There's something about Morzine...

Jacquie Cutler, 40, runs her own photography company after moving to Morzine in 2006 looking for a change in lifestyle.

I think there's something about Morzine because it changed my life forever. At 36 I was working in Canary Wharf as a training and development manager, I was being trained to become an internal coach but I knew deep down that it was not what I really wanted to do. While working in London I went to a talk and the speaker said something to me that was a defining moment - that a job should be something you love doing.

It should suit your personality and it doesn't matter how much you work because you love being there and it shouldn't feel like a job. It was then that I had the realisation; I was only living to pay a mortgage and not living for me. I had been to Morzine twice before and I got in touch with the people who I'd gone on holiday with for a job. Luckily they gave me one as a ski guide and driver. I started taking photos of the guests and selling them on CDs - people kept on saying I should do it more.

After my first season I decided to stay here for the summer, I was still a keen photographer for the whole time but viewed it more as a hobby. I wasn't even selling the photos but again people kept on telling me how good they were.

I stayed in Morzine for another winter season working for a different chalet company and taking photos of the guests. It was during my second season that I knew it was time to make a decision about where my life was going which all depended on where I wanted to live. Should I stay in Morzine or go back to my old life in England? There was no contest, I wanted to live my life in Morzine. It was during this time, towards the end of the season that I met Craig who works as a pisteur in Morzine. He's American but has lived here for 11 years. When I went back to England to try and make my decision, Craig followed me after a week to ask me to move in with him in Morzine and that he thought I should come back and pursue my photography professionally. He didn't realise I had already made my decisionto come back to Morzine but itcertainly made me realise I'd made the right choice.

When we came back to Morzine I set up my photography business,took a booking for a wedding within a couple of months and then last year I had my baby, Violette Erin on 12th August.

On Christmas Eve Craig got down on one knee with our daughter and asked me to be his wife. I burst into tears and for once in my life, I was speechless. It has turned my life around, I could cry when I think about it. Who would have thought when I moved out here on my own 4 years ago that now I would have my beautiful, gorgeous daughter and my perfect man? I love Morzine because without it, I would probably still be single and stuck in my old job at Canary Wharf. Now I'm living for me and my family. I have two main passions in life; skiing and photography and now a third, my family. So my new lifestyle is pretty much perfect.

Jacquie photographs weddings, natural portraits, chalets and has a gallery of her work, which includes our fantastic cover image.

Check out her website at: www.jcutlerphotography.co.uk