My Journey with Photography: How My Sister Helped Me Grow

This blog post is a real blast from the past, take a little sneak peek into my journey to where I am today!

When I first started out as a photographer many moons ago, I had no idea what I was doing. Like anyone learning something new I had to figure it all out myself, everything was a case of trial and error. All I knew was that I wanted to capture beautiful moments and create lasting memories for people. But like any skill, photography takes time and practice to master. And I didn’t want to go out into the world and try and work with clients with no experience, that’s crazy. So I did the only thing I could think of as an older sister; I made my little sister help me and I repaid her with snacks. You might see her cheeky little face all through my portfolio, upon her request I have kept many of her photos up on my website, she’s very proud of them!

This is how it all started!

As my first model, my sister was patient and kind (well as patient as a little kid can be) as I fumbled with my camera settings and tried to figure out how to capture the perfect shot. Looking back at those early photos, I can see just how far I've come since then. But it wasn't just my technical skills that improved - it was also my ability to connect with my subject and bring out their unique personality and style. When I started working with my sister I realised just how hard it is to model and to instruct people who don’t know what they are doing at all! Almost all of us are like that on the other end of the camera (myself included). My sister was only a little girl with a very short attention span, so I need to learn patience and how to be very clear with my instructions and that is when I really began to see my growth as a photographer. As we worked together on many many shoots she became such an amazing model, she could capture any emotion and style!

This is how we grew together!

Over time, my sister became more than just a model to me. Despite our large age difference, she became a partner in my journey as a photographer, offering her insights and feedback on my work and helping me to refine my craft. Along the way she too had also developed an eye for detail and a creative vision, she even started to want to be a photographer too even if it was just to hang out with her super cool older sister.

Here’s a fun little shoot she planned out all by herself. She instructed me to model for her in front of our kitchen fridge, future artist if you ask me!

My sister also taught me a lot about how to handle anything kids can throw at me during photoshoots. I quickly learned that it takes a special kind of patience and energy to capture great photos of little ones. With my sister, I learned how to keep the atmosphere light and fun, how to capture candid moments, and how to make the photo shoot feel like a playdate rather than a chore. By taking what I learned with my sister and applying it to my work with kids and families, I was able to create a comfortable and fun environment that allowed for beautiful moments to happen naturally. Working with young kids and families has become a specialty of mine as a result.

But my journey with photography is far from over. There is always more to learn and new challenges to overcome, as I continue to grow and improve as a photographer. Even though she doesn’t model for me anymore, I know that my sister will be there by my side, cheering me on. And as I look back at the photos we've taken together over the years, I'm filled with a sense of pride and gratitude for how far we've both come.

If you're just starting out with photography, I encourage you to find someone like my sister - someone who believes in you, is willing to support you on your journey and is willing to be patient as you photograph them over and over and over again.

If you're interested in working with me to capture your own special moments, please don't hesitate to reach out. Let's create something beautiful together.