Please introduce yourself and tell us about your career and passions!
Hi! My name is Paige, I'm a photographer based on Vancouver Island. I focus on brand, lifestyle, and travel/hospitality photography. I recently became a mom to my daughter Sienna. I am passionate about travelling, but I also love life here on Vancouver Island. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle plays a significant role in my life. I love my daily dog walks, pilates, and slow mornings being cozy at home. Depending on the season, I love to swim and snowboard in my free time.
What are your non-negotiable morning rituals Before Life Happens?
I am a morning person; it's my favourite time of day. Mornings are certainly a little less consistent now with a new baby, but I am getting back into my routine. I splash some warm water on my face and brush my teeth - I use the Before Whitening Toothpaste. After feeding my daughter and doing her routine, I start my day with a glass of warm lemon water and do quick breathwork and practice mindfulness/gratitude to set myself up with a positive mindset for the day. I enjoy a cup of coffee and write in my journal.
What inspired you to pursue a photography career, and how did you get your start in this field?
I’ve always loved photography. Growing up, my Dad had a lot of different cameras around, which sparked my interest and got me into photography as a hobby. After college, I was working as a web and graphic designer, and more and more people started asking me to take photos for them, so photography as a career happened kind of organically for me. I realized photography was where my passion lies so I just went with it and now I feel so lucky to be able to have a career that I love and connect with so deeply.
How has living on Vancouver Island shaped your creative perspective?
I tend to travel a lot for work, but I always love to come home. Vancouver Island is full of beautiful places to photograph and see. We truly have a vast mix of beautiful landscapes with so many places to explore. I love that we get to experience every season here. Each season feels like a fresh start, and with it comes new inspiration.
Your followers know you love to travel! Can you share a particularly memorable travel experience that has influenced your work?
Anytime I’ve travelled alone or been in nature, I have more time to reflect and appreciate everything, this helps me feel inspired in my work and gets ideas and goals flowing. A couple years ago I did a photo tour in the Great Bear Rainforest where I got to experience seeing a grizzly bear up close. This trip was a lot of being present and patient and I left feeling so inspired and in awe of where I lived and excited about spending more time working locally. My trip to Maui last year will forever be memorable. I was pregnant and spent a lot of time snorkelling. I got to swim in the ocean with no one around while watching sea turtles. Moments like these where I am alone in nature make me feel so at peace. Having space and giving my mind a break is what influences my work and fuels my passion for photography.
Is there a place you haven't photographed yet but would love to visit and capture? Why that place?
Our next trip is to Japan and I am so excited. It will be my first trip since becoming a mom and I can’t wait to bring my daughter along. One day, I’d love to visit Galapagos, Moorea, Switzerland, and so many places in Africa. For my love of animals and new landscapes.
How do you balance capturing the perfect shot with being present and enjoying the moment during your travels?
This is really tough and it’s something I’ve been working on. Bringing a compact camera (especially film) has been great for this. I try to take breaks where I leave my camera behind and only pack along a point-and-shoot to go for a walk, with film your shots are limited so I can spend more time being preset and appreciating where I am.
What are your top three self-care tips while travelling?
These might be obvious, but sleep is #1 I try really hard to prioritize sleep, but sleep is alway lacking while travelling. I find I often stay up later and wake up with the sunrise because I don’t want to miss out on photo opportunities, but if I can and I’m not missing out, I prefer an early bedtime.
#2 Water. Stay hydrated. Drink lots and lots of water. Every. Day.
#3 Movement. Get out for a daily walk, stay off your phone and just enjoy yourself/your surroundings.
Extra tips: Sunscreen always and I also always bring rosewater face mist to help me feel refreshed while travelling.
