Boundaries

What pieces or projects have you been working on lately?
Currently working in house for a Brisbane based fashion brand called Petal and Pup, but also always working on my own tests where I love to lean into my bread and butter of shooting women on film, outside preferably. I find their curves and femininity easiest to capture and achieve this flow state of creativity. I’ve only recently returned to Queensland, my home state (well it’s been a year but after living in London it’s taken some time to adjust), and I’m working to build a more northern rivers inspired portfolio over the next few months.

What did you learn (or unlearn) while working on them?
I’m learning as I go with building my portfolio up again, that my preferred approach to this "job" is to meander. The less I rush, the more creativity and inspiration tends to arrive without me even calling for it.

This is new for me, when I first began exploring photography I’d feel this intense pressure to know it all and arrive at the destination of success as soon as possible. But now, I’m enjoying where I’m at, I feel I’ve got time to build to where I want to be, and I no longer feel like I’m missing out.

What words, ideas, or emotions were running through your head?
Whilst I’m planning these shoots and executing them, I’d say a feeling of peace. It’s always been the goal: to find creative work that my nervous system feels calm with, and that’s not always possible with shooting when there are KPI’s to hit. So when it’s my personal work I make a conscious decision to prioritise peace, peace in the planning, during the shoot, and in post too. Ultimately that’s what I want my work to convey.

Were there any conversations, movies, music, or books that made their way into that work?
I’d say I’m most consistently inspired by the music I’m listening to. I grew up dancing, and that doesn’t leave you quickly, so music seems to be a steady source of fuel. Right now it’s anything acoustic folk; it tends to exist symbiotically with the locations I feel drawn to shooting in — by the ocean, amongst the trees. It’s all very cliché, but oh well. I’m caring less about that now (trying to).

What's been the most difficult thing you've faced recently in your creative process?
There are times where I feel this hesitation between the idea and planning, and then actually executing it. It’s not that I don’t want to, because I always love how I feel once I’m shooting and the rewarding feeling of receiving film back and entering the post-production phase. It’s more that I think I still hesitate — maybe a bit of imposter syndrome creeping in — and those doubts of "will this work?" start to affect how my body feels pre-shoot. But once I step into the role of photographer, there’s no room for that doubt, for me anyway. It’s complete focus and almost like I’m playing a character.

What is your favorite restaurant and what do you recommend we order?
Food is my top love language, so this question excites me so much. I will go to my grave vowing that Ikaria in Bondi is the best restaurant. It also happens to be my favourite and is owned by one of my favourite photographers who I still get to assist to this day, Emily Abay. If you do visit, you’ll need to order the taramasalata with pita bread, don’t miss the saganaki, the lamb shoulder (my first meat back after being vegetarian for years, oops), and don’t forget to try all their cocktails because you simply cannot go wrong.

If your life were a movie this month, what would it be called and who would write the soundtrack?
It would be called Boundaries, and the soundtrack would have to be a mix of Dire Straits and the album Earthstar Mountain by Hannah Cohen.

Recommend one or more artists you follow who inspire you, and tell us what you like most about their work or their way of working.
Emily Abay: her work and the way she captures women has been a huge inspiration for finding my why.

Brigette Clark: all the film hues and Grecian beaches any creative could dream of in one account.

Lumi Haus: I’ve followed Lolita for years on YouTube, and seeing her create this and begin shooting for herself while living in Paris has got me thinking: when can I get over there too? Her work is sun-drenched and Euro-inspired, and I love it.

Uncyphill: I’m very tempted to venture into motion one day, because with my dance background movement feels like an exciting space, and seeing what Dylan captures always gets me excited for this.