ABOUT ME
I’m an amateur photographer from Melbourne, Australia.
As someone who loves the outdoors and exploring the natural world around me, you’ll find me at my happiest and in my element when I’m capturing landscapes and wildlife. Whether I’m welcoming my days with sunrises up in the mountains or saying ‘farewell’ with sunsets by the seaside or observing native wildlife go about their daily routines, there’s nothing else that brings me more peace and solace than being immersed in nature - and it's always a bonus if I have a camera in my hand. This therapeutic aspect was what drew me into photography a few years ago; it has sustained my passion and the creative outlet it offers has allowed me to continue to develop my skills and artistic preferences.
My photography journey started during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. I’d tragically lost my beloved Golden Retriever, Scout, and as is often the case when we lose a loved one, the pain of losing her finally gave me pause to re-evaluate. The penny had finally dropped for me. I realised a lot of things about the limited time we have, and the importance of spending that time with those we love and doing meaningful things that bring us joy. I realised that I really needed an escape from the monotony of the daily grind, and the incredibly long hours that came with working from home and never really being ‘offline’.
As much as I’d like to say that there was a particular inspirational moment that led me to discovering photography during that time, unfortunately there wasn’t. It came to me more so out of pure curiosity. Although I’d always enjoyed expressing myself creatively through drawings and paintings, I’d never explored it through the lens of a camera (other than whipping out my smartphone to take random happy snaps of daily life). But since picking up a camera (and pressing that shutter release button with some purpose), I just cannot believe that I hadn’t done it much earlier!
Having a camera in my hands (or on my tripod or in my mind) has been wonderfully therapeutic, and I’m subconsciously triggered to view the world around me from a different perspective. It has opened up my eyes and helped me to really ‘see’ my world and appreciate all the beauty that surrounds us, oftentimes in places that I wouldn’t have otherwise give a second thought to. I’ve also loved the path of creative self-discovery that photography has led me on – discovering my creative preferences and limitations, and appreciating the creative vision of others.
While finding time continues to be a constant challenge, when I’m out in the field, I tend to lose all track of time – I’m lost in my own world and very little else matters for a while. I love continuing to see my world from different perspectives, and having opportunities to capture those special moments that really speak to me personally and artistically.
Hopefully, by sharing my photos and my photography journey, including my learnings, experiences, and stories behind the photos, it will help you to find or cement your own reasons for getting out into nature and experiencing your own special moments…and it’s always a bonus with a camera in your hand!
My photography journey so far
Life away from photography
I live in Melbourne with my husband Cris, and our sweet 12 year-old Golden Retriever, Ollie. Ollie survives his sister Scout, our dearly beloved Goldie who we tragically lost in 2021, when she was the same age. Cris and I are huge dog (and animal) lovers and a big part of our life revolves around our fur baby. In his younger days, Ollie (and Scout) would often join us in our outdoor activities. These days, he'd struggle to keep up with us on our adventures, which largely involves camping, hiking and of course, photography!
Professionally, I’m a practising lawyer and have been specialising in tax and revenue law for almost 14 years. It’s probably fair to say that my academic upbringing and training to think critically and technically analyse words is a world away from the creative and visual skills needed to be a good photographer! But perhaps that is also a reason why I've found photography to be so liberating and therapeutic. Lost in my own world and losing track of time when I’m out in the field or editing in post has definitely given me much reprieve from the stresses of my high-pressure corporate career.
Photography continues to give me the escape I need for my sanity and general mental health. It has also raised my awareness, more so than ever before, of the fragile state of the environment and the pressing need to play an active role in environmental and wildlife protection and conservation. In my spare time, these issues interest me. I also do treasure my “me” time, and enjoy unwinding with good food and wine, and just learning new things - probably spending an unhealthy amount of time on YouTube!