Behind the Lens

My name is Sara. I grew up in North Vancouver, BC, Canada. I have a background in design + illustration, but my true passion is photography.

I have been taking photographs for as long as I can remember. One day as a young child, I was wading in the water at the beach on Hornby island... with my very first film camera strapped to my arm. I was so excited about capturing the little critters just under the water surface. Of course my camera strap slid down my arm and went for a swim. Apparently cameras don't like salt water and it stopped working for me again after that.

I took very good care of my first digital camera that I bought years later, which lived safely inside a little Altoids tin. It was small enough to bring with me everywhere and stayed in my purse.

I still have my second camera, an SLR Pentax. Though I've always been interested in photography, it was using this camera that made me fall in love. I hope to get back into film and teach my kids photography.

Sara Paley

I’m a mother of two, a girl and a boy. I have lots of experience photographing kids being kids. Everyday moments are important in a little person’s life, as childhood flies by so quickly. As a parent, I especially value these brief moments and try to capture them in my portraits.

mother daughter portrait

I AM:

creative / resourceful / crafty / not afraid to be myself —  i wore a red dress on my wedding day!

Sara's red wedding dress

I LOVE:

photography / sewing / music / calligraphy / typography / negative space / colour / rust / fabric / collecting clothing tags / garage sale-ing / yoga / interior decorating / anything DIY / the feeling of satisfaction after completing a project

I AM INSPIRED BY:

texture / patterns / nature / great design / people / everything around me