“When you see a magical moment, don’t lose your chance to catch it!” says Natallia Nikolaichik, one of Rangefinder’s 30 Rising Stars of 2024. Natallia and her husband Max had travelled to a high mountain trail in the Dolomites in northeastern Italy with an American couple for their elopement photos. Having arrived an hour after sunrise, she wasn’t sure if the golden light would still be there. But they were greeted by glorious sunlight filtering through mist and clouds. Her brain was spinning! She knew it wouldn’t last. She says, “There was no time for mistakes as the magic could be gone at any moment.” 

She immediately asked Max to unpack the drone and quickly checked the trail one last time before bringing her couple out onto it. She knew there was no time to spare, but it was of the utmost importance on this high mountain trail to make sure the ground was safe for standing and walking. 

Heroes in an Epic Landscape 

Natallia’s goal for her adventure elopements is to portray her clients as heroes in an epic landscape. For her, this means that the shoot is about the couple being there more than the place itself. She also aims to capture the mood of the day just as it is. Her style is documentary, and she encourages her clients to relax and embrace everything the day brings. 

To achieve this, she gives what she calls “soft directions.” For this shoot, she asked the couple to “walk a bit and then stop to feel the warm sunshine and enjoy the mountain views and the moment.” 

The day had delivered a magical setting for them and all they needed to do was enjoy it and enjoy being there together for their perfect elopement. 

Seize the Magical Moment 

For photographers who wish to capture elopement photos like this, Natallia advises not to waste any time by thinking too much. When nature presents such a wonderful display, know it might only last moments. Immediately jump into action to capture the memories. 

However, there is more to do in advance that can help your chances of encountering a scene like this, namely, plan ahead. 

1. Explore the area through location scouting. Make sure you know it well. 

2. Do timeline planning. Check the lighting conditions in advance to know what times of day will photograph best. 

3. Know your camera settings so that you can optimally capture the lighting conditions you expect and can work with any surprise lighting situations. 

Being prepared in advance means you will be able to make the most out of any wonderful surprises that come your way. 

Catch the Moment 

Natallia says that her main goal is to be there for her clients to “catch the moment. Not for the perfect posing or for her Instagram portfolio, but to capture their day and their moments to remember it.”  

For Natallia, being able to capture her clients’ stories of love with her business Nikolaichik Photo is “the most inspirational thing [she’s] ever experienced.” What started as a literal dream of exploring epic places with her spouse and photography partner Max has become the calling they’ve pursued with great passion and purpose. Since Natallia’s dream, they’ve taken elopement photos in Austria, France, Italy, and Iceland. Their ultimate dream location is Antarctica. We can’t wait to see this next dream come true! 

Follow Nikolaichik Photo’s elopement adventures on Instagram and Facebook. View the full 30 Rising Star Winners Gallery for 2024 here.