In this episode, we sit down with award-winning photographer, storyteller, and community builder Hilary Gauld for a conversation about creativity, advocacy, patience, and the power of images to change how we see ourselves and each other.
Hilary’s journey didn’t begin with a lifelong dream to become a photographer. After a corporate career and raising young kids, a series of circumstances nudged her toward picking up a camera. What started as a few family shoots quickly grew into a thriving business that has now spanned nearly two decades, with her work featured in People Magazine, CBC, Breakfast Television, and even displayed on a billboard in Times Square.
But photography for Hilary has never just been about taking pictures. It’s about memory-making, storytelling, and using images to shift narratives. From her long-standing work with the Down Syndrome community to powerful campaigns for women’s shelters and breast cancer awareness, Hilary shows how portraits can create conversation, representation, and lasting change.
We talk about how curiosity and connection drive her work, what it means to be a “super connector,” and why patience is essential in both business and life. Hilary shares what it means to treat a career like raising a baby—nurturing it, sticking with it, and letting it grow at its own pace. She also opens up about channeling her creativity into art therapy programs, mentorship for young women, and a new chapter of impact.
Here are just a few of the themes we explore with Hilary:
- How circumstances (not a grand plan) sparked her career in photography
- The difference between being a “picture taker” and a “memory maker”
- The power of portraits to change narratives for underrepresented communities
- Behind the scenes of the 31 Faces, 31 Days Down Syndrome Awareness campaign
- Why representation in media matters and how advocacy through art creates change
- Why patience and consistency are key to building meaningful work that lasts
- What she’s building next: art therapy programs for kids and mentorship for women
- Her advice for anyone feeling stuck or ready to step into something new
This is a conversation about storytelling, connection, and the patience to build something meaningful from wherever you are.
Enjoy this conversation with Hilary Gauld.
Episode Links:
She Is Your Neighbour Campaign
Waterloo Wellington Down Syndrome Society
Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson
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