Capturing be.retreats on Camera
The ease, connection, and pure joy you see in our retreat photos are shaped not only by the women on our trips, but by the person behind the camera - Naomi.
This month, we’re spotlighting one of our retreat photographers whose work goes far beyond just capturing moments and conforming to social media trends. Naomi documents the subtle, in-between details that define a be.retreats experience - the laughter, the stillness, the way people soften when they feel safe. Her style is thoughtful, unobtrusive, and deeply human, mirroring the heart of be.retreats itself.
Photography is the Art of Noticing
For Naomi, photography has always been about more than just images. She’s fascinated by the way a single photo can transport you back to a moment in time - even if you weren’t there. The way streets once looked, how people dressed, how they held themselves. Photography, to her, is a way of learning about the world and the people in it.
As she leaned into photography as a creative outlet, it changed how she experienced life. She began to notice light more closely, how it shapes moods, how small details tell bigger stories. There’s a phrase Naomi loves - “photography is the art of noticing” - and it perfectly sums up her approach to be.retreats photography. It’s about paying attention, being present, and finding beauty in moments that might otherwise pass unnoticed.
Capturing the Energy of a Retreat
From behind the lens, no two be.retreats trips ever look the same - because no two groups of women are the same. Naomi loves that each person brings their own energy, story, and presence into the space. Her aim isn’t to capture perfection but feeling.
Over the course of a retreat, she watches people soften. She sees women open up, build confidence, and form genuine connections with one another. That evolution, the quiet growth that happens over a few shared days, is what she’s drawn to documenting most.
Georgia, the be.retreats founder’s’, relaxed, natural way of hosting plays a big role in this too. The atmosphere she creates allows people to settle in quickly, forget they’re being watched, and simply be. That ease carries through into the photos and “makes my job feel effortless,” says Naomi.
The Moments That Matter Most
Of course, there are big, memorable moments Naomi loves capturing - boat trips where dolphins appear out of nowhere, waterfall hikes, meeting locals, exploring beautiful places together. Those experiences are unforgettable.
But what stays with her most are the in-between moments.
Someone laughing mid-sentence. A look of confidence that wasn’t there on day one of a trip. A small interaction that signals a new friendship forming. Morning coffees, bus debriefs after a long hike, dinners where stories spill out naturally around the table.
Those are the moments where the heart of a be.retreats trip really lives - and they’re often the ones people feel most deeply when they look back.
Staying Present Behind the Camera
One of the reasons Naomi’s images feel so natural is because she blends into the experience. There is rarely a moment where a photograph is ‘staged. Rather than standing apart, she moves alongside the group, allowing the camera to become an extension of how she sees the world - not a barrier between her and the moment.
She’s deeply aware that a camera can change how people behave, so she’s intentional about staying subtle. She doesn’t constantly shoot. She pauses. She listens. She watches interactions unfold naturally before lifting the camera.
By tuning into the energy of the group and the emotions in the room, Naomi stays grounded and present, capturing moments as they genuinely happen, not as staged versions of them.
More Than Just Photos
What Naomi captures isn’t just what a retreat looks like — it’s what it feels like to be there. The laughter, the growth, the ease, the friendships forming in real time. Her work reflects the heart of be.retreats: women showing up as themselves, feeling safe enough to soften, and leaving with memories that last long after the trip ends.
