Savannah & Costa Rica Photographer - Lifestyle Photography

VIBRANT,
CAREFREE,
& UNIQUELY YOU.

You’ve been searching for something more.

You’re dreaming of one-of-a-kind imagery and an experience that is effortless. You want images that have depth & are even more beautiful than you could have imagined.

You’ve landed in the right place.

Sunrise beach proposal in Costa Rica. Photographed by Kristen M. Brown, Samba to the Sea Photography.

The big moments, the loud ones and the quiet ones, the in-betweens, the ones you don’t think anyone else is watching.

I’m about capturing who you really are and making your photo session experience fun from beginning to end. Whether it be a surprise proposal, engagement, anniversary, honeymoon, birthday, or just because, I promise you’re gonna have one heck of a fun time and forget that the camera is even there – promise.

Because I’m not about awkward poses, but rather those real moments and you simply being you.

So if don’t mind getting your clothes a little sandy and maybe hopping in ocean, tell me what you’d like captured and let’s create something beautiful together!

let's chat!

Lifestyle editorial photography in Costa Rica photographed by Kristen M. Brown of Samba to the Sea Photography.

With over 160 5-Star client reviews, these are just a handful of their
‘making me blush’ reviews.

Not even sure where to begin, but Kristen was an absolute joy to work with! She is very reliable and communicated/coordinated with me for any question or request I had throughout the entire process. I was trying to plan my proposal in a country I had never even been to, so you can imagine how clueless I was, but that was no problem for Kristen! She guided me through everything and even provided me with multiple videos explaining/showing the exact location of my proposal set up. Thanks to her trusty sidekick dog, Gidget, I was easily able to spot Kristen as she was in position and ready to capture one of the most important moments in my life. During our session, she had a perfect variety of ideas for our pictures which helped our awkward selves. My favorite part of our session was how nice and personable Kristen is, there was an instant connection like she was just one of your friends taking pictures of you. The only difference was, Kristen’s photos are above and beyond! We were very pleasantly surprised with the photo quality and editing. Within an hour or so, Kristen already had gone home and gotten a few sneak peak photos ready for us to make our announcement. Getting to review such great pictures of a very special moment made for a memory in itself. I am incredibly blessed to have found such a great person/photographer for this memory of a lifetime! Thank you so much again, Kristen.

– Austin + Sarah

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For my 50th celebration, I wanted to do a special photoshoot. I literally googled “best photographer in Guanacaste” and Kristen’s website pulled up. If you want to work with someone responsive, timely, fun and who does everything to make you feel comfortable, you will not go wrong hiring her. When my family and I first saw the photos, we were in awe. Trust me, you won’t have any regrets.

– Dedra

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My fiancé and I had Kristen shoot our engagement pictures while we were in Costa Rica and they turned out amazing! She was super helpful and responsive during the planning process and was even willing to work around the weather the day of. She had a “sneak peak” ready for us later that night, and the rest of the pictures done in two weeks or so, a pretty fast turnaround. I love how intimate and candid they are, and get compliments on them every time I share!

– Maddie + Jake

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I found Samba to the Sea/Kristen online while searching for a photographer in Tamarindo for some anniversary photos and I immediately fell in love with her work! I reached out and she was super quick to respond and was very flexible with dates and timing and seemed to know the perfect time for a beautiful shoot. She was so great to work with! Hands down the best photo session my husband and I have had. She took us to some breathtaking spots in Tamarindo and my husband and I could not be happier with the way the photos turned out. It was a very quick turnaround on the photos as well. Thank you so much, Kristen!

– Hadey + Mo

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Kristen did an anniversary shoot for my husband and I, and I could not recommend her more! I found her online and when I saw how fun and colorful her pictures looked, I knew I had to hire her as our photographer. Some pictures from photoshoots look awkward or staged, but Kristen’s somehow always looked so natural. After working with her, I totally understand how she gets such amazing shots. I usually feel awkward having my picture taken – but not with Kristen! She made us feel so natural getting our photos taken, had us laughing the whole time, and was overall a pleasure to work with. It rained unexpectedly and she knew exactly where to take us to make the most of the weather. I’ve gotten a ton of compliments on our pictures from family and friends, and would definitely work with Kristen again in the future. Seriously, if I could give her more than 5 stars I would – she is truly the best!!

– Kelsey + Tony

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Investment

My approach to working with you is simple and FUN – – you are allowed to be 100% you! What results are some of the most beautiful, natural, and breathtaking imagery that truly captures you.

Lifestyle photography investment varies depending on length of photo session and location – contact me and let’s start chatting about your ideas. Photo sessions start at $675, which includes a selection of digital files. Additional offerings include my white glove print expertise to help you bring home heirloom artwork of your gorgeous photos.

Babymoon photos in Playa Grande Costa Rica photographed by Kristen M. Brown of Samba to the Sea Photography.

lifestyle portfolio

Discover carefree images full of soul & moments in time captured, forever.

Editorial Birthday Photos in Costa Rica || Dedra

You know what they say? Costa Rica is always a good idea. Especially a special 50th birthday vacation in Costa Rica!

And the cherry on top to celebrating your birthday in paradise? A birthday photo shoot of you and your girl squad at one epic villa in Playa Ocotal!

Beach Engagement Photos in Playa Langosta || Laura + Richie

Tamarindo has a special way of bringing people together. Like Laura + Richie, who met each other in this tropical beach town a couple of years ago. I had the pleasure of knowing the two of them before they met each other, and the first time I saw them together, I could feel that they had something special. Fast forward to 2020, with Costa Rica’s borders closed and the whole world on lockdown because of the ‘Rona, COVID brought Laura + Richie even closer together.

Senior Photos at The Landings in Savannah, GA || Daniel

There’s always a chance of rain in the afternoon in the South from June to September…hello hot and humid weather creating popup thunderstorms! So you can imagine how interesting it is trying to schedule photo sessions in the late afternoon in Savannah in the summer — you want to take advantage of the late afternoon’s soft lighting, but you also..

Baby’s First Photos in Coral Gables, FL || Chisolm Family

Ashley and I first met back when we both lived in NYC. Both fresh out of college, I can still remember the day I met Ashley — I walked over to her cubicle at work and Ashley simply radiated with her gorgeous smile and impeccable work fashion. We bonded over work, and most importantly J.Crew and Anthropologie.

Lifestyle Brand Photos in Tamarindo Costa Rica || LIYA Collective

With the intention of creating minimalist, sustainably made accessories that honor the traditional skillsets of the region in which they’re made, while providing safe, fair employment and supporting the local economy, a couple of years ago Deanna started developing LIYA Collective’s first collection of classic silk scarves while living in Bangkok.

Vow Renewal in Tamarindo, Costa Rica || Tiffany + Jason

Just before the world shut down with the global pandemic, Tiffany + Jason hopped on a plane to Costa Rica to celebrate their ten year anniversary surfing at Witch’s Rock Surf Camp. Amidst so many unknowns and Costa Rica closing it’s borders half way through their trip, Tiffany and Jason made the most of their getaway — it was beautiful, memorable, romantic…

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Slice of Pura Vida-dise, Costa Rica coffee table book photographed by Kristen M. Brown

P.S. Wish you could bring home a piece of Costa Rica?

Experience a part of the laid back “pura vida” way of life Costa Rica is infamous for with over 150 awe-inspiring images of pristine beaches, jaw dropping sunsets, and the alluring surf lifestyle with Kristen’s brand new Costa Rica coffee table book, SLICE OF PURA VIDA-DISE!

This book is an ode to the magic of a spell-binding country, inviting you to get out there to discover your own slice of pura vida-dise. With raving reviews plus features in Coastal Living and Southern Living, you can dream away to Costa Rica whenever you need a dose of pura vida.

i'd love a copy!

Engagement photos in Tamarindo Costa Rica photographed by Kristen M. Brown of Samba to the Sea Photography.

In their words

Let me begin by saying that I’m a wedding photographer myself so my standards are a little unusual and Kristen is AMAZING! My boyfriend (now fiance!) hired Kristen to capture his surprise proposal to me in Costa Rica and with her help, it was perfect.

Personality – Finding a photographer you feel comfortable with is SO important, no matter what the session is. Kristen is a 1000% for fun, friendly, and being a genuine human being – which in turn makes for an exceptional photographic experience in front of the camera. Seriously – this is super important and not easy to find!

Session – Kristen is more movement based which makes for natural, real emotions and reactions in the photos. She guided us through movements, constantly talking the whole time (so we were comfortable!) and caught the genuine moments and expressions rather than guiding us into stiff poses. Love!!!

Previews – Seeing your pictures is SO exciting and Kristen delivered ASAP – as in, sent over 3 gorgeous previews 2 hours later, and then edited the entire session in a record less than 24 hours!! Ummm man was my mom stoked!!

Images – Gorgeous, and speak for themselves!! Also, I love sun flare and she nailed it! On top of that, she provides the edited, digital files for download (high resolution and web size). Different photographers work in different ways, and I personally always recommend a photographer that provides the digital files and print rights to the images. It’s what I do as a photographer, and what I would look for!

Bonus! Not only did she do an amazing job as our photographer, but she helped my fiance lay out the plan. We aren’t from Costa Rica so her suggestions were immensely helpful to him – AND she assisted in making the restaurant reservation for him (since it would have been tough for him to do with me present!)

Summary: Kristen is a talented photographer with an A+ personality – she goes above and beyond for her clients and I would not hesitate to hire her again for any type of wedding or session! Loved everything about our experience and can’t recommend her enough!!

– Frances + Ryan

In their words

Kristen was phenomenal to work with, from the first time we spoke until the delivery of our incredible photos. I feel like we won the lottery in finding her! I was looking for a photographer who could truly bring to life the essence and spirit of both my business and my family, which was no easy task, and I knew this! Kristen far exceeded my expectations, and I couldn’t be happier with the results. For anyone looking for a photographer who will take the time to truly understand who you are and bring your vision to life, Kristen is you lady! I would recommend her to anyone and cannot wait to work with her again in the future!

– Angie, One Wild Life Design

In their words

I used Kristen for branding photos for my business. Let me start by saying that I really don’t like doing photoshoots. I’m super uncomfortable in front of the camera and I have no clue when it comes to poses. This is where Kristen’s expertise really shows. She had me create a pinterest board of all of the branding photos I loved to get an idea of my style. This sounds like a small detail, but honestly this was such a HUGE help when it came to the photoshoot day because she knew exactly what I was looking for. Working with Kristen was effortless, comfortable and so much fun!! Legit, I had such a great time! Which is a big deal for me. She was able to direct me easily and captured the best angles. She had an incredibly quick turn around with photos and honestly, I loved EVERY one. It was SO hard to pick all of my final images because she is just so incredibly talented. I would 100000% reco her and work with her again.

– Christi, Christi the Clairvoyant

In their words

Kristen was WONDERFUL. We did a photo shoot on the beach to celebrate our 10th anniversary, and it was everything we could have wanted. She made us feel immediately comfortable, found beautiful and quiet spots to take the photos, and just made the whole experience fun. The experience was just as enjoyable as the photos we now get to keep forever! We are very picky about photography (not everyone with a camera has photography skills!) but Kristen is seriously talented. I could not recommend her more highly.

– Laura + Etan

In their words

Such a wonderful experience working with Kristen. This was my first time hiring a photographer to take pictures of me…and a very 8 months pregnant me! I chose Kristen because of her innate ability to capture the essence of her subjects. For me, this shoot wasn’t about getting shots of my belly…it was about capturing the special relationship that my best friend/spouse and I share. And, boy, did Kristen deliver! Some of the feedback from friends and family… “You look radiant. She captured everything about you.” “Stunning images.” “The photos are perfect. You all couldn’t look any better.” “Goddess!” “She not only captured you and Felipe’s excitement for your first child, the photos show the love and passion you two share together in your favorite places.” Before the shoot, she answered my gazillion questions and provided all of the guidance the we requested. She helped me secure a last minute makeup artist (the day before). Although I was a ball of nerves when we started, Kristen made it such a relaxing experience. I was blown away by how “easy” the whole shoot was and how comfortable she made us feel. She helped us pose, told me what to do with my hands, and then let me and my spouse be ourselves. She was able to capture stunning images of us with and our two dogs with ZERO STRESS! I almost didn’t bring the dogs because I thought it would be a stressful experience trying to “get the shot” with them…but, again, Kristen blew us away. As if I wasn’t already super pleased and impressed with the whole experience, while we were eating lunch on the beach the following day, Kristen sent me our finished gallery! BLOWN AWAY! I’m excited to tap Kristen to take photos of our growing family down the road. Many photographers can make great images but it takes a special eye to capture the essence and personality of a family…and to make a pregnant woman feel beautiful! Thank you so, so much Kristen!

– Maria + Felipe

In their words

We couldn’t of asked for a better experience! My fiancé and I had never had our photos professionally done so we had no idea what to expect. Kristen gave us enough direction to make us feel confident in front of the camera, while still allowing plenty of room for us to show our personalities so the photos to not seem staged or stiff. You could tell she definitely knows what she’s doing and has a ton of experience with couples. We could not be happier with our engagement photos. Everyone we show them to loves them as well. We would 100% recommend Kristen to anyone looking to get profesional pictures taken of them. Bonus points for bringing her furry assistant, Gidget, to the shoot as well!

– Andrea + Chris

LET'S CHAT

The little things and those big feelings, like the look of pure excitement when you propose. Or the laughter shared while celebrating a special birthday with your loved ones in paradise. I’m all about capturing those real moments and y’all having one heck of a good time.

Fill out the contact form or email me at hola@sambatothesea.com and let’s get to know each other (you can count on me to get back to you within a day). If the fit is right, I can’t wait to welcome you and your loved ones to the Samba to the Sea familia!

*Lifestyle photo session investment starts at $675.*

P.S. my clients love working with me as much as I love working with them; be sure to read their beautiful words of praise.