When did you begin taking photographs and how did it lead to your current practice?
Hilariously, I started taking photos in Highschool to document my stencil art graffiti (to this day, Banksy complimenting one of my pieces is still a lifetime highlight!). My granny gave me my first digital camera soon after, and I took it on a gap year adventure where I started to get a feel for how to frame up a half decent shot. I’d enrolled in a fine arts degree majoring in photomedia, and it immediately became apparent I knew the least in the class about photography and struggled to keep up with confusing shutter-speeds and aperture numbers. Later when I took an elective studio lighting class, I was on an even playing field where we all started fresh. Something just clicked in there (apart from the cameras lol) and I just loved it.
I could create exactly what I wanted to in the studio and that joy has followed me through my entire career. After Uni I started taking any photo related job I could find. I shot events, kaftans, airbnbs, ecomm mannequins, a handful of weddings and many editorials. When I look back though, it was always meant to be beauty. I’d creep in towards my subjects face on fashion shoots or at events. I’ve been shooting for the beauty realm exclusively for many years now, and I still adore it!
Are there any photographers whose work you admire?
YES! So many! When it comes to models I love keeping tabs on: Emilynn Rose, Lara Callaghan, Kat Borchart, Lara Jade, Hanna Hillier and Elizaveta Porodina. My favourites for Still Life beauty include: Cindy Clauds, Mandy Stroller, Suzanne Saroff, Laura Lecat and Smear Crush.
Where do you find inspiration as a photographer?
I must have about a million folders on Pinterest, Instagram and my laptop.. anything that’s interesting or catches my eye gets saved and incubated. I like to collect things that aren’t obviously photography related too – some things I saved recently include an petrol slick, Jupiter’s moon, frozen ice bubbles in Abraham Lake, and Hallucinogenic Honey hunters in Nepal. I think it’s important to seek inspiration outside screens too – looking through physical books, going to a gallery or just simply taking an adventure through the world. I definitely “see” the light wherever I go, I was admiring some beautiful light filtering into the windows of my local supermarket the other day.
Colour is a major source of inspiration for me, it’s kind of the glue that runs through all of my work. You’ll never catch me shooting dark and moody images, it’s just not me! I never find I have a lack of inspiration, if anything it’s the other way around, there is too much in my mind that I want to create!
Tell us about your gear!
I’ve been a Canon girlie for many many years now, and primarily shoot on my R5. It’s beautiful and I love it! I shoot almost everything on my 100mm macro, or my 24-70mm RF. I still have the 85mm 1.2 lens that I got a million years ago, she’s clunky and heavy but oh so wonderful. I would say I’m very much a studio photographer, I like to be able to layer in light exactly how I want it, none of this unpredictable ambient stuff! I have 5 Godox flash heads, and that covers me for almost any setup I can dream up, and I feel extremely comfortable creating images with flash. Recently I’ve been playing with Hobolite constant lights, and it’s been really exciting creating the same kind of crisp, high-key look I love, with constant lights.
What’s it like being a woman in the photography industry?
I have a unique little wedge in the industry given I primarily shoot beauty, so I’m often working with all-women teams, which means I rarely experience any of the sexism I think some of my peers have had to deal with. Honestly it’s great! I love what I do and I’m grateful to have carved out a little patch for myself, and am proud that my sets are always welcoming, inclusive, safe spaces. If anyone jeopardises those good vibes, they’re out, and I will never work with them again.
I can see that the industry has changed a lot in the 10 or so years I’ve been shooting, it’s become a much more equal distribution, especially in the higher-end commercial spaces, which I think is great. I would love to see the film world catch up, it’s rare that I get to work with female cinematographers/ DOPs, I am looking forward to seeing that dramatically shift next!
What was the best piece of advice you were given starting out?
I think it’s best contained in that Ira Glass quote, about how you may have great taste and a strong vision for what you want to do at the beginning, but your technical skills are going to take a good chunk of time to catch up. So you need to get over sucking! And really just create, create, create, do your 10,000 hours, learn from and enjoy every mistake, as each shoot is going to close the gap between what you dream of making, and the final product. I still suck at new things! I can see heaps of flaws in the video work I’ve been experimenting with lately… but it’s all so helpful! I know what I’m going to do to make the next ones even better, and the project after that will be better again! On that note, I’d say always make work for yourself, no matter how big you get, personal projects are so important.
How has your work evolved over the years?
Oh it’s so cringe looking back on old work haha. Especially the really old stuff! I have a Facebook memory pop up each year of this god-awful fashion shoot I did when I first started using studio lights. I thought it was incredible at the time, and truly it is NOT. But it always makes me feel warm and fuzzy appreciating how far I have come, and it’s nice to reflect on it, knowing how I would approach it differently now. Looking back at more recent photos, I can see that I’ve really locked down my own unique style now, and work from 3 years ago sits just as comfortably next to last week’s work. I am really happy with that. I’m a massive lighting nerd and I have sponged up so much info along the journey so far, and I genuinely can’t wait to learn more and see where I will be in another 10 or 20 years.
What advice do you have for women who would like to be in the photography industry?
That viral tiktok sound comes to mind right now “How hard can it be? Boys do it…”
Don’t be afraid, jump straight in, it’s the best job in the world and even though it can be hectic and intense, if you love what you do, it never really feels like work. Learn to be assertive, know your worth, and schedule in downtime. You’re going to become a strong little pack horse, moving heavy equipment to and from locations, people will underestimate how strong you are! Create work that makes YOU happy, not what you think will make other people happy. Believe in yourself, keep moving forward even when the sh*t hits the fan. In all honesty, it’s going to take a while to really make this career work, but it’s all absolutely worth it in the end.
How would you describe the creative process behind your work?
My brain is bubbling with ideas 24/7. I’ll pick my inspiration, and then gather whatever I think I need to pull it off – whether it’s with a team of talent and full set design, or just a simple product and a new lighting style I want to try. I keep a book of diagrams of past lighting setups, which is great to use as a launch point. Then it’s playtime! Honestly I just shoot, look, adjust, refine and repeat until I’m happy! I’ll check it against my references and figure out if I can improve anything to align it better. It’s very much a flow state kind of activity for me – time just disappears when I’m shooting, it’s magic and it’s so much fun.
What are your upcoming projects?
I’ve got an exciting beauty campaign coming up for an Australian skincare brand, as well as a still life project for a well known foundation brand, which I am looking forward to because I get to make a big mess with the products haha. I shoot for Bras N Things every month which is always a good time, and I’ve got some editorial projects booked in too. One is based around an iridescent theme which I’m super excited about. If I have any leftover time, I’ll grab something out of the beauty PR pile I have set aside, and shoot something experimental and explore a new technique. I’ve got some big goals in mind for 2024, so I am ticking those off as quickly as I can. I’m manifesting a Times Square billboard next!
Thanks Lucy!
