My story is pretty similar to many photographers' journeys. I had a baby, wanted to capture those precious moments, bought a camera, and the rest, as they say, is history. Sound familiar?

Back then, I had no clue what I was doing. I thought this was the greatest picture ever taken— face palm.

A cute toddler wearing an orange knit hat sitting inside a metal bucket surrounded by vibrant autumn leaves, capturing the essence of fall. — Back when I had zero clue and thought this was the greatest picture ever. Face palm.

Photography has always been a part of my life, thanks to my dad. He was an avid hobbyist photographer. Everyone knew he loved taking pictures. His favourite subjects were my sisters and me, of course, but he also had a thing for butterflies, flowers, and race cars. Looking back, I’m impressed by how much he captured with limited tools. Most of his photos were shot in auto mode, and he didn’t have any post-processing help. Yet, he had an incredible eye for composition, finding interesting subjects, and capturing candid moments. He also had this passion for documenting history— taking pictures of landmark buildings before they were demolished or stages of his home improvement projects. I have so many of his pictures, probably more than I’ll ever need!

A dramatic view of the beach with dark storm clouds looming above, casting an ominous vibe over the ocean and beach buildings.

I was gifted my first camera— a Barbie 110 camera. You can see a picture of it on my about page! I was so proud of that camera. Eventually, I moved on to a 35mm, then digital cameras, and finally a DSLR. I remember editing and printing every single photo I took, even if they were far from perfect. It was probably a huge waste of time, but I loved doing it.

Two young boys play in a small inflatable pool in the backyard, one of them spraying water with a garden hose while the other stands in the pool, enjoying the summer fun.

When my first child arrived, I took a photography class with a local photographer. She taught me the basics, and I was hooked. But it wasn’t until my second baby arrived that I really started focusing on improving my photography. Let me tell you, it was tough! Trying to take good pictures of a non-cooperative baby and a preschooler while also mastering manual mode was frustrating, to say the least. But eventually, I got the hang of it. And once I did, I haven’t looked back.

A close-up of a newborn baby yawning, wrapped in a blue and white chevron-patterned blanket, showcasing the innocence and newness of life. — Still so, so bad. I was trying to get a cute picture of my new sweet boy. I got this blurry, weirdly colored mess instead!

This was one of my earlier attempts at photographing my sweet boy... Definitely not the cute picture I had in mind. It was blurry and weirdly coloured, but hey, it was part of the learning process!

There’s always more to learn in photography, and that’s what keeps me excited about it. What started as a hobby has turned into a source of income for my family, and I absolutely love that. But more than anything, I love that I get to meet and work with so many amazing people.

If you’re someone who’s interested in photography but isn’t sure where to start, I’d love to help. I offer beginner classes and mentoring, and I’d be thrilled to share the basics of something that has brought me so much joy.

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