Mirae Campbell has a gift for capturing candid moments. With a passion for visual storytelling, she has found her groove in the world of photography. Based in Squamish, she has become a renowned action sport photographer and adventure enthusiast. In the winter you can find her shooting world class skiers and snowboarders against the breathtaking backdrop of Whistler’s snow-capped mountains. When summer rolls around, she moves onto surfing, capturing the vibrant energy of the ocean.
Join gravitypope and UGG, as we catch up with Mirae and her friends — Ola, Scott, Jess, and her brother Sei — on her home turf in Squamish, BC, exploring some of her favourite adventure spots.
Photography by Mirae Campbell
Additional Photography by Dani Costello
Videography by Jeff Keenan
SEI WEARS UGG BILTMORE CHELSEA AND LEMPELIUS MEO DOWN PUFFER. JESS WEARS UGG ADIRONDACK MERIDIAN HIKER, QUARTZ CO. EMILY COAT, CARHARTT WIP JANET LINER, TAION DOWN PANTS, MYSSY HILE HOOD, AND MYSSY MUFFI TOQUE. SCOTT WEARS UGG BILTMORE HIKER, THE NORTH FACE 1996 RETRO NUPTSE, ÉTUDES RACEING SKELETONS HOODIE AND MYSSY PUHURI TOQUE. OLA WEARS UGG ADIRONDACK MERIDIAN HIKER, ACNE STUDIOS HOODED PUFFER COAT, AND CHIMI 06 SUNGLASSES.
MIRAE WEARS UGG ADIRONDACK MERIDIAN HIKER IN CHESTNUT, MYSSY KYRO ORIGINALS TOQUE, AND ACNE STUDIOS PUFFER JACKET.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I am a photographer living on the traditional and unceded territory of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh nation. I care a lot about my community and the people around me who inspire me to be creative. I don’t feel creatively invigorated without the people around me. I think I am a people person first and a photographer second. I’m currently working on a coffee table book that highlights (through portraits) the kinds of people who contribute to why resort towns are such desirable places to live.
What are you looking forward to in 2024?
Making meaningful connections with others and creating art together.
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT — JESS, SCOTT, SEI, AND OLA.
How important is being in nature to you?
Haha pretty important? My parents didn’t have a lot of money growing up (we didn’t have a TV and they couldn’t afford to put us in sports) but nature was always free so we spent a lot of time camping and hiking, I think when I was a kid I actually felt like sometimes it was a chore but now reflecting on it, it gave me all the building blocks as an adult to exist in natural spaces quietly. My best memories with the people I love the most, or even the people I have complicated relationships with, are the outdoors. Now I seek it out when I need a reset and a moment for myself. Devices make it easy for people to feel like they have access to me at all times (I am a chronic people pleaser) and surfing/snowboarding/camping are all things that allow me to find my way back to myself.
Having been around the world, what makes the West Coast so special to you?
I’m not sure. I think there’s something to be said about the air when you walk through the doors at YVR; it’s the best kind of petrichor because it smells like evergreens and it’s cold. I think my mom was always worried that BC had too much to offer and it would never make us want to leave to explore the world, but I think I’ve always been so curious about people that she never really had to worry about me not doing something out of the box.
JESS WEARS THE UGG ARIDONDACK MERIDIAN HIKER, AND BEHIND SCOTT WEARS THE UGG BILTMORE HIKER.
How did you get into photography?
My grandparents live in Japan and my Grandpa is a doctor but he had this cute little side hobby of taking photos, he used to have this routine when we were younger where he would get up before dawn to go for walks by the river that ran in front of their house, and he would bring this film camera to take photos of the egrets and the cranes feeding on the fish in the water. He would submit his photos to this little local photo gallery every year and we would get to go see them hung up every year, eventually, those photos would end up in the spare bedroom after the show ended so over the decades the photo wall is what I would stare at every night before going to bed. Eventually, that film camera made it into my brother's hands and it was just collecting dust as an ornament on his shelf so I took a film photography class when I was 14 and I think when I was about 15 or 16 my dad bought me a way to fancy Canon camera that our family definitely couldn’t afford and he told me that he thought I would do really great things with it. From there I just had the right people help me pursue my potential.
OLA WEARS UGG ADIRONDACK MERIDIAN HIKER, ACNE STUDIOS HOODED PUFFER COAT, AND CHIMI 06 SUNGLASSES. SEI WEARS UGG BILTMORE CHELSEA AND LEMPELIUS MEO DOWN PUFFER. JESS WEARS UGG ADIRONDACK MERIDIAN HIKER, QUARTZ CO. EMILY COAT, CARHARTT WIP JANET LINER, TAION DOWN PANTS, MYSSY HILE HOOD, AND MYSSY MUFFI TOQUE. SCOTT WEARS UGG BILTMORE HIKER, THE NORTH FACE 1996 RETRO NUPTSE, ÉTUDES RACHING SKELETONS HOODIE AND MYSSY PUHURI TOQUE.
JESS WEARS UGG ADRIRONDACK MERIDIAN HIKER, BEAMS BOY FLEECE VEST, TAION DOWN PANTS, AND MYSSY MUFFI TOQUE.
What is the most challenging part about being a photographer?
Self-doubt and imposter syndrome. The internet definitely exacerbates feeling like I need to do way more all the time, or that I’m not good enough or busy enough. It’s funny because as much as it’s supposed to inspire us, I find I am the most creatively motivated in nature, away from digital stimulation. My imagination needs space to think for itself.
What has been your favourite photoshoot to be on?
Haha gravitypope was actually such a sick one to be on, the photos and video content have always inspired me and my boyfriend can certainly tell you that I was the most excited when I got this email. Another time I got to go to Malawi with Plan International and we got to go to different youth centres and clinics to offer sexual health to women and youth and that was a really really cool and motivating experience.
SCOTT WEARS UGG BILTMORE HIKER, ÉTUDES RACING SKELETONS HOODIE, MYSSY PUHURI TOQUE, AND SUN BUDDIES JUNIOR JR. SUNGLASSES. SEI WEARS UGG BILTMORE CHELSEA, FILIPPA K JOHANNES YAK SWEATER, AND TAION MILITARY CREW NECK DOWN VEST.
What UGGs are you currently wearing, and what drew you to this pair?
I really like my UGG Extreme Adirondack Meridian Hikers, they are really good for the rogue missions that I go on. I also have my eye on a pair of their waterproof Tasman X clogs.
What does your ideal day in Squamish look like?
Hahaha, staying in my apartment with my cat and not replying to any texts or calls 😂 MOSTLY because I’m never home and I need alone time in my nest.
What role has surfing played in your life?
A pretty big one, it’s the sport I daydream about the most. It’s the only thing in my life where I (physically can’t) don’t have to answer to anyone because there are no phones and wifi in the ocean, baby.
What is the importance of working with friends and family?
Haha, I’ve accused myself of nepotism but it’s hard not to only work with your people when they are all SO COOL. But I often switch it up, I like working with lots of different people, it’s what gets me fired up to work in the line of work that I do.
Where do you find inspiration?
In the shower or my ceiling when I first wake up lol
Do you have any upcoming projects you're excited about?
I’m really excited about this one if I’m honest.
Any shout-outs? Recommendations?
Yes actually. For a time (10 years to be exact), before I moved to Whistler to pursue photography I worked with kids and youth as a summer camp leader and a youth worker and I think it’s the reason why I like people so much. I had 2 mentors who supported me, emotionally, and at times financially (they actually did basically all of the heavy lifting for my teenage angst and helped me put it somewhere really meaningful and powerful), both were women, Carissa Keenan and Jen Baillie. They always told me that I could and would and I guess I didn’t know that I needed that until I was standing in front of the things that I thought I could never have. I think a lot in my world comes with conditions but all I needed were a couple of people who allowed me to show up as I was, with no conditions at all. They held the doors wide open for me and showed me how to believe in myself so I could believe in others. Without them, I wouldn’t be me to all the people that I am ‘me’ too.
My Mom defs gets a shout-out too, she’s the best one in the whole entire world but that goes without saying, you can find her on LinkedIn, I took her headshot but you’ll be so busy trying to get through her accolades you won’t even notice.
Xoxox
OLA WEARS UGG ADIRONDACK MERIDIAN HIKER, CARHARTT WIP FLEECE VEST, MYSSY HILE HOOD, AND CHIMI 06 SUNGLASSES. JESS WEARS UGG ADIRONDACK MERIDIAN HIKER, CARHARTT WIP JANET LINER, TAION DOWN PANTS, MYSSY HILE HOOD AND SUN BUDDIES JUNIOR R. SUNGLASSES.
