About Me – KATHERINE WINDLEY PHOTOGRAPHY

A little about me

I grew up writing ‘a new camera’ at the top of many birthday and Christmas wish lists.

I grew up in a small, rural community, in a house that my great-grandparents lived in.

I grew up on the same old gravel road as my cousins and grandparents, and learnt to drive on roads which were named after relatives.

I grew up being driven to school by the same bus driver who drove my parents to school and being taught by some of the same teachers who taught them.

I grew up always having a camera on hand and pocket money was spent on getting films developed.

I grew up ‘free range’.

ORIGIN STORY ALERT!

How I got here….

Sometimes we are given the opportunity to make a brave choice. A choice to surrender the things that have been great, in exchange for greater. It’s here a soulful, lively, boom-boom, heart-out-of-chest, tears-on-cheeks, “I’m alive” kind of passion lives.

01.

I HAD A HAPPY CHILDHOOD

Surrounded by family, and friends that felt like family. It taught me to look out for other people and that community is important- but I also felt on the edge of a big, wide world that I could not wait to step into. I grew up wishing to experience a life lived amongst tall buildings, bustling streets, or at least sandy feet. A world I so desperately wanted to capture with my camera.

02.

I GOT MY WISH

I’ve had the corporate career and we’ve lived expensively in big cities on a small footprint.
We had (so much!) fun, but after getting married and having children, that pull to return to a place that resonated with our country upbringing was strong.
We moved back across the country and now live in a beautiful part of the Scenic Rim in South-East Queensland, and once again, I feel a strong sense of community. I smile at people, and they smile back. I wave, they wave back. We can even go to our local post office and not have to show ID! That’s the most incredible small-town wizardry, that is!

My kids now live on the same gravel road as their grandparents – on a road named after their great-grandparent’s property, and they’ll learn to drive on it too.

My kids live next door to their cousins, and friends that feel like family. We holiday and celebrate together in big groups and my camera roll is full of our beautifully intertwined ‘free-range’ lives.

My kids will grow up looking out for other people and know that community is important and people are looking out for them.

03.

WE’VE COME FULL CIRCLE

Unlike (younger) me though, my kids don’t wish for anything more, but gosh I hope they go on some epic adventures, meet many interesting people that light them up, and discover that coming full-circle is pretty spesh. Most of all, I hope they document their unique story, like I have mine.

We’re surrounded by life-lovers, joy-seekers, and play-makers. I hope you’re lucky to have this too. I want nothing more than to document it for you so you can also celebrate the moments and people that make life special.

I’m here for all of it!

LET’S CONNECT!