Behind the lens: Kali Lewis
The face behind Australian-based Ardent Soul Photography shares with us how she got started in photography, and how she captures the ‘perfect shot’.
Who are you? Can you share a bit about yourself?
Hi! I’m Kali (pronounced kay-lee), a photographer living on a rural property along the north shore of Port Stephens, NSW, Australia.
What has your creative journey been like?
I’ve always enjoyed photography and at age fourteen, my parents bought me my very own DSLR – an Olympus E-500. We lived on acreage south of Orange in Central West NSW, Australia, where I would spend hours walking the paddocks and laneways looking for photo opportunities. Windmills on misty mornings, dragonflies by the dam and Mum’s roses were all favourite subjects, along with our various pets, poddy lambs, and the old pony I’d saved up to buy the year before.
“I freelanced as a wedding photographer for six years before realising that my true love of photography is landscape, nature and rural scenes.”
I’m predominately self-taught, but in my later teen years I took a few short courses and soon had friends asking me to photograph their weddings. It wasn’t long before total strangers were asking me to capture their special days and so I fell, rather inadvertently, into the wedding industry. I freelanced as a wedding photographer for six years before realising that my true love of photography is landscape, nature and rural scenes. After Covid hit and life slowed down, I took time to re-evaluate my photography side gig, beginning to work towards rebranding my business to fine art prints and, in late 2021, Ardent Soul Photography was launched.
“I would spend hours walking the paddocks and laneways looking for photo opportunities.”
When it comes to capturing an image, when do you know you have the right shot?
This is something I’ve never put into words before… When I look at a scene, I observe the light, the lines and the colours, often composing a series of images in my mind from different angles before I ever put my eye to the camera. I’m a big believer in ‘less is more’ and try to get close or frame up my photographs in such a way that there’s no doubt where the eye should focus.
I think a lot of it is not being afraid to move around. Actually, “move” was the tip I learned the most from after reading a book on photography as a 15-year-old. So often I observe others note a beautiful scene or photo-worthy moment, and they just stop dead in their tracks and snap the picture. A big part of photography, however, is not being afraid to walk around your subject – stand up on something tall or crouch down low to find that point where all the elements line up just right. For me, this is the moment when I know I’ve got “the shot.” And what a good feeling it is!
“I’m a big believer in ‘less is more’ and try to get close or frame up my photographs in such a way that there’s no doubt where the eye should focus.”
Who inspires you both as an artist and a business owner?
I’ve been following Sean Scott for some time now – an Australian-based photographer who focuses primarily on tourism and destination photography. His work captures the essence of the land (his photos of the Top End and Queensland are just breathtaking!) and I often feel transported to another time and place though his images. I aim to bring this into my own work and I can’t wait to visit his gallery when I finally make it to Burleigh Heads.
More recently, however, I’ve found the work of Cindy Cavanaugh incredibly inspiring. Cindy is an artist and a mentor, reminding others to create for themselves and not just their clients. I love the way she captures images that are true to herself. Together with Chloe Lodge, she has built a large community of like-minded individuals and created a safe space for artists to showcase their work without comparison and without the pressure to perform. Cindy has a knack for gently encouraging others to create – joyfully, freely and wildly.
“When I meet clients who have honed their craft and genuinely love what they do, it’s hard not to find their enthusiasm contagious.”
What do you love most about what you do?
Two things jump to mind… My favourite time to photograph is at sunrise. Whether in the bush or by the water, there’s something deeply spiritual about the solitude and stillness of dawn and I find my faith often blossoms in these moments. I also love meeting new people, especially artists, farmers and growers. When I meet clients who have honed their craft and genuinely love what they do, it’s hard not to find their enthusiasm contagious. Before I know it, I’m wondering why I’ve never tried my hand at tapestry, beekeeping or watercolours!
Port Stephens, NSW, Australia
