Brian Merry has been rock climbing, ice climbing, alpine climbing and back country skiing for over 20 years.  Brian got his start climbing in 1990 before getting a bachelor of science with honours in biology from Acadia University.  During university Brian honed his photography skills and quickly raised his climbing standard to 5.11 gear routes before graduating and moving to Banff, Alberta to focus more of his time on his photography, alpine climbing, ice climbing and back country skiing skills.  Once living in Banff he became a full time event and wedding photographer in 1996.  Brian was the first photographer in the Banff area to use digitial photography extensively in his profession and he continues to build on that experience today.  The Canadian Rocky Mountains, especially around Banff and Lake Louise, is one of the most inspirational places in the world to be a photographer and climber.  During his years as a full time photographer Brian would take the fall and spring between the peak wedding photography seasons to travel to different parts of the world and go on climbing expeditions.  Brian would also travel just to photograph in exotic places.

 

One thing that remained constant in Brian's life was climbing, photography and travelling.  In 2006 Brian Merry made the switch to become a full time fire fighter.  This allowed him to focus more of his creative energy on his climbing and photography rather than on marketing and managing a photography business that seasonally employed 7-10 photographers.  Fire fighting is an honourable career that he dearly loves along with climbing and photography.  Since the switch Brian has been able to get out 150+ days a year climbing and skiing and continues to focus his creative energy on travel/sport photography and wedding photography in Banff and Lake Louise. 

 

In 2008 he met Kazue Hashiguchi who changed her name to Kazue Merry when they were married in 2010.  Kazue shares Brian's passion for climbing and photography and together they pursue both year round in a dynamic partnership.