Heyyy friend. I'm Shir-El.
I've had a camera in my hand since I was 9 years old, grudging over how my mom made me take so many photos with a point-and-shoot they lent me so she could live my experience of sleep-away camp vicariously through me. I realized, that I kinda loved taking photos. So they got me my first camera, a red point-and-shoot.
I learned to use digital cameras in high school through volunteering on the yearbook team, taking a photography course and then doing the media for my camp for two years, then for my gap year program, and then for another camp. It has been crazy to me the way that God has been opening doors for me to practice my art in ways that can be sustainable for me as a full-time student!
I created art as a kid (and occasionally now), and even then, I always had an affinity for the human form, especially faces. I just found it so interesting to draw because there was always so much bodies tell: relationship, movement, history. Body composition, since I grew up unknowingly studying it as I drew what was appealing to my eye, felt like an obvious part of photography when I first picked up a camera. My first self-starter "business" was actually creating and selling portrait art for friends (seen below). I still love to draw portraits, but have found portrait and event photography to be just as interesting for the same reasons - I get to capture the form of people in their element, and the story of them on that day, with their people, most fully alive.
Photos, to me, are both a relic of a past time and the beauty of well-curated photos can also be an inspiration for one to make future memories, go on more adventures, see more, and experience more. I get to be in the memory-making with you, and I get to help you reminisce, tell the story, and be inspired later. It's a beautiful thing. For those reasons and more, I love what I do.
When I'm not shooting a wedding, or sitting in a coffee shop for hours on end editing a shoot, or making needless changes to my website, you will either find me philosophizing about life and theology, or stressing about university (McMaster's Arts & Science program, if you're confused, here's a link), planning adventures with friends, improv playing piano, taking a hike, hopefully reading a good book, trying to find a lake to swim in, or sitting on my porch. I like mountains, water, cheesy things like coffee and chocolate, hummus, baklava, historical towns and old things, and provincial parks. I am generally fluent in French, am learning Hebrew and Spanish, and I hate social media, which is funny considering my work.
