My father had a collection of old cameras for as long as I can remember and always enjoyed photography as a hobby. I was lucky enough to travel quite extensively when l was young together with my family. My first memory of bringing my own camera was to South Africa. I tried so hard to capture the elephants and giraffes on safari…Without a great deal of success!
Ever since then, a camera has been by my side. Growing up I knew exactly what I wanted to be, a photographer. There was simply nothing else that interested me. I went on to the Photography Studies College in Melbourne and drew my focus towards food and nature.
Even though I completed this study, I look to obtain knowledge constantly from all different mediums: watching YouTube videos before going on astro shoots, enrolling in online tutorials to enhance my processing skills, etc. But most importantly, I reach out to other photographers for questions like “how would you do that?” “What gear are you using?” Among photographers, there is a lovely culture of sharing; supportive photographers on instagram who often will let you know their camera settings for a shot, a processing technique or a plug-in program to try.
I recently travelled to Lofoten for a photoshoot where l engaged Cody Duncan as my guide. He guided me incredibly well through the area and to the best shoot locations, and his support as a photographer was great. I found it quite extraordinary to travel from Australia to the Arctic Circle in search of epic landscapes. Besides the extraordinary geography of the Lofoten Islands, Norwegians are incredibly kind and I was fascinated with the arctic seasons, the midnight sun and snow tires for 9 months of the year! The fishing villages and Cod drying racks everywhere…
Anyway, shooting around 7 locations a day/night was highly successful purely because of Cody’s knowledge of the environment as well as being able to suggest compositions when I was getting lost in the vast landscapes. Pushing myself physically and mentally in this environment to get the shots was a massive accomplishment. The sheer exhilaration of reaching the mountain tops, catching the light and capturing the moment has inspired me to continue with this, it was one of the greatest learning experiences I have had for both my photography skills and myself personally. I can’t sit back and miss out on the adventures. I am a strong, capable, talented, independent woman. I have become the person I always wanted to be.
Earlier this year a friend of mine, a brilliant and inspiring landscape photographer, sent me a YouTube video of a photographer hiking through the night battling through the obstacles all for that elusive sunrise shot. And he said to me, “I don’t know if you realise just how hard landscape photography is Kate…it’s not for everyone” (probably hinting that I should stick to food photography). But you know what, it had the opposite effect. I said to myself, “I can do that”. From then on I got stronger and fitter, bought a headlamp and started seeking out locations to shoot. My instagram feed is full of amazing rugged bearded male photographers shooting remote landscapes, and beautiful colourful food photography photographed predominantly by women.
Photography has made me realise an inner strength and determination that had been pushed down/ stifled for awhile, and now it’s back with vengeance! I’ve learnt to never underestimate how dramatically life can change in an instant, so I want to enjoy every experience to the fullest and keep it with me. This is the beauty of photography, the moment has been captured and therefore cannot be lost or forgotten. Someone said to me the other day, “when I see your photographs I get taken out of the everyday, into another world”. I suppose that this is the aim of sharing my work; to excite, to evoke, to include a viewer in my captured moment so they get to enjoy the experience too.
Life is all about searching for experiences, and about doing it today rather than in five years. I’m planning on spending this upcoming Australian summer close to home, building my astro skills and exploring our rugged coastline. Come June I’ll be in New Zealand being guided by the incredible William Patino followed by a trip to Asia.
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