Julia Michel Is Capturing the Moments That Matter Most in White Rock

One of the best parts of sitting down with local business owners for the Best of White Rock is discovering the stories behind the businesses we see around town. And when I met Julia Michel from VanVision Photography, I quickly realized her story was just as interesting as the photos she creates.

Julia is one of those people who instantly puts you at ease. She has this calm, friendly energy that makes you feel like you’ve known her for years. As it turns out, that ability to connect with people is a huge part of why her photography works so well.

But the path to building VanVision Photography wasn’t exactly straightforward.

It actually started with a camera and a lot of travel.

Julia grew up in Germany and was constantly taking photos when she traveled around Europe. Back then, this was before everyone had a great camera in their pocket. She carried a digital camera everywhere and loved capturing moments, editing photos, and experimenting with different angles and compositions.

The interesting part is she never really thought of herself as artistic.

She just knew she loved taking photos.

As Julia told me during our conversation, “I always had a camera with me. I just loved capturing moments and seeing people’s reactions to the photos.”

But loving photography and turning it into a business are two very different things.

For years, Julia worked in other fields. She spent five years working as a nurse in Germany, even working with children, and later moved into the corporate world after coming to Canada. So she had plenty of experience working with people, but photography was still just something she loved doing on the side.

Then came the moment that changed everything.

While staying at Harrison Hot Springs with her fiancé, he gave her what she described as a pretty memorable pep talk. He pointed out something she hadn’t really allowed herself to believe yet. She loved photography, people loved her photos, and maybe, just maybe, this could actually become a real business.

That conversation stuck with her.

In fact, it stuck with her enough that she went out, got a business license, created a logo, and officially started VanVision Photography.

And then… she did absolutely nothing with it for eight months.

Not because she didn’t want it. Because she was scared.

Julia admitted something that I think a lot of entrepreneurs can relate to. The hardest part wasn’t learning photography. It was believing people would actually pay her for it.

As she put it, “The fact that you can make money doing what you love was just so bizarre to me.”

Eventually she decided to take the leap.

Her first step was surprisingly simple. She posted in a local White Rock and South Surrey Facebook group offering photo sessions.

The response was immediate.

People reached out right away, and just like that, she had her first session booked.

Julia still remembers that first shoot down at Crescent Beach. She told me she was incredibly nervous walking into it.

But the moment she started taking photos, everything changed.

“I realized this is easy. Why was I so scared of this?”

And that’s when the business really began.

Today, Julia photographs everything from weddings and engagements to family sessions and surprise proposals. And if you ask her what makes her photography different, her answer is simple.

She wants every photo to tell a story.

That might mean capturing a quiet moment between two people walking along the beach. It might mean a child picking a flower in the middle of a family session. Or sometimes it’s the candid moments that happen when people don’t even realize the camera is there.

“Photography should be timeless,” she told me. “I want people to look at their photos years from now and feel the same moment again.”

Another big part of her work is helping people relax in front of the camera.

Let’s face it, most people feel awkward during photo shoots. Julia’s approach is less about posing and more about prompts. Instead of telling people exactly how to stand, she encourages them to interact, laugh, walk together, or tease each other.

That’s where the magic usually happens.

And when kids are involved, it gets even more fun.

Rather than forcing children to sit still and smile at the camera, she turns the session into a game. Kids might run around their parents, hug them unexpectedly, or explore the park while Julia quietly captures the moment.

The result feels natural, not staged.

One of the most fascinating parts of Julia’s job, though, might be the surprise proposals.

Yes, she literally hides in bushes sometimes.

When someone plans a proposal, Julia often works behind the scenes helping organize the surprise. She’ll scout the location, coordinate the timing, and then quietly position herself nearby pretending to photograph flowers or scenery.

Then when the big moment happens, she’s ready.

“It’s nerve-wracking,” she said, laughing. “You can plan everything perfectly, but when the moment comes it happens so fast. You have to be ready.”

But those are the moments she loves capturing most.

Another thing that stood out to me about Julia is how connected she is to the community here.

White Rock was actually the first place she visited when she came to Canada back in 2008, and she immediately fell in love with it. The coastal vibe, the friendly people, the small town energy. It just felt like home.

She eventually returned in 2014 and has been based in the White Rock and South Surrey area ever since.

Today she regularly collaborates with other local businesses, volunteers her photography for community events, and shares beautiful photos of the area in local Facebook groups.

And if you’ve ever seen one of those stunning sunrise photos of White Rock Beach floating around online, there’s a good chance it might have been hers.

One of my favorite stories she shared was about a sunrise photo she captured at the beach. A man walking along the water noticed she was taking photos and tried to hurry out of the frame so he wouldn’t ruin the shot.

Instead, he made it better.

The photo captured him walking toward the rising sun, creating this beautiful, almost cinematic moment. After posting it online, Julia eventually tracked down the man and sent him the full image so he and his wife could keep it.

That’s the kind of thing Julia does.

She’s not just taking photos. She’s capturing moments people will keep forever.

If you’re looking for a photographer for a wedding, engagement, proposal, or family session, I highly recommend reaching out to Julia.

You can find her here:

VanVision Photography
🌐 Website: https://vanvisionphotography.com/
📧 Email: julia@vanvisionphotography.com
☎️ Phone: 778-866-8925
📸 Instagram: @vanvision_photography

🚀 If you’re a local business owner in White Rock or South Surrey and would like to share your story, we’d love to hear from you.

You can apply to be featured here:
https://www.bestofwhiterock.ca/get-featured

Because behind every great local business is a great story, and those stories deserve to be told.