Italy Elopement Photographer
Ciao, sono
Anna
(she/they)
I’m your hype person, type-a planner, bilingual negotiator, and photographer / super 8 videographer.
I’m a lover of the natural world, with reverence for the landscape I help plan elopements that work in tandem with nature. It is my belief that we are stewards of the landscape and are responsible for ensuring that it can be utilized and photographed for generations to come. I am leave no trace certified and have spent weeks at a time on the trail, sleeping on the ground and cooking my meals on a MSR pocket rocket.
I was born and raised in Pittsburgh but have lived and worked in: Philadelphia, Maine, Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, and Italy.
Before finding my way to photography I’ve worked in restaurants (fun fact: I’m on Chef’s Table!), in sustainable compost management, as a brewer and a winemaker, in high fashion, as a backpacking / white water canoeing / rock climbing trip guide, and as a government employee working in green energy. I hold a degree in anthropology and critical theory which informs the way I see the world and capture it artistically.
My family is from + lives in Italy and it has always felt like a second home before it was my primary home. I am inspired by the slow pace of life and the values that are ingrained within Italian culture and lifestyle. I look forward to showing you around!
Being able to capture love stories and show couples around my favorite parts of Italy is a dream come true. I love big, I dream big, and I create with everything I have.
Benvenuto a Thorn & Thistle
the team behind your Italian dream
Film (35mm, medium format), digital, and super 8 film to capture your emotive, romantic, and refined moments. Whether you’re getting married on a mountain or in a villa… or just looking for someone to capture the sultry authentic vibes of your couples session - we’re here to take the guesswork out of planning and execution. We’re not just your third wheel, we create fine art to help you relive your day forever.
Film isn’t just snapping photos on a point and shoot, at thorn & thistle we work with fully manual and medium format cameras to ensure the highest quality of film for editorial work (don’t worry, you’ll still get fun dance floor film photos on 35mm).
Anna has been shooting film since 2006 and has refined her skills through ongoing education and hands-on experience. Thorn & Thistle started offering Super 8 film in 2025 and it quickly became a format near and dear to our hearts.
We’ve invested in creating heirloom art that you will have to pass down. Digital and hybrid packages are available and all editing is done consistently in a film-like style.
At Thorn & Thistle we prioritize values. As a queer owned business all love and all people are welcome.
We celebrate and affirm the LGBTQIA+ community, are comfortable posing romantic networks consistenting of more than two people, and will never just assume your pronouns or use unnecessary gendered language.
We have extensive experience in editing skin tone and have years of experience working with interracial couples editing for skin tone consistency across all individuals across your entire gallery. It’s your day, you deserve to feel seen, be respected, and represented fully in your photos. Examples of skin tone editing can be provided upon request.
Thorn & Thistle works to provide full service planning services, photography / videography (super 8) services, and hybrid packages combining the two.
We will be as hands-off or as hands-on as our couples request.
Anna was so incredible to work with, easy going and flexible. Made us feel secure and welcome to have fun and be ourselves but still professional and focused. They were insightful in their choices of locations and poses.
Chelsey and Charlie
Some Fun Facts About Your Fearless Planner and Lead Photographer
Favorite foods
oysters and roma tomatoes.
You might be
surprised to know
I used to play on an international roller derby team.
my dog’s name
I have a dog named Bucatini (yes, named after the pasta shape).
Best plan for
a day off:
a hike with my dog and drinks at a local brewery.
Favorite places
in Italy
eating soup on top of a mountain in the Dolomites, laying on the beach in Puglia, doing karaoke with my friends in Treviso, an afternoon at a museum in Florence, or gathered around a long dinner table in Sicily.
Favorite wedding
moments
finally getting to meet after a year+ of zoom calls and emails, when y’all see each other for the first time (if doing a first look) or the quiet intention of getting ready together (if eloping), dance floor vibes.
Favorite bands
Horse Feathers, Kendrick Lamar, Giorgio Moroder, Rufus du Sol, Fred Again, Radiohead, Noah Kahan, Feetwood Mac, Lil Wayne, Pinot D’Angio, Daft Punk, Mereba. You can catch me at the jazz bar on a worknight, the edm dj set on a weekend, and giving you the aux on the day of your shoot.
Favorite places I’ve traveled that weren’t within Italy
Iceland, Mexico City, San Sebastian.
Favorite drinks
smoked lager, negroni, pet nat.
Best thing about my job
getting to meet the coolest couples and explore the world with them.
Best film stock
Portra 400.
