Review: Flytographer for Travel Photo Shoots in Maui, Paris, Los Cabos and Beyond

The travel selfie: A close-up photo of one or several faces, smiling — and wait, is that the Eiffel Tower in the background? Or is it just a crane? 

Sure, there have been valiant attempts to improve the quality of the travel selfie. There is the self-timer feature on cell phones, for example, as well as the much-maligned selfie stick. But neither of these approaches is foolproof — and add a baby into the mix, and the odds of capturing a single photo with all eyes open decrease significantly.

And yet, we make the most special memories in the most spectacular places while traveling. We see the most stunning vistas, the most interesting architecture, the most charming towns.

So, returning from a solo, couples or family trip without photographic evidence can feel like a missed opportunity.

That’s exactly how Nicole Smith, the founder of Flytographer, felt after a trip to Paris in 2011. Two years later, she launched Flytographer, an online platform that connects travelers with vetted local photographers in more than 385 cities around the globe. And the company works with travel advisors and offers special perks to clients booking through a travel agent.

How to Use Flytographer

On a recent trip to Maui with my husband and 20-month-old daughter, I reflected on our last vacation and how the best photo we got together was at the swim-up bar, where I could balance my cellphone on the counter while the self-timer did its thing. The resulting photos were a touch lopsided and didn’t show much of our surroundings — and they were way too close-up for my liking. I didn’t want to repeat the same mistakes on our Maui trip.

So, having seen beautiful Flytographer photos on social media, I decided to look up the company. Within minutes, I was planning my photoshoot thanks to its accessible and engaging web interface.

After landing on the Maui destination page, I had a few options on how to proceed. I decided to enter my preferred date and time of day to see which of the nine photographers were available during my visit. I then researched the available photographers, and was happy to see that each person’s profile includes a full gallery of images to browse through, in addition to ample reviews from fellow Flytographer clients. 

Once I chose my photographer, I needed to choose my location, called a “route.” Flytographer offers routes in multiple destinations throughout the island, so I zeroed in on the routes within a 15-minute drive of my hotel. From there, I was able to look at the galleries from each route to get an idea of how my photographs would look. Photos are also tagged with the photographer’s name and the time of day of the shoot.

Once I chose my photographer and my route, I filled out a brief form that asked questions about my goals for the photoshoot. 

After my shoot was confirmed by my photographer, Taena, we were able to message one another via the platform. She suggested an alternative route that better met my needs, and we confirmed our time and meeting place. Days before the shoot, I asked to switch our time from morning to evening (we had adjusted to the time change), and Taena was quick to confirm the change.

Using Flytographer in Maui: The Day of the Shoot

Taena, our Maui photographer, gave us tips on where to park and where to meet her on the day of the shoot in Kapalua Bay. Once we arrived, we quickly found her, and she immediately put us at ease with her easygoing and warm personality — it really felt like we were meeting up with a friend. Most importantly, she quickly won over my toddler by showing her sea turtles nesting on the beach below us — something we all would have overlooked. My daughter took to Taena so much that she even asked to hold her hand within 10 minutes into our shoot.

Taena knew all the best photo backdrops at our route, which allowed us to maximize our hour together. She also kept the session fun by having us run around after our daughter and try out different poses that kept us from getting too stiff or self-conscious.

Our hour went by quickly, but I was amazed at everything we had done. We shot at two locations and took a mixture of posed and candid shots. We also managed to squeeze in some couple and solo shots.

Best yet, we did not have to wait the typical three or more weeks for photos. Our gallery of beautiful images was edited and delivered within a few days of our shoot.

Flytographer for Travel Agents

Flytographer has been working with travel advisors since 2015. In addition to offering a 10% commission on all shoots booked, the company offers many perks to advisors and clients. Advisors’ clients receive a complimentary high-quality 5x7 photo print credit, and advisors receive a weekly newsletter and a $100 discount off their first personal shoot. (Note: Flytographer told me that they are going to make a slight change to the commission structure this year, so stay tuned for more information.) 

Advisors can coordinate booking details on behalf of their client in advance of the photo session, or refer clients to book directly with Flytographer and receive a referral award.

Fast Facts About Flytographer

- Flytographer was founded in March 2013 and is supported by a remote team from Honolulu to Paris, with headquarters in Victoria, Canada.  

- All Flytographer photographers speak English, have updated photography gear and have friendly personalities. 

- Flytographer employs more than 500 photographers globally, but only 3% of applicants are accepted. 

- In Maui, Flytographer photo shoots are available for 60 minutes, 90 minutes, two hours and three hours. Pricing for a one-hour shoot begins at $385.

- Flytographer also offers proposal photo shoots and group photo shoots. 

- Photographers also serve as resources for what to eat, see and do in each city. 

- Flytographer photos have a look and feel that is managed by the company’s photo standards for shooting and editing. The company describes its style as “bright, light, candid and joyful.” 

- Photos aim to show a sense of place and be well composed, but not overly posed.  

- Flytographer has more than 20,000 five-star ️reviews.

- Hawaii, New York City, Paris, London, Cabo San Lucas and Rome are Flytographer’s most popular destinations month over month, but the company services many off-the-beaten-path destinations, as well.