The lovely Rhiannon Taylor is a food, travel and lifestyle photographer based in Melbourne, Australia. As well as her editorial photography work for a diverse mix of clients, she created In Bed With a few years ago initially as a side hustle and one now that is a full time project with a dedicated community of loyal followers around the world.
Visit the In Bed With blog, and you're immediately asked the question, "Who are you staying with tonight?" - it's an apt question to ask at a time when so many of us scroll for hours through our social media feeds filled with wanderlust dreaming of places we'd like to stay around the world. The In Bed With site and Instagram account are a gorgeous collection of images shot by Rhiannon during her travels and provide travel inspiration not only for where to stay, but also for new destinations to visit around the globe.
We caught up recently with Rhiannon, and below you'll find the details of our chat:
Nude by Nature (NBN): Can you share with us more about your background, your photography career, social media strategy and the decision to start your beautiful travel and lifestyle blog In Bed With.
Rhiannon: I’ve been a photographer for over 12 years, shooting interiors, travel, food and lifestyle for publications and brands near and far. Throughout my career I’ve been lucky enough to travel extensively and this was really the inspiration to start In Bed With. I adore great interior design and have a huge love of travel, so curating hotels in to a blog just felt like a natural fit. To be honest, I started In Bed With as an offshoot to my work as a photographer, documenting beautiful hotels whilst on assignment photographing for my clients. But the social media aspect took off quickly because the audience was so interested to see inside beautiful hotels around the world. What started as a creative hobby soon turned into a full time project.
Nude by Nature (NBN): In the past 12 months you’ve been all over the world! Can you share your favourite destinations from the past year?
Rhiannon: There are honestly too many to name - both for the blog and for my clients. But my favourite from this year was renting a villa called L’Arancera Di Villa Grabau in Lucca (Northern Tuscany), Italy for a week with friends and family for my wedding. It was so relaxing, with great food, wine and cooking classes. And of course getting married!
I also just returned from Yucatan in Mexico, which was unbelievable. Unlimited guacamole, colourful towns, incredible beaches and beautiful hotels.
Nude by Nature (NBN): Do you have any favourite beauty hacks that you use when you’re travelling?
Rhiannon: I keep a mist and facial oil stored in every suitcase and handbag when I travel. Keeping my skin hydrated is key - this makes me feel normal. Planes have a funny habit of making you feel yuck! I also carry a bunch of natural cleansing wipes - often I’m flying for 20 hours plus and these are great in lieu of a shower.
Nude by Nature (NBN): What do you think are a couple of the most important beauty products that every woman should own?
Rhiannon: A great sunscreen. As a traveller and someone who loves the Australian sun, it’s essential to protect against the premature ageing effects of sun damage. I also can’t live without a great cleanser (I often double cleanse), to get rid of impurities, pollution etc from the day.
Nude by Nature (NBN): A couple of our unique points of difference as a brand is that all our make-up products are enriched with 100% natural ingredients, and we are proudly cruelty-free. Do you think people are educating themselves more these days about what's in the make-up they use, and are looking to new beauty products to use instead?
Rhiannon: Yes! I recently overhauled my whole beauty regime to go completely natural and clean. As a woman who is obsessed with skincare and make-up, this was really difficult. But considering how many products we use on a daily basis, I became petrified of the amount of chemicals I was smothering all over my pores and washing down my sink into the ocean. I think there’s been a great shift in the way we purchase beauty products now and I hope with more education using natural products will become the norm.
Nude by Nature (NBN): With the above in mind, are you able to share which is your favourite Nude by Nature make-up essential?
Rhiannon: I adore the Radiant Loose Powder Foundation. Coming in to summer the Radiant Loose Powder Foundation is really all I need to even out my skin tone and give me a fresh faced look. I don’t wear much more than that.
Nude by Nature (NBN): Do you have a favourite inspirational quote?
Rhiannon: I’m terrible at remembering quotes however someone once told me “Be kind, in everything that you do and to everyone you meet”. I think this applies to both work and home for me.
Nude by Nature (NBN): What about places you’ve got on your travel bucket list?
Rhiannon: I’m dying to explore Alaska to see the wildlife and landscape. I’d love to do an island holiday to the Seychelles too - it’s a dream destination for me.
Nude by Nature (NBN): Has there been a place you’ve visited in the past few years that has really surprised you?
Rhiannon: I was really surprised by Cape Town in South Africa. I think it is truly one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Likewise with Istanbul I visited a few months ago. Talk about wow! Stunning architecture, food, people - I was only there for two days and I’m plotting a way to get back soon!
Nude by Nature (NBN): When you are back home in Melbourne, what are a couple of your most loved places/things to do?
Rhiannon: First and foremost I try to soak up as much time as possible with my husband and family. When I travel I’m constantly exploring and eating out, so when I’m home I like to cook a lot. I love the Mornington Peninsula and pop down frequently to have lunch at Pt Leo Estate, taste wine at Crittenden Estate and stay at Jackalope or The Summer Residence.
Nude by Nature (NBN): Lucky last question! What are your plans for 2019? Anything you can share with us?
Rhiannon: There are so many things planned for 2019! A few incredible trips but also the launch of a select collection of fine art prints that I’ve taken from all over the world. I’m excited to see them sent off and displayed in people’s homes and public spaces!
Thank you very much for your time!
