About Sam Starns - Your Adventure Elopement Photographer

BEHIND THE LENS

TLDR: I'm a goober, have a passion for the outdoors, will make your elopement day awesome, and we'll make some adventure magic together.

Also, I love animals. And I would love to meet yours if you have any.

Redwoods elopement, adventure elopement photographer

What's Up?

Don’t be surprised if during your session or elopement I’m wading into a creek to get “THE shot”, or passively wiping off blood onto my t-shirt because I cut myself on basalt rock. I am just as invested as my couples are in their elopement day.

Check Out My Resources Page

A little about me

I was born and raised on a ranch in Southern Oregon, and spent a hell of a lot of my time outdoors. On an average day you could find me digging in the dirt attempting to have a green thumb (that only worked out half the time), or riding horses in the field.

My hubs and I are no strangers to backpacking or roughing it in the wilderness, but we love a good stroll on the beach followed by a bowl of clam chowder just as much. We also love traveling. I’ve lived abroad and have a couple languages under my belt.

I’m a theatre nerd and if I could communicate solely in GIFs, I wouldn’t be sad. My go-to movies/shows are things like Harry Potter, LOTR, Doctor Who, or anything in the Star Wars or MCU universe. I’m also a fan of laughing so hard that my abs hurt. To me, laughing means I’m making awesome memories.

I had a “traditional” wedding, even though I wanted something smaller and more adventurous (you can read more about that by scrolling down). I ended up caving to the pressures of society and friends/family. And to be honest, I regret it 100%.

And I don’t want anyone to feel like I felt on my wedding day when in their heart, they know something like an elopement is more their style.

I wish I had included activities and aspects of my wedding day that set my soul on fire; included things that I was passionate about.

I didn’t incorporate things like music, theatre, outdoors, laughter, and adventure – those things that I love – into my wedding, and I wish I had.

via GIPHY

Some Fun Facts

These are our fur children

Leo, Olly & Annie

Help Us Protect Our Public Lands

One thing that is super important to me is giving back to the public lands that we love to explore. Because of that, a portion of every photography package is donated to a nonprofit dedicated to helping preserve public lands.

Why I Wish I Eloped

Brian and I are adventurous people by nature. We love to camp, check out national parks, and travel to new places. Our wedding was a 100 person affair because I felt like that’s what needed to happen – even if I made it known I would love to elope.

In addition, Brian partially convinced me we needed to have a “real wedding”, otherwise I’d never hear the end of it from his family. About a month before the wedding, after being steamrolled by family members, shafted by wedding party attendants, and stressed out beyond all belief, my husband asked me, “Is it too late to elope?”. I said yes, but looking back, I wish I had said no and thrown our nonrefundable retainers down the drain and got married on our pre-planned vacation to Maui at the top of Haleakala.

Brian and I love the theatre, but the idea of being in front of everyone wasn’t appealing in the slightest. I also dreamed of the whimsy and adventure an elopement brings.

A dress, a great view, a photographer, activities Brian and I could enjoy and connect with, and the love of my life – that was what should have happened.