At the tender age of 14, while most of his peers were busy covering up pimples and learning to moonwalk, Rigler was already shooting freelance jobs for fashion desginers, models and bands. After completing an arts diploma at a Montreal CEGEP, Rigler travelled to Toronto, Ontario where he studied photography and media at Ryerson University.
He spent seven years working as a freelance photographer and learning the ropes with clients ranging from the Globe and Mail and Shift, to Sony and Eatons.
“Montreal gave me all the raw material, but Toronto really made me get my shit together,” Rigler said. “I learned how to deal with editors and art directors and produce top drawer results consistently.”
But Rigler said the Toronto scene became too small-minded. He left the country and worked his way through Europe for two years.
“I started to see a new possibilities when my wife and I were living in England,” Rigler said. “My photography reached a new level in my years in Europe and my writing started to really complement what I was doing with my cameras.”
With the backing of his European agent, Rigler was also given an opportunity to market his illustration work as well.
A happy twist of fate brought Rigler to the west coast of Newfoundland. He and his wife moved out of London and into a completely different lifestyle.
“Newfoundland is a magical place,” Rigler said. “Apart from being the province where my two sons were born, it has become my second home … I’ll always be a Montrealer, but the people and the landscape in Newfoundland have become an important part of my life.”
Now 33 years old, Rigler has been working at a daily newspaper as a staff writer and photgrapher for the past four years.
However, he’s stayed in the fray thanks to his European contacts, working for a number of different publications and corporate clients. While he feels a deep connection to his adopted home — especially its salmon rivers— Rigler isn’t ready to retire to the country squire’s life just yet.
“It’s time for me to bring my family home,” Rigler said. “I can’t say exactly when, but I know I’ll be heading back to Montreal soon. I’ve got a lot I want to accomplish and I’ve always known that Montreal is the right place for me.”
