Today we’d like to introduce you to Travis Borkenhagen.
Travis, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started my career in the U.S. Marine Corps, where I learned discipline, attention to detail, and how to perform under pressure. After leaving the military, I went to college to pursue a degree in psychology and graduated with honors. To help pay my way through school, I started photographing weddings and events and somewhere along the way, it stopped being just a side job and became the work I truly loved.
Today I’m a San Diego– and Southern California–based wedding and event photographer, combining that background in psychology with my military training to stay calm, organized, and people-focused on a wedding day. Understanding how people think and feel helps me anticipate real moments, read the room, and create images that feel natural, flattering, and true to each couple and each event.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a perfectly smooth road. I left the Marine Corps, went straight into college full-time for psychology, and built my photography business at the same time. That meant a lot of 18-hour days—classes during the day, shooting sessions in the evenings, and editing late at night just to keep up with tuition, rent, and gear. I had to learn everything from scratch: how to price myself, how to market, how to handle timelines and family dynamics on a wedding day, all while still trying to be a present human for the people in my life.
Like a lot of wedding photographers, I took a big hit when COVID shut events down. I had to navigate postponements, cancellations, and the emotional side of helping couples re-plan the day they’d been dreaming about. More recently, growing from an Arizona-based brand into serving San Diego and Southern California weddings, especially the coastal areas like La Jolla and Coronado has been its own challenge. You’re essentially starting over in a new market, building trust with planners and venues, and proving that you’re willing to show up consistently, even if you’re splitting time between states.
Those challenges ended up shaping how I run the business today. They forced me to get organized, over-communicate with couples, and build a calm, structured experience so that by the time a wedding day arrives, they feel taken care of and can actually enjoy it while I focus on creating timeless images.
As you know, we’re big fans of Lovelee Photography. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I run Lovelee Photography, a wedding and event photography studio serving couples in San Diego, La Jolla, and throughout Southern California, along with my home base in Arizona. I focus on elegant, emotional wedding photography with clean, classic editing. Couples get a mix of relaxed portraits where I guide them into flattering light and real moments that happen naturally throughout the day.
People often tell me they appreciate how calm and organized I am. I build clear timelines, stay in close communication with planners and other vendors, and keep things moving without making the day feel stiff or over-posed. My background helps me read the room, handle different personalities, and make even camera-shy couples feel comfortable.
I am most proud that the business has grown largely through referrals. Planners, venues, and past couples continue to send their friends and clients my way. As I expand further into coastal Southern California wedding locations like La Jolla, Del Mar, and Coronado, my focus stays the same: take care of people, communicate clearly, and deliver photographs that feel honest and timeless.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
People can work with me a few different ways. For weddings and events, the easiest place to start is my website, where you can share your date, venue, and what you are planning. From there I set up a quick call to talk through coverage, timeline, and any specific needs so we can see if it is a good fit. I regularly travel between Arizona and Southern California and take on a limited number of weddings and events in San Diego and the coastal areas around La Jolla, Del Mar, and Coronado.
Planners, venues, and brands can reach out for ongoing partnerships, editorial shoots, conferences, and corporate events through my contact form or email. I also run a dedicated corporate brand, Elevation Event Photography, for conferences and corporate work in San Diego and beyond.
If someone wants to support what I am building, sharing my work, tagging the venue and location, or passing my name along to couples, planners, and teams planning events in Southern California and Arizona makes a real difference. Most of my growth has come from word of mouth and trusted referrals.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.loveleephotos.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/loveleephoto/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loveleephotosaz
