Costa Rica | The Roam Retreat

When we dreamed up this Costa Rica retreat, we wanted it to be more than just a beautiful backdrop for photos (though… let’s be real, the beaches delivered hard).

We wanted to create a space where photographers could rest intentionally, create freely, and walk away not just with a packed portfolio—but with actual friendships that last longer than a sunrise shoot.

6 photographers. 5 shoots. 1 dreamy Airbnb pool. Unlimited connection.

This wasn’t your typical run-and-gun content trip. From day one, we slowed things down—focusing on creativity, collaboration, and letting moments unfold naturally. And because this was an international retreat, we knew we wanted to offer something extra-special: a full destination wedding experience, captured across multiple intentional sessions.

Meet Aaron + Jess—our real couple who modeled three different parts of a destination wedding story:

• The Micro Wedding: Vows they wrote themselves, getting ready together in the Airbnb, an intimate ceremony setup, a styled dinner on the lawn, portraits during golden hour on the beach, an outfit change and flash photos to end the night.

• The Day-After Session: Because let’s be honest—destination weddings usually come with a salty-hair, sun-soaked encore.

• The Bridal Session: Jess in her reception dress, with all the freedom and fun that comes after the “official” photos are done (because it doesn’t make sense to have a bridal session when you never have wedding photos to go with it!).

We also had two elopement-style shoots with different couples, each one styled with unique details to give our attendees diverse content for their portfolios.

But if you ask any of us what made this retreat unforgettable—it wasn’t just the shoots. It was the downtime. Floating in the pool, swapping stories. Making dinner together. Laughing until late. That’s where the real connection happened. And because of that, we didn’t just shoot with each other—we created for each other.

This retreat was a reminder: You don’t have to choose between rest and creativity. You can build something beautiful, while slowing down enough to actually feel it.

And because of that, we’re shifting how we do things moving forward.

We’ve done a little rebrand to all of our upcoming retreats with Camp Roam.

It’s the same heart, but even more intentional. All of our future retreats will fall under the Camp Roam name, created with community, rest, and real connection in mind. Unlike some of our past retreats that were a bit more go-go-go (no shade, we love the hustle sometimes), Camp Roam will start with something new: a Community Day.

Think: space to breathe, time to meet, and a moment to exhale before the cameras come out. We believe the best creativity flows from a rested, rooted place—and this is how we’re making space for that.

We’re already dreaming up what’s next. If you’ve been craving a trip that blends soulful connection, meaningful shoots, and a chance to actually breathe.

Scroll below to check out galleries from all 5 retreats to see what’s really possible at a Roam Retreat!