Photoshoot + Interview: 'Mystic Country' by Albalone
Do you ever feel like you need to change your surroundings completely to give yourself that push as a creative?
With a background in landscape and fashion photography, Alba’s creative wanderings took her all the way from freelancing in France to “the middle of nowhere” in Sutherland station in Queensland. She soon met charismatic Danish tractor driver Joan and, seeing potential in her, they took a break for an impromptu photo shoot – the stunning results are below.
Not even the perils of Australian nature could hold them back from capturing some spectacular slices of nature and her carefree, radiant model amongst it.
Alba’s shoot makes it obvious that sometimes we Aussies forget how much beauty our savage outback holds, and it takes a new pair of eyes to capture it.
You'll also find an inspiring interview with the talented photographer. Enjoy!
Q: Asking as an Australian who'd love to live in France - why the move to Australia? What is it about Australia that inspires you as a creative?
A: My first dream was to be a real estate agent and find the perfect house to make my clients happy. I got my degree and had a full time job after my studies. I didn't like it so I decided to come to Australia in search of a new life. At the same time, I had my own photography business and companies asking me to work for them in France. So I worked as a photographer and a few casual jobs until I saved enough money to come to Australia.By the end of August 2015 I quit my job, stopped my photography business and sold all my possessions to finance my new adventure.
I've been in Australia for 11 months now. I came to Melbourne in time for my first Aussie Christmas l and found it really dynamic, multicultural and really artistic. All my best advisors told me that it would be best to start my photography business here in Melbourne. So I chose this city for my new life. I've met amazing people here and I don't regret anything, it’s a beautiful city!! (It's a bit cold though!)
Q: How do you usually go about planning your shoots? Do you like working spontaneously, as with this shoot?
A: For my photoshoots I first like to start with an idea, a feeling or a resource that I have around me. For this story, I had been out in the middle of the outback for 88 days. I was doing farm work to qualify for my second year visa in Australia. I was working on a station as a housekeeper where I met Joan, a Danish girl. She was driving the tractors on the station. We became really close and I proposed that we do a photoshoot.
Joan and I explored the farm for inspiration with the 4x4 buggy. We had only the clothes from our backpacks to work with. So with what we had I prepared a quick mood board from Pinterest and download the pictures to my phone to stay inspired (Somehow I managed to make it work with a really poor Telstra connection).
We found clothes on an old dressing and mixed it up why our stuff. We ended up doing some topless shots as we didn't have many clothes and it was 7 hours away from any shop!
I really love to work spontaneously but more and more I have to prepare my shoots because I work for clients and with other professionals. It's important going into a shoot to know that I am going to satisfy the clients requirements.
Q: As a portrait photographer as well as a fashion photographer, do you prefer working with professional models, or people you know?
A: I usually prepare a mood board, find a good location; it is really important that the team be comfortable.
I work with HMUA, stylists, model(s) and assistants, so projects have to be precisely planned. This usually means a lot of paper work; mood boards, call sheets, model contract release, etc... I like it but it means I can't do as many shoots as I was doing when I was just doing portrait photography. I find it's a good thing; less quantity and more quality!
The more reliable you are, the more the rest of the team will be reliable. It's important that the team trusts you, that you will bring the results they are hoping for.
Q: What are you working on next?
A: My next plan? I want to keep pushing myself until I am able to work totally international. I will keep traveling and changing countries every year or two, taking my fashion photography business with me. I want to build creative and fashion networks in as many countries as I can.
I have one more year left on my Australian visa then I'll be off to Capetown, South Africa for 2018. I want to keep a foot in the door of every country I go and keep working with my clients all around the world.
The good thing I learnt since I left France is to follow your dreams. It's gonna be hard but it's the only thing which will make you truly happy.
For more of Alba’s work – and her fascinating blog detailing her creative adventures – visit her online or follow her on Facebook and Instagram at @albalonephotography..Cecile Blackmore is a writer from Brisbane, Australia. She writes and edits at The Creative Issue and hoards vintage clothing – follow her adventures on Instagram at @saintcecile.