Okay, for starters… does anyone actually read these? I’ve never really been too sure what to write when it comes to myself. I’m kind of a mixed bag. I wish I could tell you that everything I’ve done in my life has been related to photography, but that would be a fat lie LOL.

 

What I will tell you, though, is that everything in my life has been entirely fueled by music. To me, and honestly to the rest of the world, it’s always been a creative outlet, an out-loud joy, a healer, and a good fuckin’ time.

 

So when I got to a point in my life after already living about ten others, I decided to start my own business… during the pandemic, no less. Great idea, Mara!

 

At first, I took my passion for interior design and organization and helped people like me who struggled on and off with their mental health. I would go into their homes and help them declutter and reorganize their spaces. It always left me feeling so happy to see that weight lifted off their shoulders.

 

I was so passionate about it that I was even featured in a blog post on the Jillian Harris website. So yeah, that was cool. Actually, I'm not going to lie, that was a big moment for me.

 

But eventually, I burned myself out. Again. The whole reason I left corporate was because my mind and body felt so beyond repair. The point of starting my own business was to feel excited and energized by what I was doing. I had good intentions, but I had to stop.

 

Eventually I found myself moving to Alberta. This wasn’t new for me. I spent most of my life running away from my problems, so this felt like it made sense when I realized Vancouver was just too damn expensive. 

 

I went through some really personal things that forced me to take months to just… do nothing. I was dealing with immense grief after losing my dad. He died exactly how I always thought he would, which somehow made it worse. But alcoholics can only do so much, especially when drinking is all they’ve ever really known. All this happened just four months after me and my fiance left our families behind. (Except my mom followed us. Classic Brenda. (If you know, you know). Bless her. Brother followed too, thank god).

 

It took time, but eventually I started to discover a new version of myself.After losing my dad, I did what any normal person would do… renovate our house. Seriously, what the fuck LOL. But diving back into creativity and interior design helped me. It was cathartic.

 

Through the advice of my realtor, who I now consider a dear friend, I discovered real estate media. It took longer than I’d like to admit, but after about a year of practice (and a few crash-outs), I finally started to understand how to capture spaces properly. Kind of.

 

Then came Alberta Film School.

 

I took their videography program, and it gave me confidence behind the lens. I already knew what to do. That wasn’t the issue. It was believing that I could actually do it.

 

It felt like being 15 again with those little portable cameras, running around taking the dumbest photos. But this time, I wasn’t just learning how to use a camera. I was learning how to unlearn everything I thought I needed to do to be happy. Alberta Film School didn’t just help me technically. They helped me figure out what I actually like, what my niche is, and that maybe… I don’t have to stick to real estate if I don’t want to.

 

What a concept.

 

Then I saw this girl on Instagram photographing the Oilers, concerts, all of it. She just seemed to have these insanely cool opportunities. And for the first time in… honestly, ever, I felt this pull. This curiosity. Like I needed to try it.

 

It made me realize something I somehow forgot… music has always been the thing. I’ve only ever truly felt like myself at a show. It doesn’t matter what kind. It’s the atmosphere. The energy. The people. The community. The air. That’s what I want to capture.
 

Fast forward to now, where I’ve found myself the happiest I’ve ever been. Back in Kelowna, with Jeff, my mom, my brother, and my two dogs, Amigo and Jessie. My home away from home… away from home.

​

So if you’ve made it this far through my long-winded ramble (Led Zep, anyone?), thank you. Seriously. I hope you feel like you know me a little bit more… and maybe want to work together.

Mara