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With a love for all things art and design, photographer Kayla Rocca shoots from the heart.
Looped in by Niki Saint
I’m Kayla and I’m a photographer. I always had a disposable camera with me when I was young. But I really wanted to be an actor before anything else. I used to be a gymnast and I loved anything physical. I was absolutely obsessed with performing. So I went to school to study fine and performing arts.
In 2006 my dad passed away and I had a lot of anxiety. It was a big year of change because it was the first year I went to university and was away from home and lots of stuff was going on. Mentally, I think I just picked up my camera as a way to kind of escape. It was definitely like art therapy. And it completely transformed my mind. Any time I was able to take photos, I was able to be present and not be thinking about the grief, or feeling the grief. I could hide and no one saw me, and I loved that. But at the same time, I love both, I love being in front of the camera and I also love being behind it, and I love just connecting with people. So that’s how I kind of got addicted to photography.
My career as a photographer started when I was working as a server at the Drake Hotel. Lots of interesting people would come through the doors and they would ask, what else do you do, and I would say oh I’m an actor but I also love photography. They would offer me random things like taking headshots. So it just started by me saying yes to all sorts of jobs that I didn’t really know how to do. I really had no idea what I was doing and when I look back at some of the first photos that I took, oh my god it’s so embarrassing! I just said yes to everything, and it was super intuitive to me and I just kept learning. After an internship at a magazine, I got hired to shoot TIFF for Toronto Life Magazine. That was my first job and it was the craziest job ever. I couldn’t believe it! It was my first job shooting celebrities. I was terrified! The first day I had a panic attack and called one of my mentors because I was with all these extremely talented old school photographers who literally do this for a living and go to event after event. So not only do all the celebrities know all of them, but they know what they’re doing, and I’m this scrawny little girl at the time with all these grown ass big men. It was terrifying! And my mentor gave me a pep talk and I never looked back!
Getting to meet so many awesome people, that’s what I love most. Photography is…the people I get to meet and the places I get to see, it’s super, super rewarding.
Any image that evokes emotion.
I have SO many, but I would probably say the most exciting one was when I photographed Brad Pitt for the Toronto Film Festival. There were so many celebrities and they were all so nice to me it was incredible. Getting the shot of him at the beginning of my career, I was like, holy sh*t, that was awesome.
I’m a photographer and my main job is a photographer for sure, but I also love art and design. My main hobby is definitely pottery. Anything to do with ceramics. I also do some video, and I’m trying to get more into directing. I’m working on a personal project, a little mini doc about interesting people in interesting spaces. It’s not even necessarily beautifully designed spaces although there are some, it’s more interesting, eclectic spaces. Anyone I meet, like really quirky artists, I also love seeing their studio or where they live. There are so many awesome people I’ve met. I love Humans of NY so it’s a little bit like that, but we also get to see their spaces. I’m also so obsessed with everything Soulpancake produces. I love, especially right now, just a nice story. In general I think we’re so consumed by the news and everyone trying to scare everyone. The media’s so terrible for that, so to have a news outlet or media outlet that does happy stories is like, ahhhh, it’s so refreshing.
I don’t understand anything! Truly, you can say that. I don’t know why we’re on this planet, I don’t know how we got here, I don’t understand how the internet works, I don’t even understand a camera, I don’t understand how anything works! I’m in awe of it all!
Suavemente by Elvis Crespo
My dog Sunny, my friends, my boyfriend, the sunshine in the winter…my relationships and nature.
I would probably say my greatest achievement is staying true to myself and true to my art form, while being in an industry of very, y’know artists and fashion people and models can be very intimidating and all of the energy that comes around this industry. My mom gives the most incredible advice. Since I was a kid she has always encouraged me to follow my dreams and to always be true to myself.
Just do it. Don’t second guess. I have a lot of artist friends who second guess all the time. There’s a good quote by Winston Churchill… “Perfection is the enemy of progress”. You have to do something so perfect that it’s never finished and you’re always angry about it. You don’t think it’s good enough and then you never put it out there and it’s just stuck energy. Just do it. My teacher in theatre school, I’ll never forget it, she said, “just shut up and do it”. Stop making excuses and just do it!
I recently met and photographed Jennifer for Best Health magazine. She is a Pilates instructor who opened her own studio during Covid. She quit her 9-5 to pursue her passion. We instantly connected and I immediately fell in love with her spirit! She has beautiful energy and is radiant. She inspires me to make time for self care and self love.
I recently met and photographed Jennifer for Best Health magazine. She is a Pilates instructor who opened her own studio during Covid. She quit her 9-5 to pursue her passion. We instantly connected and I immediately fell in love with her spirit! She has beautiful energy and is radiant. She inspires me to make time for self care and self love.
Lauren Wilson is an incredible artist and florist. She inspires me everyday with her stunning art work. I admire her in every way. She is independent, fierce and a true artist.
Lauren Wilson is an incredible artist and florist. She inspires me everyday with her stunning art work. I admire her in every way. She is independent, fierce and a true artist.
Rita is a creative genius. She is an art director, a stylist, a designer and a mother. This woman does it all. And she is always kind, sweet, and graceful even when she has a million things on the go. She has the best energy! And I just love this woman.
Rita is a creative genius. She is an art director, a stylist, a designer and a mother. This woman does it all. And she is always kind, sweet, and graceful even when she has a million things on the go. She has the best energy! And I just love this woman.
Morgan is one of the most hard working women I’ve ever met. She is a mega talented hair stylist and recently opened a studio. Her work ethic is like no other. She also is a yoga master, a wife, a mother and a boss!
Morgan is one of the most hard working women I’ve ever met. She is a mega talented hair stylist and recently opened a studio. Her work ethic is like no other. She also is a yoga master, a wife, a mother and a boss!