When I tell people photography is my calling, they often expect a story of childhood passion for cameras. But for me, it wasn’t so clear-cut. The call was always there; it just took time to recognize. Eventually, I realized my passion was about using photography to inspire women to celebrate their authentic selves.
My family’s roots weren’t in photography but in clothing retail. My grandfather was a tailor, and my parents ran a chain of shops, where I was immersed in the business from an early age. From tidying rails at age eight to serving customers at twelve, I absorbed lessons in composition, color, lighting, and connection—lessons that would later influence my photography. My father, a window dresser, taught me the importance of lighting and the transformative power of presentation, knowledge that’s now second nature when I approach a photo shoot.
A young Dad window dressing for Cecil Gee in the 70’s
Despite this rich foundation, after leaving school, I resisted the family business. I tried my hand at cooking and spent time working in kitchens before ultimately returning to the shops. By my forties, I ventured into software testing, a field that gave me mental stimulation but never sparked true passion.
Me on the shop floor at 13 years old
‘Paint the flying sprit of the bird rather than its feathers.’
…Robert Henri
A friend’s comment nudged me toward photography. I enrolled in classes, studied lighting, and spent two years learning my craft. I photographed friends and family, drawing on everything I’d learned from the shop floor—composition, color, and attention to detail. As I refined my style, I realized my true focus was on photographing women’s faces. It wasn’t just about headshots; women came to me for more profound reasons. They wanted to reconnect with themselves, and photography became a transformative process, not just a service.
I started to see my work as something more than capturing images. It became about trust, connection, and empowering women to rediscover their authenticity. Photography wasn’t just my profession; it was my calling, a natural extension of the connections I’d been making with women since my days on the shop floor.
‘I would love to live like a river flows, carried by the surprise of its own unfolding.’
…John O’Donohue
Once I established how best to approach my work, the process has remained largely unchanged for a few years. There are fundamentally three things that must align for someone wanting to be photographed by me: they need to appreciate my style, have a personal reason for doing it, and feel it’s the right time and place for them.
Many express unease or apprehension about being photographed, often stating they’ve never enjoyed it. Common reasons include feeling unphotogenic or needing to meet certain standards. However, to commit to this experience, they only need one good reason.
Some women see photography as part of their healing process during grief or significant life changes. For others, it’s a way to mark a personal achievement or to express a desire for connection.
I explain that the session will involve hard work, though it’s fun and filled with laughter. Women appreciate the challenge, knowing that meaningful collaboration requires effort. The sessions are lengthy because authenticity can’t be rushed; it takes time to warm up and get into the flow. Clients often say the day flies by, despite its length.
Me prepping for a shoot
Unlike a glamorous model shoot that delivers a fantasy, my sessions focus on sincerity. We explore inner truths and allow different aspects of a woman’s identity to emerge. I guide the process while encouraging you to express your own ideas. The day unfolds with its own momentum—emotional, exciting, and soulful.
Feedback reveals that while the sessions require short bursts of focused work while holding poses, they are transformative. Clients often feel a significant shift, discovering playful or hidden aspects of themselves. Many leave feeling empowered, often expressing relief at finding a side of themselves they thought was lost.
‘Here, where you are, there’s room between your heartbeats, as if everything you have ever been begins, inside, to sing.’
… Lorna Crozier
Me with my beautiful clients after an exhilarating photoshoot
When I reflect on my journey, I see how my past experiences in retail, catering, and IT prepared me for this. Though they seem unrelated, they pointed me toward photography. I could have been a photographer earlier in life, but the depth and maturity I have now come from my journey. The calling was always there; I just needed to be ready to connect women to something meaningful.
…Joanne