Field Notes: A Conversation with Laura Macdonald
There are collaborators - and then there are muses. Laura Macdonald is both.
If you’ve followed us for any length of time, you’ve seen her quiet, evocative images: fog folding over saltbox houses, a blur of movement as small feet climb over rock and root. Laura is behind many of fairechild’s most beloved product photos. She’s also the creator behind our Instagram stories, and in every way, she brings a lens of gentleness, reverence, and truth to what we do.
We recently caught up with Laura to talk about her creative process, life in Newfoundland, and the profound relationship between motherhood, nature, and art. Her words, like her photographs, remind us what really matters.
You’ve said your family has a long line of artists and makers. How do you see yourself continuing that tradition in your photography?
I wouldn’t say I come from a long line of makers and artists. Not many people in my family share this passion—I’m more the black sheep. However, my father is a photographer, and he has taught me so much. Most of the film photos I take are captured with his old cameras, which makes it feel special—like I’m connected to him while also creating my own unique work.
You head out into nature every day with your four kids. What do those daily outings mean to you as a mother?
We certainly try! And it’s easier since we’ve started homeschooling (a year ago) and have that flexibility. I’ve always said that getting outside is like a reset for us. Especially on the hard days—when I’m running on empty or the kids are at each other—it’s the fresh air that brings us back to ourselves. As a mother, it gives me space to step out of the noise, to slow down and clear my head. It’s become the highlight of my days, watching the kids come alive in their imaginations in ways I don’t see at home. I think it’s easy to overcomplicate our lives with events, lessons, extracurriculars and gadgets—and while those things have their place, being in the outdoors reminds me just how little they truly need to be happy.
How has living in Newfoundland shaped the way you see and photograph the world?
It has left a lasting impression on me! To see the softness in the harsh places, to let the landscape speak for itself. I don’t have to do a thing for it to feel magical. My style of photography has always been more naturalistic because it’s informed by where we love to spend our time.
Your photos feel so observant and gentle. What draws your eye when you’re outside with your children?
What draws my eye most is the absolute ruggedness and beauty of this landscape. Stark coastlines, old homes that tell a story. When I add children to the mix I’m drawn to the candid and the raw, drawn to observing the way childhood meets the world—with curiosity and wonder. Play. Quiet contemplative moments. When that pairs with the setting around us here in NL, it creates some fun.
What role do the land and changing weather play in your creative process?
You just work with what the day gives you. There’s so much beauty in it all! We have notoriously bad weather here, hardly a spring, but you make the most of it. And I won’t complain—I love the fog and the cooler summers. I’m not going to bring my camera gear out in the pouring rain usually, but a little drizzle never hurt anything.
How do you balance capturing the moment while staying present with your kids?
That’s a great question. It can be hard! It’s always a balance. I want to be present, I want to be with them, not just watching them through a lens. I never want my kids to groan when they see me reach for my camera or feel like being outside means they have to perform for me. That makes me feel so gross. If something moves me, I’ll quietly and quickly capture it, but if I miss the shot and stay in the moment, that’s still the better choice. I’ve had so many amazing shots slip through my fingers and you just have to let it go.
What do you hope your children remember about these days outside together?
Oh my goodness, don’t make me cry! I hope they remember how it felt to be together. That the best things in life you cannot buy. How to be deeply grateful for all we have under our fingertips here. I hope they remember the joy they felt, having a pocket full of rocks or spruce tips. I hope they develop a lasting relationship with and respect for nature that they will carry their whole lives.
We are endlessly grateful for Laura’s collaboration, for the way she captures our garments in their truest form, in motion and in mud, in rain and radiant light. She helps us tell the real story: of childhood, of connection, and of clothing made for living well and wildly. She sees through the same lens we do, and we are better for it. Follow her work @_lull_