Solo Trip to Oz by Jody Rose

As far as I can remember, I always liked to take pictures and to observe everything around me. I’m pretty sure I had my first disposable camera for a school trip in primary school.

 

School had never been my thing tho, so when I discovered that I could complete my year 11 and 12 in a photography school I begged my parents to change school and promised them I’d have good grades. They were a bit sceptical but they would do anything to see me happy (and to finish school haha) so they said yes! Unfortunately my school had just stop teaching film photography. Although, I remembered I’d been given a canon AE-1 from my nan and pop a few years before that. So I went back in the old boxes to find the camera and started to teach myself. I’m from Belgium, where it probably rains 300 days a year so I didn’t get much chances to practise my film photography skills and I wasn’t really excited to be honest.

 

Four years ago, I decided to go on a solo trip to Australia. My inspiration was exploding, I found my happy place! The constant blue sky, the ocean and the golden hours light literally took my breath away.

Luckily, I brought my canon AE-1 with me and started taking pictures every day. My sister was joining me a couple months after so I asked her to bring my second film camera, an Olympus Trip 35, which I still use on a daily basis nowadays. As ironic as it may sound for a film photographer, I am a very impatient person (yes, I found a very quick film developer in Byron ;)) and I like to shoot in the moment, so I think the Olympus Trip 35 is very handy.

 

I absolutely love to shoot by the ocean, it is probably where I feel the most alive and inspired. I’m always amazed by the colors of the water and how the light reflects on and in it.

@jodyrose_ / @_jodyrose