Map + Compass Photography

gh the process of prepping to be married, Nicole was right there ready to adjust her role and process accordingly. We knew right from the start that Nicole’s genuine personality and he excellent relational skills would be nothing short of a pleasurable addition to our big day and everything that transpired leading into our adventure. The way she reassured me during the process and the way she molded her role to the atmosphere and vibe we were hoping for was truly a blessing. Nicole knew how to capture a majestic experience and made the adjustments accordingly, by putting her excellent skills and experience to great use. I would highly recommend Nicole to everyone! Thank you Nicole for being so flexible and such a breath of fresh air!!

she provided thoughtful logistical support, taking into account our personal preferences on location, timeline, and covid precautions. The final photo set is beautiful and we are so happy we chose Nicole!

forever. Those of us that end up running with this idea are so incredibly lucky that Map + Compass exists. Nicole not only glides into your life, coming alongside you to help visualize and plan your wedding from the jump -- she then has the audacity to show up PERFECTLY on time on your big day, fill in all of the gaps, make sure everything moves along smoothly (at the exact right time), only to go on and capture the best day of your lives with such genuine artistry, care, and grace. Nicole isn't just an amazing person to work with -- she is an incredible photographer and creative with a keen eye that allowed her to ruthlessly blow out every single expectation we had for our wedding photos (and she sets them high from day 1). We booked an adventure shoot with Nicole the day after our 3-day wedding weekend in Terlingua. Both exhausted and excited, we crawled into Nicole's car at 11am to kick off the most epic day of shooting. While we only had her booked for 3 hours, Nicole graciously spent a handful of extra hours with us, exploring and getting other-worldly shots we could never have imagined, using her deep knowledge of the park and landscape for our benefit. We knew we would have a great time, but I can say with complete honesty and gratitude that our day with Nicole was one of the most memorable parts of our weekend -- and it was a HELL of a weekend. We are generally pretty comfortable people in front of the camera, but this was our first time doing a shoot together as couple. We forgot that about 5 minutes in, as I imagine Nicole could make even the most awkward, emotionless couple feel like working models through her natural style and direction. Look I'll just say it: Nicole will make you feel and look like the hot piece of ass you never even knew you were. You can quote me on that. Topping it all off, we received our sample images within a week, and the full gallery about a month later -- ahead of schedule. What more could you ask for? Nicole is so intentional, undeniably skilled, and professional in everything she does for her clients, and still manages to be so genuinely fun to work with. This is what likely sets her apart from other shooters in the space. Nicole just feels like a friend. There were multiple moments from the weekend where I couldn't remember if she was our old friend from back home, or our badass wedding photographer we had met only a few months prior. By the end of your weekend, I'd be willing to bet that you and your spouse will consider her both.

, made us feel comfortable in front of the camera, and I’m so glad she was able to be a part of our day! It’s great to have an amazing collection of photos to be able to share with family and friends who weren’t able to be there with us on our day. Really happy we got to work with Nicole to help us capture these memories for us!

nd more! She arrived on time and stuck to a schedule the entire time we had her booked, which made me feel at ease with not missing any important shots as the sun set. Weeks before the ceremony, she provided a timeline as well as a check list and both helped tremendously. I can say I was not stressed one bit and it was entirely because of Nicole’s help! Nicole has the right personality for photography – she keeps you on schedule while making it seem fun, you can trust her with anything. She suggested different angles so that we looked our best for each shot, as well as provided instruction on how to relax and just be natural with each other. We highly enjoyed chatting with her as well, she is very personable and makes you feel at ease. Within 24 hours we received about 20 photos, which was particularly important because we used them to announce to the world our elopement! We received the rest of the pictures exactly 1 month after our ceremony and I cried reliving the day through her beautiful images. 10/10 – we will never forget everything she’s done to ensure our memories were captured on one of our most cherished days.

e, and had great experience and advice to offer - whether it be on location, the flow of the day, or just general wedding planning stuff that I had not even thought of. Ultimately we eloped in Moab and we both couldn't have been happier with how it turned out! It was a smooth and seamless day, personal and intimate while incorporating family and friends even though they weren't able to be there in person. Nicole and Hereafter films were extremely skilled in capturing us and our dogs in a natural and beautiful way. It also helped that they were just all around great people to hang out with in general! I cannot recommend Nicole enough and have already been recommending her to friends interested in eloping or trying something different for their wedding.

r photographs were inspirational, artistic, and authentic. Nicole is compassionate, flexible, organized and knowledgeable. I couldn't have asked for a better person to be with us during our elopement.

e both shine through in photographs. After our first interaction with Nicole, we knew she was our gal. Nicole is not only a wonderful to work with, she executes with precision. From our engagement photos to our wedding day, Nicole did an incredible job of bringing us back to the moment and reminding us of what was important – each other – amidst a whirlwind of a day. She manages to create raw and personal images without intruding on intimate moments and did a beautiful job at capturing our wedding day. We are, in a word, obsessed.

he time to get to know us and find out our priorities. Like so many others, we had to change our wedding plans multiple times due to COVID, and she helped this exhausted bride think through the details of our wedding day and scouted amazing locations for portraits that I would have never thought of. And boy, did she deliver. The photos are works of art and my husband and I could not be more thrilled with how they came out.

sort nor your aunt’s neighbor who does photography on side will be able to capture the emotion on one of the biggest days of your life like a professional artist can. I know I can look back on these pictures for the rest of my life and be instantly transported back to how I felt vowing to love my husband for eternity. You also want someone you can trust to be organized, put the work in, and roll with the inevitable punches. Her work is beautiful and her work ethic is unmatched. She will bring order to your chaos. I absolutely stole that line from her website but it is so true and one of the reasons we chose to work with Nicole. We came with almost zero idea of what we wanted our wedding day to look like at our first meeting. She was able to take our vague “Lords of the Rings-esque but also kind of close to an airport” and within a couple of weeks create a timeline, a guidebook, and a 10 page location suggestion document. I had spent months researching wedding locations and nothing I had found held a candle to her suggestions. Once we narrowed our location down, she made another multi page document on specific sites within the area, possible lodging for our guests, and local venues for the reception. Your wedding will embody who you are as a couple. Nicole is like the north star. Any time you start overstressing from the minute details, she will bring you back to what is important. She really takes the time to get to know your relationship and help you focus on celebrating that instead of sticking to some idea of what a wedding is supposed to be like. When your relatives start in on the size of the guest list (get ready for this if you are eloping), she will be there to remind you “it’s not their wedding.” She will adapt to any situation (HELLO COVID). Nicole planned our wedding TWICE. We were working out the final details on what was going to our beautiful Big Sur Elopement when Corona reared its ugly head and all our careful planning went out the window. We had to start from scratch. This woman did not miss a beat! In came a brand new multi page document on new location suggestions closer to home. Keep in mind ALL of her clients were rescheduling and replanning and not once did she complain or delay or show anything but efficiency and grace. You will feel at ease in front of the camera. Don’t know what to do with your hands? Nicole will tell you. Hair stuck in your lipgloss? She’s on it. Our first time shooting with Nicole was for our engagement pictures which we took outside in our hometown of Austin in the middle of summer (read: 105 degree heat). Nicole came prepared with bug spray, cooling rags, and made sure we had water and snacks in tow. The heat was brutal but Nicole’s positive energy and insistence on taking breaks made the day easy and enjoyable. Our wedding day was blissfully sunny and 75. We went over the exact timeline a week before so we could tell her exactly who we wanted in what shot. She sweetly wrangled our families around the grounds of the venue and everyone loved her. We barely noticed her presence at the reception and were so pleasantly pleased with the amazing candids she got all night.

everything we were hoping it would be. And my husband and I know that we have Nicole, the heart and soul of Map + Compass Photography, to thank for that. Nicole went above and beyond what I expected - and based on her portfolio I was expecting alot - she is truly an amazing destination elopement photographer, wedding planner, officiant and hiking companion. Leading up to our elopement, she really held my hand as we planned the big day. We exchanged several emails and scheduled calls. There were also several great guides, recommendations and tips that helped us piece everything together. Then when the unexpected happened and Big Bend National Park closed due to COVID-19, Nicole was a rockstar. Throughout the ordeal she provided us with several options and ideas. When we decided to postpone our wedding in favor of our wedding locale, she helped us push the elopement plans and kept us up to date on trail closures. This was easily the most stressful part of planning our elopement but she came through for us as a wedding planner extraordinaire. On the day of our wedding, Nicole helped ensure everything flowed perfectly. I was worried that we would feel awkward in front of the camera and that you would see that in the photos. But, Nicole was great at giving us direction and finding ways to make us laugh and feel relaxed. It was a wonderful experience getting to work with Nicole and our elopement photos are AMAZING! Nicole - Thank you for your incredible work, being generous with your time, enduring a 5-mile hike in 90-degree heat, and sharing your snacks. Hunter and I are so grateful.

he knowledge Nicole shared through her wedding guide and regularly scheduled planning calls during the planning process was incredibly helpful as she helped us plan our entire weekend. It was so refreshing to find someone who really believes your wedding day should be your own, spent doing what you want to do, and doesn’t have to be an extravagant event with hundreds of guests to be special. Nicole was so kind and easy-going the whole wedding weekend (she took photos the night before at a “welcome/rehearsal dinner” and wedding day). She made us feel as comfortable as possible (which had to have been difficult since neither of us have had professional photos since 2007!) and managed to keep everyone on schedule while getting all of the family photo combos we had requested. We received preview shots just a few days after the wedding and could not believe how great they were. Nicole is so talented, her photos truly tell the story of our day and we will be forever grateful!

t with Nicole and feel so lucky to have been able to work with her. When COVID struck, Nicole talked us through our options and was nothing but supportive and flexible. Because of her guidance we were able to make a quick and early decision to postpone which allowed us to seamlessly readjust our plans and keep almost all our original vendors. By the time we got to our wedding day we were on about plan D for the year, and I honestly don’t know what we would have done without Nicole’s support. Besides her professionalism and willingness to go above and beyond, the pictures are amazing! Nicole captured everything in such a creative way, and we will cherish them forever. If you have the chance to work with her, don’t hesitate!

forget. With Covid, our hopes of a traditional wedding were put on hold. We quickly realized that we wanted an elopement with just the two of us but at the same time we wanted to be able to capture that special moment. For the location, we chose Big Bend. Nicole loves the same National Parks that we do and that love of nature allow us to bond immediately. Nicole reached out to us and through her phone calls and video chats, we got to know each other and help plan our wedding day. That day she was very punctual and professional. She helped me get into my wedding dress and even though my family was not there, I did not feel alone. She quickly felt like a friend that I have known for years. She helped guide us through our day while also taking amazing photographs. The photographs are more than I could have hoped for. While she was taking our pictures, I did not feel rushed or posed. It was very natural and we were able to enjoy the canyon and river that we had selected to start our lives by. I would highly recommend her to anyone and everyone. She has an amazing personality and her photographs are AWESOME!!

series of events, we spontaneously decided to elope in the awe-inspiring Moab landscape In the middle of the summer. Due to her expertise in adventure elopements and vast knowledge of Moab, we contacted Nicole 2 weeks before our planned date, crossing our fingers that she had availability. Not only we were able to book with her right away, but we were so happy with how flexible and professional she was with us every step of the way. My fiancé didn’t understand the investment of a photographer until after our first video call we had with her and he discovered that she did way more than just take photos. She expertly planned every single detail of the day, provided us with several location and time recommendations, offered multiple tips to streamline the process, was always in communication with us and answered all of our questions in a speedy manner, and just thought of every little thing that would fully customize her services to us. And that was all before the big day! We were seriously so impressed with how flexible she was during all of our shoots. One of them had a huge storm roll through and it is one of our most favorite memories due the craziness of it and the magical and moody storm photos that Nicole captured. Our wedding day felt like such a whirlwind of a day but Nicole seemed to freeze time because we were able to enjoy every moment on our terms. She even provided the most wonderful Super 8 film that we will treasure forever and ever. Every time I look at our photos, I am transported to one of my most cherished times in my life that truly felt like the calm in the eye of the chaotic storm that is the year 2020.

mic) she handled it in the blink of an eye. Nicole is organized, responsive and professional. She was a trooper even through touch and go rainy weather, went above and beyond for our day after session, and thought of every little detail. We really enjoyed her company and she made the whole "picture taking process" a breeze. She did a great job distracting us and making it actually fun to be in front of the camera, coming from two people who don't particularly enjoy being in photos. She has a calming presence and brings confidence to any situation, which put our minds at ease. We are thrilled with how our pictures turned out- she not only captured our special day (and day after) with the beautiful scenery, she also documented the memories in a very candid, genuine way. We can't say enough good things about Nicole. We promise you won't be sorry if you hire her!

e were looking to do an engagement session . She did an amazing job capturing both us and our dogs and we decided we had to have her shoot our big day! Nicole doesn’t do a large amount of “traditional” weddings but graciously agreed to shoot our approx 100 person wedding in Asheville, NC. Due to COVID, we were forced to cancel that wedding and completely redesign our concept. We moved locations, I had to secure a new dress, etc... Fortunately, she was available for our new date, and I am so happy because I couldn’t even imagine having anyone else there. She is a professional to the core and has a very calming presence. Her attention to detail and very precise timeline helped our day run smoothly and be stress free. Not to mention our photos were absolutely beautiful, and we will treasure the memories always. Nicole, we appreciate your talent, flexibility, and kindness. I have nothing at all negative to say! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

and even had a backup plan day-of in case we couldn’t get into the park (it was extremely crowded the week we were there and there were limitations on entering the day before). Throughout the whole process, Nicole was extremely timely in her responses and checked in with us periodically/gave us tips to help us feel more prepared since professional pictures are way out of our comfort zone. During the session itself, Nicole literally made it feel like we were hanging out with a friend and made us so comfortable - which I think translated well into our photos. We had to deal with some crowds, but she handled it super well and even somehow managed to edit all of the people out of the final pictures (like I said, she’s magic!!!). Fast forward to the delivery of our gallery (which did not take as long as expected) - and we are completely in awe at the work she created. It’s so amazing to have such great quality photos to remind us of such a special time in our lives. If you ever get the opportunity to work with Nicole, do it!!! You will not be disappointed.

to be around, and she instantly put us at ease on a day that we were full of nerves. Not to mention maybe the most important thing- her pictures are BEAUTIFUL, as in, I can decorate my house with them and probably pass them off as art, beautiful. The turn-around to get our photos back was so incredibly quick, and we were able to share the story of our elopement with our loved ones within two weeks of it happening. The best decision we made about our elopement was the decision we made to work with Nicole, and I am eternally grateful for both the memories that she captured as well as the memories that she helped create. There are a thousand reasons that I would pick Nicole to be our elopement photographer over and over again, and although I’ll never be able to list them all, here is my attempt. First off, Nicole went way above the typical job of a photographer, and was constantly touching base with us about the vision for our elopement from the second we first spoke to her to the point we met on elopement day. We were traveling from out of state for our elopement, and weren’t able to location scout where we wanted to say our vows, but Nicole 100% took care of everything. She sent us detailed spreadsheets of the locations that she searched for our sunrise elopement- and when I say detailed, I mean DETAILED; she listed the difficulty and length of the trail, the variety of terrain, the distance from our next location, the way the sun would hit the mountains and at what time, and ultimately her suggestion for the best pick. Nicole also helped us create a timeline for the day, which, not being super familiar with the flow of elopements, was a lifesaver. She made a day that we originally just thought could be some cool pictures in a pretty place on a day we signed some papers into an experience of a lifetime that was full of the sweetest, most meaningful traditions. Along with the timeline, Nicole gave us ideas on what all to include in our day- one of those things being letters from friends and family to read after we were married, which was such an emotional part of our day that will stay with both of us forever. At Nicole’s suggestion, we also had a picnic on a beach surrounded by mountains, cut cake together, and had our first dance outside of a glamping tent straight out of pinterest heaven. Not only is Nicole an insanely dedicated and thorough planner, but she can also roll with anything and make it work. One particular example of this is that the day before our elopement, my now husband and I decided that it would be especially meaningful for us to have an officiant and, even though we knew it could be a long shot, we reached out to Nicole. Within the hour, Nicole had sent us a draft of a ceremony script that had been written by her husband, and asked us to make any edits that we wanted and she would read it for us the next morning. We thought the script was perfect without any changes, and the next morning, after meeting us at truly the crack of dawn and hiking a mountain with us, Nicole officiated the most beautiful ceremony just for us.

le backstory. We’re one of those stereotypical couples who went back and forth on what exactly we wanted to do for our wedding day. We initially thought we wanted to elope then decided we couldn’t imagine our day without friends and family there to celebrate with us… so we started planning a full-on wedding and realized halfway through the cost, the stress, the time, the planning and trying to balance everyone else’s needs and wants with our own was making us miserable. 
So I fell into a rabbit hole of researching photographers on Instagram, The Knot and just about every other wedding site out there to try and find someone who vibed with us, and was within our budget. I also work in marketing so finding someone who shot real, genuine, candid photos was incredibly important to us. We did 7 different meet and greets via FaceTime with photographers and within the first 5 minutes of chatting with Nicole, we knew she was it. Why? She’s so quick to zero in on what your day means to you as a couple and has this insane ability to bring that experience to fruition in such a meaningful way. She’s incredibly chill, honest and has a great sense of humor. She really knows her craft, is super communicative and most importantly, is a meticulous planner which, bodes well for both Type A personalities (like me) and those who don’t want to deal with the hassle of planning. Even with the complications a COVID environment that has thrown all of our worlds, Nicole was able to adapt quickly, collaborate and problem-solve with us as a couple, and find solutions that made the day an unforgettable experience. Whether we care to admit it or not, I think we all have these whimsical, unrealistic expectations around how we expect our wedding day to play out, with so many looking back, wishing they could have done something differently. That's not the case for us. Our elopement was beyond perfect. The shoot itself was an absolute blast, we laughed, we cried, and most importantly—we were so in the moment with each other. I think that’s where Nicole really shines, she’s able to capture the true essence of who you are as a couple in such a natural way. It was incredibly special and we’re eternally grateful to Nicole. If Nicole ever moves back to Colorado, we definitely want to grab beers with her, and maybe even force our friendship on her too, haha! Seriously book her before she blows up too much more. Because she will. She’s insanely talented and a wonderful human.

e and I wanted to make sure that they were perfect. From the moment I came across Nicole's work, I knew she had to be the one to capture our love. Here's the thing about Nicole, she is undeniably talented, her work is impeccable, and it's clear she has an eye for beauty; but what makes her the best is how much she cares. And I mean cares. She was always willing to answer any wedding-related questions I had (photography related or not), and she took the time to soothe my nerves and advise me. WHAT?! Definitely goes above and beyond. I honestly felt close and comfortable with her and certainly did not feel like I was just another client. I sincerely appreciate every ounce of effort she put into making our experience what it was. From a custom guidebook, to a schedule/timeline of the whole wedding day... if you are lucky enough to have Nicole, you will be well taken care of. We received our full album back in a *very* timely manner and we were in love. What else can I say? A million times thank you, Nicole! I hope you know how amazing and appreciated you are!

e understands and values the beauty of moments and is passionate about authentically capturing them. Her presence brought so much peace when things felt crazy. She advocated for us and guided us through the wedding planning process so seamlessly and went beyond her role as just our wedding photographer. My husband and I were nervous about what it would be like to be photographed and feel not ourselves, but she made us feel comfortable and free to be who we were. Nicole is a fast friend and genuinely cares about her clients. We absolutely loved her and we loved the moments that she captured for us during our engagement session and our wedding day. We felt so represented and valued!

nd even though I was completely fine with all of the answers she gave to my questions, she cancelled out photo shoot. It was super disappointing and not at all the way you want to feel during an engagement and special time. We had an agreed upon date and then to just be cancelled on because you as a few questions made me so sad. I sincerely don’t think I was unreasonable, mean or even a pain... I have and saved the entire conversation to prove my experiences in the future. It was just such a bummer and to be honest I have since blocked her from communication because it hurt my feelings- so if she has tried to get in touch I wouldn’t know. But I just wanted to share my experience and say that the manner in which i was spoken to and treated I felt was unprofessional, rude and the exact opposite of how i wanted to be treated on such a magical occasion... For a little more background- the contract that I was requested have to sign was VERY in depth. I have been burned before on contracts like this, so i made sure to read every portion. First thing that was incorrect was that the contract stated i would be charged milage for "every mile outside 30 miles of San Antonio Texas" I live in Colorado... this would be quite the pretty penny. So I obviously asked her to change this. (Other parts of the contact include jargon such as not being able to "screenshot, download and post" any of the photos, instead I would've had to use links on your page. So this would essentially mean, i couldn't even post my own engagement photos on my blog, I still continued and didn't even fight this point. ) The point where the photographer decided to very rudely cancel the shoot was when i inquired about a piece of her contract says you are not allowed to put any filters on the photos when posting on social media. I simply asked if I could have permission to put the filter just on the one I would post on Instagram just because my insta has a very specific look and I use the same filter on every image for cohesion (getting to the influencer status online is tough and one bad decision hurts engagement). HOWEVER, to be clear I was totally fine with that answer, but she wouldn't work with me and cancelled the shoot anyway... I am certain her photos would have been lovely, but not worth it to feel like human garbage for asking a few questions. So again, just super hurt feelings and very disappointing and no photos.

ally take to pull it off. Most couples have one or two aspects of their wedding that are of the highest priority, often that’s live music or food or photography. For us, photography was not at the top of that list, and we happened to meet Nicole by total chance. A dear friend sent me her Instagram profile as inspiration for our big day. Fast forward a few months, and Nicole needed a couple for a practice shoot in Austin so I messaged her to volunteer. The slot had already been filled, but we got to chatting and in that process I shared when and where we were getting married. To my amazement she actually had been booked for an elopement a few hours away from our venue, on the day before our wedding. Needless to say, it felt like a weird twist of fate so we jumped on the possibility and set up a FaceTime call with Nicole as a meet & greet. Peter, my now husband, is a free spirit and incredibly creative, and I am very much the opposite. In meeting Nicole, I had never met someone so much like me (re: organization, planning, etc.) that embodied such creativity like Peter. It takes a lot of trust to truly believe someone you’ve just met can deliver what you have been envisioning for months, and we had no doubt that Nicole was that person. And that was just the beginning. Over the course of the next few months, as the planning picked up and stress was high, it was Nicole who was there as our guide, and most importantly my sanity, as we decided to part ways with our coordinator and florist. She encouraged us to trust our gut and to never waver from our original vision. She jumped in with decor ideas, introduced us to amazing vendors, and revised our timeline countless times until everything made sense. When things invariably changed over and over again, our first response was always “What does Nicole think?” Our ideas, questions or concerns were always met with support and lots of invaluable constructive feedback. The day of the wedding was actually the first day that we met Nicole in person, which was hard to believe, as we felt so close to her already. The entire day she was exactly where we needed her to be, capturing all the images we discussed. Her attitude was always the right balance of realistic, encouraging and positive. We were a bit nervous (on top of wedding day nerves) to be photographed, but ended up having the most wonderful time during our private vows. Our ceremony was unique setup and the lighting not ideal, but Nicole worked her magic and those images are some of my favorites. Nicole is SO much more than an amazing photographer. I could go on and on about all the reasons meeting Nicole and choosing Map & Compass Photography for our wedding day was the single best decision we made. Yes, her work is beautiful, but it's her spirit and dedication to the couples she partners with that is really so special. I think the coolest part of this entire experience is the fact that we literally had no idea we needed her, yet she became one of the most integral parts of our wedding. And now, in additional to a wonderful new friend, we have so many magical photos to look back on and share with our family for years to come. Thank you, Nicole!