Kierra Summer
Meet Kierra Summer, a spirited adventurer who captures the essence of wanderlust through her lens. Hailing from the breathtaking landscapes of Lethbridge, Alberta, Kierra’s journey from avid hiker to full–time travel photographer and influencer is as captivating as the vistas she shares. With a passion for exploring the world's hidden gems, Kierra’s Instagram chronicles her spontaneous escapades, inviting followers on a journey of discovery. Join us as Kierra shares her insights on the beauty of spontaneity, the creative process, and the transformative power of travel.
My name is Kierra Summer and I am a travel photographer and influencer. I grew up in a small town called Lethbridge Alberta and it is about 1–2 hours from the Canadian Rockies. I grew up kayaking and hiking and it is a passion I will do for my entire life – I love standing at the top of a mountain peak overlooking the sun slowly waking up in the morning, or going on an evening kayak to only hear my breath and the water beneath me.
“I started posting my adventures on Instagram in November 2019 and since then I quit my job and got into taking photos and showcasing unique places to my audience full time within 6 months of discovering this line of work.”
WAS THERE A SPECIFIC MOMENT OR EXPERIENCE THAT SPARKED YOUR PASSION FOR DOCUMENTING YOUR ADVENTURES?
“What sparked my interest was my first trip to the East Coast of the USA during Fall! I had never gone to an area with trees that were so vibrantly orange, yellow and red (even pink on some).”
It completely blew me away and sparked my initial interest in showcasing these unique locations to the world (or at the time, my 700 Instagram followers).
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT BEING A TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHER AND DIGITAL ARTIST?
The thing I enjoy the most is having more time. I used to spend 8 hours a day working a job that I didn’t feel even cared about me.
“Now my job is focused around freedom and adventure. Showcasing to others that time is limited so go out and see the places you want to go see.”
I spend most of my time adventuring with my boyfriend and sister and creating memories that will last a lifetime. That is what I most enjoy about my work.
ARE THERE PARTICULAR ASPECTS OF THE CREATIVE PROCESS OR MOMENTS DURING YOUR TRAVELS THAT YOU LOOK FORWARD TO CAPTURING?
Usually I look forward to getting to the locations I research before going.
“I love finding unique locations that are even more stunning when you see them in person.”
The reason why I love getting there is to take photos and get to the editing process. So basically being able to create my unique vision of the location I see when I research the area.
YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF AS A SPONTANEOUS TRAVELER. CAN YOU SHARE AN ON-THE-FLY DECISION THAT LED TO ONE OF YOUR MOST MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES?
“I am definitely a spontaneous traveller and it’s mainly due to client timelines.”
When I go on trips, they are usually booked quite last minute! I remember one time I was shooting my cousin's wedding in the Dominican Republic and I got reached out to by Aperol Spritz to go to Greece roughly 4 days after I would have landed back home from the wedding. I accepted the collaboration and went to an island in Greece called Paros – I think I travelled about 30 hours total for this and only knew about a week before.
IN THE REALM OF DIGITAL MARKETING, HOW DO YOU APPROACH WORKING WITH BRANDS AND CREATING CONTENT THAT ALIGNS WITH BOTH THEIR VISION AND YOUR UNIQUE AESTHETIC?
When I reach out to brands I send them examples of the work I have done in the past, as well as a Pinterest board that showcases a vision for their brand. I always do research on the brand I am reaching out to and see the aesthetic they typically align with and base my style in this category.
WHAT ROLE HAS SOCIAL MEDIA PLAYED IN DEVELOPING YOUR PERSONAL BRAND AS A TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHER AND DIGITAL ARTIST?
Confidence. As much as I want to say I don’t care what others think of me, I do in a positive way. When I first started posting on Instagram I thought of myself as a nobody. Someone that was “trying” – which is incredibly scary when you think of the people in your life seeing you try. However, I had a completely different experience, I actually got comments, likes and followers as I started posting.
“The people around me that have been silent most of my life, were now sparking up conversations with me asking where these areas were and how to get there. I slowly started feeling like the only doubts in my mind were me vs. me.”
Instagram and social media helped me to realize the creativity I have in my mind is my personal brand and I just need to be confident enough to showcase it.
WHEN CHOOSING DESTINATIONS TO EXPLORE, WHAT FACTORS ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU? ARE THERE SPECIFIC TYPES OF PLACES, CULTURES, OR LANDSCAPES THAT PARTICULARLY RESONATE WITH YOU?
“Landscapes are hands down the aspect I focus on when researching new places to explore. I love mountains, unique ice formations, and thousands of wildflowers in a small area.”
DO YOU HAVE FAVOURITE TRAVEL DESTINATIONS THAT HOLD A SPECIAL PLACE IN YOUR HEART?
One of my favourite travel destinations I have been to was French Polynesia! Everything from the people, the scenery and the food was so authentic and unique. When I arrived in Nuku Hiva (an island in French Polynesia’s marquesas islands), the mountains were unlike anything I have seen before.
TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR VAN LIFE JOURNEY — FROM RENOVATING IT TO TRAVELING, HOW HAS IT INFLUENCED YOUR APPROACH TO EXPLORATION AND ADVENTURE?
My van life journey has really influenced my approach to exploration and adventure because of the challenges I faced during my build. There was always a problem, a unique one that a video couldn’t just show me how to solve – I always had to figure it out for myself – If I didn’t do it, nothing would get done!
“This mindset has pushed me to go to places and do things I never thought I could without help because I went in knowing if I didn’t, no one would for me!”
WHAT SETS APART THE BEST TRAVEL EXPERIENCES?
“Not taking yourself too seriously. I find that going with the flow, having fun and not caring what others may think of you when you are at a location makes the travel experience so much better”
I take a lot of photos in several locations and I notice the more I have fun with it, and have a positive ideology of what others think of me, I don’t have any negative experiences.
ARE THERE SPECIFIC ELEMENTS OR MOMENTS THAT MAKE A JOURNEY TRULY EXTRAORDINARY FOR YOU?
“I love the moment of travelling where you take a second and know that this will be a core memory you will cherish forever.”
Like my first 1 month road trip or hiking for 4 days through the Andes mountains in Peru.
IS THERE ANY TRAVEL OR COLLABORATIONS ON THE HORIZON THAT YOU'RE PARTICULARLY EXCITED ABOUT AND WILLING TO SHARE WITH US?
I am excited about a potential collaboration with Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort in Saint Lucia early this Summer. As well as a collaboration in Jasper National Park and Waterton National Park!