Cassandra Casley: The Story Behind The Shot

Cassandra on “how she got started in photography”:

I've always been into creative endeavors, but my interest in photography ramped up with the birth of my son. You start realizing how quickly kids change and develop, and the urge to document it all is overwhelming! My family gifted me with a DSLR, and I became determined to master manual mode. I started shooting daily, worked my way through blogs and online classes, and realized how much I was enjoying it. I love capturing authentic connections and incorporating nature, and am happy I could transition those things to my business. I think more and more families and couples are valuing those authentic moments over the posed shots and forced smiles, and I'm so grateful!

Cassandra which are your favorite 2 photographs and what stories do they carry?

1. This was an impromptu shot on a hot day. I try to capture my son's daily life when I can, and on this day he wanted to go outside and cool down with the sprinkler. It was mid-day with the sun directly overhead, which made me reluctant to even bring my camera outside. Once we were in the backyard, he was having so much fun that I couldn't resist grabbing my camera for a few images! As he sprayed the sprinkler directly over his head, I manually focused on the water for a dreamy look. This is a photo that will forever remind me of our summer heatwave, and by converting it to black & white I think it has a timeless appeal.
 

2. I live in Vancouver, BC, where we have had a cold enough winter to actually freeze over some of our lakes, which never happens. My sister and I ventured to the lake in our neighbourhood, and found this dock which led us over snow and ice. I let her run ahead of me, and asked her to occasionally look over her shoulder or twirl. This shot was taken as she looked back over her shoulder, and I love the movement in her hair. I favored this location and angle because I think her light hair stands out much better against the green trees rather than a snowy backdrop.
 

Thank you Cassandra, now tell us what inspires and keeps you motivated?

There are always going to be days where it's hard to feel creative in this industry. If I find myself in a rut, I like to grab a friend and a flowy dress and head into the forest or near the ocean. I will almost always walk away with shots I love, and feel re-inspired. I think shooting for ourselves is so important, and not getting bogged down by only shooting clients. Trying a new technique like free-lensing is also a great way to switch it up. Mastering something new always gets me excited, and gives me something new to incorporate into my sessions.

A Secret Tip for our readers?

Just keep shooting! I saw a vast improvement in my skills when I was shooting every day. There are great daily prompts online and on Instagram that will get you looking at everything in a new way.

Either/or questions:

Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate.
Jazz or classical? Jazz.
Mountains or beach? I live between mountains and beaches and love them both!
Cats or dogs? Both make me sneeze, but both are also adorable.
Film or digital? I shoot digital, but have a huge appreciation for film!
Early bird or night owl? Night owl for sure.
 

We encourage you to live to the fullest and immortalize your precious life moments. Images have the ability to capture much more emotion, understanding, and significance. Photos can tell stories without any words, thus bringing you back and making you relive again and again that special point in time - memories that last a lifetime. Live, travel, smile, love and take pictures - we promise, you will cherish them forever.

Follow along Cassandra's work on Instagram.
And by the way, her beautiful website is based on our Design Kit.

Squaremuse Team.