Visual Storytelling & Narrative Photography in 2021 | Chilliwack Photographer

When I first applied to City University for the Counselling program, I did so with the concept of therapeutic Visual Storytelling (Narrative Photography) on my mind. Now over 6 years later, after a lot of work, a degree in Counselling, and a lot of reflection, I’m so happy to be offering these sessions this year as a healing-informed narrative photographer. These are not Counselling sessions - I’ll be offering these sessions as a photographer, compassionately working with you to help you unfold the concept, while I photograph your story. At all times I’ll have outside resources handy if you feel you need additional support, and strongly recommend accessing a therapist as we go.

Narrative Photography is a way to process your story into visual language either for yourself and/or to share with others as a therapeutic document. Each session is custom built and custom quoted, it can be elaborate and detailed, flowing and organic, or somewhere in between. The sessions, and how they unfold, recognize the complex, individual nature of your story.

For more information, book a 20-30 complementary call or meet up with me, and let’s chat more.

Go Inward to Grow Outward | Chilliwack Photographer

This image is all about going inward to grow outward. It’s ok to rest, recharge & reconnect with your creativity - I go through periods of hibernation sometimes where I barely pick up my camera. Other times, I can shoot all day long, every day. That quiet for me is so essential. Your artistic worthiness doesn’t lie in the volume you produce, it’s in the creative spirit, the hands and heart that make it, the voice that tells it - in a billion immeasurable things about you. It’s ok to rest, it’s ok to grow, it’s ok to change the scope and style of your work, it’s ok to make things for you and no one else. Sometimes when we take that rest, when we go inward with self compassion, we discover how much more we can create.

One of my favourite people, in one of my favourite fields.

Model: Melissa Sovereign

Happy New Year's: Grow Your Goals in a Field of Self Compassion

2019 is a year I’ll process for a long time. It’s contained some hard stuff, self-exploration, beautiful friendships, creative magic, and pathways of healing. I think the end of the year can come with an immense pressure - to be different than who we are, to change our bodies, redefine success - the new year is an uncomfortable place, as we try to shed our skins and replace them with who we feel we should be. We can eat well, exercise, be more organized, set goals, - all of this or none of this - but we do not need the shadow of shame. Grow your goals in a field of self-compassion.

As the year draws to a close, I celebrate my body for carrying me here. I thank my past self for making difficult decisions that continue to help me grow, heal, thrive. I thank my heart for pursuing love & empathy, and my hands for making so much art. I thank this year for knowledge and strength.

I created this image earlier this month and as it took shape I thought of pathways, of choices. There is this notion that we walk a pathway forged upon decisions, that our choices have black and white options: one right, one wrong. But, there is a third pathway - a pathway of our own making, one that is continually made and remade, one that isn’t good or bad - but one that supports us every step of the way, every decision we make: organic, movable, changeable, beautiful.

As we go into the new year, I wish for you all self compassion, kindness, & creative magic, and that you feel that path beneath your feet - thriving & supporting you, even when you aren’t sure where it leads, even when you’re unsure of your step - even into the quiet ending of a long year.

Happy 2020, friends!

Hailey & the Tulips | Shiverz Designs | Chilliwack Tulip Fest

I’m home from a wonderful (re)craft retreat at Tullstarr! More on this soon, but for now,…

Over a month ago I went to the Chilliwack Tulip Festival at dawn, which is a great hour to shoot for photographers. I packed the experience - meeting up first to shoot a family session, and then finishing up the hour by shooting with Hailey Hanson and Siobhan from Shiverz Designs. It was INTENSE, but we did it!

It was so interesting to see so many varied photographers in one spot, all shooting different things, all politely avoiding each other (haha) and doing their thing. It really drove home for me the fact that all of us - every single photographer - will always look at the world through their own lens - and we’ll always shoot a bit different from one another - and that’s beautiful.

Here are just a few images from our morning, on what was possibly the brightest possible morning of the year. Not pictured: the epic pancake breakfast we had afterwards with Kristina Little and her crew.

Designer: Siobhan D’Souza | Shiverz Designs

Model: Hailey Hanson