Self-taught photographer Renata Pollock turns her passion into a thriving business

Credit to Author: Lisa Evans| Date: Mon, 03 Feb 2025 21:59:11 +0000

When Renata Pollock was just 13 years old, growing up in São Paulo, Brazil, she vividly remembers being captivated by the Winter Olympics. She would record the figure skating competitions on her VCR and cheer for the Canadian skaters. She never imagined she’d one day call Canada home. “I almost feel like I was born in the wrong country and had to come back,” she laughs. Pollock met her future husband, Cameron, in high school in 1990. By 1999, the couple started dreaming about a move to Canada. Cameron, born in Brazil to Canadian parents, already had family ties in the country. But their plans hit a few bumps — like when their car was stolen just before they planned to sell it to buy plane tickets.

A few years later, they had saved enough money to make their Canadian dream a reality. The couple stayed with Cameron’s relatives in Mississauga, Ontario, for a month before finding a basement apartment in Toronto. Starting out in a new country wasn’t easy, especially since Pollock didn’t speak any English. “It took me a good six months to start speaking,” she says. “I was always embarrassed that I would say things wrong.” She never took a class but learned the language through a lot of TV watching.

Finding her passion

When her husband’s job brought them to Burlington, Ont., Pollock began taking ceramics classes at the Art Gallery of Burlington. She needed to photograph her pottery to apply for craft shows, setting the stage for her future passion. Her first camera wasn’t fancy, but it had more features than a point-and-shoot. “I bought it from a member of the photographer’s guild at the arts centre,” she explains. Soon, she was learning photography techniques, experimenting with the camera’s settings and watching YouTube videos about photography. “I started like a lot of photographers — as a mom with a camera, doing things for free or super cheap,” she says. In 2012, a friend suggested she try birth photography. While she found the experience fascinating, the unpredictable nature of being on call didn’t fit her family life. She also dabbled in wedding photography but quickly realized that spending summer weekends away from her husband and young son wasn’t for her. Her “aha” moment came during a Mother’s Day event in 2015. “I wanted to do outdoor photos, but every weekend it was raining,” she recalls.

That’s when she decided to try studio photography, knowing it would give her control over lighting conditions. By 2018, Pollock had set up a small studio in her basement. “It was tiny — I had to sit on the steps to get enough distance for some shots,” she laughs. But it worked for her at the time as she began making a name for herself as a portrait photographer, shooting headshots and personal branding photos.

Taking the leap

In February 2020, Pollock decided it was time to move her business out of the house. “I didn’t feel professional. People could see my kitchen sink,” she says. She found the perfect space in Oakville, Ont., but hesitated. When she finally made the call to rent it, the space had already been taken. Then, just a month later, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Not being able to shoot clients, Pollock channelled her creativity into a composite photo to remember the lockdown and entered it for the Creative Pictures Awards. “I had never entered a competition,” she says. Her photo — featuring a boy in pyjamas, building Lego, parents scrolling on their cell phones and drinking wine, an abundance of Lindt chocolate bunnies, and a cat, won first place in the Family Portrait category.

Though the pandemic brought many challenges, Pollock says the hardest part wasn’t the boredom of the lockdown but being separated from loved ones. She had planned a trip to visit her family in Brazil in April, but border closures forced her to postpone. Tragically, in the span of just one month, she lost both her parents: her father passed away in October 2020, followed by her mother who succumbed to COVID-19. Grieving while far from family was one of the most difficult times of her life, but it also fueled her determination to make her dreams a reality.

Embracing her journey

In 2021, Pollock finally opened her own studio. “It was terrifying,” she recalls. Despite her success as a professional photographer, Pollock has wrestled with imposter syndrome, often feeling inadequate because she’s entirely self-taught. “When somebody says your work is so amazing, that really gets me; I still feel I’m less than because I don’t have those official things,” she admits. Now in her 50s, she feels like she’s just hitting her stride. “I feel like Canada is the land of opportunities,” she says.

From her early days working with ceramics at the Art Gallery of Burlington to joining networking groups and collaborating in a coworking space, Pollock has consistently felt uplifted by the community around her. “Everyone here is so supportive — it’s a place where you can grow. I can’t imagine doing this anywhere else.” Reflecting on her journey, Pollock offers advice: “Don’t compare yourself to others. I know my pace is slower and that’s okay. It’s my journey.” Today, Pollock proudly calls herself a professional photographer, confident in her skills and excited for what’s ahead.

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