We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Randi Rey. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Randi below.
Randi, appreciate you joining us today. Often the greatest growth and the biggest wins come right after a defeat. ther times the failure serves as a lesson that’s helpful later in your journey. We’d appreciate if you could open up about a time you’ve failed.
In 2023, I photographed 4 weddings — and by 2024, that number had snowballed to 16. It was my busiest year yet in my growing photography business. By September, after a jam-packed summer, I still had a handful of weddings and dozens of sessions to go. At the same time, my husband and I had just closed on our first home — a huge milestone that my photography side business had helped make possible.
Then came one of the hardest weekends of my career.
While photographing a wedding for some old high school friends, I was wrapping up groomsmen portraits on a dock along the river. As the groom walked toward me, I took one step too far back — and suddenly, I was waist-deep in the river. Both of my cameras, strapped to me on a dual harness, were fully submerged. It was mortifying. But beyond the embarrassment, I was terrified. These were my main tools and without business insurance at the time, replacing them could mean thousands out of pocket.
Still, I pulled myself together. I didn’t want to derail their day, so I grabbed my backup gear and finished the wedding. On the drive home, I completely broke down. I was overwhelmed because not only had possibly just destroyed over $4,000 worth of equipment, but I had 17 more sessions and two weddings left in the year, and I couldn’t afford to replace what I lost.
For weeks, I worked with lower-end gear, convinced my work would suffer and that clients would notice. My confidence hit an all-time low. But then something really unexpected happened.
I completed every session. Every wedding. And not one client complained — in fact, I got heartfelt thank-you messages, glowing feedback, and not a single mention of the equipment I was so worried about. That experience completely reframed how I viewed my work. It taught me that my value as a photographer isn’t tied to the gear I use — it’s in the way I see, connect, and create.
That failure — falling into a river with thousands of dollars of gear and no insurance — was super painful, expensive, and humbling. But it forced me to separate my self-worth from my tools, and in the process, I gained a deeper trust in my own talent. It also pushed me to get business insurance immediately lol — a lesson I’ll never have to learn twice!
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I honestly didn’t ever set out to be a photographer, but I just couldn’t stop noticing the beauty in people, in life and in connection so I finally made the plunge in 2022 to start my business for real. I’m Randi Rey, a wedding and lifestyle photographer based in Manitoba, Canada. I capture love stories with a bit of a cinematic & artful approach, with an aim to document my clients as they truly are. My work is not just about the images that I provide to clients but also incredibly focused on the experience & connection that we make. I live for the small conversations as our session comes to an end and my clients say to me “that was really fun”
I first picked up my camera because I loved documenting nature and did a fair bit of travelling shortly after highschool. Some of the places I visited and loved were Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, and many many trips out west to BC. My background is actually in the corporate world, and I still work in commercial real estate, but photography became my creative outlet and eventually my side business. I’ve been photographing weddings professionally for a few years now and each one still moves me in its own way. There’s something sacred about witnessing people in love, making vows that will hold for years to come and being the one to capture it comes with great honour.
In the summer I primarily capture weddings and couples while in the winter (slower season) I lean into documenting more families, maternity, and newborn sessions. I offer both digital and film photography, which is something that was always a goal of mine to say, so that’s pretty cool I can say that now. I love weaving in film for its nostalgia and warmth-it’s imperfect and honest and that fits my style and values. Beyond the images themselves, my clients often tell me they feel cared for in the process. I come to them calm and grounded on chaotic days, and bring intuitive posing (especially with clients who are camera shy or maybe a little self conscious), and I’m always paying attention so I can anticipate moments before they happen. I don’t just show up with a camera but I come to hold space for them in the process.
What I think sets me apart is my ability to build trust quickly, create comfort, and document in a way that feels cinematic but still natural. I try not to over pose or over direct. I let people breathe, and have a good understanding of other peoples emotions and needs (which has always been a blessing and a curse for me in ‘real-life’) But that’s the magic of this work and what keeps people coming back to book with me.
I think that people are drawn to images that hold emotion. Intimate moments, and not just standing smiling at the camera, but of course we always get those photos too. People who reach out to book with me will often say they love that my photos feel real, with documentary-style in mind. I’m happy and proud to be an artist in one aspect of my life, as being creative has always found it’s way back to me through many many outlets. This one, being photography, finally stuck.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Honestly? Investing in my website and branding changed everything. I didn’t exactly have the money at the time—but I knew if I wanted people to take me seriously, I had to take myself seriously first. So I made it happen. It felt like a risk, but deep down I knew that showing up with intention, clarity, and a strong visual identity would help me stand out in a saturated market. And it did. (Shoutout Cheryl a Hey Sunny Studio for also believing in me)
I think a lot of photographers underestimate the power of good branding—not just a pretty logo, but cohesive storytelling, a user-friendly website, and visuals that actually reflect your work and your values. Once I aligned all of that, I noticed a huge shift. People started finding me, trusting me, and booking me—not just because I took good photos, but because I looked like someone who had their sh*t together. And it was the clients that I wanted to attract because they resonated with my brand (and me).
It’s easy to rely on word-of-mouth and Instagram, but having a well-branded home base online made me feel like a real business—and that confidence 100% rippled into everything else I did.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
For me, the most rewarding part of being a creative is the connection. I always leave a session feeling deeply fulfilled when I’ve had the chance to genuinely get to know someone — asking questions, making them feel comfortable, seen, and heard. Knowing I can create a positive moment in someone’s life, even for just an hour, means so much to me.
And that’s before even getting into the creative side. I’ve always had an eye for aesthetics — it’s something that’s come naturally. The perfectionist in me takes pride in seeing the world through an artistic lens, and hearing that people truly love the work I create is an incredible feeling. That kind of feedback gives me purpose and reminds me why I do this.
Lately, I’ve also started collaborating with other creatives in the industry — something I hadn’t really done before. It’s been such a refreshing experience, and once again, I find that connection is at the heart of it all. Whether I’m working with clients or fellow artists, building those relationships continues to be the thread that ties everything together.
This creative work — this business — is what fills me up. It’s where I find joy, meaning, and community.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.randireyphoto.com
- Instagram: @randireyphoto
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/randireyphoto/
Image Credits
Randi Rey Photo