We ask the tough questions
You’ve got a free half hour during your work day. What do you do?
Get out into the fresh air and take a walk around the Harbour and park - helps clear the mind!
Who is your biggest inspiration?
There are a few people who inspire me. In the photography world: Steve McCurry a portrait and documentary photographer whose photo The Afghan Girl is one of the most recognised images in the world with those haunting green eyes. And because of her determination and great personal sacrifice the Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi who continues her fight for freedom in her country Burma.
What's the biggest thing you've learnt this year?
Following through with any leads you are presented with, which in turn can open doors to exciting new projects.
What's the best bit of feedback you've ever had?
I get some lovely feedback emails from many of my photography course clients but when it is from a child it is even more rewarding.
"Thanks for today. Maddie and I had such a great time. As soon as she got home she downloaded all the photos and had a 'viewing' for the family. She was raving about the course - you were a great hit! We are going to explore the city and spend a day taking photos - you have ignited a spark!" Simone Sietsma and Maddie (age 15)
What’s the one resource you’d never be without?
My Apple Macbook Pro laptop! Work colleagues from years ago would smile at this as I was a slow starter to embrace computer technology back in the early 1990s when it became a major change in working in the design world.
What’s the cheapest, most effective bit of marketing you’ve ever done?
Created my own website using a basic off-the shelf template and then customised it within the parameters to my own design and requirements. A great way to learn about the back-end of website functionality and also SEO which I also applied to my website, and over time has resulted in consistently good Google search page rankings. It's not a whizz-bang flash website but it is simple and effective.
What would be your advice to aspiring soloists?
Do something you love yet be realistic in your goals - walk before you run!
What inspires you most about your work?
The rewarding feedback I receive and the creativity and passion I inspire in young budding photographers.
What do you love most about running your own business?
The flexibility and freedom to do and run it how I want. Meeting such a cross- section of interesting people whom I would never meet in my everyday life. To be able to buy a plane ticket and travel when I want without the restrictions of only four weeks a year! Not have to work 9-5 hours.
If your office caught fire, what would you grab first? What would you toss into the flames?
I would grab my photobooks and hard-drive with all my photos - many precious memories of all my travel adventures. I would toss into the fire my old glossy graphic design magazines which cost me a small fortune years ago so I can't quite bring myself to throw them out!
How would you describe yourself in four adjectives?
Passionate, adventurous, animated, a glass-half full person.
Can you stop at just one chocolate biscuit/savoury snack?
Not a chocolate lover but I have to eat the whole bag of Twiglets when opened! (A favourite pommie kids snack that I buy from Treats from Home store in Sydney).
And now comes the plug!
What do you do? Who for? And how does it benefit them?
As owner and key instructor for my business SignaturePhoto I teach half-day and 1-day photography courses in Sydney to beginners who have just bought their first DSLR camera and want to get off the 'auto' button as well as more intermediate photographers who want to learn how to use their DSLR camera creatively. A real mix of people attend my short photography courses: time-pressed individuals, small business owners and business employees who don't have time to commit to 3-6 week courses.
There are also half-day photography workshops for the compact point and shoot camera users - popular with both locals and tourists - as well as photo-editing Adobe Lightroom workshops. Shutterbug kids photography workshops run during the school holidays for kids ages 7-12 - amazing how creative some of these kids are with their cameras!
And where can we find out more?
- Flying Solo Directory: signaturephoto.flyingsolo.com.au
- My website: www.signaturephoto.com.au
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/SignaturephotoPhotographyCourses
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