REBECCA KEMPTON

Hi Rebecca, can you please tell us about yourself, your background and how you got into photography?

Hi! I live in the most gorgeous little town, Greytown in the Wairarapa (an hour north of Wellington) with my husband and two children. We live on my husband’s family farm in the old historic 1865 family homestead which we restored a few years back. We love it here! Quite different from the days of living in a tiny London apartment that’s for sure. Greytown has a real buzz to it, the feeling of space is incredible, there is an amazing sense of community and wearing bare feet into the supermarket is still a thing. ‘Kids we are going out for dinner, you really should put shoes on!’….’but why Mum?’.  You get the picture.

I still pinch myself when I look out the window to the view of the farmland and beyond to the Tararua ranges.

In a previous life, I mainly worked in customer/client sales roles – banking, retail, travel management and recruitment.  My love of just observing the world, watching, listening and seeing led to my love of photography which started as a hobby. When we lived in London I took various photography classes, learning on film and using darkroom processes, which I’ve come to realise was invaluable to my skills now. I found the transition to digital rather a mentally challenging one. It was a steep learning curve with the various software programs out there but I was excited about the change and also of the possibilities going digital presented.

Do you remember your first shot? What was it?

Gosh, I don’t actually.  I do remember having a very cool looking pink camera when I was a kid which I loved.

What kind of clients make up your client base?

Local Wairarapa businesses and families.  Businesses looking to update or build their websites and wanting images of their workplaces, team members and products. Families with children of all ages and stages and families wanting to capture a special occasion or event.

What has been your favourite place or subject to photograph?

I’m terrible at making decisions! So hard to choose – I have so many for so many different reasons.

Birth – honestly there is no greater privilege than to be present and capture a new life coming into the world. The raw emotion is like no other.  Documentary photography, capturing life as it happens is a great passion of mine.  On another note – sitting in the landscape on my own, just watching and listening makes my heart sing. Lake Wairarapa at any time of the day or night whether it’s a howling southerly in the middle of the day or at 3am watching the setting Milky Way over the water is definitely a happy place of mine.

Are you currently working on any personal projects?

There are always a few in the background. I shoot a lot of abstract work which I love. Capturing the world around me in a way that has not been seen before is a challenge and passion that keeps my creative mind alive. Breaking rules, changing it up, exploring techniques and throwing away the literal. I am adding to my collection of these images all the time in hope of an exhibition in the near future. Watch this space!

What is the most rewarding part of being a photographer to you?

Giving back. I feel like when I have done a shoot for a client, or even when I volunteer to photograph the school swimming sports or athletics day, I am kind of holding onto a secret Christmas present that they kind of know what it is, but not exactly sure how it will look when they get it. I do my best to get the images back to the client as soon as possible as I completely understand what it was like when I was a kid, the long wait for Christmas day feels like forever! It is so exciting sharing what I have captured, to see the emotion on people’s faces, the tears running down their cheeks or that proud post that is shared from a client showcasing their business to the world. Creating the happy moment, I love it!

Do you have a funny story from a photoshoot you would like to share?

Naked baby weeing all down Dad’s jeans – always a little giggle on the inside.

What are your other passions?

Does spending time with friends and family count as a passion? Surely it is if I love it so much!  Keeping healthy and fit….that probably sounds a bit better.

Why did you join NZIPP?

To me NZIPP represents professionalism and community. Accredited members of the NZIPP are photographers that have established businesses and produce a high standard of work. For me, it means that my clients can rely on the fact that I am not only running a good business ethically, but that my work is of a consistently high standard. The NZIPP also has a fabulous community feel that I really wanted to be a part of.  Working as a photographer can be quite isolating so it is wonderful to have a great group of people to connect with, learn with and seek guidance from.