Lucy Baum didn’t set out to become a wedding photographer. Her path wound through psychology lectures, marketing boardrooms, and nonprofit classrooms before eventually bringing her back to the quiet pull of a camera. And yet, once it hit her, as she puts it, it hit her like a ton of bricks—she couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
Based in Montreal, Lucy is known for a style that blends emotional storytelling with creative experimentation. Her work lives at the intersection of light and dark, intimacy and observation. She’s not interested in trends or curated perfection. What matters to her is truth—and finding beauty in the real.
A Path Paved in Story
Raised in Montreal’s West Island to immigrant parents who fled post-war Europe, Lucy grew up in a strict household where her father—a devoted amateur photographer—built a darkroom in their basement. She didn’t know it at the time, but those early exposures to photography, combined with a love of storytelling and introspection, would lay the groundwork for a life in images.
Her initial career path was in psychology, which led to marketing—a field she describes as “psychology for business.” There, Lucy found herself managing large editorial projects, flipping through stock photo libraries, and becoming increasingly captivated by photography’s power to communicate. She began submitting images to microstock sites in her spare time, diving deep into technical learning. When her husband gifted her a DSLR, Lucy took the plunge—studying photography formally at Concordia University and eventually Dawson College, completing a full-time commercial photography program despite balancing motherhood and a part-time nonprofit career.
“It was the most tiring time of my life, but pretty amazing,” she recalls.
The Moth in the Light
Lucy’s photography today reflects the duality she embraces—light and shadow, joy and melancholy. She describes herself as “quirky” and creatively driven by darker aesthetics: think Stephen King, Lord Byron, and crumbling abandoned places. It’s not what you’d expect from a wedding photographer, but it’s exactly what makes her work so emotionally resonant.
Her style is experimental and soulful. She uses prisms, twinkle lights, freelensing, and double exposures—not just for flair, but to evoke feeling. Her wedding and family photography is deeply rooted in observation and empathy. “I don't try to make people do stuff. I take things away so that they can be themselves,” she explains. Whether she's photographing a wedding couple or a toddler, Lucy’s goal is the same: to remove the pressure, strip away the artifice, and reveal something real.
That philosophy stems in part from her background in psychology and nonprofit work, where she spent years helping vulnerable people overcome social barriers. She sees photography through the same lens: identify what’s holding someone back—fear, awkwardness, uncertainty—and gently remove it.
The Wedding Day, Reimagined
Lucy shoots around 8 to 10 weddings per year, alongside 20–25 family sessions. But it's not due to burnout—it’s because she’s selective. She prioritizes intimate, alternative weddings where she can build a genuine connection with her couples. “I’ve done the big banquet hall weddings. They’re not for me,” she says. “I want to be involved, not just show up and perform.”
This intentional approach extends to every part of her business. When asked what keeps her focused on weddings, Lucy doesn’t hesitate. “Weddings are such a beautiful glimpse into people’s lives. I get to see the dynamics, the traditions, the emotion—and I get to reflect that back to them in images they’d never be able to see themselves.”
It’s a perspective that’s made her a trusted long-term photographer for many families—often continuing on to document maternity, newborn, and family sessions years after the wedding day. “When a client becomes part of your photographic family, that’s the sign you’re doing something right.”
A Voice for Photographers
In 2018, while facing a mystery illness that left her homebound for a few months, Lucy found herself engaging in Facebook groups for photographers. “I saw so many people struggling with marketing, confidence, and pricing. So I started answering questions.” Her advice struck a chord, and soon she was running a blog, which evolved into her second business: Marketing and Business for Photographers, also known as ShineSparkL.
Today, Lucy offers mentorship, brand and website audits, and practical resources for creatives looking to bridge the gap between passion and profitability. Her insights are refreshingly honest—cutting through fluff with a background steeped in real-world marketing and human behavior. “There’s a lot of intimidation and misinformation out there,” she says. “I just try to make marketing make sense.”
Her most popular offering? Website audits. “Photographers crave validation,” she adds. “Sometimes they just need someone to say, ‘You’re on the right path.’”
Where She’s Headed
Though she now considers herself a full-time photographer, Lucy remains deeply connected to her educational roots. She speaks at workshops, contributes to photography education platforms, and continues to shape both sides of her creative identity: Lucy, the intuitive, emotionally attuned photographer—and Lucy, Noir, the artist drawn to shadows and layered meaning.
Ultimately, her goal is simple yet profound: “I want to be a granny with a camera,” she laughs. A lifelong observer. A storyteller. A creator of images that live on—not just as pretty pictures, but as artifacts of who we were and how we felt.
Website: lucybaumphotographer.com
Instagram: @lucybaum
