For Paige Swinton, photography has always been about connection. Even before she ever held a professional camera, she was the friend printing off snapshots from disposable cameras and taping them to dorm room walls — preserving memories, pinning moments in time, and handing them out like love letters. Today, as the creative force behind Robyn Paige Photography, that instinct hasn’t changed — it’s only grown sharper, more intentional, and profoundly more intimate.
Based in Victoria, BC, Paige captures weddings and portraits that blend candid emotion with editorial edge. Her work is romantic, rich in subtlety, and grounded in a deep sensitivity to human connection — a sensibility shaped not just by creativity, but by a life lived in full.
From ICU to ISO
Before she ever dreamed of becoming a photographer, Paige built an entirely different career — one rooted in science, structure, and service. She earned an undergraduate degree in Cell Biology and Genetics from UBC, later returning to study nursing and eventually specializing in Cardiac Surgery ICU. That path would become both the crucible and the catalyst for her next chapter.
When the pandemic hit, Paige — like so many in healthcare — found herself stretched thin, mentally and emotionally. It was her husband who saw the need for a creative outlet and gifted her a full-frame Canon EOS RP in 2020. "Three months later," she laughs, "I was photographing my first wedding. And yes, I charged!"
The transition was rapid, but far from impulsive. Paige threw herself into learning — YouTube tutorials, Facebook groups, online education communities — all while working ICU shifts. "Getting my camera came at a very pivotal time in my life," she recalls. "Photography gave me something to look forward to and grow toward. It was an escape, but also a lifeline."
A Photographer With a Nurse's Heart
Paige’s background in critical care deeply informs how she approaches wedding photography — not just in terms of discipline, but in her emotional intelligence and observational instincts. "I’m someone who wears my heart on my sleeve. Becoming a mother in 2024 has only amplified that. I cry more now than I ever did, and that’s saying a lot."
She limits her wedding bookings to fewer than ten per year — a deliberate choice that allows her to be fully present, both for her couples and for herself. Her style blends documentary candor with editorial intention. She lets moments unfold naturally but isn’t afraid to guide a portrait when it helps realize the vision. Her editing is refined and emotive, with true-to-life tones and just enough grain to feel timeless without becoming trendy.
"It’s always my goal to make you feel something," she says. "A good black and white strips away the distraction of colour and draws you into the emotion. That’s the magic for me."
Mentorship, Memory, and Meaning
While Paige is self-taught, she credits much of her growth to early mentors like Ang McCabe of Myrtle and Moss Photography, and the storytelling philosophy of Jonas Peterson. Both helped shape her belief in capturing the emotional architecture of a wedding day — the quiet gestures, in-between moments, and little truths that often go unnoticed.
“I love watching people just… be people. A lot of what I do is waiting for nuance.”
And when it comes to choosing her clients, Paige is intentional. She only takes on weddings that move her, inspire her, or spark genuine connection. That means most of her couples are local to Vancouver Island, though she’s always open to destination weddings that align with her ethos. "I used to backpack everywhere. I'd love to document a wedding abroad one day — it just has to be the right vibe."
A Life in Balance
Today, Paige balances her dual careers with grace: part-time nurse, full-time mother, and creative director of a business rooted in storytelling. She’s still the girl who gets into long, heartfelt conversations by the snack table. Still the person who’ll dance to anything with a beat. Still the hopeless romantic who believes — firmly — that Ross and Rachel were not on a break.
But more than anything, she’s a documentarian of joy, presence, and love in all its subtle forms. And if you ask her why she does what she does, she’ll tell you:
"Because your life is made up of a million tiny moments. And they deserve to be remembered."
Website: robynpaigephotography.com
Instagram: @robynpaigephotography