Life & Work with Savannah Woods

Today we’d like to introduce you to Savannah Woods. 

Hi Savannah, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I was born in Pennsylvania and grew up in Florida and then in Connecticut. Growing up, I always looked up to my dad who worked as a corporate pilot, traveling the world to some of the most exotic locations. He brought back amazing photos and would recall some of the most incredible stories of his journeys, what he’s seen, and who he’s met. That’s where my passion for traveling came from, I wanted to see the world that my dad always described with such wonder. 

I ended up following the path to becoming an anthropologist. I figured anthropology would be the easiest way for me to see the world and learn about different cultures. I studied with a focus on environmental anthropology, studying how the environment affects people and vice versa. I was fortunate to have opportunities to travel for my studies to areas like Costa Rica and the amazon jungle of Peru for a full summer. I graduated in 2018 from Central Connecticut State University with a B.A. in Anthropology and a minor in Biology and History. With the intent of moving to California to pursue a Ph.D. in Environmental Anthropology, I took a year off the save up and apply to schools. I was managing a local restaurant in Newtown, Connecticut, when I met my current partner, Chris. Chris had been living in Los Angeles for the past 8 years and was back in town visiting his parents. We bonded over our shared passion for travel among other things. 

To see how compatible we were, we planned to take a trip to LA so Chris could show me where he was living. On a whim – and because flights to LA were expensive – we looked to see how much it would be to travel overseas. We ended up booking a weeklong trip to Tokyo, Japan. It was my first time going on a trip that was so far from home, 15 hours away via plane. This trip became one of my favorite memories. I had family friends who were living in Tokyo, and they were kind enough to show us their side of Tokyo, not just the touristy aspects. Chris and I also explored a lot on our own, jumping on the train and just getting lost in the city. It was an incredible experience for both of us. While in Tokyo, we worked with Park Hyatt Hotel, where Lost in Translation was filmed. This sparked my interest in the photography world and introduced a new side of traveling to me. 

In October 2020, Chris and I moved to LA, with me initially still intending to continue a post-graduate degree in Anthropology. While In LA, Chris and I worked together on various photography projects, surrounding ourselves with other like-minded creative people. My interest began to grow in pursuing a career in photography and I felt conflicted about going back to school, so postponing that, I focused my efforts on learning photography and videography, reading articles, and watching online videos while continuing to work with Chris who has been a great mentor, sharing his knowledge and experience and helping to guide me in this exciting field. 

Chris and I have been continuing to expand together and have big plans for our business in Vegas in the coming years. While we don’t always know what the future will bring, it has been exciting, and I’m always looking forward to what comes next. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Building your own business is never easy. Chris has had over 12 years of experience in building his brand, but to me, this was completely new territory. I had to get used to literally putting myself out there while advertising our work and establishing our brand. 

And, importantly, I had to get used to rejection. When we first started out, we received a lot more “no’s” than “yeses”, although the yeses were with some big hotels throughout California, such as Dream Hollywood LA, Viceroy Santa Monica, and Allegretto in Paso Robles. Thanks to people taking a chance on us and believing in what we do, we have been able to grow and pick up more shoots around the world. The hardest part is getting your foot through the door- then you have to have the work ethic to show your dedication. 

When Chris and I first started traveling together, it was right at the beginning of COVID. We had just gotten back from Japan when cases first started popping up in the province right next to where we were in Tokyo. We were already planning our next adventure, a month-long trip to Europe when the world essentially shut down. We had to put things on pause for a bit. 

We have been scammed out of flights and money while traveling, experienced many delays in flights, lost luggage, and other such travel issues. We have certainly had our fair share of struggles, but the lows are momentary, few, and soon forgotten, while the highs are the experiences that are unforgettable. 

One of the challenges anyone faces in the world of social media is trying to stay true to yourselves and maintaining your personal vision. It is very easy to compare yourself to many of the other talented people you follow online and try to incorporate some of the ideas that they inspire in you in your own work. Of course, you still have to retain your own unique quality that keeps the public engaged. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
While I am still adjusting my style and growing, I have come to love videography and still photography. Something I am very passionate about is aerial-related content. 

Chris and I bought a drone (Mavic Air Pro 2) a few years ago when we first started in the hospitality industry, and ever since then, we use it for almost every single project. We are easily able to kill two birds with one stone in a sense, and when working on a project, Chris focuses primarily on the still photography portion of whatever we are capturing, while I focus on video. 

I am most proud of the opportunities and growth that have been presented to me over these last few years while jumping into this industry. I can’t lie; jumping into all this full force as I did was intimidating. No committed income, no actual steady routine. We just had to come into this with full force. Constantly networking every day (even the days I just wanted to stay home), cold-calling companies, and offering lots of free services to build our portfolio. Finally, it is all paying off, and I am able to do this full-time. That is what I am most proud of myself for. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.savvy-travels.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/savvy_travels_/

Image Credits
Chris Fulcher Photography