hello there!
i’m Aileen
I’m big on laughing ‘til you cry, good conversation and cozy spaces.
Photos in first banner by Sara Rogers Photography + Page and Holmes Photography
get to know Me
I was born in Hong Kong and raised in Vancouver almost my whole life, so I’m very Canadian but very in touch with my Asian side. Dim Sum and Hong Kong style cafes are probably my favourite cuisines because I’m a sucker for nostalgia. If you haven’t tried either of those, let me be your guide. My pronouns are she/her. My ordinary ‘special power’ is speaking Cantonese fluently, which I never thought I’d be grateful for back then when my parents forced me to go to Chinese school as a kid, but I certainly am now! My love language is quality time and words of affirmation…and physical touch..and acts of service…and gift giving…so all 5 actually. Driving is my equivalent to shower thoughts; I do my deepest, most profound thinking in my car. I don’t drink alcohol much or at all, so my choice of beverage is a good ol’ pearl milk tea any day. I love horror movies but also am afraid of the dark and have a very active imagination. Not a good combo. Plus, I love to sleep so I don’t know why I do this to myself. The last couple of things you should know about me is that I’m a very sentimental person and I could never plead the fifth because I love to chit chat.
What i believe in
My passion lies with using photography to help me experience more of the things that matter the most: the relationships & connections we make throughout our lives.
Often times, we don't pay enough attention to what's happening around us and we let those fleeting moments pass us by. This is the reason behind why I do what I do. My goal is to not only capture the big events on the most important day of your life, but to also capture all the candid moments happening in between them (sometimes those are the best ones!) I am dedicated to creating beautiful images that are filled with emotion and meaning, no matter what the occasion may be. I wholeheartedly believe in my craft because I believe in people, and I believe in our relationships. When it comes down to it, that's what really matters. The images I create are only as real and one of a kind as you make it, so live it up, soak it in and I'll be right there along side you.
Look mom, I was on cbc!
Social responsibility
Uplifting Future Artists:
The Aileen Choi Photo Bursary
In 2022, I started the Aileen Choi Photo Bursary, a $1,000 award designed to support Riverside Secondary School students pursuing fine arts in post-secondary education. Riverside holds a special place in my heart—it’s where I first discovered my love for photography and began dreaming of a creative career. I know it’s not always the easiest path to pursue fine arts for a living, which is why I’m passionate about supporting aspiring artists. This bursary prioritizes students who need financial assistance, aiming to celebrate creativity and encourage young talent as they take their first steps toward making art their future.
Giving Back Together
I acknowledge that it is a privilege to make a living doing what I love. Therefore, I aim to support and advocate for marginalized communities, as I deeply care about equality and inclusivity for all. For every wedding and elopement booked, I donate one percent of the total of each booking to 3 causes I am very passionate about:
Indian Residential School Survivors Society provides essential services to Residential School Survivors, their families, and to those dealing with intergenerational traumas.
Action Canada focuses on advancing and advocating for sexual and reproductive health and rights, LGBTQI+ rights and sexuality education in Canada and globally.
Canadian Women’s Foundation helps fund programs across Canada, addressing prevention of gender-based violence, women’s economic development, and girls’ empowerment (includes people who identify as women, girls, trans, gender-queer, and gender non-binary.)
You will get to decide which non-profit organization you would like me to donate to!
tOgether we co.
For photographers
I believe in people, both in front of and behind the camera. When I started my own photography business in 2016, I realized how important it is to be a part of a supportive photography community.
That’s why my work bestie, Sara Rogers, and I started Together We Co, offering business management and creative virtual assistance to photographers. I know what it’s like to struggle through trial and error when you’re trying to build a business and how it feels to get lost in your identity as a photographer when your business starts to take over your life.
With Together We Co’s monthly subscriptions and standalone services, we’re helping our fellow photographers grow their businesses without the overwhelm. Our custom packages and services are designed to meet you where you are - whether that’s just getting started without a clue what to do next or booked and busy but dying to get something off your plate.
Say hello over at Together We Co and find out how we can help make your life a little easier.
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