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adventure elopement photographer

emma studley

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Looking to have an adventurous elopement in the Pacific Northwest? I know a gal! 

Hi, I’m Emma. And I’m not just your elopement photographer. I’m also your confidant, your exploration comrade and support system throughout this beautiful experience. I’m a Washington local, Seattle is my home, and I am a fierce believer in squeezing the most out of life,

I grew up hiking along the Mountain Loop Highway with a dad that used to mountaineer in the 80's, and would often play in solitude in the yard with my mom’s chunky camcorder - taking photos of the trees, rivers, bird nests, flowers, and of course, our family pets.

In 2016 I studied photojournalism on a study abroad program at the University of Washington, and that’s where things really took off. I loved photographing humans, architecture, nature... all of it threading together in a way that really made sense for me.




Meet Your PNW Elopement Photographer

When we work together, I carry these promises with me along every step of the way —

• I will be a creative and intentional elopement guide. Asking the right questions. Listening to you. And crafting a tailored experience you'll never forget.

• I will get to know you. Because I care. We just might become best friends after this (like, only if you want to...)

• You will receive imagery that moves you. That captures you in your most at ease. That journalistically tells the story of this incredible day. Because great photos come from a great experience through and through.

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Get to know your

I am a major hobby gal. Climbing, cooking, reading, biking around Seattle, camping, interior decorating... the list goes on! Lately I've been starting seeds and building a garden on my new balcony, and learning to rock climb which has been so empowering!

what do you do for fun?

You bet I do. I have the sweetest black and white tuxedo kitty, named Scout! 🥰 I love her lots. I've recently been trying to harness train her so she can join on more adventures.... stay tuned on that one lol...

do you have any pets?

I'm going to Europe this June! I haven't been since I was studying abroad in Italy in college. I'm SO excited to traipse around Iceland, the South of France, Italy, and Greece 😍 (I'm taking on some elopements, too! Might you be joining?!)

WHAT'S SOMETHING YOU'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO?

I love me some wheat thins, a squished turkey sandwich, some berries and a big ol' bag of Swedish fish.

go-to trail snacks?

Probably that I'm doing what I love most... getting outside and creating art for rad people. And that I get to be my own boss and create my own schedule and boundaries... I never would have fared well in the corporate world!

FAVORITE PART OF YOUR JOB?

Ashley + Caroline: Luxury Airbnb & Joshua Tree Adventure Elopement

April 5th, 2021

A dreamy desert airbnb, two bride completely in love, and an adventure through the Mojave desert could not have made me a more fulfilled photographer than I am from this experience.

view elopement

A few 

Carye + Kyle: A Sunrise Hiking Elopement at Mount Rainier

April 16th, 2021

Carye and Kyle started off their day with saying their vows as the sunrise came over Mount Rainier... It was one of the most beautiful things I've seen. This elopement also included a second hike, and lots of yummy snacks along the way!

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Christy + Roger: Incredible Hiking Elopement Around Mt. Baker

October 7th, 2022

7 miles, 2000 ft elevation gain, alpine lakes, & wildflowers galore. What could be better than this hiking elopement at Mt. Baker?

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recent

ADVENTURES 

Of this PNW elopement photographer

"Emma made all of our elopement dreams come true!!!! My husband and I both agree that our elopement was the best day of our lives for several reasons, and Emma was certainly one of them. From the moment we met Emma, it was clear that she was not only going to help us create a memorable day, but she was going to make sure she captured our authentic and private exchange with the utmost care, respect, and celebration. We had SO MUCH FUN and her photos are truly stunning!

Emma is a good soul who knows how to capture the gorgeous forests of the PNW as well as the important humans in frame. Our photos are not only a perfect reminder of the best day, but are simultaneously beautiful portraits of the lush Olympic forest, rivers, and mountains that we love so much and call home. We can't thank Emma enough for giving us everything we authentically wanted in an elopement - we really could not have asked for anything more!!" - Krista and Glenn

testimonials

"We really could not have asked for anything more"

"From the very beginning, Emma was absolutely amazing to communicate with. The biggest challenge was trying to plan this while being in a different state, but she made everything so smooth and simple. She was able to calm my nerves and answer all of my questions. Emma and I had never met in person, but that morning that we met it was like we had known her forever.


She has such a calming energy and made us feel so special throughout the entire day spent with her. When we received our full gallery we were blown away by how amazing it was! As someone who struggles with self-confidence, she made me feel so beautiful! My husband and I have looked through our gallery at least once a day since receiving them! I don’t even know how to thank her and if we were to do this whole experience over we would have no questions or doubts and would choose Emma, again and again, each time! This was an incredible experience and we are so honored to have had her as our photographer!" - Melanie and Ranilo 

testimonials

"The biggest challenge was trying to plan while being in a different state, but she made everything so smooth and simple."

"Emma is so wonderful to work with. My husband and I are not the most social people so a long hike with a stranger was a little nerve racking, but by the time our special day came around Emma already felt like a good friend. She is an excellent communicator (even when traveling!) and is loaded with good advice.

Emma helped us make endless decisions and gave me the best advice about accommodating family members that would not be joining us. The letters she suggested they write us are the only thing I cherish more than the breathtaking photos she took for us. Our idea of adventure wedding was a long and challenging hike. I was worried it would exceed what your everyday photographer would be willing to do. That was not the case with Emma. She went above and beyond for a sunrise ceremony. By the end of our 12 mile journey we were wet, tired, and sharing our favorite moments over coffee. It honestly couldn’t not have been a more wholesome and magical experience.

Emma thank you so much for bringing our dream to life with your passion for photography."

testimonials

"we are not the most social people, but by the time our special day came around, Emma already felt like a good friend."

"Emma is so incredibly skilled & talented, and it is evident in her work that this is her life's passion! Working with Emma was a smooth-sailing process--she understood exactly what we were hoping for and knew all of the best locations in WA for our adventure elopement. With weather and conditions being unpredictable, she came up with great backup options as well, which is a must for any event outdoors.

She is fantastic at communicating and keeping in touch throughout the whole planning process, and thinking through all the details and possible timelines. Seriously, if you are the planner-type-A, then you have nothing to worry about.

Emma perfectly captured our day in photos that we will cherish for a lifetime. We wanted our dog Jack to be involved in our mountain adventure and she was more than accommodating. Of course they were instant pals <3. It was a joy having her as our adventure photographer--it truly felt like having a close friend with us, and somehow during it all she captured the magic of the day in photos." - Christy and Roger

testimonials

"Seriously, if you are the planner-type-A, then you have nothing to worry about."

"So, how long have you known Emma?" Several people asked us this during our wedding weekend thinking Emma was just another friend — one of the crew. And that's exactly what she feels like. Emma is so natural and easy to be around that she put us at ease too which is exactly how I wanted to feel on our wedding day. No contrived poses, no stressful timelines. Just us, experiencing our day, trusting that she was working her magic behind the scenes capturing it all. It was a fantastic feeling." - Sarah + Wyllie

testimonials

"Emma is so natural and easy to be around that she put us at ease"

"Emma helped us choose our elopement hike by scouting out locations and providing feedback from a photographer's point of view. We met Emma in person for the very first time on the day of the ceremony. Despite it being pitch black outside, she was so bubbly, friendly, and excited to be there! It really felt like we had known her forever and that she was just one of our closest friends accompanying us on our hike."
- Patrick & Oli

testimonials

"Emma helped us choose our elopement hike by scouting out locations and providing feedback from a photographer's point of view"

"I would highly recommend Emma if you are looking for a wonderful photographer for an intimate wedding/elopement. She was incredibly helpful and communicative the entire planning process and the photos turned out beautifully!

She gave us a sneak peek of some finished photos almost immediately after the wedding
and delivered the rest a few weeks later! She also brought us a small gift the day of our wedding, which was so surprising and thoughtful! She fit right in with our family and felt like an old friend! Can't recommend her enough, thanks Emma!"- Lindsay and Mason

testimonials

"She fit right in with our family and felt like an old friend!"

"Emma was wonderful to work with and made our ceremony run so smoothly! We knew we wanted our immediately family to be included in our big day and she was so willing to work with us and incorporate our favorite people.

The photos are incredible and I simply cannot say enough good things about Emma. She made Sam & I feel comfortable in front of the camera and was so easy to talk to throughout the entire planning process.

She was always willing to work with our schedules, even with a 2-3 hour time zone difference.

We do not have a single regret in choosing to elope with immediate family and would do it 100x over again. The day was stress free and calm and we enjoyed every second of it. I absolutely recommend eloping but more specifically having Emma as the photographer!! We loved her and will cherish her photos for the rest of our lives."

testimonials

"We knew we wanted our family to be included, and she was so willing to work with us and incorporate our favorite people."

learn more

Washington State (home)
Patagonia
Peru
Alaska
Iceland
The Dolomites, Italy
Greece
Joshua Tree
Whistler, BC
Utah

upcoming travel

I promise to give every single client an experience that is worthy of their investment. Listening well, giving expert elopement consulting, and creating imagery that you will cherish forever are values that I uphold throughout our time together.

Respect the outdoors so that others and ourselves can enjoy outdoor recreation for the years to come. I ask all clients to sign off on Leave No Trace principles (respecting the outdoors and leaving nothing behind) in our contract together.

All are welcomed, celebrated, and respected here. I believe that marriage and the outdoors are for everybody regardless of race, orientation, gender expression or physical ability.

you can count on.

values

+How does booking work?

I keep things simple. Shoot me your inquiry, I'll respond with more in depth pricing and info, we schedule a discovery call over zoom, and once you decide on a date and general location, I'll send over my contract and invoice! Most payment plans will be a 34/33/33 split.

+How many hours do we need?

My most popular package is in the 8-12 hour range. That's another thing we can figure out on our discovery call! Just reach out and we'll find all that out.

+can we bring friends or family to our elopement?

1000% yes. Elopements can actually still have up to 12 people in my book to be considered an elopement. And there's dozens of great ideas out there for how to include those closest to you! If this limit is of concern, reach out and we'll talk through some more of my ideas!

+How far in advance do we need to book?

For the 2024 season, I am taking a much smaller load of work than previous years. Currently, I am already halfway booked! So reaching out as soon as possible is the best way for us to potentially get to work together.

Frequently Asked Questions

we're ready to set up a call!

+DO WE HAVE TO HIKE FOR OUR ADVENTURE ELOPEMENT?

Nope! So many of the amazing places showed throughout my portfolio are stunning walk-up or drive-up locations. You definitely don't have to hike several miles to get to amazing landscapes in Washington. I'd be happy to share those location with you :)

+DO YOU EVER SHOOT weddings or ELOPEMENTS OUTSIDE OF WASHINGTON?

I sure do. While Washington is my home, I also frequently travel to Utah and California, and heck - I even went to Italy for an elopement. Travel is in my DNA, and new places inspire some of my most creative work. You can check out my travel schedule here, or reach out if you're interested in collaborating anywhere else in the world!

+WHAT TIME OF YEAR IS BEST FOR OUR ELOPEMENT?

In the Pacific Northwest, it will depend on location. For mountain views - most couples choose July through early October. For lower land elevations, Spring is wonderful! But we can also find some amazing snowy spots for Winter elopements. It all depends on your vision.

For Utah and California, I recommend late Fall and early Spring. The heat will be more tolerable, crowds less overwhelming, and the views - incredible as always.

+DO YOU you also shoot bigger weddings or just elopements?

I do still take on a small handful of weddings a year! My associate also takes on weddings. To me there is room for both, and I'm still a sucker for a big celebration with all your people. I only take on a small amount per year, so let's get ya booked ASAP!