Above: Left: Isle of Skye, Scotland Middle: Venice, Italy Right: Tulum, Mexico
About Annie Fairfax
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, photography, and enjoying the great outdoors. A 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. They document their travels whilst sharing their adventures with other discerning travelers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where are you from, and where do you live now?
A: I grew up right on the shores of Lake Michigan, in the beautiful city of Petoskey, Michigan. I now reside in Connecticut.
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.
Explore my full photography portfolio and order prints here.
Above: Left: Geiko in Kyoto, Japan Middle: Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto Right: Shinkyo Bridge in Nikko, Japan
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 a 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 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 small amount of 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 to spark my curiosity about the world around me and ignite my passion for travel, learning new things, and learning about other cultures.
Above: Baden-Baden, Germany
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:
Acadia National Park
Baden-Baden
Bavaria
Berlin
Beverly Hills
Charleston
Chicago
Cobá
Colmar, France
Edinburgh
Hakone
Hallstatt
Heidelberg
Holland
Glasgow
Greenwich
Isle of Skye
Kurokawa Onsen
Kyoto
Loch Ness
London
Los Angeles
Mackinac Island
Mexico City
Munich
Nara
Newport
New York City
Nikko
Olympic National Park
Orlando
Osaka
Paris
Petoskey Area
Potsdam
Prague
Providence
Querétaro
Riviera Maya
Rome
Seattle
Stonington
Tokyo
Toronto
Tucson
Tulum
Vatican City
Versailles
Venice
Washington D.C.
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 Antarctica, 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!
Above: Black Forest, Germany
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. The Tamron 28-75 mm is my “everything else” lens.
Read all about my favorite camera gear here.
Above: left: Louis Vuitton Duffle Bag Review Middle: Viceroy Hotel Right: How I Pack My Cosmetics
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 manipulating 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. They won’t look like anyone else’s because they reflect 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 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!
Left: Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island Middle: Olympic National Park Right: Tulum, Mexico
