Shooting Jordyn Woods’ Bachelorette in St. Barths’s
There's a version of this job I dream about every winter — a call comes in, and instead of a studio in LA, I'm packing camera bodies for an island. That's exactly how this one started. I got the call to shoot Jordyn Woods' bachelorette trip in St. Barth's, and a few weeks later I was standing on white sand with the Caribbean in front of me, trying to figure out how to do the whole thing justice.
Setting the Scene
St. Barth's gives you almost too much to work with. Turquoise water, dramatic hillsides that turn into black silhouettes at golden hour, sand that photographs almost white in full sun — the location was doing half the work before I even raised the camera. My job was making sure the images matched the energy of the trip itself: a group of women celebrating, dressed in coordinated red, having an actual good time rather than posing for a stiff "photoshoot."
The Group Shot
One of my favorite frames from the whole trip is the lineup — Jordyn and her friends walking the beach in red swimsuits, shot from a low angle with the ocean stretching out behind them. I wanted it to feel candid even though it was completely composed: real movement, real wind in the hair, real light. No two outfits matched exactly, but the red palette tied the whole group together visually, which made the beach itself feel like a runway.
Golden Hour on the Sand
As the sun dropped, Jordyn changed into a white crochet dress, and this is where St. Barth's really earned its reputation. The sky went from soft gold to a deep, almost stormy blue-grey, and I had her lay back into the surf right as the light hit that perfect low angle. Long hair fanned out in the sand, waves rolling in just behind her — it's the kind of shot you can't fully plan for, you just have to be ready when the light gives it to you.
Into the Water at Night
The boldest shot of the trip came after dark. Jordyn waded into the shallows in a shimmering white dress with the last of the sunset glowing orange on the horizon behind her, and I lit her directly against that dying light. Shooting into open water at night isn't something you get many chances to do right, but the contrast between the warm skin tones and the cold, dark sea made for one of the strongest images from the entire shoot.
The Bachelorette Post
For the more playful, editorial side of the weekend, we put together a custom newspaper prop — "The Bachelorette Post" — and had the whole group hold copies up around Jordyn like a paparazzi moment. It's a fun nod to the bachelorette theme itself, and it gave me a chance to shoot something more editorial and less straightforward "beach photo," which is honestly my favorite kind of assignment.
Why Destination Shoots Like This Matter
Trips like this are exactly why I love doing bachelorette and destination photography. You're not just documenting an event — you're building a set of images that capture a specific place, a specific group of people, and a specific feeling that won't exist again. St. Barth's gave us incredible natural light and backdrops, but the real work was making sure every frame felt personal to Jordyn and the friends who flew out to celebrate with her.
If you're planning a bachelorette trip, destination shoot, or editorial-style getaway and want photography that actually captures the energy of the group — not just posed portraits — that's exactly the kind of work I love shooting. Feel free to reach out if you're planning something similar.
Owen DeValk is a fashion and celebrity photographer based in Los Angeles, specializing in editorial, campaign, and destination photography. View more of his work at owendevalkstudio.com.