Responsible Elopement Photographer: What That Actually Means

Being a Photographer Who Actually Thinks About Impact

I travel for a living. The Dolomites, Switzerland, Iceland, remote valleys at sunrise, cliffs that try to blow us into the ocean. It’s an incredible job. It also has an environmental footprint, and I refuse to pretend otherwise.

If I’m going to build a business around wild landscapes, I need to protect them, not just photograph them. They literally give me so much, so I can’t just sit back and take from these beautiful places.

1% for the Planet: Built-In Accountability

I donate 1% of my annual revenue to 1% for the Planet. Revenue, not profit. That means the commitment is built into my business model, not something I decide to do whether or not the year went well.

1% for the Planet connects businesses to vetted environmental nonprofits and verifies the donations. The funds support real environmental work: reforestation, conservation, climate advocacy, regenerative projects.

When you book me, part of what you invest goes directly toward protecting the kind of landscapes you’re standing in. That matters to me. This is a nonprofit I truly trust and have done a lot of research into; they’re legit.

Responsible Travel With Greentripper

Let’s talk about flights. I mainly travel by electric car and train across Europe, but sometimes flying is unavoidable. Iceland is not reachable by scenic railway, unfortunately.

I do my best to reduce flights strategically. When I open bookings for destinations that require flying, I block them into a tight window and stack multiple elopements into that period. I will say no to dates outside that window so I only take one round-trip instead of several. It’s better for the planet and frankly better for my sanity.

When I do fly, I offset all of my annual CO2e* emissions through Greentripper. I know how offsetting sounds- basically like a scam that airlines try to sell you. But these guys are legit, I promise, and I’ve personally called with them to see how they roll.

They calculate travel emissions and invest in certified climate projects that capture carbon, protect forests, and support renewable energy and sustainable land use. Offsetting doesn’t erase impact, but it funds measurable climate-positive work instead of ignoring the footprint entirely. So, if you can’t avoid flying, this is something you can do to at least give back to the pollution that was contributed from your flight (or whatever transport you took).

*CO2e = CO2 equivalent. There are different types of greenhouse gases, not just carbon dioxide. These can all be converted to CO2 equivalent.

Protect Our Winters Italy

I also financially support Protect Our Winters (POW) Italy because I live in the Dolomites, and I have watched winters change in real time. There are seasons now where snow exists only on the ski run itself, and five meters to the side it’s brown grass and mud. That’s not dramatic. That’s reality.

Protect Our Winters works to mobilize the outdoor community around climate policy and systemic change. They focus on advocacy, education, and political engagement because individual action is important, but policy is where real structural change happens.

If my business relies on alpine winters, I’m going to support the people fighting to protect them. I couldn’t bear to see a snowless winter here.

Beyond the Environment: The School for Moral Ambition

I also donated to the School for Moral Ambition, founded by Rutger Bregman.

Their mission is simple and seems radical, though really should be considered essential: encourage talented, capable people to use their careers to solve the world’s biggest problems instead of optimizing for status or comfort. It’s about directing ambition toward impact.

For me, that resonates deeply. Running a business isn’t just about profit margins and bookings. It’s about what your work contributes to the world around you. Supporting initiatives that challenge people to think bigger and act more ethically fits directly into how I want to operate long-term.

Food, Clothing, and Daily Choices

I eat whole food plant-based because animal agriculture has a massive environmental footprint, and daily habits compound faster than most people realize. Most of my vegetables come from a farmer in our town. My tofu is made from soybeans he grows locally. I prioritize seasonal produce and cook most meals from scratch.

I make my own oat milk instead of buying cartons wrapped in plastic (though I haven’t perfected barista milk yet, so buy organic Oatly 😅). I use rechargeable batteries for my gear. I repair before replacing. I choose durable equipment that lasts for years.

Fast fashion is environmentally brutal, so most of my wardrobe is mainly second-hand or from ethical companies using responsibly sourced fabrics. Though, if I already owned something not-so-ethical from before and it still works, I wear it. Replacing functional items for the sake of aesthetics defeats the point. I used to work at Lululemon, so I still have many leggings from them I use even though they’re definitely not the most ethical company to date.

Why This Matters for Your Elopement

Elopements are already lower-impact than traditional large weddings. Fewer guests, less production, less waste, more intention. That’s one of the reasons I love them.

But I don’t want to romanticize wild places while contributing to their decline. If I’m photographing you in the Dolomites at sunrise or on an Icelandic cliff with sideways wind, I want to know I’m doing what I can to protect those landscapes long-term.

You’re not just booking a photographer. You’re booking someone who really, truly gives a sh*t and does something about it. Because quite honestly, I don’t think I’d feel good about myself if I sat back and didn’t worry about it. Someone’s gotta do something, right?

I’m absolutely not perfect, but I’m trying to be accountable for my actions, and help how I can while still keeping my epic career. I’ve worked hard to be here, and now it’s time for me to help the world that’s been my canvas for so many years.