2025 was an interesting year for me.
I began this year with my first ever international elopement! I had planned to take some time off after that elopement, using this year to travel the world. However when I unexpectedly lost my van at the end of last year, I didn't have the finances to take the amount of time off I had originally planned. Starting in January, I began booking elopements for later in the year. I still took some time and backpacked my way from Southern Argentina to Peru from January-April.
In April, still unsure of when I was going home to Moab, I got a call about a 40 ft trailer for sale on a property I'd dreamed of living on. With the weather getting hot in the desert, I knew I had to fly home immediately and begin renovating my next home. I cancelled my routes to Ecuador, and instead booked my flight home for three days later.
I'm writing this blog from my newly almost finished home. I'm grateful for the slower year, because I spent the last 8 months renovating what will be my home for the foreseeable future. It's beautiful, and I have a new place to rest in. My life looks so different from last year when all I had was a backpack and some goals.
2026 is going to be bigger and better than ever.
There is BIG things on the horizon! I'm opening a photography studio in Moab, challenging myself to create in a new environment. I now have connections with a local printer, and have been thrilled working with that printer this year. This will lead me to having my first ever art show, a concept I'm preparing for and planning to unveil in October of this year.
The thing I am most grateful for this year, is that most of my jobs were right here, in my home of Moab, Utah! After being a travel photographer for so many years, I've been working on keeping a majority of my work local. This is the first year I feel like that has actually worked! This year was filled with adventure couples eloping in my corner of the desert, canyoneering, and exploring, I got to see how my time as a local here can actually translate into the most bad-ass elopements you can imagine.
As always, thank you for supporting small business, thank you for supporting someone like me. I owe everything to this art, these memories, this is so much more than a career. Thank you.
1. Matt & Melissa
I started this year with one of the most ambitious goals of my life coming true. My first international elopement in none other than Patagonia, Argentina. It's difficult to choose a favorite from this gallery, and you can view the whole thing in this blog. I chose this photo because this is an entirely different perspective from one of the most popular viewpoints in El Chalten. The reflection was perfect, the water, the rocks, the contrast from the warm morning light on one rock, to the cooler snow behind it. I couln't believe I had never seen a photo from this perspective here.
On a personal note, I remember this day as one of the hardest I've cried this year. While editing, it really struck me how far I've come in the last decade since beginning my photography journey. I cried in the way of reaching back to my childhood self and telling her that grown up Christina is happier and cooler than I could have ever imagined in my youth. It was profound. I'm so blessed by people like Matt and Melissa who entrust me with their best day ever :)
2. Laura & Luis
One of the highlights of South America was visiting my friend Laura! She's a photographer I traveled with 5 years ago, and we haven't seen each other since. Her life changed drastically when she got stuck in Peru during Covid, and met her husband Luis. They now have a beautiful daughter, and a beautiful multi generational farm in the Amazon Jungle. I was lucky enough to stay with them for a few weeks, and got to take some family photos! I cherish this time so much, and would love to visit again down the road.
3. Elco & Sandra
My first shoot upon getting back to Moab was this beautiful surprise proposal at Delicate Arch. No better way to begin my time home than this iconic arch. Sandra was SO surprised when I walked up and introduced myself, telling her I had captured the proposal, and was going to meet them again for sunset for more engagement photos!
4. Redfoot & Faye
These two beautiful people in my life just got ENGAGED and I couldn't be happier! I'm reflecting on all the times I've got to take them aside at events for some quick couple photos, and this is one of my favorites. Congrats to this power couple, I love you two so much!
5. Sarah
I'm so grateful for this shoot with Sarah. This was meant for her to enter images of her tattooes into the Inked Magazine contest earlier this year, and this stands out to me as one of my favorite sunrises. Sending love to this beauty!
6. Di-Lon
This was my first ever video shoot, along with a photo promo shoot for my good friend Dylan to assist in his DJing career. I'm grateful for how our friendship has grown, and for the trust in my artist direction. One of many great portrait shoots from this year!
7. 2025 Womens Gathering
One of my favorite events of the year is the Moab Women's gathering. This was my first year taking on facilitating this event, co hosted with my friend Kayla!
Lex reached out to me to let me know she'd like to shave her head at the women's gathering this year. A joyous and freeing moment with a joyous and free woman, I love you so much Lex.
8. Red Earth Venue Wedding
This was my first time shooting at the Red Earth Venue, one of our only wedding venues in Moab. It's truly incredible to see how this venue has turned out. I hadn't visited since the first ever photographer marketing event here many years ago when there was just a wood platform, amazing to see it now in full swing!
9. D & E
One of my super secret elopements this year! In true elopement style, no one knows this couple eloped here in Moab, For that reason, I am only sharing wider photos where you cannot see their faces. They got married on the trail at sunrise, and went canyoneering after! One of my favorite days of the year.
10. Sultan
One of my favorite deals I offer to locals is my restaurant marketing deal in Moab! I offer a discounted shoot to take new marketing photos for restaurants here, and invite locals to come eat for free in exchange for me photographing them and the menu.
11. Eric & Taylor
I cannot believe this is the first year I've created this shot at this spot, I admittedly have seen it done several times and I LOVE it. Eric and Taylor were so cute and came down from Salt Lake City just for their engagement shoot. Congratulations you two!
12. Madison & Jonathan
ONE of my favorite elopements ever! I could say a million things about this, but instead I'm going to link to their blog so you can explore the whole story.
13. Haley & Colin
Another first for me, my first ever associate shoot! I shot Haley & Colin's elopement in Yosemite last year, and they wanted a follow up anniversary shoot on the east coast. I wasn't available for travel at this time, and instead sent an associate and edited the photos. This beach shoot turned out so gorgeous!
14. Eliza & Reece
It was so sweet to do these twos engagement session in Yosemite this year. Honestly, one of my favorite sunrise and sunsets in Yosemite. This photo wasn't even from one of the best viewpoints, it was just on the trail, which is why it's important to pay attention to light and when the dusty trail conditions make this magic. VERY excited to blog their engagement and wedding soon!
15. The Dirty Turkeys
One of my favorite parts of this year was photographing Vanstock Alaska. First of all, if you're a nomad, I highly reccomend this event. But one of my favorite parts of this event was connecting with the Dirty Turkeys! We realized very quickly they were playing at a festival later in the year hosted on the property I live on. I suggested we take band photos along with the live performances, and their personalities really started shining to me through this process. Very excited to meet them again and document their west coast tour this upcoming February!
16. Julia.
Julia is a friend of mine and wedding / elopement musician! She also played at Vanstock Alaska, and we continued to travel the state together afterwards. She wanted a confidence booster photoshoot on one of our hikes, I cannot get over the magic of Alaska!
17. Eliza & Reece
Now we're onto the big day! Eliza & Reece had a 4 day summer camp wedding in the Santa Cruz Mountains. They hired me for coverage of the whole event. It was SO much fun and so intentional and meaningful! I loved this celebratory shot during their couples photos on the ceremony day.
18. Dylan & Bre
This was a beautiful year of surprise proposals in Moab. Dylan and Bre stand out to me for Bre's reaction to the proposal. She had no idea the girl perched in the rocks enjoying the sunrise was actually there to photograph her proposal. This was another shoot where we met again for engagement photos in the evening, I had the best time with them and cannot wait for their wedding next year!
19. Alex & Lauryn
An early morning fall shoot in Colorado meant the air was crisp and cold. There was the most beautiful mist in the air next to the river we were driving alongside on our route up the mountain. I asked if we could pull over and begin their photos with one of my favorite creative concepts, blue light hour photos in front of car headlights.
20. Eric & Michelle
God, I love these two. I've gotten much closer with them in 2025, and I'm so grateful. They are the first of my Moab friends to get married! I am beyond excited to be their wedding photographer in 2026, and have a lasting relationship for many years to come! Also I love this photo, it's SO them I can't get over it.
21. k & m
Another secret client session this year, AND another first! A proposal under the stars! This concept was a challenge for me, and I was SO excited to make this happen. Proposing under the stars is a beautiful idea. I did the hike the night before to take test shots and give K the exact instructions on where and how to propose, and the milky way truly could not have been better. What a dream!
22. Carly & Alex
We planned and executed this elopement in under two months! I am SO excited to share a blog of these two over the winter, for now here's one of my favorite images as the sun had finally set on their adventure day.
23. Alex & Lauryn
Ahh I was so happy when these two's elopement day finally came about! It was such a joy running around town with them prior to off roading to their elopement spot, one of my favorite locations pictured below.
24. Derek & Sammy
This truly WAS the year of proposals! Another epic surprise, and my first time executing this particular photoshop vision into a photograph. One of my favorite creative moments of the year!
25. Heidi's Family
During the holidays is a great time to travel to Moab with your family! Heidi reached out to me for their annual Christmas card, and we had a great time in Arches doing family photos and couple photos alike.
