Home | Country Roots AB Photography/Portraits & more, scenic Alberta backdrops

Camera Shy?

I get it.

If you don't like being photographed, I can relate. But I can also help.

Everyone looks better outside in nature, not in some confined studio. You and your loved ones will be glad you

chose environmental portraiture to capture your special occasions and landmarks. So, relax and enjoy!

Why Choose Country Roots?

The importance of a moment may never be fully realized until long after it has passed. Saving these memories as something worth preserving means you will not have to rely on your memory alone. Whether you choose digital copies, prints, or both, photos will bring you back to that moment--always.

My studio is the natural, wide-open Alberta landscape, blue skies overhead, parks, rivers, country roads and back yards. The possibilities are endless. There are so many beautiful locations waiting to become part of your day, uniquely customized to suit your personal requirements. I love to create unique photos, let me create yours!

Individuals | couples | families | generational groups
farmyards | special occasions | sporting events

countryroots@duck.com ~ 403-934-8545

Sneak Peek
Photoshoots from the last few months!

Whether it's family functions, special occasion shoots, spectacular scenery, promotional shots, marketing or just for fun, there is always something to photograph. You can look for me walking the trails, or sitting on a hill watching the sun rise or the storm clouds gather. Sometimes even laying on gravel roads to get the right angle for a promotional shot or climbing over boulders in a gravel pit. More often than not, you'll find me at some sporting event, photographing the pitch as it crosses the plate, every jump from a massive, bucking bull, or the spectacular catch in a football game. Memories alone fade, but a photograph will save them for eternity, allowing us to revisit them at a later date. It would be my pleasure to do this for you. Contact me here: countryroots@duck.com

To See More of My Work

Click on any image below to scroll through
some of the thousands of shots I've taken.

Blonde blue-eyed little girl 2/3 view closeup

School-aged girl with long wavy red hair in aqua sweater

Slight smiles on father in shirt and tie, and two teen sons, centre one in tuxedo, left one in white T shirt and black ball cap, posing outside rustic wooden outbuilding

Graduation shot of smiling young man in background, happy mother and father in foreground, in summer outdoors

Young red-haired woman in long black gown sitting on a suitcase in a country lane with trees on either side

Black & white head to torso shot of smiling young long-haired woman in evening gown, holding a white rose, trees in background

Portrait of smiling mature blond woman in casual black clothes, trees in background

Portrait of smiling long-haired teen girl in burgundy sweater, cameo effect on image

Smiling father and son standing in rustic cabin doorway, casual clothes

Head shot of happy smiling curly-haired teen boy superimposed over night sky background with shooting stars

Cameo effect portrait of happily smiling 40-ish woman, long hair and teal sweater

Long-haired smiling teen girl wrapped in red plaid blanket, sitting on snow

Happy mature couple in field, leaning against fence post

Sepia graduation photo of happy smiling teen girl and boy in formal wear, posed near felled log, in forest setting

Happy graduation photo of teen boy in suit, teen girl in white dress, standing in front of large pond rimmed with trees

Photographer Darlene Hooge in Carseland Alberta near the river

Darlene Hooge Strathmore area photographer

About Darlene

As a young girl, I carried around a point & shoot film camera. Even then I preferred to be behind the lens, not in front of it.

About five years ago, I took a leap of faith and purchased a DSLR camera with the hope that I’d be able to master the learning curve. It’s been a very exciting journey thus far.

My camera is my paint brush; just like in all forms of art, every photographer has a particular style. I love capturing photos in natural, outdoor settings, and in unique ways. Simple things can make huge impacts and that’s what I experiment with. Every shoot is exciting, and I love anticipating what I can create, whether on my own for landscape photos or in partnership with my clients.

The value of keepsake photos is immeasurable—they stop time and are there for you whenever you want to travel back to that moment.

Are you ready to record important people, events, or locations?
Got questions? I’d be honoured to discuss it with you.
Contact me today to set a time to chat:

countryroots@duck.com ~ 403-934-8545

If you don't think photos are important, wait until they're all you
have left.

~Missy Mwac

We used Darlene from Country Roots Photography for our family photos and some social media marketing photos.

I had only mentioned a few things in terms of what I was looking for and she freaking nailed it!
It was so easy

to work with her.

The quality and price point are
absolutely amazing.

I definitely will be using her over
and over.

~Twylla R.

We didn’t realize we were making memories; we just knew we were
having fun.

~Winnie the Pooh

After enjoying Darlene's football pictures online, I was thrilled to get her to do our son's grad pictures. She was flexible in accommodating us. She made the kids all feel comfortable and even got a smile out of Ethan who fancies stoic-looking pictures. We look forward to using her again this year for our daughter's grad. For understanding, compassionate, and personality-capturing photos, book Country Roots Photography.

~Em G.