Photography found me,
I didn't find it
Forty years ago I fell into photography by accident, no training, no interest in photography previously or even at the time photography found me
In 1982 I was working in retail.
It just happened to be in a 'photo shop' (not the software editing photoshop), a real camera shop where you could see, hold, buy and learn about cameras
If you're as old as me, you'll remember those 'photo shops'.
In Australia, it was usually, but not always, inside a chemist.
You would drop your scripts to be filled and your films to be developed
If you were lucky, you'd return in a week to collect all 24
(or 36 - but who could afford those) photos, if you were lucky 🍀
I fell into photography by accident
My boss at the time was just getting in to wedding photography.
Bookings started to come in very quickly and he needed another 'wedding photographer' and guess who he had in mind?
(cue eye rolling emoji)
Why didn't I want to do weddings?
I didn't own a camera.
I wasn't interested in owning a camera let alone understanding how to use one.
I didn't want to be responsible for someone's wedding photos!
I did it
Not because I loved photography
I did it because it paid well
I was also reassured that if put my camera on Program and took every photo with flash
......everything would be ok...
Fast forward to now and when I look back and reflect on my own photography journey 40+yrs ago to now....
I had to teach myself how to use a camera, understand how to photograph weddings, how to communicate with all types of people on one of the most equally joyful and stressful days of their lives
The first thing I learned before anything technical was to see and understand how light can make or break a photo
Find the 'right' light, match it with good composition and you have a beautiful photograph regardless of what you are photographing, you can take a beautiful photo.... without knowing anything technical about your camera
I know this because this is the only thing I knew about photography for years
When I felt comfortable and confident with light and composition, I wanted to learn every thing I could about the technical stuff
I had to teach myself how to understand the technical stuff in a way that made sense for me, a visual and kinetic (hands on) learner
Those 40yrs, that journey, I am still on today, has brought me to where I am right now
Doing what I love infinitely more than taking wedding photos
Teaching other visual learners how to understand and use their camera to get the photo they see
That's how I teach photography, visually, hands on, myth busting the technical stuff
2024 The Leap....
Photography never let me down.
Never asked for anything back.
Just showed up, every time
In 2024 at 62yrs, I left my full time role as a careers advisor at school where I'd worked for 23yrs
I decided.... now..... for the first time,
I had to give photography a chance.........
What could it do?
'Always the bridesmaid,
never the bride'
It was time to take a leap of faith'
In 2024 I gave myself a job, to post a learning reel to instagram a day
In March and then again in May two reels went 'viral' ( I didn't even know what that meant!!)
Those two reels alone have been viewed nearly 10mil times
even today that blows my mind
By June 2024 my Instagram followers went from 984 to 500,000 and today we have over 1.4mil followers across the three socials.
But who cares?
What does that really mean?
Firstly, it showed me that people want to learn how to photograph differently, in a way that makes sense to them and for them
Not rushed. No assumed knowledge. No judgement. Not on Manual Mode.
In small, bite sized easy to understand pieces
People who have always wanted to learn how to use their camera in a way that makes sense
In a way that was kind and gentle and slow and with no judgement
and no gatekeeping
It's not just me, it's us
Behind every great photographer is someone keeping everything else running
For me, that person is Caro.
My life partner and the quiet engine behind Learn How To Photograph the business
Caro handles the admin, organisation of photography tours, the bookkeeping and all the things that keep the business running
She's not a photographer.
She is for me, something more valuable
Fast Facts
40
years in photography
17
years of teaching
1.4M +
followers on socials
10M+
views on two single reels
Are you ready?
Are you ready to learn?
Are you ready to take your photography not just to the next level, but to the one after that, and the one after that?
Is it your time now?
Is it time for you to give something to yourself?
To learn something you've always wanted to understand or to pick up something that has been lost?
You CAN do it, you just have to
be taught the right way
Let me walk alongside you for a short while on your journey...I promise, you will learn
Nicky on one of our guests on our
Women Only NZ Photography Tours
Derry is the inspiration and face behind Learn How to Photograph, which as the name suggests, takes keen photographers by the hand, from beginners to advanced, guiding them on the journey. Derry is kind, patient and incredibly generous with her time. She never makes anyone feels stupid for asking what might sound like a very basic question. Above all, she clearly understands how it feels to "learn how to photograph" and she loves teaching it
Amanda S
"I did Derry's learn how to photograph course, a few years ago now . It was fabulous , so informative and easy to follow"
Vikki B
Be like Jen, (above) feel the joy of learning doing and achieving
Take the next step in your learning
'Thank you for your kind, generous help'
'I'm learning a lot from you. Love from Istanbul'
'I just love you and your inspiring words and the knowledge you are sharing. Thank you'
'You're truly inspirational'
'Derry! You're an inspiration to th younger generation of female photograpers'
'Thank you for sharing your knowledge in an accessible way'