A Day in the Life with Rob and Paula Hodgson
Some relationships in life quietly continue long after the original reason for meeting has passed. That is the case with Rob and Paula Hodgson.
We first met years ago when our daughters were young, attending elementary school together and spending long afternoons at the dance studio. Like many families who share those years, we watched the girls grow up side by side. Even as life moved in different directions, Rob and Paula and I stayed connected.
They remain one of those couples who continually impress me—not in loud or showy ways, but in the steady creativity that shapes the way they live and work.
Paula is the founder of The Olla Company, a business she built from the ground up. The company produces beautifully designed clay irrigation vessels—ollas—that slowly release water into the soil, helping gardeners grow healthier plants while conserving water. It’s a simple idea rooted in centuries-old agricultural tradition, but Paula has refined it into a thoughtful, modern product and a successful brand.
Running a business like this requires far more than designing a good product. There is manufacturing, logistics, fulfillment, the realities of selling through Amazon, and the constant adjustments required in an economy where policies and supply chains shift regularly. Paula manages the operational side of the company with focus and persistence.
Rob, a semi-retired visual effects artist, now brings his own creative background into the business. His experience in the visual world shows up in the brand’s photography, design, and storytelling. Where Paula drives the production and business side, Rob strengthens the visual language of the company.
The two operate as a natural partnership.
They invited me to spend a morning with them to photograph their everyday life—something I always find more interesting than staged moments.
The morning unfolded quietly.
Paula worked in the kitchen while Rob prepared coffee. There were conversations over the counter, the easy rhythm of people who have spent years building a life together. In the office, Paula moved through emails and logistics while Rob sat nearby working on the visual side of the brand.
Later, Rob stepped out to the woodworking workshop where he spends some of his downtime. The space reflects the same creative curiosity that runs through their home—tools, wood shavings, and the quiet focus of someone working with their hands.
What stood out most throughout the morning was the sense of balance. Work and life are not separated here. They are intertwined—cooking, business decisions, creative work, and shared moments happening in the same spaces.
This is what a creative household often looks like behind the scenes. Not dramatic. Not performative. Just two people continuing to build something together.
Spending time with Rob and Paula was a reminder of why I enjoy photographing people in their real environments. These everyday moments—quiet work, shared meals, hands busy with craft—tell the most honest stories.
And in this case, the story is one of creativity, partnership, and the long arc of relationships that begin in one chapter of life and continue into the next.
