How it all began for me...
I can never remember a time when there wasn't a camera in our house. My Dad was a photographer as well as a business owner and we always had tons of albums at home filled to the brim with family photos. We would spend hours looking through slides Dad had taken of his travels. And there were always family photos in frames around the house.
I remember going on holiday as a young child and being able to take photos of where we went and who we were with. I can't remember exactly how young I was when I got my first camera but it's safe to say I was probably about 10 years old. I was the biggest happy snapper! I would take photos of EVERYTHING!! Clearly I wasn't the one paying for all those prints! :) I started out with a cheap disposable film camera and then moved up to a slightly better 35mm film camera. I remember the anticipation of taking in my roll of film and having to wait until they were ready and the excitement of looking through them all the first time. And then laughing hysterically at all the inevitable rubbish ones!
My first proper digital camera was a red Nikon Coolpix which I thought was the greatest thing ever. I could be the biggest happy snapper and no one had to pay! I shot everything on auto and never really thought about what I was doing as long as the picture was in focus I thought it was a fabulous success.
Always having loved taking photos I'm not sure why I never thought about it as a potential career. So, instead I went to university and studied Sport Science then did honours in Biokinetics. Later I studied teaching and started work as a primary school teacher. It was about this time, around 2010 that I started to become more interested in photography.
But, the real turning point for me was when my friend Eva, and I, travelled to Australia and Fiji for a friend’s wedding. I knew I wanted to take good photos to remember it all, so Dad lent me his Nikon D3000, two lenses and off I went. I shot the whole holiday on auto while trying to be creative about it. I loved every minute of it! The moment I clicked that shutter and saw a good photo was so satisfying. By the time I got home I was hooked and wanted to learn all there was to know about photography. I saved up and bought a Nikon D5000 that came with two kit lenses, I joined a camera club with Dad, which taught me so much, learnt from Dad, and signed up to do a Photography Diploma with The Photography Institute. It was at this point that I first considered the possibility of a career in photography. However, I was new to teaching at the time and then left to go teach in Abu Dhabi and so the idea was put on the back burner. But it was always in my heart and working in Abu Dhabi allowed me to buy a new camera (Nikon D610) and my first prime lens (50mm 1,4) which, needless to say, blew my mind!! This was when I decided that photography was wanted to do with my life.
It has taken a few years and a move to Australia to get to where I am today building up this photography business of mine but I know that the journey has been so worthwhile. And I can't wait to see what the future holds. I have continued to learn and grow so much since I started and every time I pick up my camera my heart lifts. My Mom once told me when I came home from a photo shoot that she could see the excitement on my face. There is no better feeling than being able to capture people as they are today for generations to come.
xoxo
Jean
