Behind the Lens:
My Unfiltered Journey into Photography
Smile for the Camera?
Any time I used to think about getting my pictures taken, I would immediately think of uncomfortable makeshift studios in department stores or the school library, crying over having to get my hair painfully curled and wearing itchy dresses, and a stranger behind the camera who seemed like they’d rather be literally anywhere else than there.
I never liked “professional” photos of myself because not only are the pictures stiff and uncreative, I also have a flood of negative memories every time I see those pictures. No matter what age I was in the picture, I feel like you can tell that I just wasn’t having a good time.
Fast forward to my wedding day. My husband and I got married in January 2020, and we planned the entire wedding on a budget by ourselves. Not many people know this (in fact, this may be the first time I’m admitting this to anyone at all), but I actually didn’t want to hire a photographer for my wedding. We didn’t have professional engagement photos taken, and I didn’t see the value in hiring a photographer for the wedding either. In my mind, I thought it would be a huge waste of money that we could spend on something else.
I imagined the same kinds of photographers from my childhood bringing down my excitement for my wedding with their negative, uninterested demeanors. I imagined stiff, uncreative wedding portraits filled with fake smiles and run-of-the-mill poses. I thought our friends and family would take photos and videos on their phones, which would serve the purpose of commemorating the day just fine.
My husband (then fiancé) pushed for hiring a photographer though. He took it upon himself to find the photographer and handle all the admin of hiring them. I remember the photographer showing up to take photos of me getting ready, and I could feel myself prepared for the worst.
And in the end…I was wrong. My husband was absolutely right. The photographer was such a kind, warm person and the photos she took were just so us. Some of the photos are candid, some are more structured; some show very real and beautiful emotions, and some are downright beautiful. She managed to capture not only the important moments but also the wonderful emotions we were feeling throughout the day. I finally saw the magic of good professional photography.
Our wedding day photos are the best treasures I own.
New Skills Unlocked
We moved to the Ottawa area soon after the wedding and I spent the next several years trying to stay on the same career path I had already started, but it became clear soon enough that it was time for a career change.
I started a makeup artistry business and felt so happy every time a makeup look translated into pictures exactly the way I hoped it would. It made me so happy when clients would share photos of themselves during the events they were attending, not only because their makeup looked great (wink), but because they looked like they were genuinely having fun. And I loved seeing how far I could push editorial and theatrical looks when doing my own makeup, thinking ahead to how the looks would photograph. The makeup itself was art, but so was the photography.
Introducing a photography business to accompany my MUA services was a natural next-step. I spent time studying the principles of photography, photo hardware, and editing software. I gained confidence in my skills, but I still needed to figure out what kind of photographer I wanted to be and what I wanted my artistic voice to be.
One day, it hit me: if I have all of these negative memories around professional photos and photographers from before my wedding day, why not become the kind of photographer I wished had been taking my photos the whole time? Why not create happy, positive memories for people so that they remember their photo sessions fondly, and look at pictures of themselves with happy emotions in mind?
This Moment Portraits
With this ethos in place, every decision became easier to make. I ask myself: Is this decision encouraging a positive memory of this moment? Is this session celebrating someone’s special moment in a way that’s a true representation of them? Is this editing decision adding value to the emotions of the moment, instead of fighting with or overriding them? Am I conducting my business with the level of integrity and care that will help people embrace the beauty of photography?
My artistic voice is intrinsically tied to my ethos, and I can’t wait to see how it continues to develop as I establish my photography business further. If any of this resonates with you, I might just be the photographer for you!
