About
Annie Fairfax is an award-winning photographer, Lonely Planet Pathfinder, and luxury travel writer. Born and raised in beautiful Northern Michigan, on the shores of Lake Michigan, Annie has always been passionate about adventuring, traveling, and enjoying the great outdoors. A double graduate of the University of Michigan, where she worked as a Student Orientation Leader, she has always loved sharing stories, public speaking, and introducing people to new places. It was only natural that all of these interests and experiences would culminate into the travel & lifestyle compendium you’re now reading.
With plans to explore all seven continents over the next several years, Annie Fairfax and her husband Robin are setting out to explore the world, and document their travels, whilst sharing their adventures with other discerning travelers.
FAQ
Q: Where are you from?
A: I grew up right on the shores of Lake Michigan, in the beautiful city of Petoskey, Michigan.
Q: Did you study photography?
A: No, I’m entirely self-taught when it comes to photography, and I’ve been regularly taking photographs since middle school.
I am extremely passionate about protecting our natural world, sharing ways travelers can be good stewards of the lands we visit, and I have always loved the outdoors, which is why you will find so many outdoor activities and photographs listed within each guide. I think my adoration of nature is evident in most of my work, because I frequently feature botanicals in my photographs and posts.
Q:How did you get into blogging?
A: I started blogging as a way to pre-plan my outfits, remember our travels, share my photography work, and organize my experiences in a way that makes it easier to share them with my friends and family. I quickly went from 100 – 10,000 followers in the matter of a few weeks, and started my blog as a way to share more details about the things I loved with my ever growing audience. I now reach between 3 million and 10 million people each month across platforms, which is something I never dreamed of doing!
Q: Which languages do you speak?
A: I can speak Spanish, German, some French, a little Japanese, and I can read some Italian, Portuguese, and Latin. I also know a little sign language. Growing up, I knew I wanted to travel the world and connect with people around the globe, so studying different languages has always been extremely important to me. Foreign languages were always the electives I chose, over art classes, band class, or online classes offered throughout middle school, high school, and into university, because I knew it would allow me to one day see the world and connect with people around the world on a more personal level.
I’m so thankful for the incredible teachers I’ve had throughout my life for sparking my curiosity about the world around me, and igniting my passion for travel, learning new things, and learning about other cultures.
Q: Favorite places you’ve visited?
A: I have traveled to quite a few gorgeous and interesting places, but below are some of my favorite trips I’ve taken so far:
Baden-Baden
Beverly Hills
Chicago
Cobá
Colmar, France
Edinburgh
Heidelberg
Holland
Glasgow
Isle of Skye
Kyoto
London
Los Angeles
Mackinac Island
Mexico City
Nara
New York City
Nikko
Osaka
Petoskey Area
Querétaro
Riviera Maya
Rome
Tokyo
Toronto
Tucson
Tulum
Vatican City
Venice
West Hollywood
Q: Where do you want to travel to next?
A: This year two of my biggest travel dreams came true, and I was able to visit Japan and Scotland, which are both places I’ve dreamed of visiting since I was a child. Next I plan to visit Antartica, Australia, the Bahamas, Bora Bora, Botswana, Cambodia, China, Colombia, Cuba, Denmark, Dubai, Egypt, Fiji, Greece, Israel, Jordan, Luxembourg, Mongolia, Morocco, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Reunion Island, Romania, South Africa, South Korea, Tahiti, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and so many other places around the United States and the rest of the world. It would be easier to ask me where I don’t want to visit!
Q: What do you pack with you when you travel?
A: Check out my travel essentials post for all of the things that make traveling easier and more stylish for me.
Q: Which camera do you use? Favorite lenses?
A: I use a Canon Mark IV and Canon 5DSR for most of my photography work and travels because of their versatility, ease of use in low light conditions, and high resolution image quality.
I also love my Olympus Pen E-PL8 when I don’t want to pack a lot of camera gear.
My favorite lenses are the Canon 50mm and 35mm for portraits and outfit photos, the Canon 28-300mm for wildlife and architectural photography, and the Tamron 28-75 mm is my “everything else” lens.
Read all about my favorite camera gear, here.
Q: What advice would you give to aspiring photographers?
A: Take a camera with you everywhere, but don’t just rely on your phone’s camera. If photography is something you’re truly passionate about, invest in the highest quality camera you can afford (even if you have to save up for a few months), learn how to use all of its features, and learn to use it under every imaginable situation. Practice in low light, practice in the harsh sunlight of mid-day, practice taking photos from moving vehicles, in the rain, and indoors. Even if your photographs don’t turn out the way you want them to at first, don’t be discouraged. Doing this will teach you so much about how to manipulate your equipment to create the results you want. Photograph everything around you and continue to grow, and find your own unique style, no matter what that style is.
Always remember, that your photos don’t have to look a certain way, and they won’t look like anyone else’s, because they are a reflection of who you are in the world around you during the specific moment(s) in time it takes you to make each capture, and that’s what makes it so completely unique and personal.
Q: How can I collaborate with you? Where can I write to you if I have more questions or need recommendations?
A: Check out my collaborations page, and feel free to email me at AnnieWearsit@gmail.com – I’m only an email away, and I always love to hear from my readers!
