Interview with Local Albertan Photographer, Danielle Eagleson

March 09, 2020

How did you get started in Photography? Can you tell us a bit about your background? 

I actually ended up picking up a camera in tenth grade, but it wasn’t until four years ago that I felt really inspired to create with it. An American photographer whose work I love ended up commenting on a post of mine on Instagram before I was really deep into it and that made me ask myself, “If I love his work and it feels like something I want to do, why don’t I just do it?”. That’s what got me to start practicing and chasing it pretty heavily. I’ve been involved with various forms of art growing up, which is what caused me to study Interior Design at Mount Royal, but I always felt like I couldn’t effectively communicate what it was I was seeing in my head, or how places, moments and music made me feel. My dad was a musician, so I’ve grown up in a very inspiring and “chase your dreams” type of creative environment, and I think that's largely what pushes me to express the feelings I try to through my work. I really want viewers to stop and focus on a moment or tap into a feeling because I think that’s where you really learn self-discovery and find what's meaningful to your path in life. I’m very thankful for all of the creative indulgence in my life because I credit it with developing and understanding who I am.

 

What is your favorite subject matter/style to photograph? And what is your inspiration? 

I try to stay versatile when I shoot, and I have experience in landscape, lifestyle, portraits, commercial, and product photography. I find for personal work I always come back to shooting people experiencing moments, often in landscapes and nature. Depending on the time or location, I’ll shoot very tight close up portraits, or I’ll shoot for emphasis on scale with a subject quite small in a landscape. I realized that my reasoning for doing this comes back to placing people where they might not place themselves in a moment or feeling. 

 

Do you have any favorite spots to take photos in Alberta? 

I think that everyone gravitates to the Rockies and Banff specifically in Alberta for shooting, and this is really where it all started for me. There are a few hidden spots in and around Banff that I frequent, but one of my favourites is definitely Jasper. I’ve only ever been once, but there's a lot to work with and create out there. Closer to home, I’ve recently realized that Kananaskis has a lot of very underrated areas, like Barrier Lake, but one of my favourite and most productive ways to shoot is just to get in a car and drive without a destination, pulling over whenever something piques interest. I’ve found that this really helps me stay creative and makes the work a lot more natural and free rather than staged.
 

 

What got you interested in working with Alberta Apparel?

I first found Alberta Apparel through a google search for local brands. I really respected the emphasis on staying local, and the thought that the brand is so easily relatable to Albertans because it acts as a badge of pride for calling this province home. I knew that this idea was one I could get behind and try to emphasize, as so much of my work is situated right here as well.

 

What tips can you offer readers to help them get some great shots in both the Alberta prairies and mountains?  Any tricks of the trade you can share with us? 

Whenever people ask me about tips to shoot there's always two that come to mind right away:

1.  Go out at times your average person wouldn’t. I had a friend recently come shoot the sunrise in Kananaskis with me and although she’s lived in Calgary her whole life she’d never seen the Rockies at sunrise. It really changes your perspective and the whole landscape just by putting in the extra effort to get up early or stay out late. There are days where it's been pouring rain or freezing cold where I’ve shot some of my best work, so never hesitate to put in the extra effort because it always pays off.

 

2.   Foreground foreground foreground! A lot of my work has a blurred foreground leading up to the focal point to create a little intrigue or change the way you see something. Sometimes capturing something with that extra layer of detail really helps to put the viewer into that moment and make it real. I’ve always been a sucker for this because it gives a new perspective and easily makes any shot unique. Next time you’re out try shooting through or behind something with views to your focus, or even try changing your levels! I have a habit of doing this with landscapes so you’ll often see me laying on my stomach in any small patch of wheat I can find to get some nice yellow foreground for landscape shots.

And how can readers get in touch with you?

One of the best ways to interact with me or follow my work is on Instagram @daniellejeagleson, so feel free to check that out and say hello! I’m always open to inquiries and collaborations with contact through daniellejeagleson@gmail.com as well. Get out there, stay stoked, and have fun shooting!

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