- $590 USD
- 50 Photos
- 2+ Locations
Package 4: A Romp Around the City
- 2 Hours
- $715 USD
- 65 Photos
- 2+ Locations
Flytographer Destinations and Photographers
As I mentioned above, Flytographer currently serves over 300 cities worldwide. Just click Destinations on the top menu of their website, and you’ll find an easy-to-navigate list of destinations to choose from.
What I find significant is that these are local photographers. They know the area and can guide you to the right location for your photos. When traveling, there is nothing worse than surprises. Showing up at the Eiffel Tower and planning to take your own photos is a recipe for stress and chaos. It can be so crowded! Their Paris Photographers know the best time to go and even secret streets that make for iconic photos!
There are often numerous photographers available to choose from at various destinations. You can see samples of their work, which is very important. If you love light and airy photos, look for a Flytographer with that portfolio style over a high-contrast film look. There is something for everyone!
The Flytographer Experience: Connecting You With Vacation Photographers
These photographers have been vetted by Flytographer and are professionals. Sure, you can find a professional photographer on your own. But you could spend hours trying to find the right one. Let Flytographer take care of that for you!
Benefits of Using Flytographer
Of course, taking the headache out of the photographer selection process is a start. But don’t underestimate the personalization and unique local perspectives these photographers have.
Generally, when booking a Flyographer, you are on vacation or amid big travel. You have enough to worry about! Take advantage of this time-saving and stress-free photography experience.
Just show up, take your photos, and continue on with your travels. It’s just that easy! I will mention that Flytographer customer service is supposed to be great. While we didn’t have to use it, the platform does provide an extra layer of protection and level of service.
Tips for a Successful Flytographer Experience
Here are a few tips for making the most of your photoshoot.
#1 Communication Is Key
Check in with your photographer in advance. Be upfront about what you want from the photo session.
#2 Wardrobe Does Matter
Before your trip, take time to select outfits for the photo shoot. You can take inspiration from your destination, like I did, choosing this floral dress for our Rio de Janeiro session!
#3 Pack A Garment Steamer
Pack a travel steamer to ensure your clothes aren’t wrinkled. I love this Pionix Garment Steamer. Yes, most hotels have irons. However, I have been in a situation once or twice where they didn’t. Now, I take this on every trip. It’s very compact!
#4 Choosing The Day Strategically
I personally recommend scheduling your session on the first full day of the trip—not the day of arrival but the next day. This is for a couple of reasons, one of which I hinted at earlier.
First, if you are in a sunny destination, you don’t want to worry about sunburns before your photos. I spent the first 2.5 days worried about that. Second, scheduling your session for the first part of your trip allows more room for rescheduling if there is bad weather or an emergency.
#5 Timing Your Session
Additionally, I like afternoon sessions for two reasons!
First, you can make a night out of it. Plan to go out to a nicer dinner, show, or event after your session. You are all dressed up anyway! Second, it gives us time to enjoy the day. Come back to shower and refresh. And then head to photos.
On the other hand, if you have young kids, you may prefer the morning sessions. It may be easier to knock it out while everyone is fresh. Plus, locations are generally less crowded in the mornings.
But these are just some things to consider! It’s up to you to decide.
#6 Ditch Your Stuff
You will want to leave bags, including purses, at home as there generally won’t be safe places to store them during your session. I just gave Matt my ID to put in his pocket. The kids left their phones back at the Airbnb.
My Honest Flytographer Review
I hope you enjoyed reading about our Flytographer experience and how the process works. Based on my experience, I can 100% recommend Flytographer. We booked and paid for our session on our own and will continue to do so on future trips.
My only regret is not booking a session on some of our past big trips. I would have liked to have done a professional photo shoot in Santorini or Athens. I was so close to booking but never pulled the trigger. The first step to making it happen is to book a photographer!
Should You Book With Flytographer On Your Next Trip?
If you are the one taking the photos (like me), then absolutely yes! Frankly, I get a little jealous when I see all the great travel photos I take of Matt and the kids as we travel. Now, I can hire a photographer and be in them too!
The key benefit of using Flytographer is that it makes it easy. When I did portrait photography, I encountered some very high-maintenance clients. If you feel like you may be one of these, this might not be the best option for you. Or, you may need to book one of the longer durations. The beauty of these sessions is showing up ready and seeing what happens.
Did I love every single photo that I got? No.
But I liked most of them. My goal was literally to get one good family photo. I got way more than that. I am overall thrilled with them!
Book Your Flytographer Photo Shoot Today!
Whether you are traveling to New York City or Tokyo, I encourage you to consider booking Flytographer for your next vacation. Capture memories with your loved ones!
The Flytographer website includes destinations, pricing, and many reviews from people like us. You can also view many images from past photo shoots. A Flytographer photo session makes a great gift idea, too!
Click HERE to get $25 off your first Flytographer Shoot! Even if you aren’t ready to book now, you can grab yourself a gift card to secure this discount.
And, if you have used Flytographer in the past, I would love for you to share your own Flytographer experiences. Please leave a comment on this blog post!
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