Tourism Board Photo Research & Visual Production: Visit California Case Study

When AFAR partnered with Visit California to create their luxury travel guide, they needed expert visual content production and photo research across 500+ destinations. Here's how we delivered.

Challenge

Source premium imagery showcasing unexpected luxury experiences
Cover 500+ points of interest statewide
Secure rights and releases for multi-platform usage
Meet tight production timeline for print and digital deliverables

Strategy We developed a comprehensive visual research approach:

Curated network of California photographers, featuring Amanda Friedman's iconic poppy field cover
Direct partnerships with regional tourism boards including Visit Palm Springs, Visit Anaheim
Luxury hotel and restaurant image libraries
Destination marketing organizations' content hubs

Process

Created detailed shot list targeting unique luxury moments
Established streamlined licensing workflow across multiple stakeholders
Managed complex rights acquisition for print/digital usage
Coordinated with illustrator Libby VanderPloeg for cohesive visual narrative

Results

Delivered premium wire-bound sourcebook
Created immersive digital experience
Exceeded client visual quality expectations
Established efficient process for large-scale tourism projects

Looking for visual content production for your destination marketing? I specialize in:

Tourism board image research & licensing
Destination marketing visual strategy
Multi-platform content production
Large-scale photo research projects

Contact me to discuss your next tourism or destination marketing project.

The bonus:

Appreciating the beauty of the images alongside the playful and fun illustrations of the amazing Libby VanderPloeg!