From Stethoscopes to Shutter Clicks: Why I Became a Photographer

They say a picture is worth a thousand words… but I think the right picture can change a life.

If you told me ten years ago that I’d be running around with a camera instead of a stethoscope, I would have laughed (nervously, probably while checking your vital signs). Back then, I was a registered nurse with a big passion for helping kids. Today, I’m a professional photographer with an even bigger heart for capturing joy, innocence, and connection — especially in babies and rescue animals. How did I get from one to the other?

It’s quite the journey. But like any good story, it starts with a calling, a turning point, and a desire to make a difference.

Let me take you there.

The World Moves Fast — We Miss What Matters Most

We live in a world full of noise and hurry. Between errands, careers, and raising kids (or rescuing cats, in my case), it’s easy to lose track of the little things. The toothless grin of a baby discovering her toes. The way a scruffy mutt looks at the person who just gave him a second chance. These moments are small, but they matter. And too often, they’re gone before we even notice.

I didn’t realize how much they mattered until I started really seeing them.

A Nurse with a Passport, a Heart for Service, and a Camera

I started my professional life in medicine — working as a registered nurse in Edmonton and volunteering with a paediatric cardiac surgery team overseas. We traveled to countries across the globe, helping children in desperate need of life-saving surgery. It was incredible and humbling work, and it changed me forever.

But something unexpected happened on those trips.

I fell in love with the world through my lens.

Between long shifts in the Paediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care Units, I began taking photos of the people, the places, and eventually began to travel to see the world — the wild animals that called those places home. Lions in Tanzania. Gorillas in Rwanda. Tigers in India. Cheetahs in Namibia. I was completely captivated by the quiet dignity, the raw beauty, and the powerful stories unfolding right in front of me — without words.

For the first time, I understood the power of photography not just to document, but to honour life.

From Wildlife to Home Life — Why I Chose This Path

My nursing career has taken me through many types of nursing and provided amazing opportunities. I was craving a meaningful life.

That’s when I discovered SCARS — Second Chance Animal Rescue Society. I started volunteering as a photographer, helping showcase adoptable animals so they could find their forever homes. I quickly saw how the right photo could melt a heart or open a door. One expressive glance from a hopeful pup? One perfectly timed yawn from a sleepy kitten? Adoption applications poured in.

I had stumbled into something that combined everything I loved: heart-led service, animal welfare, and capturing fleeting, emotional moments that actually meant something.

Naturally, I wanted to learn more. So I started taking classes, attending workshops, and — eventually — joining a mentorship program focused on newborn photography. Because as it turns out, I also really, really love babies.

And not just “I’ll hold them at baby showers” love.

More like “I’ll build a photography business that celebrates their earliest days in the gentlest, most joy-filled way possible” kind of love. I am building skills to be able to volunteer with Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep to provide meaningful portraits to grieving parents.

Creating Images That Make People Feel

Now, I specialize in lifestyle baby photography and pet portraiture — and honestly? I can’t imagine doing anything else.

Every photo session is a story waiting to be told. A nervous rescue dog seeing compassion for the first time. A brand-new parent staring at their newborn like they’ve just discovered magic. A goofy toddler feeding their baby sibling Cheerios during the shoot.

I’ve traded hospital scrubs for cozy knit wraps and fluffy blankets, IV poles for plush toys and pacifiers — and yet, I’m still doing what I set out to do: help people celebrate life in all its precious, fleeting beauty.

What This Means for You

If you’re reading this, maybe you’re a new parent. Or an animal lover. Or someone who understands how quickly life moves, and wants to hold onto the parts that matter most.

You’re not looking for stiff poses or studio-perfect smiles. You want real moments, real connection, and real joy. And you want a photographer who gets it.

I became a photographer because I saw how easy it is to overlook the everyday magic around us — and how powerful it is when someone helps you see it, and keep it.

When you work with me, you’re not just hiring someone to take pictures. You’re inviting someone into your story — someone who’s been halfway around the world, only to realize that the most meaningful moments are often the quietest ones. The ones closest to home. The ones we feel before we ever frame them.

Let’s Capture What Matters — Together

If you’re ready to slow down for a moment and hold onto the little things — the paw prints, the baby toes, the belly laughs, the tired smiles — I’d be honoured to help you do that.

Photography is more than a career for me. It’s a calling. One that started in faraway countries, in hospital wards and wildlife reserves, and led me right here: to your family, your rescue pet, your story.

Let’s tell it beautifully.

A Few Fun Facts About Me (Because Let’s Be Honest — You Probably Want to Know Who You’re Hiring):

I live in a cozy corner of rural Alberta with my husband and a very opinionated cat named Pandora.

I’m still a nurse at heart, which means I’m calm under pressure and very good with newborns (and nervous dads).

I believe that goldfish crackers are a perfectly acceptable form of bribery during toddler shoots.

I will absolutely cry if your dog gets adopted or your baby smiles in their sleep. Zero shame.

Ready to Book or Just Want to Chat?

Whether you're expecting a new baby, just brought home a new rescue, or simply want to freeze time for a little while — I'm here for it.

Let’s create something beautiful together.

📸 toesandbeansphotography@gmail.com

780-203-6875 (phone or text)

Because life doesn’t wait — but a great photo lets you hold onto it forever.

Want to keep up with adorable babies, silly pets, and behind-the-scenes peeks into my photography adventures? Follow me on Facebook and Instagram @ToesAndBeansPhotography — we’re building a joyful little corner of the internet, one fuzzy photo at a time.