In Medicine Hat, Alberta, where prairie light meets the vast Alberta skies, Schae Philpott has spent the last 15 years chasing something deeper than just beautiful images — she’s capturing legacy. As the woman behind Schae Photography, Schae isn’t just documenting weddings; she’s bottling emotion, motion, and meaning with a vibrancy that feels unmistakably her own.
Her career started not in a studio, but in a Grade 9 Communication Technology class, where a self-guided curriculum and an instinct for light sparked something powerful. That early passion became a calling, shaped by her background in competitive dance, a deep love of cinema, and a business degree that taught her how to treat creativity like a career.
“I actually didn’t think I’d want to handle the pressure of weddings,” Schae admits. “But once I tried it, I realized I thrived in it.” That first wedding — a favour for friends — changed everything. Today, she balances 15 to 18 weddings a year, many in Medicine Hat and surrounding areas, but she’s also traveled to the mountains, Saskatchewan, and even as far as Toronto for the right couples. “If we vibe, I’ll go.”
Her style is unmistakable: warm, expressive, and grounded in the timeless elegance of film. It’s defined equally by how she shoots and how she edits. Schae’s approach combines an intuitive sense of light and moment with clean, true-to-life post-processing that resists trends and focuses on longevity. “I want my clients to love their images forever,” she says.
There’s a genuine duality to Schae’s energy — an introvert by nature, she brings a joyful, high-energy presence to the wedding day. Whether she’s quietly observing tender getting-ready moments or joyfully guiding the couple through portraits with goofy prompts and encouragement, she adapts with intention. “I’m a flower on the wall when I need to be, but I’ll also move a bride for the light if it’s going to make the photo better. Light is everything.”
Her background in dance still informs her eye today — how she sees movement, understands flattering lines, and crafts visual rhythm in portraits. “Dance taught me how to see people,” she reflects. “Film taught me how to tell their story.”
That storytelling approach has earned her national and provincial awards for Wedding Photojournalism and Wedding Group photography, as well as accreditation with the Professional Photographers of Canada and membership in the Click Pro Elite. But for Schae, her most important validation comes from her clients. “They always say they felt so comfortable. That they had fun. That it didn’t feel awkward.”
Behind the camera, she’s also a mom to two girls, a chai latte enthusiast, and the proud wife of what she calls “the most dashing paramedic in town.” She’s built her business with intention — limiting her bookings to preserve quality, balancing work with family, and designing a strict weekly schedule to protect her creative energy. “When I edit, I relive the day. It reminds me why I do this.”
Even when the fatigue hits — the long edits, the sore feet, the full schedule — she grounds herself in ritual: folk music, a quiet drive, a deep breath before walking into the next love story.
“I believe legacy is everything,” she says. “Life is fleeting — but when we gather the people we love and celebrate joy, we create something that deserves to last. That’s what I’m capturing.”
Website: schaephotography.com
Instagram: @schaephotography