Melbourne based Australian photographer Jessica Tremp shoots Weddings to pay her bills whilst also being an accomplished fine art photographer. With no formal training in photography, Jessica made an impressive journey from being a full-time dance student to photographer with many gallery representations internationally under her belt. Her work is also widely published in photography art journals. Haunting, poetic and mesmerising – with a strong artistic narration and fluid energy – Jessica’s painterly work draws you in, hungry for clues; wanting more. 

Editor’s Note: Some of the images in this post contains nudity.

1. What does making images mean to you?

It’s a way for me to explain something I can’t find the right words for.

2. What is life to you? What it should be?

Some days I get lost thinking about the suffering in some parts of the world or some people’s lives, or a feeling of impending doom of the apocalyptic type. Some days I just get lost in dirty laundry. Life to me is finding beauty in the imperfect and contentment in even the crazy moments of life. It’s trying to live simpler every year with quality over quantity at all fronts, including food, relationships, material posessions, etc. Trying to leave a small footprint environmentally and a big positive mark on someone else’s life, whether that’s a child, stranger, someone you love close to you or people struggling on the other side of the planet.

3. How does where you live influence your creativity?

Being slightly removed from the city means I can breathe just that little bit easier. I can see myself, my work, family and friendships a tiny bit more objectively without feeling completely boxed in. I’ve always been drawn to nature ever since I was a little girl and being surrounded by it, reminds me it’s still there, just breathing away by my side. It’s a wonderful companion.

4. There are a lot of professions out there – why be a photographer?

I never truly decided to make photography my profession. I photographed for the heart. Over time jobs just kept creeping in and one day I had to realize that I’d gradually built up to full time work. I work for myself, shooting weddings under the name Brown Paper Parcel in the warmer months and trying to carve time for my own fine art work when the cooler seasons roll around.

5. Are you creativity satisfied at the moment?

No, not entirely. Having two little children under school age and a full time job means I very rarely have the time or energy to create. I’m using this time to build a cache of ideas, fleshing them out on walks and drives, ready to (hopefully) turn into realities when life permits. I sometimes also find photography a tough medium. It’s so heavily oversaturated. I do a little bit of pottery on the side and working with my hands really appeals to me a lot.

6. What music are you listening to?

I love listening to my husband Michael flesh out a song he’s writing on his guitar or practising with band members in the living room the most. Otherwise, we tend to listen to older music at home Sibylle Baier for when I’m feeling romantic The Velvet Underground, The Brian Jonestown Massacre very loud on a roadtrip or after a few whiskeys much too late in the night Syd Barrett and Skip Spence when I’m feeling clever and plotting plans The Kinks on jumpy itchy vinyl with friends around Jason Molina, Big Star, Elliott Smith or Neil Young to soothe a touchy heart Billie Holiday, ol’ Blue Eyes Sinatra or Hawaiian records while I’m cooking a feast for family or friends There’s also plenty of room in my days for Jonathan Richman, Kurt Vile and Sharon Van Etten.

7. Describe your path to what you’re doing now.

I’ve always needed a creative outlet. When I was younger, this could be hours and hours locked away in my room with my pencils and fresh pads of drawing paper. I’ve studied dancing full-time, written songs, though I generally only sing in private and wish I could paint better. Photography is the single one medium that has been by my side the most consistently. It just linked arms with me one day and hasn’t let go. Through years of dabbling and no formal training, I began to grow into my style more and more. I never set out to make a living off it. That was something that gradually just occurred after I landed a few lucky shows at galleries and people asking me to shoot weddings and editorials. Now I’m incredibly lucky to call it my full time job. I make a clear separation between work and personal photography. This gives me the freedom to shoot entirely for myself when I’m working on something personally without needing or wanting to impress anyone. It does also feel different behind the lens. At a wedding, I enjoy being the fly on the wall and employing a photojournalistic approach to the way I shoot. It’s very reactive and I need to think quickly, instinctively and be swift on my toes. For my personal work, I can mull over an idea a little longer. I’d like to say both aspects of photography are always nurtured, though quite often lately with my own work it feels like time and inspiration pass each other like two ships in the night. It’s hard to have both at the same time.

8. Have you had any mentors along the way?

Not really, no. I have a few like minded friends and over the years we have helped each other develop our practises, both in business and personal work, bounced ideas off of each other and supported one another whenever we could.

9. Do you shoot with your left or right eye?

Left.

10. Where do you see yourself in 10 year’s time?

The only thing I’d truly change about where I am right now is a little bit more of a ‘life/work’ balance. I’d love to have more time on my hands to read, create, sit in a bathtub and ponder about life. Enjoy my kids. That kind of thing. Otherwise I’m really quite happy with where I’m at right now.

Bonus Q: Do you think the gear you use affects the way you photograph? Why?

I have to be honest, I’m probably one of the least gadgety people. I don’t really like talking about it much either. I think you can create really beautiful work with almost any tool. I feel like it’s asking the chef what oven he uses. I’d much rather hear about his ingredients and what he’d cook himself after a long, hard day. But I own and shoot on Canon SLR’s, prime lenses, iphone, Hasselblad, 80’s plastic film camera.

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Field Notes:

I wish I shot more analog and I would love to do more of it in the future, however as I’m a very impatient person, digital is usually what I fall back on.

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Melbourne, Australia, based photographer Lilli Waters is pragmatic about photography – self discovery, yes, but she’s also making an income to support herself – and keeping herself out of trouble! Lilli ventured into photography by chance; originally intending to be a film editor. Well known in Australia and worldwide in the fine art industry for her personal work -‘Anja’ (on women’s bodily image and money was donated towards preventing violence against women) and ‘She Raw’ (on preventing violence against women) – her photos are widely exhibited and published (so is her commissioned work for commercial & weddings – she markets her wedding work under “I got you babe”). Her practice draws inspiration from nature; there’s a rawness and openness centred around female themes, and strong narration that leaves you wanting more. Catch Lilli’s upcoming exhibition in May this year – details at the end of this post. 

Note, some of the images in this post contains nudity.

1. What do making images mean to you?

A way of expressing myself, staying sane, holding on to the beauty around me, my way of giving something back, being able to pay for my studio rent & multiple daily weak lattes, keeping me out of trouble.

2. What is life to you? What it should be?

Probably my biggest question of all. What is life? A very short time on earth between being an unborn star and returning to the sky, as an older & wiser star. In my case, a constant learning experience & a pretty huge privilege.

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3. Where did you grow up and how did that play a part in your photography?

As a baby, I grew up in the northern hills of NSW near a town called Nimbin in NSW & came to Melbourne as a small girl. Growing up with poor hippy artist parents from the bush has definitely influenced my love of being close to nature & my association with the arts.  

4. There are a lot of professions out there – why be a photographer?

I didn’t actually mean to be a photographer. I wanted to be a film editor but my film class was cancelled at Uni so I continued on studying stills, so now I’m a photographer. I work for myself, under the name of Lilli Waters (personal work), and in 2011 I started my full time wedding photography business, I Got You Babe, something I thought I would never do. I thought my calling was to be a war photojournalist, who knows, it still might be. Some of the pros of being a photographer working for yourself are the freedom, ability to work from bed in your pyjamas with my two cats & endless cups of tea and not having to leave the house if I don’t want to, having a beautiful studio space where I can come & go as I please, and being able to take winter time off to work on personal projects & take trips to Europe. The cons are, well there aren’t many, except maybe that you don’t really stop working or have an official ‘knock off’ time, ever. I don’t mind that though, I frigging love what I do.

5. Are you creativity satisfied at the moment?

When I have a project or projects on the go I’m usually overwhelmed with the amount of work I need to produce, which also means excitement, as opposed to the times in the year I am not shooting personal work and I forget that I’m a photographer. At the moment I’m very nervous and excited about a current project I’ve just started, a series for an exhibition at ‘Saint Cloche’ gallery in Sydney in May of this year. They have asked me that I create a Botanical body of work, so I’m quite excited about doing my first themed series.

6. What movie did you love recently?

I try to see a film every other week at my local cinema, this is also probably due to the fact that I am an addict of chilli choc tops & my new favourite hobby is to buy a book at the book shop which is across the road beforehand, even when I haven’t finished the last book I purchased. Two films I loved recently were ‘Youth’ with the brilliant Michael Caine, and ‘The Lobster’. They are officially my all time favourite films (well this year anyway).

7. How do you approach a body of work – what’s your creative process?

I wish I knew. I guess I have learnt to accept the natural flux of creativity, that sometimes it’s there & sometimes it’s not, and when it’s not, to let it be and not force it, and when it is, to embrace it and take full advantage. I’m a bit of a workaholic and like to finish what I’ve started, and as I also shoot weddings (www.igotyoubabe.com.au) and am preoccupied with lovers for 6 months or more of the year. So during the winter months I tend to throw myself full force into getting thoughts onto paper, or in my case, film. A week off here and there, any spare time is used to create personal work, even if I’m tired or don’t particularly feel like it, I book the shoots in anyway, then I am forced to do it, and I never regret it. If I don’t do that for myself, then I feel like I am not fulfilling my purpose.

8. Do you shoot with your left or right eye?

No idea, I’ve never thought about it. Hang on, let me check. Left.

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9. Who do you respect – in photography or elsewhere?

Too many people to name, so I’ll just call some names randomly. Bill Henson. Robin Williams. James Nachtwey. Annie Leibovitz. Cate Blanchett. David Bowie. Prince. Meryl Streep. Nick Cave. Francesca Woodman. Jim Henson. Virginia Wolf. Justin Kurzel (Australian Director of ‘Macbeth‘). Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Jane Burton. Sally Mann. My Grandmother, past Australian of the year 1972, Elaine Joyce Moir. I think they are all, very very clever & brave.

10. Where do you see yourself in 10 year’s time?

Hopefully being a bare footed mama, running around the back yard chasing some kidlets & dogs on our country block. Renovating our home. Tending to the veggie patch. Painting. Baking. Swimming in the local creek everyday. Being surrounded by gigantic gums. Playing music & taking evening bush walks with my husband. Waking up to the sound of the birds.. Most of the things that exist only in my head for the moment.

Bonus Q: Do you think the gear you use affects the way you photograph? Why?

Most definitely. I use digital for personal work mainly as I am a Photoshop addict and am constantly manipulating my images, and I find raw digital files to be more malleable than film.

Gear List:

1. Canon Mark iii x 2
2. Canon 35mm 1.4 (use for weddings)
3. Canon 50mm 1.2 (use for weddings)
4. Canon 24mm 1.4 (use for weddings)
5. Canon 80mm 1.2 (commercial work)
6. Canon 24-70mm 1.2 (commercial work, personal work)
7. Canon 17-40mm F4 (personal work)
8. Canon 70-200mm F4 (personal work)
9. Canon Speedlites x 2 (use for weddings)
10. Manfrotto Tripod (my best friend for personal work)
11. Pocket Wizards (have never used)
12. Rolleiflex 2.8mm (travel photography & occasionally personal work)
13. Pentax 67 (bought in NY for a bargain 2 years ago, havn’t used yet)
14. lenses –

• 105mm, 45mm, 165mm
• Olympus OM 35mm (travel photography)

Currently on the wish list – Sony a7rii, only need about 10k for that plus lenses?!?

(Any Sony vendors here who would like to sponsor our featured artist?)

Field Notes

For personal work I shoot a mixture of digital & medium format. I don’t use presets. For film stock I am a lover of FUJI (colour), ILFORD (BW) & Tech pan 25 (when it can rarely be found on ebay). I mostly shoot film when I’m travelling. I find it to be a good challenge to walk around a new strange city with my rolleiflex around my neck, having only one chance to get a shot or not. However, I love digital for my personal work as it is more malleable to play with in Photoshop, whereas film needs to be left alone & appreciated as it is.

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Germany based fine art photographer, Victor Hamke, shoots portraits and weddings. Self-taught, photography didn’t come to Victor through a family camera – he bought into it himself. Victor’s philosophy and his ambition is people oriented, and focussed on relationships – not just social media centred. When you look at Victor’s work, you feel his sensitivity – his storytelling vision marries surrealism with documentary – a style so unique, soulful and poetic that it completely mesmerises.

1. What do making images mean to you?

It means many things at once. But first and foremost it is a gift to be able to express myself through images – it is an own language.

I spend an enormous amount of time with photography, reflecting on what I do and extending my skills. Besides the persons I love, photography plays the most important role in my life.

2. Where did you grow up and how did that play a part in your photography?

I grew up in Western Germany. Everything went pretty normal. After school I studied Literature and Media. Photography started to play a role in the midst of my studies. At first it was just a hobby, but I became addicted pretty quickly and things developed their own dynamics. I’m not that person who already took his first photos with the camera of his dad.

3. When did you find your calling in photography?

A few years ago. Everything started with portraiture, but I soon found out that portraiture was not enough. I started to experiment with digital manipulation and spend a ton of time on learning everything I needed to create what I wished to create.

4. What is your favourite non-photography pass time?

Spending my time with my dearest, my friends and family. My life is dominated by two things: People and visual art. Of course I also listen to different kinds of music, watch movies and enjoy a thoughtful conversation. But probably most people do. 🙂

5. What movie did you love recently?

I loved “The Revenant“. That movie was really striking – wow. Pretty intense and raw. Not too much story-telling going on, but I was absolutely impressed by the atmosphere and the acting.

6. Is/Are there any project(s) you wish you could do – or might do?

There are. For the wedding portfolio I still wish to spend a greater amount of time with doing Styled Shoots. I have done it in the past, but I think it is so much fun and time well spent off-season.

7. Do you shoot with your left or right eye?

I shoot both. Also I recently questioned myself if the decision to use left or right would have an influence on my perception – because there’s that thing about one part of the brain being responsible for the emotional things and one for the logical things. I will try to find out.

8. Who do you respect – in photography or elsewhere?

I respect sensitive, kind people. The world can be a rough place and I find it so rare and precious to meet people that actually care for others. Not just social-media Likes, but real interest and empathy. Sometimes life feels very hollow with all the superficial connections to others.

9. If you were to start all over again, is there anything you would do differently? Why?

I would have started earlier with photography. But everybody has to take a different way and I’m completely satisfied with how things evolved. I need a lot of time just reflecting on what I do. The result is that I sometimes take a break from taking photographs for several weeks (excluding business things that have to be done). When I come back, I’m always a little better and thoughtful than before. The mental aspect is very important for me.

10. Where do you see yourself in 10 year’s time?

This is what I hope to see: Being someone with few regrets, who treated his precious ones well and followed his intuition. Fear plays a huge role in most people’s life. In mine as well and I hope to have gotten rid of my fears in 10 years. (Realistically I am sure though, that I’ve overcome some fears while others popped up)

Bonus Q: Do you think the gear you use affects the way you photograph? Why? 

The gear is my tool. I’m not religious about that and I think that you could even create beautiful things with an iPhone. But for a photographer it is a beautiful experience to have capable tools that make your job easier. I photograph with Fuji cameras and just with primes (mostly 35mm, 52mm and 85mm equivalents). I really enjoy the rise of mirrorless cameras and I love to use them. Small, effective and brilliant IQ. In the end it really is a matter of taste and I respect photographers no matter what they use. As an artist I may just follow my feeling, but the responsibility as a professional is also to have the right tools at hand to be able to fulfil your clients’ expectations.

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See also Victor’s work as featured in Before/ After.

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Cristina Venedict’s fine art captured our eyes – it  not only showcases her skills as a photographer, but her imagination and creativity. Her work is painterly,  poetic and romantic. Based in Botosani, Romania, Cristina’s childhood plays an important part in influencing the way she sees, and the way she creates her photographs.  Her aim with her work is to invoke emotions and self discovery. And I think she has succeeded in communicating that. 

Cristina has won many awards for her fine art work and is an exhibiting and well published photographer.

1. What do making images mean to you?

What I’ve noticed about me is that I like photographs that say something. At first I was making photographs just for stock, so I could use them to create the images I wanted, in a way to express myself through them. For 5 years I used my camera only on auto. Being surrounded by things that inspired and helped me create my own world was the only thing that interested me. But when my son was born, the camera itself started to catch my attention more and more. I wanted to let go of my imaginary world and spend more time with my camera and take wonderful shots without too much intervention afterwards. Now, the most important thing is for my photographs to make you feel something when you look at it. I think is wonderful to capture chapters of life through the camera.

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2. What is life to you? What it should be?

Life means love!

3. Where did you grow up and how did that play a part in your photography?

I grew up in a city from Romania called Botosani. It is the city I moved in after I graduated from university and the city I live in now. I had a beautiful childhood; I played a lot, I was surrounded by beautiful people and was taught by my parents to see the beauty in everything. I have a lot of beautiful memories from my childhood. My imagination and I didn’t have limits and I think this helped me a lot.

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4. There are a lot of professions out there – why be a photographer?

I never dreamed nor thought I would be a photographer. I graduated from an art school and I studied psychology at University. But all my life I was fascinated by people. I love people and I could spend hours looking at them and observing their gestures, things that only they have. I even make up my own impression about them just for the fun of it.

After I graduated from university I practiced for a while as a psychologist. During that time I was very upset because I felt I was not doing something that represents me. I felt I wasn’t true to myself. I know that during that time, all I wanted was to do something I loved. And when you want something from the bottom of your heart, the Universe will show you a way. I remember one day I was chatting online with a friend and she showed me a picture taken by her  brother. When I saw it I smiled and thought to myself that I could do better and I felt that that was  what I want to do: photography.

Then I started to create my own world and express myself through the images I created. It was like I was making for myself a universe made of dreams. It was a new wonderful feeling, I felt at peace with myself, I felt happy. With the help of my camera I went from the surreal area to the real (and real stories) one.

5. What is your favourite non-photography pass time?

To hang out with my friends, listen to music, play with Sasha, my little boy. But, still, everything gravitates around photography.

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6. What movie did you love recently?

I recently re-watched “Solaris” (1972) a movie by Andrey Tarkovsky. I even made a photograph inspired by this movie 🙂 And from the more recent ones, “The Grand Budapest Hotel” by Wes Anderson is a wonderful movie.

7. Are you working on any projects at the moment you can tell us about?

Where I live in Botosani city, there is a Community of Lipovan Russians – Christians of ancient rite. I visit their church and document their rituals. It is an ongoing project that I’m working on at the moment.

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More of Cristina’s Lipovan project can be seen on her facebook.

To maintain my passion I like to use different styles. I don’t settle down with one specific style. I have periods when I shoot only portraits, other times I love couple or family sessions and sometimes I like to escape in a world of dream and create something magical. I like this about me (that I don’t have a specific style), this makes me happy and keeps my passion for photography alive and growing. Even I don’t know what to expect from me. I want to work on projects that represent me and make me discover parts of me that are hidden. I want to surprise myself!

8. Do you shoot with your left or right eye?

With my left eye 🙂

9. Who do you respect – in photography or elsewhere?

My parents and my husband. Because they encourage me to do anything with passion and follow my dreams. I think it’s important to have passion in whatever you do; it fills those around you.

I respect passion – for everything. When you put passion in what you do, everybody can feel it.

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10. Where do you see yourself in 10 year’s time?

I hope that in 10 years I can speak about photography with the same passion I do now. I hope I’ll still be able to see around me images that fascinate me and say: It’s so wonderful that I can see this and I can share it with everybody through photographs. Magical moments!

Bonus Q: Do you think the gear you use affects the way you photograph? Why?

Yes. I mostly use digital camera. But I play a lot with the lens. I like the atmosphere of Lensbaby or Helios, the atmosphere is unique. But still the most important thing is to make photo with passion to convey some of you through it.

Cristina’s Field Notes:

My gear includes:

• Nikon D600,
• Nikon D810,
• Sigma Art 35,
• Nikon 50mm f1/4,
• Lensbaby Edge80,
• Sweet 35,
• Helios 77 50 F1/8 from Bokeh Factory,
• Nikon 20mm 1.8,
• Nikon 105mm.

I create my own presets and apply them 85% of the time. When it gets to be too many images, I will use Alien Skin.

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