And how they’re different from my usual brand photo sessions

Why My Artist Sessions are Shot Entirely on Film (And Why Your Studio Deserves Better Than iPhone Snaps)

I’ve been taking photographs for most of my life, have had my photography business since 2018, but in 2020 I felt the pull back to where my love of photography started: shooting film in early high school. These days, I find myself reaching for my film cameras more often, I’m drawn to the way they capture texture and light. There’s something about film that feels more honest, more real than the crisp perfection of digital.

Maybe it’s because I love to make art myself. I’m a creative dabbler: I knit, I paint, I play instruments. I know what it feels like to create something with your hands, to work with materials that have their own personality. Film has personality too – it’s unpredictable, textural, beautifully imperfect.

And that’s exactly what I want to capture when I photograph artists.

The Problem with Perfect Photography (And the Social Media Struggle)

Here’s the thing about most brand photography: it’s trying too hard. Everything’s polished, posed, perfect. The studio looks like a showroom, the artist looks like they’ve never gotten paint under their fingernails, and the whole thing feels… well, fake.

But art isn’t perfect. Creating is messy. Your studio has character – coffee rings on surfaces, paint splatters on the floor, works-in-progress leaning against walls. That’s not mess to be hidden; that’s the story of your practice.

AI-generated imagery gives me MAJOR ick. It’s the uncanny valley complex – humanoid, but not human. I think collectors are also a bit over seeing an artwork on an AI-generated, perfectly styled wall – because no one’s home actually looks like that, right?

And then there’s the social media dilemma. You know you need to post regularly to build your audience, but every time you stop to take a photo, you’re pulled out of your flow state. You’re juggling kids, part-time studio hours, and the pressure to document everything you do. By the time you get your phone out, set it up, and take the shot, you’ve lost that precious creative momentum.

I see this with so many of my artist clients – mothers who’ve carved out precious studio time between school runs and bedtime stories. They know they should be posting behind-the-scenes content, but they’d rather spend their limited hours actually making art, not photographing themselves making art.

I’ve been thinking about contemporary artists – the ones creating abstract landscapes, experimental textures, work that doesn’t fit neatly into categories. Their art is unique, so why should their photos look like everyone else’s?

Enter: Artist Studio Sessions

I’m doing something different this year. Something I’m calling Artist Studio Sessions – intimate, film-only sessions for artists who want their photos to feel as authentic as their work.

Here’s how they work: You create. I photograph. That’s it.

No shotlists. A couple of outfits. No awkward posing with pristine brushes. Just you, your art, and the gentle click of a film camera capturing your practice as it actually happens.

What You Get

• 2 hours in your studio
• Four rolls of film (no digital)
• 90 carefully curated images for download
• A relaxed, documentary-style session
• Some portraits for gallery submissions, some behind-the-scenes shots for your website, some unexpected moments that surprise you
• Three-week turnaround
• A library of authentic images you can use again and again for social media posts without interrupting your precious studio time

What You Don’t Get

• A comprehensive brand session with multiple setups
• Digital files
• A shotlist we need to tick off
• Pressure to be “on” or perform

This isn’t about creating content for social media or building a brand empire. It’s about documenting your practice, your process, your space. It’s for artists who want beautiful, authentic photos without all the fuss.

Perfect For…

The artist with a well-lit studio space and a growing body of work. Maybe you’ve got a new collection coming up, or you’re finally feeling confident about your practice. You want photos that reflect where you are now, not where you were two years ago.

Artists who love the textural, tonal quality of film. You appreciate craft, process, the beauty of imperfection. You’d rather have something beautifully real than perfectly boring.

Artists who don’t love the camera but need some photos. You’re not looking to become an influencer, but you need images for gallery submissions, your website, or just for yourself. You want photos that feel authentic, not performed.

Not Ideal For…

Artists needing a comprehensive brand session. If you want to photograph lots of elements of your business, tell your whole story with full Main Character energy, I offer those sessions too – but that’s not what this is.

Artists wanting a heap of digital files. These sessions are film-only (delivered digitally in an online gallery). If you need instant gratification or hundreds of images, this isn’t for you.

Artists without access to a well-lit studio. Natural light is crucial for these sessions. If your studio is in a basement with no windows, we might need to explore other options.

Why Film?

Film translates what I feel in a moment onto the negative in a way that digital, in all its sharp computery cleverness, cannot. It captures the grain, the subtle imperfections, the way light actually behaves. It’s forgiving and honest and timeless.

When I photograph artists on film, something magical happens. The medium matches the message. The texture of the photograph echoes the texture of the art. The imperfections become part of the story.

Digital photography can be beautiful, but it’s often trying to be perfect. Film is trying to be real.

The Details

In July 2025, I released the bookings for three of these sessions, and they sold out within 24 hours. I only launched three not because I was trying to be exclusive, but because I want to give each artist the attention they deserve. And because film is slow, and I like it that way.

In 2026 they’ve become a part of my regular offer lineup – so if you’re wanting one, please get in touch via the contact form today to get on the waitlist for when the next round of Artist Studio Film Sessions launches.

These sessions are for Surf Coast artists with well-lit studio spaces. We’ll spend an hour together, I’ll shoot four rolls of film, and you’ll get 90 images that tell your story.

No pressure to clean up your studio or wear special clothes. Just you, creating, with beautiful natural light and the timeless quality that only film can give.

Are You Ready?

If you’re an artist who values substance over shine, who wants photographs that feel as thoughtful as your work, this might be exactly what you’ve been looking for.

Your studio deserves better than iPhone snaps. Your practice deserves to be documented properly. Your story deserves to be told with the same care you put into your art.

Ready to see your practice through film? Let’s chat about whether these sessions are right for you.

Artist Studio Sessions are currently open for artists living on the Surf Coast, Geelong and Melbourne. This year I’ll be travelling to Sydney, Gold Coast and Brisbane, as well as Vancouver Island, Canada. If you would like to be notified when the next spots open up, please contact Kristen via the contact page. Sessions are held in artists’ studios on the Surf Coast and are film-only. Perfect for artists with well-lit spaces and growing bodies of work who want authentic documentation of their practice.