Chase residents no longer need to make the trip to Kamloops or Salmon Arm to capture some of their precious family moments.
Christie Mickelson has opened her own photography business in Chase, and is excited to start telling the stories of families through the art of photography.
“I’ve always had a passion for capturing lifelong memories, says Mickelson. “Growing up, I was always the friend with the camera snapping pictures. The amount of pictures taken quadrupled when I had my boys.”
She doesn’t have a studio at the moment, but doesn’t plan on getting one, saying she prefers to work with natural light that is always best outdoors.
“I have a few treasured locations which I can offer or we can meet at a location picked by the client,” she says. “Some people have special places that they hold dear to their heart.”
“I will also come to the clients’ home and use their own personal things as a backdrop,” says Mickelson, explaining how this allows for the pictures to become a little more personal.
Despite only living in Chase since August and that she has only been doing photography professionally for a few months, thanks to word of mouth, she has already been very busy in the community.
“It’s really snowballed for me,” says Mickelson.
Mickelson currently offers variations of lifestyle photography, which mainly deals with children and families but she hopes to expand into newborns and couples sessions.
“I love seeing the wonder and innocence in the children’s eyes,” explains Mickelson. “I love to capture the special moments between parents and children, such as a loving embrace or a gut-wrenching laugh.”
There are many reasons why Mickelson loves photography but the main one is the people she is photographing.
“I love being around people and hearing their stories. I want to try and capture that through pictures for them.”
For Mickelson, her new business brings double the good into her life. After spending years working at a desk job, she has now found a job that allows her to spend more time at home with her son, which is a welcome change for her.
She also enjoys knowing that she can offer something to the community that has been extremely lacking until now.
“I don’t currently know of anyone within town that is advertising photography,” she says.
For those clients within the Chase area, Mickelson says she can keep her rates lower than her Kamloops or Salmon Arm competitors because she does not have to charge for travel costs.
“Chase is beautiful and has some pretty amazing backdrops for lifestyle photography.”
If you would like book your own session with Mickelson, or find out more information, contact her by emailing her at christiemickelsonphotography@hotmail.com or by phoning 250-819-6570.
You can also check out her facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/ChristieMickelsonPhotography?fref=ts.