birch thomas

this is a dream come true. when @natgeo asked me to contribute to their 2026 best of the world wellness list, I knew immediately I would write about @anamayaresort in costa rica. “Throughout my weeklong stay, I discovered a deeper reverence for what makes this retreat special. Resting at the convergence of three ecosystems—ocean, rainforest, mountain—it offers a genuine community where staff know your name and story. The rotating-teacher model brings abundant wisdom to one location, while the intimate scale ensures authentic connection—to nature, others, and yourself.” check out the full list in stories. words + photos for @natgeo #natgeotravel #natgeo #wellnessphotography #travelphotography #costarica

I wanted to be a basketball player when I grew up. then I thought I would be a chef. I waited tables through high school and college, went to business school, studied marketing and sports management(??), got an accounting internship, and had a decade-long career in finance and operations. in 2016 I picked up my first camera.  4 years later, I became a photographer full-time. practice looks different these days— it’s bending light and letting my eyes be curious for the next story. I’m calling in more presence with the stories I get to tell. more days by the sea, fewer seafood towers. stories that shine a light on holistic well-being. assignments that take me to remote places where my lens can be immersed in nature. opportunities to become a wisdom keeper—documenting cooking as ritual and food as medicine. life never turns out the way we expect it to, but what a beautiful thing that is. who knows, in another decade I could be a yoga teacher (or an herbalist for women’s health)?! what I do know is that when you trust the process and have the raw courage to believe in your inherent gifts, it turns out better than you could ever imagine. wherever you are on your path—even if it’s not the one you expected—trust it. it doesn’t have to make sense. all is unfolding for you, all in divine time. 🌝✨🦁 #dcphotographer #dmvphotographer

honored to have work in this roundup. before we make dinner reservations for 2026, where was your favorite place to eat in 2025? photos shot for @kaiasouthend featured in @cntraveler #foodphotography #foodphotographer #bostonrestaurants Boston restaurants Condé Naste featured Food and Hospitality photography

I cannot tell you how satisfying it was when I captured that little drop falling into the martini. 🍸 new concept by @joseandresgroup / @bazaarbyjose in washington, dc #dcphotographer #dceats #dcrestaurants #hospitalityphotographer #foodphotographer José Andrés Restaurant Washington DC

after hearing the story of Pureè’s founder @dyalagram on our first call, I knew I wanted to work with her. the care she puts into sourcing organic, nutrient-dense ingredients comes from years of nourishing her own family while navigating the challenges of our food system. what started in her home kitchen is something you can sense in every part of the menu. her care shows up in the smallest details — like when she quietly added saffron drops to mine and @limonatacreative ’s water halfway through our shoot. she wants people to feel good on a cellular level. this is the kind of story I feel most called to tell — where nourishment isn’t a trend, but a way of caring for people. Brand photography for @pureejuice Prop Styling: @limonatacreative Photo Studio & Prop House: @propupshopbmore #dcphotographer #brandphotography #eattherainbow Organic juice bar Georgetown DC Bethesda MD

costa rica always calls me back. next month I’ll be traveling to the east coast for the first time to document cacao at its source. cacao is heart medicine. warm, bitter, grounding, alive. a sacred plant that invites you inward, into honesty, into feeling. in an overstimulating world it has become part of my ritual: in writing, recalibrating, and exploring truth. always returning to resonance. #travelphotography #costarica #welltraveled #puravida

the therapy is in the making. some things only reveal themselves through the work. photos for @1789restaurant x @clydesrestaurantgroup #foodphotography #foodphotographer #dceats #eaterdc #dcrestaurants hospitality photography pasta making

chiaroscuro — from the Italian chiaro (light) and scuro (dark). a slow seduction of shadow and glow, where light grazes the surface and everything else is felt, not seen. // photos shot in kythira for @xeniagreekhospitality #travelphotography #chasinglight #greece #dcphotographer Kythira Greece retreat photography

I just like this photo. shot for @ryestreettavern #foodphotographer #dcphotographer #baltimorerestaurants

as artists, there’s something important about staying with your work—not just creating it, but returning to it with wiser eyes. being with it, watching it shift and soften, letting it show you how you’ve evolved. lately i’ve been flipping through old photographs as I get ready for another season of travel. moments from the agafay desert with @arrow__yoga Morocco camel ride Agafey Desert yoga retreat travel photography #luxurytravel #wellnesstravel #storytelling #editorialphotography

a moment for this photo + for @chefjohannahellrigl who was recently named a 2026 @beardfoundation semifinalist for best chef in the mid-atlantic (not to mention today is her birthday). I admire the fire in you. your passion to create a conscious dining experience where every dish is made to nourish you on a cellular and energetic level is unlike anything I’ve experienced. thanks for being the light that you are. photos shot for @amarestaurant.bar #foodphotography #foodphotographer #dceats #eaterdc #dcrestaurants

how to spend the perfect day in Athens for @natgeotravel link in highlights (filed under: TRAVEL) for full video #athens #greece #greecestagram #natgeo travel photographer visual storytelling National Geographic