EP 81 - Film, Travel, and Destination Weddings with Tucker House
Hi everyone! In this episode, I’m sitting down with the amazing Tucker House to chat about his journey from learning photography in a high school darkroom to traveling the world shooting weddings. Hear about how he got started, how he built a travel-heavy photography business, what it’s really like shooting both film and digital on a wedding day, and his best advice for photographers who want to start experimenting with film. Tucker also shares how he books destination weddings, plus how staying curious and saying yes to opportunities has shaped his whole career.
Meet Tucker
Tucker House is a destination wedding and documentary photographer with a passion for capturing authentic, elevated stories around the world. Originally from Northern Oregon, Tucker’s work focuses on blending the presence of nature and background with the timeless feel of film and the rawness of real moments. Known for ditching stiff posing in favor of genuine connection, Tucker believes great photography is about how it feels, not just how it looks. Life is messy, raw, and imperfect—and Tucker’s goal is to capture the essence of it, not orchestrate something fake.
How did you get started?
Tucker’s photography journey started the old-school way — in a high school darkroom, shooting and developing black and white film. That hands-on experience with film really shaped his approach to photography.
Fast forward a few years: he started booking small gigs during his senior year, shot his first wedding just two years ago, and has been building momentum ever since. Tucker credits a lot of his growth to just staying curious, taking risks, and figuring things out along the way.
How have you built such a strong travel side to your business?
Travel has been a huge part of Tucker’s career. His very first wedding actually took him to Atlanta, Georgia, where he second shot for a friend — and after that, the travel bug never left. Weekend after weekend, he started booking more out-of-state gigs, eventually turning photography into his passport around the world.
(At the time of our interview, he was actually calling in from Costa Rica)
Tucker’s approach is simple: say yes to the opportunities, and stay excited about exploring new places while doing what you love.
How do you balance shooting film and digital?
Tucker’s a true hybrid shooter and isn’t afraid to bring the whole arsenal. On a wedding day, he’s rolling with a Canon R5, Fuji GFX, Contax S3, Leica M6, and even some fun point-and-shoots.
He uses film for the art and feeling it brings to an image, and digital when he needs that speed and reliability. Tucker’s gear choices let him be super intentional, giving him different creative options depending on the vibe of the moment.
What's your advice for getting into film photography?
Tucker says: dive in and learn as much as you can — but don’t overcomplicate it.
Watch YouTube tutorials (he loves Kyle McDougal’s channel), get familiar with different film stocks, and practice your metering. Don’t stress about having the “perfect” camera right away. And find a good lab you trust — it makes such a difference when you can get real feedback on your work.
Film forces you to slow down, notice light, and really think about your shots — skills that will level up your photography across the board.
How do you book destination weddings (and actually manage all the travel stuff)?
Tucker’s advice? Keep things simple and super transparent for your clients.
He builds travel into his packages so couples know exactly what to expect, no weird surprise fees or complicated logistics. Creating a stress-free, clear experience is a huge part of why couples love working with him — and why they trust him to meet them wherever their love story takes them.
Final Thoughts
Tucker’s story is proof that you don’t have to have it all figured out to build something incredible. If you stay curious, stay excited, and stay kind to your clients, the opportunities will come.
I hope you loved getting to know Tucker as much as I did! You can follow more of his work over on Instagram or check out his website — highly recommend if you want a dose of inspiration (or are just ready to book your dream photographer).
Thanks for tuning in :)
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Connect with Tucker:
Instagram: @tuckerhousephoto
Website: tuckerhousephoto.com
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