By Laura Kim
It is easy for Vancouverites to disregard the city’s wondrous landscapes once the rainy season hits in wintertime and envelops the beautiful Vancouver sky with a harsh blanket of grey clouds. Meanwhile, for Carly Ingram, a Collingwood alumna and a 24-year old Vancouverite, this wet season opens the door to another divine scenery that allows her photographic artistry to shine.
“Just don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong”; this quote by Ella Fitzgerald encompasses Carly’s journey to becoming a professional photographer. Carly has always been fascinated by photography, “going through two or three of those little disposable cameras within one weekend,” and taking photos of anyone and anything she could get her hands on as a small child. When she received an old film camera from her grandfather at the age of sixteen, Carly’s love for photography further strengthened as she began experimenting with film. However, photography remained a hobby, even after her positive experience in Photography class at Collingwood, and it was not until she got a glimpse into the professional scene of photography that she started considering photography as a career. As she watched her photographer friend operate his equipment and edit his photos, she was absolutely astonished. Witnessing brilliant conceptual ideas come to life, Carly became an inexhaustible fountain of ideas of her own. She now only needed a medium through which she could convey these ideas. The shutterbug immediately got herself a digital camera, and took photos of “friends, scenery, and anyone or anything that would pose for [her].” Such hands-on experience enabled her to build confidence in preparation for her professional career that was soon to be launched with her first gig, a wedding photo-shoot for her dad’s friend. She described this decisive moment: “Being a part of such an amazing day, getting to capture those precious moments, was an amazing feeling. After that, I knew it was what I wanted to do as a career.”
It is easy for Vancouverites to disregard the city’s wondrous landscapes once the rainy season hits in wintertime and envelops the beautiful Vancouver sky with a harsh blanket of grey clouds. Meanwhile, for Carly Ingram, a Collingwood alumna and a 24-year old Vancouverite, this wet season opens the door to another divine scenery that allows her photographic artistry to shine.
“Just don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong”; this quote by Ella Fitzgerald encompasses Carly’s journey to becoming a professional photographer. Carly has always been fascinated by photography, “going through two or three of those little disposable cameras within one weekend,” and taking photos of anyone and anything she could get her hands on as a small child. When she received an old film camera from her grandfather at the age of sixteen, Carly’s love for photography further strengthened as she began experimenting with film. However, photography remained a hobby, even after her positive experience in Photography class at Collingwood, and it was not until she got a glimpse into the professional scene of photography that she started considering photography as a career. As she watched her photographer friend operate his equipment and edit his photos, she was absolutely astonished. Witnessing brilliant conceptual ideas come to life, Carly became an inexhaustible fountain of ideas of her own. She now only needed a medium through which she could convey these ideas. The shutterbug immediately got herself a digital camera, and took photos of “friends, scenery, and anyone or anything that would pose for [her].” Such hands-on experience enabled her to build confidence in preparation for her professional career that was soon to be launched with her first gig, a wedding photo-shoot for her dad’s friend. She described this decisive moment: “Being a part of such an amazing day, getting to capture those precious moments, was an amazing feeling. After that, I knew it was what I wanted to do as a career.”
The Vancouverite’s bubbly, honest, outgoing, and open-minded personality was one of essential elements in the making of a well-rounded, one-of-a-kind photographer. Carly loves being adventurous with her photos, as illustrated by the vast array of photographs that encompasses everything from weddings and special events to products and bands. She adds, “Each [type of photoshoot] is such a different experience, and it’s so fun to play with all types of locations, lighting, and editing styles.” Nonetheless, she does have a favourite—candid shots —where the subjects do not appear to be aware of the camera. Photos of candid moments, paired with the breathtaking cityscape of Vancouver in the background, possess exceptional beauty that is incomparable with the typical “posed shots” without natural lighting. She is indeed an authentic Vancouverite when she says, “We live in the most beautiful city, and I like to take advantage of it whenever I can.” However, just as a chef cannot create a scrumptious dish solely by being given the right ingredients, Carly’s breathtaking photographs would not be possible simply by the right setting and equipment. The secret ingredient is her ability to let her models feel comfortable and be silly, which gives rise to a light, lively atmosphere that translates onto her photos.
Living in Vancouver is a huge advantage not only for her photoshoots, but also for her everyday life, which includes biking and running on the seawall alongside the beach at English Bay. This is only one of the many interests of this multi-faceted artist; during her free time, she can be found working her way through a gigantic stack of books, or watching Netflix to the extent that it becomes unhealthy, she admits! Carly also loves to explore posts on Instagram and Pinterest, following the works of local and international photographers such as Annie Leibovitz, a world-renowned photographer who has been Carly’s favourite ever since she did a research presentation in grade 12 Photography class.
Carly ended her interview with a quote, which perfectly captures her passion for photography that has accompanied her since childhood: “I love being able to work as a photographer, and to be a part of people’s big moments. There is nothing I enjoy more than capturing a first kiss at a wedding, or photographing someone and truly capturing who she or he is by catching just-the-right candid moment.”
