Industry insights: Myf Warhurst on feminism, media and quitting while you're ahead
This is Part One of our Industry Insights interview with media legend Myf Warhurst. Stay tuned for Part Two next week, where she shares her top advice for women in media (and what it's like to interview Germaine Greer)!
By Annette Wagner
There are more women than men in Australia. Our female population has hit 12 million, but there are still 96,300 baby boys to be born from the fellas to meet the 12 million mark.
So, it is encouraging to know that our media isn't all white middle-aged males dominating cameras and microphones, and that the people on our screens and radios accurately represent the population.
Hang on. Do they?
While it is necessary to discuss parity for the future, I think it's equally important to focus on and support women that are making a difference now. Thankfully, Myf Warhurst has been making a difference in my media world for a longtime.
Myf is an endearing favourite of many musically-minded people and her increasingly broader creative industry hosting ability comes with intelligence and a welcoming selection of canapés, putting both big name interviewees and lucky audiences at ease.
After studying Music Education and Arts at Melbourne University, Myf started writing music reviews for Melbourne street paper InPress, then landed the job as editor. Since then, her rise as a well-known Australian doyen has been steady and continues to grow.
On air with Triple J, she started with her first radio bi-weekly segments for Merrick and Rosso's Drive program, then moved to hosting the Net 50 request program on Saturday nights, then hosting weekday Lunch shift and The Trashy Lunchtime Quiz, before finally hosting The Breakfast Show with Jay and the Doctor. She was coerced by Peter Helliar to join him as co-host on their Nova breakfast show which ran from 2007-2009 and then returned to ABC Local Radio hosting the summertime afternoon program.
Of course, it's not just her voice we have come to recognise, it’s that welcoming smile and her authenticity. Her television appearances include many, but captaining a team on Spicks and Specks from 2005 to 2011 certainly accelerated her recognition and popularity. It provided the leverage Myf needed to see her own six-part series realised, Myf Warhurst's Nice, and since then, if you follow her on Instagram, there isn't much we don't know about her, and her cats, Terry and Steve.
Far from any Cat Lady connotations however, she's currently on the airways hosting lunch with Myf on Double J, is also a regular presenter on The Project, is the go to hostess with the mostess at many speaker events, and continues to be a contributing writer for many publications. To be honest, it's a life I envy a little, backstage at Coachella and interviewing childhood crushes or current creative geniuses.
Having just returned from a well-deserved week off in France and the UK, getting back to work on Double J and between the next hot bed of creatively inspiring people attending some other enviable event, I asked Myf to answer some questions about her experience so far in media which she kindly obliged.
Be warned, inevitable music and pop culture puns throughout.
Clearly, your intrinsic love of music and pop culture have been your driving force, maintaining your career direction since you started working. Have you ever been distracted or challenged to continue on your own tour bus? Inspired to do something else, or perhaps even a little dissatisfied with your direction? If yes, what helped you get back on your bus?
I constantly think about doing other things. I want to write a book, become an architect, fulfil my dream of ice skating for Australia at the next winter Olympics, do another stage show (like the Spicks and Specks live show we toured around the country), go back to University. It’s just down to having the time and the vision. When you’ve got a full time gig people don’t realise that it’s much more than just the hours on air, it’s a full time gig, so it’s hard to indulge all the other dreams. But I will never stop having harebrained ideas about what I want to be when I grow up.
Not so long ago you took a gap year, or two, and based yourself in the UK. We actually spoke before you left and I recall you saying that you'd never had the chance to do it in your 20's, and it was the right time to take a break. How did you find re-establishing yourself in a different market, and/or focusing on your writing? Were there any lessons learnt?
I had such a magnificent time living in London. Career-wise it probably wasn’t the best thing to do, as it’s hard in my game (which is essentially a personality game) to establish yourself in an industry that has no idea who you are and don’t care about what you’ve done. To be honest, I think I left my run a bit late. I really wish I’d tried to do it when I was much younger, say in my 20s. It felt so right for me to be out of my comfort zone, it was really healthy and what I needed at the time. Fortunately I was able to get quite a bit of work from Australia while I was there so I could keep myself afloat. In my dreams I’ll do it again one day but it probably won’t happen. Not right now.
On reflection of your media industry experience to date, highs and lows, here and abroad, was there a time or realisation that it was going to be a different journey for you from those of your male colleagues? How do you find the culture for women, from when you began, to now, in both radio and television?
This is a tough one to answer. I’ve always been a strident feminist, even when I began, but it’s interesting to look back now and I realise that I’d never thought of myself in a minority. It’s funny, it’s only been the last few years that I began to recognise the lack of women in the media. It’s changing, fortunately, but it’s only been the last few years when TV shows have become conscious of not having all male panels (on panel shows in the UK, this was the norm and I found it quite odd). I also didn’t think as much about the male dominance in radio world either. As I get older, I notice it a lot more and I make every effort to make sure everything I do is diverse.
When finishing Spicks and Specks, you said, "I've been lucky enough to experience many great things. I've seen Frank Woodley's privates, been naked under a desk with Pete Murray, and met many of my childhood musical crushes. Life can't get much better than that, so this seems like the perfect time to wind things up." How did you know that it was time to seek out another challenge and end what had been a huge part of your career for 6 years? (Because being under a desk with Pete Murray did sound good!)
Yep, Pete and I have never been naked under a desk again, sadly. Finishing Spicks and Specks was a decision Alan, Adam and I made together, and I think it was the right thing at the time (although I haven’t been offered many other gigs since, and will probably never do a TV show as loved as that again). I think leaving under our own steam was good - in TV, you normally get sacked so we thought it might be a good thing to go out on a high. And we had done the show for a long time. It felt right to hang up the boots. I do miss the boys though, and working with them. It was one of those special right time, right place, right people shows. They only come once in a lifetime.
Annette Wagner is a designer, marketer, creative consultant, artist and writer. She is also on the board of the Creative Women’s Circle. Obsessively passionate about the arts and the creative process, she is determined to not talk art-speak and instead focus on supporting and sharing concepts and insights most creative types crave to know.
Regional creative: Amanda Cole, designer
By Mirella Marie
Amanda Cole is a graphic designer from Newcastle, Australia. Alongside her husband Scott, she runs Shorthand, a creative studio that specialises in branding. I wanted to get Amanda’s insights into running a business in a regional area after moving from a capital city, and her thoughts on starting up a design studio.
After living and working in Melbourne for many years, how have you found the transition to Newcastle, both personally and professionally?
The transition to Newcastle was actually a move home. I completed my degree in Newcastle, living here before heading to Melbourne. Personally it wasn’t too stressful as I was returning to old networks and my husband and business partner Scott has been there every step of the way (including that dreaded 10 1/2 hr drive!) Professionally it was a bit daunting at first. There isn’t the sheer volume of potential clients in Newcastle like there is in Melbourne. Getting your name out there is tricky, as businesses in smaller places put a lot of weight on word of mouth referrals. You need to be patient as it takes time to build up your reputation. We were lucky in that previous Melbourne clients were nothing but supportive of the move and many have stuck with us even now, two years down the track.
How would you describe your work?
We are first and foremost a branding studio and that is at the core of everything we do. Generally our projects begin with a client requiring a new brand, or a rebrand in the case where a business is evolving. We like to work closely with our clients, spending time getting to know their business first before jumping into creative. Once an identity is finalised we roll-out to any number of touchpoints, be it business cards, stationery, web or environmental design. Visually we are big believers in less is more and find that a minimal approach allows for the clearest communication.
Who is your typical client?
Our studio doesn’t have a typical client and we tend to attract from a variety of sectors, which I have always enjoyed. In saying this, quite often their problems are similar e.g. businesses evolving internally with new technology having a bigger influence on processes. In recent years the studio has attracted a lot of not-for-profit organisations which has been really rewarding.
Which part of the creative process do you enjoy the most?
Presenting the concept to the client is always stressful – but when they love the work and have a big smile it always makes my day. We have an initial collaborative approach with clients and like to involve them in the strategic process. I find working this way really beneficial, as relationship-wise we form a team. This also means when we unveil the concept, the client already has a general idea of what the identity is going to look like so there is no ‘presentation shock’. By getting clients more involved, they take more ownership over the brand as truly theirs which is great!
What advice would you give to someone starting a design studio?
While some manage to pull it off, I would advise against attempting to start a studio straight off the back of study or abruptly leaving a full-time position. The way I got to where I am now was in small transitional steps. I began freelancing after hours until I could no longer manage both it and my day job. After this I began a part-time position and eventually moved on to doing my own thing full-time. Even then I still occasionally took contract jobs or a bit of freelance before I was in a really secure place to start the studio. This was great for me as it’s low stress, low risk, and gives you opportunities to keep earning some steady cash whilst setting yourself up and gaining regular clients.
Once you’re set up, keep your overheads low by setting up a home office – although if you don’t trust yourself to get things done at home, co-working spaces are a great alternative.
Plan ahead. You need to be constantly thinking about the future and looking for new clients to keep the work flowing. Aim to transition your regular clients to retainers to give your business stability. Make sure your website and social media are regularly updated – leaving these jobs until the work starts to dry up will only give you a headache.
Lastly, don’t neglect the admin. Xero is great if you’re looking for some easy to use accounting software and helps you keep an eye on those monthly budgets. Also, figure out what those budgets are! There are lots of easy to find calculators out there to help determine how much and how many hours you need to be charging. If you prefer the printed word, the Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing & Ethical Guidelines is a great resource.
What is the creative community like in Newcastle?
Really blossoming which is fantastic! There a lot of talented people here doing amazing things. Newcastle has one of the highest retention rates of any place in Australia. This is of great benefit to the area because while people often leave to experience other (bigger) cities, they then bring that experience back home with them when they return.
What does a typical day involve for you?
I jump on my phone with my morning coffee to check any overnight emails, social media and read the news before heading to the office by nine. As Scott and I have evolved our roles within the business, I now spend the first full half of the day on meetings, scheduling, accounts, proposals and emails. After lunch is when I’ll aim to get into any creative work – this can be helping the guys with any overflow or actioning our latest brand roll-out.
Each day ends consistently at five. After working in bigger agencies where it seemed competitive as to who could stay the latest, I'm very aware of leaving on time. Occasionally if there are deadlines looming we will work after hours, but I like to avoid that as much as possible.
I enjoy cooking so most nights revolve around making dinner. Being winter, it gets dark earlier so nights are spent in hibernation, but in summer it’s hard to resist a walk along the beach to the Anzac Memorial Walk (if you’re ever visiting Newcastle I recommend it!).
What are your plans for the future?
Currently the biggest priority is moving into a new studio space by the end of the year. When we established the studio in Newcastle, we started in a smaller space while we got ourselves settled but have quickly outgrown it. Currently we have three team members, with the studio networking with quite a few external creatives on a project-by-project basis. We intend to keep this model moving forward as it allows for the greatest flexibility on projects and personally it makes for my ideal studio balance.
To view Amanda’s work visit http://shorthandstudio.com. Follow her on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Mirella Marie is the owner and creative director of Vertigo, a Melbourne based graphic design studio specialising in brand identity and design. She is also a contributor for Women of Graphic Design, a project examining the work of female designers around the world. Join her on Instagram @studiovertigo.
Australian Women in Art: Tai Snaith
By Annette Wagner
The inspiration I gain from passionate artists who actively, consistently and unrelentingly, explore their practice, while supporting the greater arts community, is beyond measure.
Admiration for Tai Snaith is deservingly fitting. With reflection and optimism, Tai translates her world through her art and dedication to the arts community.
She currently has no less than three projects on, between managing the logistics of her her young family; 'Art Attack', the weekly arts review program she co-hosts with Ace Wagstaff as part of Richard Watt’s show Smart Arts on Triple R; and she is working on her third picture book.
To say she keeps busy is an understatement. Her focus is an incredible attribute. Tai completed her BA in Fine Art with Honors at VCA in 2002, and she didn’t return to her art practice until her late 20s. Since then she has worked within arts organisations Express Media and the Next Wave Festival, and has exhibited and curated her work extensively in solo and group shows.
I approached her earlier this year to contribute to our Australian Women in Art series and I’m thrilled to finally have her informative and insightful responses to my questions.
Tai’s authenticity and courage are evident and she inspires us to aim for our dreams and bring ideas to life. She discusses her experiences with the gender imbalance within our arts industry and her inspiration generators. Good advice and encouragement goes a long way. Many creative people attribute growing up, and continuing to make room to dream as being important in exploring and forming creativity.
Image by Hilary Walker.
What in your personal life influenced you to choose and pursue a creative career?
Growing up, I spent half of my time in the city with my mum driving fast cars and going to the beach. When we visited my dad we were on the farm with cows and horses, so I had the best of both worlds as a kid. I guess the freedom on the farm was very formative in the way that I formed as a person and a thinker. I love horses and I spent many hours on a horse - galloping, wandering and dreaming. I even used to lie on my horse backwards and read my book while she was eating grass. I was always obsessed with drawing as a kid. I pretty much drew all the time I was not on a horse.
Actually, come to think of it, I made lots of different things as a kid - painted rocks, wax sculptures from dripping candles, constructed and designed environments for animals that I collected (frogs, crickets, lizards, rabbits, mice). I wrote dense and imaginative short stories. I was always pretty sure I would be something creative as an adult. There was never really any question about that. Tricky thing has just been working out what kind of creative I am!
Wilting Facade by Tai Snaith
Since graduating from VCA with honours, you’ve consistently maintained and actively pursued exhibiting, curating, residencies and reviewing the arts. Your commitment to seeing these projects through is demonstrated from the arduous task of grant and proposal submissions, to creating the work and installation. Exhibiting is often not a fast process. How do you find this process now? Has it got any easier with practice and do your networks you’ve established over time help?
It’s still difficult. And you’re right, it’s not a fast process. It takes a lot of perseverance to keep making work and finding ways to show it. Even just the process of following through an idea or finishing a painting without losing interest or courage. I am actually considering going back to do my Masters in the coming years, as I still have the desire to learn more about critically positioning my work and trying to tie all the loose ends together conceptually. Making the work is one thing, but talking about it and writing about it is at times very challenging. I actually have a long term dream of writing more fiction, I have always really loved that too. Maybe even a novel one day.
As well as your exhibitions, in 2012 your first children's book, The Family Hour in Australia was published by Thames and Hudson. From concept, research, writing, illustrating, pitching the book to Thames and Hudson and receiving a hard copy of the book in completion, how was this process and how long did the book take you?
The first picture book took me about 10 months. With a young baby, not having a clue what I was doing with either the baby or the book, I made most of it in delirious fits of drawing during my baby’s nap times. The second book took me about 8 months, with a toddler and a newborn! I still have no idea how or when I did that book- In my sleep?! I actually have very little memory of it now. The process of creating a picture book is quite an investment for very little return financially in the short term. But that’s not really why you do a book. The idea of planting a seed and watching it grow over time is a nice idea for me.
The idea of planting a seed and watching it grow over time is a nice idea for me. Also, getting into the minds of thousands of children is also pretty special. They are a lovely audience, the best kind really. I am working on my third book now and in some ways it is kind of like having a baby! And similar gestation period too.
Were you ever discouraged or had setbacks that derailed your career? Was there something that kept yourself optimistic and motivated?
Yes, I have had many. At art school I was very confused, I had no idea who I was. Lecturers made it even more confusing. For quite a few years after finishing art school I didn’t really make any proper art work. I struggled working as a waitress and in a bookshop and riding the rollercoaster of going out to a lot of parties and the associated highs and lows. To be honest, I feel like I have not really got a good hold of who I am until recently. At least not until my late 20’s. Also, I think during your 20’s there are more restraints in terms of money, which makes buying materials, renting studio space and being ‘professional’ almost impossible. I feel like those tough times are over, which is nice and I feel very fortunate to be where I am.
What keeps me optimistic is just the joy of making. I love making things. Creating worlds, bringing ideas to life. Creating things that no-one else can, no matter how much money they have. Expressing abstract thoughts in new languages. It is a gift and I am never bored of exploring it.
At an event on ‘Creativity After Kids’, held in 2015 and coordinated by Darebin City Council, you were on a panel with some other amazing women including Lorelei Vashti, Robin Penty and Rachel Power, which I was lucky enough to attend. The conversation was fantastic, all- encompassing and offered great insight and reflection on managing pre-schoolers through to young adults, with domesticity and family, while acknowledging the need to allow time for personal creativity. How do you continue to manage your time and creative output with two children and all that this entails, and do you think that they have contributed to your work in some way?
I think we all find ways to manage, whatever our situations might be. Some people manage careers AND families with serious illness. Some have to care for their parents full time. Some are haunted by bad luck. I feel like having kids has been challenging in many ways, but in more ways it has really given me a truer sense of who I am and definitely untapped a hunger and a drive that I didn’t really know I had. If you really want to do something you always find a way to do it.
At this event, you also touched on then the gender imbalance represented in Australia, especially in prizes such as the Archibald Prize. Do you think there is a gender imbalance in Australia supporting female artists operating in our current contemporary art system and have you ever felt inequality for being a female artist in Australia? If so, how or when or what was the scenario?
Yes! There is serious imbalance, STILL, in the art world. It is slowly being addressed, but I see it almost every day. Women are still treated patronisingly when they are single and like baby factories when they are mothers and often in good faith ‘given time’ to stop their careers in order to care for their children. What I don’t understand is how people think this is helpful? I often hear people (old male curators usually) say (and have said to me) ‘Just take some time out, your art can wait- the most important thing is to be a good mum. Don’t worry about meeting with me, I know how hard it is to just get the washing on the line.’ Like that is all a woman is good for once she has a baby. Which is absolute bullshit. The most important thing for a creative woman with young children is to keep a sense of yourself and often, for an artist, that is to keep making your art. And to have a reason to. It is the only thing that kept me sane through having kids! Women should not be made to feel guilty for spending part of their limited energy focusing on their creative work and taking time to keep it alive. I strongly believe this makes me a better mum in the long run anyway.
Lovekiller by Tai Snaith
The horrendous and unquestionably unfair recent Australia Council budget cuts, will see grants to individual artists and projects decrease dramatically over the next 12 months time, and potentially beyond - a thought I’m reluctant to mention. Before these cuts, and even more so now, do you feel that Australian female artists will have fewer resources, crucial financial support, to go into making and producing their art?
I think all Australian artists, including writers, dancers and actors and subsequently audiences and broader society will suffer from these recent cuts. I was lucky enough to have my first volunteer position at Express Media as a teenager and then one of my first jobs as a producer at the Next Wave Festival, both of which have recently lost their funding after years of providing platforms and launching places for creatives like myself. Without these organisations I would not have been able to work in the arts. I would probably be working in advertising. God forbid. I fear these pure, grassroots cultural incubators will increasingly be forced to become co-opted by corporations and subsumed into capitalism like everything else. Sad times.
On a more positive note, you have a new exhibition opening here in Melbourne. What is this exhibition about, and where can we see and support it?
I actually have 3 projects on at the moment, or coming up. One is an exhibition called ‘Concrete Agenda’ which I have curated and am also part of, for C3 gallery at the Abbotsford Convent. I am pretty excited about this show, it's a group of artists who I really respect including Kate Tucker, Laura Skerlj, Belle Bassin, Olga Bennett, Pia Murphy, Alice Wormald and Nell Pearson.
The next show my work is in is a group show in Sydney at a space called Home @735 in Redfern where I will be exhibiting a series of new fictional portraits paired with abstract ceramic assemblages for the first time. And at the end of July (Saturday 30th) our house (BKK Dolls House, designed by my partner Simon Knott) is one of the feature homes to be opened up to the public for Open House Melbourne and I will be opening up my studio and also displaying a series of new my works upstairs in our bedroom! June and July are quite busy, but now that I think of it, so is November and December- lucky we are going on holiday in September!
Where do you often find the most inspiration?
I find most inspiration from just starting to make. I love the process of making. I also read a lot of fiction and art books and I walk along the Merri Creek a lot listening to podcasts. These would be my main inspiration-generators.
Lastly, what is the best advice you have ever been given?
Be kind to yourself.
Regional creative: Danielle Thomas, photographer
By Jasmine Mansbridge
Regional photographers are often spoilt for choice in the gorgeous landscapes and vistas they can shoot - usually in their very own town. One Day Collective's Danielle Thomas in no exceptions. As a wedding photographer based in south-west Victoria, Danielle hasn't let her location stop her from attracting clients and shooting stunning images.
Can you introduce yourself?
I am Danielle. Wedding stalker. Storyteller. Photo taker. Moment seeker. Family sorter. Happen maker. Girl Boss. Wife. Mother. Yep, Danielle.
Where are you based and what business are you in?
I am based in Tarrington, Victoria. A little village south of Hamilton in the western District. About four hours west of Melbourne. My business is One Day Collective and I am a photographer.
Have you always lived in a regional/rural area?
Yes, I grew up in the area. I used to ride my bike to the general store in the village where I now live to buy 20c worth of lollies and ride home again. I went to school locally from prep to year 12.
How long have you been in business? Have you found it has got easier or harder as time has gone on?
I have been a photographer for about 10 years now. It has actually always been quite natural to me so the harder / easier discussion is not something I have with myself often. I think if there has been anything hard at any time it has been through my own self-infliction.
I could honestly say that it has become more enjoyable [easier] as I have got a little older, surer of my direction and myself. Not seeking out as many back pats, I can pat my own back now....haha!
What has been/is your biggest challenge?
Biggest challenge was the decision to focus on weddings and commercial / product photography over being a jack of all genre’s. It was a little scary given my location.
What are you most proud of?
I am most proud of myself. Having the courage and conviction to chase what I wanted to do. Changing and adapting as I went without sacrificing or pimping myself to the lowest bidder. I now have my ‘no’ licence - A powerful thing once you get it. Being able to say no without the feeling of loss or offending someone.
What would you do differently in business if you had your time again?
I would possibly pop my blinkers on for longer in the beginning. I am easily overstimulated. Looking, following, chasing, being inspired by absolutely everything was a little crazy. I think I would have found my ‘mojo’ a lot sooner had I have done that. I would have also worked less when my little people were babies. I don’t think I am alone there.
Where do you see yourself ten years from now?
A farmer's wife. Happy. Travelling. Still with camera in hand but more personal projects [I will miss the epic weddings terribly]
What are you looking forward to most in the next twelve months?
I have both my children at school as of this year. I am excited for anything. Getting my workflow down. My home, being homely.
What is your favourite social media platform for your business?
I love Instagram, it’s a different vibe. Facebook is all business for me and somewhere I store my recipes.
Why I joined CWC: Martina Gemmola
Have you been meaning to join Creative Women’s Circle for a while? Well, now is the time to join us and reap the benefits. Our Mid-Year Membership Drive is on until June 30 – you can save 10% off the full price of membership, just in time for the end of the financial year (and it's tax deductible!).
There are a whole host of benefits, including the opportunity to join a Members-only Facebook group (launching in July!) to discuss the highs and lows of being a creative, entrepreneurial woman; the chance to attend and vote at the AGM in August; plus discounted event tickets, product discounts, and the chance to attend Member-only events.
Photographer Martina Gemmola has been part of CWC for several years, and credits the group for providing support and opportunities for her creative business. Here's her story...
Interior design project by Camilla Molders, photographed by Martina Gemmola.
Why did you join CWC?
I had returned to Melbourne after 6 years away and felt a little lost as how I should go about launching my freelance business, and how to connect with likeminded people. Having joined a 'networking' group overseas, and having felt the benefits of just being part of something, I decided to become a member of the Creative Women's Circle. I felt an instant connection and was warmly embraced by the creative community Melbourne is known for.
Floral & botanical design by Good Grace & Humour, photographed by Martina Gemmola.
What were your first impressions of CWC?
I felt such comfort! Knowing that I had 'found my people' - which is not something to be taken for granted in the sometimes competitive and 'cliquey' world of small creative business. Everyone was so welcoming, and so happy to share their knowledge. Plus they were just generally super to be around. It wasn't long before I was volunteering to help Tess at events and baking up a storm for our morning teas. It was nice to be able to give back to the community that gave so much to me.
What have been the biggest benefits or positives of CWC to your creative life and career?
I can't stress enough the positive effect it has had on my business. In the early days I asked a couple of CWC people on coffee dates and we started to collaborate on some folio projects. What resulted was a greater confidence in my work and in the direction it was going, the freedom to try new things, and refine some old skills. I started to feel a little more at home back in Melbourne, armed with an instant support network filled with absolutely rad women.
Kooyong House by Monique Woodward, WOWOWA, photographed by Martina Gemmola.
Have you connected with other CWC members?
I work a lot with the talented interior designer Camilla Molders, who was my first CWC crush, and she in turn has referred me left right and centre all over the design world, which I am eternally grateful for. She introduced me to Ruth Welsby, who has become my styling guru and dear friend. I've worked with our fabulous president Tess McCabe on several projects, and have had some of my best jobs referred from ladies of the CWC. I've shot some amazing architecture and interiors with fellow members Monique Woodward of WOWOWA and Samara Greenwood of SGArch. I've photographed a wall covered from top to bottom with flowers just for the hell of it with the Good Grace & Humour ladies. I've found myself in the most ridiculously stunning luxury accommodation in Port Fairy with Colleen Guiney, who found me through the CWC, and together we worked on an article that graced the pages of Vogue Living - total dream. It's been an amazing resource for word of mouth marketing (the only kind I do!). I've had the best of fun.
One thing I found at events was how easy it was to strike up a conversation with a stranger, and quickly find common ground. I've never really been one to put myself out there, but somehow the events I went to inspired me to give it a go. The daggy networking group I had been a part of overseas was much more corporate, and felt a little like everyone was out to take, take, take. The CWC was just the opposite and was all about giving. Everyone was so honest and real in the way they related to each other. Following up was always easy - a quick email, a good Melbourne coffee, and I always found myself in excellent company with lots of ideas to explore. What a treat.
Thanks, Marti! Find our more about our Mid-Year Membership Drive here.
Managing people 101
By Jes Egan
Managing and leading people successfully is a harder task than it may seem and often something that you have to work at just as hard as your job. Learning to manage someone can become easier with experience as you’ve developed these skills over time. Here are a few tips to consider.
Manage yourself first
Managing yourself may seem easy or unnecessary, but managing yourself so that someone else who works with you can feel confident in what you are doing is key. If you want to inspire and motivate someone to do their best, you have to show that you are also managing this yourself and understand your strengths and weaknesses. Leading by example, passion and determination is infectious.
Be consistent and flexible
Try and be consistent. Don’t be the type of manager where your staff feel that they have to gauge your mood or temperament before they approach you. Allow them the confidence to feel that they can approach you for anything: a problem or a success.
Stay flexible though. It’s not being inconsistent but allows you to change direction when the task at hand needs it.
Treat people how you’d like to be treated
Leading by example is key, creating a good work environment where people feel respected, safe and confident is a great combination and can allow your employees to thrive. Think about the type of environment and how you’d like to be treated or spoken to and do all you can to ensure this happens. Consider people and show compassion when needed- you can get the best out of people when you do this. Acknowledge good work, especially when someone or a team does a good job.
If you have multiple employees, ensure you give equal treatment, they don’t have to be treated exactly the same but don’t show favouritism or give one special treatment over another.
Get to know your employee/s
Showing a healthy interest in your employee's lives outside of work will help make you an interested and involved employer. You don’t need to know every detail of their lives or be their shoulder to cry on but having an interest in what they are doing on the weekend or their hobbies or children can really help you to get to know your employees. Having interests outside of work is healthy for an employee and acknowledging this can help develop a great working environment.
Trust your workers
Trust your workers and encourage them to do it their way and try not to get too caught up in the finer detail, let them do that and empower them to take charge of their jobs. Don’t get angry if they don’t do it exactly how you’d do it. Allow them to do it their way and you may learn how to do it differently. If you give people your trust, I have found that they may go out of their way to ensure they don’t disappoint or lose that trust.
Be clear
Ensure you are clear in your tasks and are specific with what is needed to be done. What you get out of people can be related to what you put in, so explain why things need to be done and share your vision. Communicate and value the people who work with you - make sure you listen to their ideas.
Take responsibility
Be responsible - if a problem is pointed out, help find a solution and don’t focus on the negative or what was done wrong, just find a way to fix it. If feedback is given to you in the form of a problem, understand it and try to resolve it, making sure that you feed information back to them on how you’re resolving it. If there is a human error or a mistake made by a team, don’t throw your employee/s under the bus, instead focus on making it right and sit down after it is resolved and debrief on what went wrong and where so you can ensure you don’t make the same mistake next time. Remember, mistakes happen, it’s not always a bad thing in the long run, so learn what you can from it.
Managing people can be a hard thing to do, check in with your staff, see how they’re going. Don’t take it too personally if some of their feedback is negative - work on finding a way to make it better.
Newcastle photographer Hannah Rose is winning awards and accolades for her stunning documentary, editorial and lifestyle photography. Her series 'The Empire' captured the bond between a group of homeless men in her hometown, while her 'Last Nomad' photographic essay captured her expedition by horseback across the wild of Mongolia. You can find more about Hannah at her website or follow her stunning images on Instagram.
What drew you to becoming a photographer, and to doing what you’re doing today?
I love adventures. Photography seemed like a good way to have lots of adventures. As a kid I was addicted to National Geographic magazines. I wanted to know the planet and it’s inhabitants- the images sparked an intense desire to travel and discover. That was where my curiosity for photography started, I wanted to document adventures and moments of the world.
Can you give us a little insight into your creative process?
I have a journal with me all the time and I write and draw the things I am seeing, feeling, experiencing. Anything and everything. I have lots of things to work with in the pages of my journals. My mood and headspace, and what I am going through at certain time of my life influences my work too. I see things in nature, in books, a person's face and it might spark an idea so I make sure I write it down and I draw on all this with my work. I have an overactive imagination and daydream probably way too much!
Who is your typical customer/client?
I don't really have a typical client, but a common thread in the clients that seek me out is the storytelling element of my work. That is something I hear a lot and it tends to reference my personal documentary work, they want that element of narrative applied to their project whether its editorial, fashion, portraiture etc...
What does a typical day involve for you?
Not sure I ever have a typical day but typical things you will find in my days would be shooting, emails, quoting, invoicing , retouching, meetings, riding my horse and planning travel and projects.
What has been your proudest career achievement to date?
I have a bio on my website that will tell you about those things but if I think about this question and don't make it about awards or exhibitions and the like, then I do have a story. I was shooting a campaign and we were photographing older women. All of these women were real women and they all were so shy and worried about having their picture taken. A lot of them said things like "I'm so ugly" Or "I'm too old and wrinkly". We did their hair and makeup, we had champagne and cheeses. We made a real fuss of them. I worked with each of them in a studio portrait session and talked them through their worries. When I showed them the pictures, there were many tears. "I look beautiful, we all look beautiful" was the response. I was proud to be a part of that exchange.
What's the best piece of advice you've been given?
Shoot what you love.
What are your plans for the future?
I have some collaborative works planned, working with incredible artists and designers. I also hope to start shooting a project which I am currently researching. It’s still under wraps but basically the story looks at the bonds of a unique human/animal relationship in Australia, and the controversy surrounding it. Hoping to get back to Iceland and finish the project I started last year working with Icelandic horses and just create great work for great people.
What do you see as a benefit of being a CWC member?
Connecting with other women who are working in creative fields. It's nice to be part of a tribe and be inspired by all the great things these women are doing.