Finlay Burrage - Portfolio
I’m a lover of rainy days, good books, mountain hikes, and spending time on the ocean. I am passionate about advocating for and learning about connection with other humans, exploring wild places, the beauty of nature, and living in a way that’s friendly to this earth that we share with each other and the other beings that call it home. As a photographer, fimmaker, and writer, I believe in the power of good stories well told. Through words, photos, and films, I hope to tell meaningful stories that lead to deeper connection, between humans, and with the earth.
Growing up on the west coast of British Columbia, homeschooled for the earlier years, I got a taste for exploring and the beauty of the wild at a young age. Working towards a Bachelor’s Degree with a major in Sociology/Anthropology, I have focused my studies as much as possible on the relationships between humans, their sustenance, and the earth. With a passionate interest in local, resilient, organic, and community-oriented food, I have worked for the City of Nelson as the Food Security Ambassador, and spent a summer with my hands in the soil at a small-scale certified organic regenerative farm. I have also worked alongside the Stó:lō Research and Resource Management Centre as a student researcher, as well as being on the committee of TREK Camp, a nomadic wilderness summer camp that takes kids out each year to experience the wilderness of Southern BC.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts - Sociology/Anthropology
University of the Fraser Valley // GPA 4.22
AWARDS
University of the Fraser Valley Outstanding Acheivement
City Studio Hubbub 2018 - People’s Choice Award - Bike Share Feasibility Study
University of the Fraser Valley Dean's List 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
Award for Excellence 2015 leadership, exceptional contributions to transformational experiences, and dedication to learning in the RCS community.
“I really enjoyed my experience working with Finlay. Not only is he a great photographer, but he's also a storyteller- his images evoke a response. He was able to capture my vision and tell my story with his photos in such a beautiful and authentic way. I could not have enjoyed my experience more and look forward to working with him again in the future!” Ruth Werwai, Owner of Raincloud & Sage Yarn
Writing
A Broken Industrial Food System: Food as a Commodity
Permaculture: Can it Meet with Conventional Ag? Published in the Modern Agriculture Magazine
Do Glaciers Listen?: Local Knowledge, Colonial Encounters, and Social Imagination Book Review
A Critical Analysis of the Slow Food Movement
Displacing the Poor: Space Claiming Through Housing Economies in Vancouver, BC
Creative Profile: Finlay Burrage Published on the Raincloud & Sage Blog
Photo & Film
Working as a photographer and cinematographer, I have had the opportunity to work with some incredible people on exciting projects. Here are a few of the highlights from my portfolio.
Experience
Food Security Ambassador, Nelson BC
As the Food Security Ambassador for the City of Nelson, I worked closely with City staff, community organizations, members of the community, and at the farmers market to support local food security. A lot of my work focused on supporting local farmers, building relationships with them at the farmers market and acting as a liason to the City, as well as developing initiatives to ensure they received the best support possible. I also worked to ensure people's access to good food through a coupon program, educational resources, and delivering food orders and donations. One of my projects was creating a food security web page to point people towards helpful resources, which can be found at www.nelson.ca/foodsecurity
Stó:lō Research and Resource Management Centre Student Researcher, Chilliwack BC
As a student researcher on a project at the Stó:lō Research and Resource management centre called Envisioning Reconciliation, I gathered sources to be used in articulating a vision of what reconciliation means to Stó:lō peoples in S’ólh Téméxw. I also was part of community dialogue sessions where we talked to Stó:lō community members about their experience of, and vision for reconciliation. More information about the project can be found at www.stoloreconciliation.com.
TREK Camp Committee Member, Southern BC
As a member of the committee I take part in meetings and work throughout the year to plan and execute the operation of TREK Camp, a nomadic and themed summer camp that connects kids to wilderness environments of Southwestern BC. Volunteering as a staff member at camp each year since 2015 I have also taken on leadership roles at the camp such as Junior Staff Leader (facilitating the junior staff program at camp), Activity Director (leading a team of volunteers), and Counsellor (responsible for a group of children for the week).
Field Hand at Aslan Organics, Yarrow BC
As a field hand at Aslan Organics, a small-scale organic market garden, I helped and was responsible for activities that ranged from preparing fields for planting and seeding crops, to distribution at farmers markets. I was able to learn about and participate in a regenerative farm where we grew food that was good for people and the planet. Gaining practical skills and knowledge, days spent weeding onions, stringing tomatoes, broadforking soil, and harvesting garlic taught me the work that goes into and the value of good food.
From Canada to Peru - A Journey by Bicycle
Seeking freedom, simplicity, adventure, and a challenge, a friend and I set off from our homes in Vancouver, BC on a journey to South America. Travelling by bicycle, we packed only what we could fit in our four panniers. Waking up each day we would break camp and start riding, hoping for fair weather and to find a spot to sleep before day's end. Life fell into the simple rythm of pedalling, eating, pedalling, finding camp, sleeping, and pedalling again. With little in the way of material posessions or distractions, we found ourselves with an abundance of time for reflection and introspection. Living outside, joy was found in sunlight, a break from rain, the feeling of flying down hills to valleys, towns, and coastlines we had never seen, and the spoonfuls of peanut butter that kept us fueled. We experienced unbelievable kindness from countless strangers, who invited us into their homes, fed us meals, gave us lifts, and pointed us in the right direction. From a night in a retired woman's home in Northern California who had seen us riding in the rain, to camping in the yard of a family in Colombia who's two sons gave us their hats because they noticed we had sunburnt noses, everywhere we went we experienced hospitality that we could never have expected. Living out of our bikes for eight months on the road, our eyes were opened to the beauty of humanity, the wonder of presence, the freedom in simplicity, and our hearts were captured by an endless curiosity.
Braided Wildflowers
A wedding videography and photography house based in the beautiful Fraser Valley, BC. Crafting wedding photos & films that capture the deeper feelings. After doing wedding photography and videography throughout my university summers, last year I started the business Braided Wildflowers. This year the team is growing as an another photographer comes on board.
Through starting a business, I have to learn skills ranging from branding, website design and optimization, visionary planning, marketing, communication with clients, production of shoots, timelines, and locations, to posing and photography, post processing, and client delivery. This has given me the opportunity to engage in a wide variety of activities, allowing me to develop skills that I might not otherwise have built.
Contact
Feel free to connect with me directly at finlayburrage@gmail.com. Alternatively, you can fill out the form below and I will get back to you shortly!