Photography sort of chose me.
I discovered that I’m really good at helping people feel comfortable and natural in front of the camera, even when they don’t FEEL it. To coax out the best in someone and capture that authentic moment is truly the gift that keeps on giving. That’s when I know we’re cooking with gas.
I’ve always loved working with natural light, and I’m no stranger to doing whatever it takes to get “the shot” (*see: climbing trees, wading through pools, lying next to cow pats, etc). The thing is, there’s no right or wrong. Smile, laugh, be a big goof, interact. Stay in the moment. It’s where the magic happens.
Even though I make my shoots easy and fun, they’re also primarily productive and valuable. I plan and prep each project to ensure my clients look, feel, and take home the goods they came for. The finished products speak for themselves.
The above photo launched my whole 14 year career. An iceberg near Bandits Hut, Davis Station, Antarctica, at sunset. That afternoon is burnt into my memory as one of the most extraordinary I have ever and will ever experience.
I was living and working as a meteorologist in the ice and snow. I’d come “home” to thaw out (my body and that night’s cooking oil) when I was stopped in my tracks by the view from my camp window. I immediately re clothed myself in my twelve layers of clothing, and got out my camera. The dinner could wait. The sunset could not.
The photo was printed on the cover of Australian Antarctic Magazine. It was then picked up by the Australian Geographic and even included in two books about Antarctica. This snowballed (yep) into more photos for a Harper Collins book, and, hey presto – we were off! I was suddenly a real photographer, and yep, it did snowball (not sorry) from there.
I learned that photography is all about moments. The moments you can never get back but desperately wish you could revisit. The special times. The relationships. The stories. Because I’d experienced this first-hand. That isn’t limited to the birthday parties, or the engagement parties. It’s your business, your milestones, the moments big and small, the things you have worked so hard to achieve. It is celebrating the THINGS WE MAKE HAPPEN, in life and in business. Because we did THAT, we MADE THAT! And documenting that for me is my passion.
My dad passed away when I was 24. We were best mates. I can count on two hands the photos I have of us together. And I always wished I’d just taken THAT photo – that captured everything. The few snaps I do have are so precious to me, and that is the feeling that drives me as a photographer.
If that resonates with you, I think we can create something remarkable together. Or at least, maybe, bask in our amazing stories together while making some new ones. x Jen
