Hi! I'm Victoria documentary family photographer, Rachel Knoop

Growing up, the photos on my walls told a very different story than any I would tell about our family. The polished, coordinated, and stiff people in those photos do not accurately represent the people you met when invited to join us in our home.

My favourite photos reflect the fact that my family is quirky, laughs a lot, bickers easily, and does not fit in any typical mold. My dad wore socks with sandals, my mom cut our hair while we stood on the top of the toilet seat, and my siblings and I were loud and often broke the rules of typically acceptable social behavior.

When I look back on my younger years (wow, that makes me sound old and wise), my world was sheltered and my circles were small. I began traveling as soon as university ended and found excitement in learning about passions, cultures, histories, and traditions different from my own. The thing I loved the most was finding the ways those attributes were tied to my own passions and experiences. I find a similar excitement behind the lens of my camera. During my sessions, I capture the things that tie you together; the connections, emotions, and memories that are the heart of your story.