Photo courtesy of Sheehan Fisher
By Andrea V. Watson
While traveling this summer, consider leaving the selfie-sticks at home. Thanks to Dovetail Experience, a personal vacation photography service, you won’t have to worry about how the photos come out. No more asking strangers to take the photo either.
Dovetail Experience connects travelers with a network of local professional photographers who have that part of the trip taken care of. So book your travel dates, location and specify what kind of trip it is–honeymoon, engagement, girls’ trip, birthday, etc.–and Dovetail will locate a photographer from their database and pair you.
“I think people will see the value in it when they do it,” said co-founder Sheehan Fisher, who encourages people to travel more and try something new on every trip.
The New Jersey native, Chicago resident, co-founded the company with his wife Wilmarie Santana-Rios in March of 2017. They will celebrate six years of marriage in September.
“We renew our vows every year and so I started hiring photographers when we would do our vows,” he said. “It took a lot of effort to find a great photographer who is at the wedding photography level and who’s also affordable.”
The idea to create Dovetail was born.
“I realized, after doing all that research, that it takes a lot of work and that other people may want to have easy access to that kind of service,” Fisher said, adding that they offer their services at an affordable price.
It’s a customized experience, he said.
“We want to cater it to the customer so you just let us know where you’re going, if you have any particular areas you want to see, otherwise we’ll give you a tailored route,” he said. “You contact us, we set everything up and give you a meeting location where you can meet the photographer and then they take you on your route.”
Edited photos are sent within five business days.
The photographers they work with are either someone he’s worked with personally or who meet their level of standards after research. They work with photographers in 70 different locations across North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and even Oceania. Fisher said they’re constantly expanding and if they don’t already have a photographer somewhere, they will find a qualified one.
In addition to servicing individuals, couples and small groups, the husband-wife duo also launched Dovetail for Business. This part of the company also works with travel agents, wedding planners, wedding photographers and travel groups.
Fisher encourages people to give Dovetail a chance, adding that once he and his wife had their first international photoshoot experience, they were hooked.
“When we look back on our photos it feels like we are right there. The memories are in the photos, that’s where they last.”
Andrea V. Watson 