Photography for me is about capturing the essence of a special moment. Whether it’s the grandeur of a wedding day or just the simple innocence of a child laughing on her mother’s knee, my aim is always to preserve a memory in the most beautiful way. 

Photography began as a journaling exercise for me. When I was eight years old I received my first camera: a classic Polaroid that I took with me everywhere I went. I used the small prints as a kind of visual diary of the things I loved and cherished, the places I had been to and the people I loved. 

When I went to Korea in 2005 to teach English as a second language I invested in my first DSLR. With this new camera, I began to explore composition, lighting and movement in ways that improved the artistic elements of my photos. I trained my eye to see more than what was right in front of me, to look deeper and beyond. Through workshops and seeking out new mentors, I learned new techniques and ways of thinking of my subjects, always evolving and pushing myself to be a better artist. 

When I photographed my first wedding in 2009 I realized the emotional impact photography can have on my clients. I know I’ve done my job when clients express not only their gratitude but also their emotion when they see the photos for the first time. In creating a collection of captured family moments, I’m able to build a kind of happy-memory vault that can be visited again and again, one that can be shared with friends and preserved for future generations; there’s nothing more satisfying than that. 

Jessica lives in Cantley, Quebec with her husband, Brendan, and their two girls, Piper Jean & Ruby Rose, as well as their dog, Daliah and three cats, Koah, Doris & Dean.