I was born and raised in Campbell River, eventually I left for about 6 years working on cruise ships as a photographer. When I would tell people all over the world that I was from Vancouver Island, they would sigh. They would say things like "oh man, it's so beautiful there", "you're so lucky" "paradise". I suppose at the time I was young, and wanted nothing more than to escape where I was from. I was gypsying around taking in all of the amazing scenery from all over the world. Fantastic landscapes in Ireland, white washed buildings in Greece, romantic canals in Venice, the Great Pyramids of Egypt, or the exotic bustling markets of Marrakech. When I would come home from a contract at sea, I wound up slowly realizing how beautiful this island really was. I was able to see it through the eyes of a tourist in a way.
The amazing ocean views, the coastal living, the rocky shorelines, wild tides, the other islands in view from ours, the mountains in the distance, the lush deep dark mysterious woods. I fell in love with home. It gets under your skin, this place. Forms impressions on your soul. It's rough, rugged, majestic, dark, mysterious and full of beauty.
I love that these beautiful friends will put up with me while I rock up to their session in the pouring rain with an umbrella taped to my head. Am I joking? Nope. I'm not. I duck taped an umbrella to my head? Yes I did. I'm ridiculous and they love me anyways. The moments shared with this family are etched into my soul like the coastal shorelines I grew up on. These are my people. These beings stayed a constant for me while gypsying around the globe. I always felt the most grounded when I would return home and set up camp with them. My beautiful friends. Love this family. Love this island. Love! this life.
