For more than fifteen years and over 300 celebrations, weddings have been the foundation of my career. Honestly, I credit them with making me the photographer I am today.

A wedding asks you to be ready for almost anything. One moment you’re outside in bright sun, and the next you’re inside a nearly dark room with mixed light, bad light or no light at all. You need to know your camera so well that your hands can keep up with what your heart is noticing.

In a single day, you document huge emotions, work with families, photograph tiny details, style editorial frames, pose, direct, problem-solve and occasionally hold back a few tears of your own. It asks a lot of you, which is exactly why there is so much growth inside it.

Weddings taught me how to adapt quickly, read a room and sync with the energy around me. They taught me when to step forward, when to become quiet and how to help people feel safe enough to be themselves. The human in you has to arrive before the camera does.

That foundation carried me into filmmaking, commercial storytelling, festival leadership and education. As Media Head for Wild Roses Festival, I annually lead an all-women team of around 17 photographers and filmmakers as we document one of Canada’s largest women’s festivals. Through Illuminate, my annual three-day night photography retreat for women, I share what I’ve learned and help other photographers become more confident, creative and at home in the dark.

Whether I’m working quietly with two people or leading a team through a crowd of thousands, I bring the same things with me: experience, calm leadership, a little magic and a whole lot of heart.