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Ritz Carlton Reserve – Dorado Beach – Family Photography Session

Check out some family photos from a recent holiday family portrait session at Ritz-Carlton Reserve Dorado Beach. An annual family photo shoot is a great way to mark the years.  It can preserve a beautiful record of your family as they grow. Originally planned for an all beach shoot, a windy day made us switch things up and choose a more protected area. I love these shots with the giant ficus tree in it and provides adds to the great sense of ‘growth’ and family.

Call us and book your session today. Send an email to info@erikruthoff.com for any inquiries. Family Photography packages with edited digital images included start at $275.

 

Ritz Carlton Reserve Dorado Beach Family Photography by Erik Kruthoff Ritz Carlton Reserve Dorado Beach Family Photography by Erik Kruthoff Ritz Carlton Reserve Dorado Beach Family Photography by Erik Kruthoff Ritz Carlton Reserve Dorado Beach Family Photography by Erik Kruthoff Ritz Carlton Reserve Dorado Beach Family Photography by Erik Kruthoff Ritz Carlton Reserve Dorado Beach Family Photography by Erik Kruthoff Ritz Carlton Reserve Dorado Beach Family Photography by Erik Kruthoff

Top 10 Reasons To Elope in Puerto Rico

Let’s face it, weddings are gonna look a little different now that gathering in large groups is out of the question. That doesn’t mean that love is cancelled, though!

Are you looking for the perfect destination for your elopement wedding? Puerto Rico should be at the top of your list.

Take the opportunity to do something a little adventurous and different, while saving some money in the process. Here are the Top 10 Reasons that make Puerto Rico the ideal location for you elopement or mini-wedding.

bride and groom Dorado Beach puerto rico wedding

10: No Passport required: As a U.S. territory, Puerto Rico allows you to have an “exotic” destination wedding without the hassles of passports, visas, customs, and immigration. What is more, there are direct flights from more than 20 U.S. cities, making it an easy hop over.

9: Only the best parts of Latin America and the Caribbean: Puerto Rico culture is the best of both worlds with great music, dancing, food, people, nightlife, and affordability but you can drink the water and the island is clean.

old san juan engagement photos

8: World-Class Accommodations that meet U.S. standards: No need to wonder about what a 3-star hotel really means here. Hotels and restaurants adhere to U.S. guidelines. All of the best, familiar brands are here including Ritz Carlton, Marriott, Fairmont, Hyatt, St. Regis, and Vanderbilt as well as Boutique offerings that rival others the world over.

7: No decisions=No headaches: We line up all the best vendors and plan every detail of your big day to be just right for you. The only decision you have to make is to come to PR and we take care of everything else.

old san juan wedding photography by Erik Kruthoff

6: Weather: With 365 days of sunshine and an average temperature in the 80s, you can get married here any time of year. Even on the rainiest day, precipitation rarely covers all of the island. So put those jackets away, grab a swimsuit, and come enjoy some Vitamin D.

5: Covid-cautious: Puerto Rico has taken extreme precautions since March 2020 to prevent the spread of Corona Virus and Covid-19 and it has worked. Levels of the illness are lower than almost anywhere else in the U.S. Our socially distanced ceremony planning will  ensure that the risk is minimal.

4: Whatever you want, we got it: Barefoot beach wedding? First kiss under a waterfall? Newlywed among rainforest ferns? Exchanging rings in the most historical sights the U.S. has to offer? Whatever you desire for your wedding landscape, Puerto Rico has it.

bride and groom walking on the beach in Puerto Rico

3: Always private, always intimate: Big weddings are OUT. You want a wedding that is all about you. The low population of Puerto Rico and endless list of ceremony locations ensures that you will be the spotlight of your own wedding. No competing with tourists or other weddings for the venue here.

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2: Affordable: Did we mention that Puerto Rico is Latin America? As such, the prices of food, accomodations, and entertainment are lower than those of most Caribbean destinations.

and the top reason to elope in PR is…

1: Fun: Above all else, Puerto Ricans know how to have a good time. Our couples are laid-back folks looking for fun, adventure, and memories that will  last a lifetime without the stress of planning a wedding. If this sounds like you, a Puerto Rico elopement will not disappoint.

 

Check out our Elopement Packages offered here

Palmas del Mar Session – Puerto Rico Family Photographer

I love being a family photographer in Puerto Rico. I get to go to a lot of different places and meet a lot of wonderful people. Each portrait session for me is completely different. I don’t go in with a set shot list or agenda. We had a really fun family portrait photography session with this family of six. After shooting some casual shots around the house, we changed locations and headed to the beach. This family was a lot of fun to work with and I think their fun personalities really shine through in these photos. A good portrait is always a collaboration between the subject and the artist. When my clients are laid back and ready to have fun, we all have a good time and end up creating some great images. I like to have a mix of candid, fun shots along with a few more traditional posed shots.

Palmas del Mar is a beautiful setting for taking family photos. The whole island of Puerto Rico is great in fact! Find more info to help plan your trip to Puerto Rico here.

Whether you are local or if you are just visiting Puerto Rico, book your session with Puerto Rico family photographer Erik Kruthoff today and let’s create some priceless together! Sessions cost $250 and include resulting gallery of downloadable digital images. We serve the entire island of Puerto Rico. We are always up for an adventure.

Click here to contact Erik

 

Celebrating Their 5 Year Wedding Anniversary in Old San Juan – A Travel Photography Session

Nicole and Derek found me through Shoot My Travel and we met up in Old San Juan to take some photos, celebrating their 5 year wedding anniversary. This adventurous couple told me they love to get photo sessions when they travel and that afterwards they hardly take any others the rest of the time. They said it’s nice to not be burdened by getting photos and relying on asking strangers to snap a photo to remember their trip by. It gives them more time to soak in the experience and be present in the moment knowing their experience has been captured beautifully.

Book your portrait session today! Packages start at $275

Contact Me Today

Wedding portrait photography in Old San Juan by Erik Kruthoff
a photograph by Erik Kruthoff of a couple dancing in Old San Juan in front of a Puerto Rico flag
portrait photography in Old San Juan
a couple posing in an Old San Juan street scene in Puerto Rico
puerto rico wedding photography

Surprise Wedding Proposal in the Amazing Natural Beauty of Puerto Rico

Making images that combine different genres of is one of the ways that I love to explore the craft of photography. I love it when I am able to use elements of Landscape, Portraiture, Documentary, and Wedding Photography simultaneously to create unique and meaningful images.

Steven wanted to propose to his girlfriend Ashley on their vacation to Puerto Rico. He wanted to pop the question in a spectacular way at a beautiful location. We coordinated ahead of time and came up with a game plan. We decided on the location and the exact spot. I arrived early to find my angle and then act like a tourist so that Ashley wouldn’t suspect anything. The resulting engagement photo session…

Epic!

The cliffs and arches of La Cueva del Indio provided for the perfect backdrop to this awe-inspiring moment!

Cheers to Steven and Ashley!

Now booking Puerto Rico weddings for 2020. Check for availability

Cueva del indio arecibo wedding proposal

Old San Juan Wedding Photography Session

I met up with Sally and Luis the week before their destination wedding at La Concha Resort for a portrait session in Old San Juan.  They considered having the ceremony in the plaza next to Castillo San Cristobal but ultimately opted for a beach ceremony.  Because of that, I am especially glad we had the opportunity to get some images that capture the history and feel of the area.

One of my favorite quotes is “Life happens when you’re busy making plans”. We went into the session with a rough plan of where we wanted to go but the best images were made spontaneously and unscripted along the way. That’s the thrill of being a documentary style photographer; you never know what exactly you are walking into and what will present itself. Each session is really a collaborative creative endeavor and I’m not just shooting down a list. Of course you prepare and make sure you cover your basics, but when the magic happens, you gotta be ready to throw it all out the window and change gears. Be observant. Try. Fail. Keep trying. Peel the onion.

Here are some of my favorite ‘moments of magic’ from the session:

 

Got to feature some cats if you’re shooting in Old San Juan!

old san juan engagement photography session This is good luck, not bad luck.

Puerto Rico destination wedding photographer Erik Kruthoff

erik kruthoff photography destination wedding in puerto rico san juan Old San Juan wedding portrait by Erik Kruthoff Photography

Baha Mar Bahamas Destination Wedding

It was a pleasure meeting and working with Tina and Danijel for their island destination wedding at Hyatt Baha Mar in Nassau, Bahamas. The ceremony was in Baha Mar’s beautiful Wedding Chapel with reception held at the Palms Terrace.

A laid back couple and a fun group of guests is a winning recipe to capture some fun and meaningful moments. Thanks Tina and Danijel! Here are some of my favorite shots from the day.

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Puerto Rico wedding photographer

baha mar wedding chapel exterior

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wedding chapel at hyatt baha mar

baha mar wedding chapel ceremony

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wedding couple at Baha Mar

Baha Mar Wedding

puerto rico destination wedding photographer

palms terrace wedding reception baha mar

Destination Wedding Eleuthera – Abby & Shaun – Cocodimama

Abby and Shaun hosted their closest friends and families at Cocodimama Resort in Governors Harbour, Eleuthera for their intimate Bahamas beach wedding escape. I love to shoot these smaller destination weddings because I usually have the chance to meet and chat with everyone before the day is over. These guys were tons of fun and invited me to stay after I was done and sample some of the amazing wines they had brought. The groom is a professional Sommelier so they were amazing! Here’s what they had to say about the photos:

“So in love with these photos!!… Your photographs are beautiful! What a special time… take me back!! I have only spent a few minutes looking at them and I am already in love! Thank you so much for your time and beautiful work.”

Here is a selection of some of my favorite wedding photographs from the day, Enjoy!

 

eleuthera wedding photography

eleuthera wedding photography

eleuthera wedding photography

eleuthera wedding photography

eleuthera wedding photography

 

 

 

‘Close Encounters’ National Geographic publication

I am thrilled to announce that a photograph from my Junkanoo documentary photography project has been selected for ‘Close Encounters’, a story for the National Geographic website. The story features 28 photographs that the editors Matt Adams and Kristen McNicholas selected out of more than 13,000 submissions.

From the article:

“Each editor on this story realized very early on that the title Close Encounters could have many different meanings. It could be an up close view, it could be you the photographer getting to know a location, person, or species on a deeper level, or it could be that brief moment where things just appear closer than normal. The following images are a collection of three points of view that make up one final story. This was our close encounterwith the incredible images submitted to this assignment.”

Erik Kruthoff Photography Junkanoo National Geographic

Click image to go to story on NationalGeographic.com