It's been my dream since my teens but it wasn't until after my marriage breakdown in my 30's and when I moved to Melbourne to start a new life that I took the enormous leap of becoming a professional photographer.

And when I say enormous, I mean I was leaping over one hell of a gigantic canyon.  You see, I had never worked in the creative industry before let alone tried to run a business.  My education and experience was in science and public health policy - yes truely - the two couldn't have been further apart!

But I had a passion I couldn't let go...

I wish I could say it was the smoothest of rides to get here.  When I finally did take the leap, I dived right in without much strategy or direction - I was doing it all because I was good at it all... weddings, portraiture, lifestyle, architecture, products and food, events... you name it I could shoot it.  And the praise and validation I got from my clients and industry peers about my work reinforced I was doing all the right things.

I convinced myself a paying client (any client) was winning in business! That was living the dream wasn't it?

So there I was the 'chameleon photographer', willing to be any type of photographer my client needed.  Don't get me wrong, I love having the skills to be so adaptable to create the imagery my clients need, but when it came to the business side, I was full of doubt and uncertainty, not really knowing how to show up to attract the work I really wanted.

I took a step back and really thought about the type of service I wanted to provide.  Yes, the SERVICE, not just the images I wanted to create, but the problems I wanted to help others solve and what I wanted to help them achieve...and most of all, who it was I wanted to help.

Answering these questions was a TOTAL GAME CHANGER for me.

I realised building my own dream business was not at odds with helping others to achieve theirs.  What a revelation!

Then there was another revelation - or maybe a little surge of panic for this introvert at heart!

I realised I couldn't hide behind my camera any more. I actually had to show up for my business, breathe new life into my personal brand and invite people into my world.  Truth is, even as a photographer I'm not immune to feeling apprehensive in front of the camera and putting myself out there online... JUST LIKE MANY OF MY CLIENTS, I totally get it.

But I had to get real and break up with those insecurities because my need to have the business I wanted outweighed any of those icky feelings.  In fact, images on this page are from that very first branding shoot I did of myself and with all the prep work (hair, makeup, styling) I remember feeling like the best version of myself.  I'm really proud to use all the images from that collection because it represents such a turning point in my business.  

And I want my clients to be immersed in those type of feelings too!