In 2017, my life felt like an open road, and every step through Toronto was a discovery. It was the year I met Garloff at the first visual effects studio I worked at after moving to Canada. He had also just arrived from Germany, bringing with him his family and their own sense of wonder for the city. I often wandered the streets after work, camera in hand, learning about this new city and perhaps myself as well. One late April afternoon, when cherry blossoms painted the sky, I ended up in High Park—the city’s must-visit spot for such a season.
And there, among the pink petals, I bumped into Garloff. He was with his wife Alex and their then 3- or 4-year-old daughter, Olivia. We exchanged pleasantries, and I took a couple of quick snapshots. That was it. We moved on, both families enjoying the fleeting moments of the bloom. But those images stuck with them. Garloff later told me how much they cherished those photos as Olivia continued to grow. It was the first time I truly saw the joy that photography could bring to a family.
Fast forward seven years—Olivia is now in her double digits, and one day I got a message from Garloff asking if I could capture this stage of their lives too. It’s one thing to photograph a family once, but it’s another to watch a child grow through the lens. I was thrilled. We met again at High Park, but this time as the sun was setting, and before the shoot, we shared a quiet dinner together. It gave me time to reflect on how Olivia had grown into a lively, creative young girl with dreams of becoming a filmmaker.
As a photographer, this shoot felt liberating. Even though the light was fading fast, the trust they placed in me made all the difference. I experimented freely, letting go of technical concerns. Photography, for me, is about capturing the energy of a moment, not perfection. Photography for me is about being present, allowing the connection to unfold naturally.
To Olivia, we are all proud of the young lady you’ve become. This is only natural considering how much love you are surrounded with. May your dreams come true. To Garloff and Alex, thank you for letting me witness this journey once again.
