Photography has been a big part of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up in the far North of England, not too far from Scotland, and some of my earliest memories are of my dad taking photographs of us- he always had a camera loaded with film on the mantle above the fire place ready to go for any funny or happy moments he wanted to remember. After mum separated from dad, it was a way that he maintained a beautiful, strong connection with me; to get the rolls of film developed, then to post me the beautiful memories of our weekends spent together along with a little love note nestled in the envelope. I have treasured them my whole life, and have brought every single photograph with me to the other side of the world to live with me all these years on.
When I started earning my first pocket money at the age of 9, the first thing I ever spent my money on was a disposable camera from the discount pharmacy store… I would snap away to my hearts content… oh my…. The FREEDOM! Being able to take my own photographs of whatever I wanted… and 27 of them! I still remember the feeling. When my next round of pocket money came in, I’d head back to Savers and put the camera in to be developed. Writing my land line number down along the perforated slip… “We’ll call you when it’s ready”. Goodness, how important I felt! I always struggled with my words as a child, I was incredibly shy, and so visual story telling was a safe and comfortable way for me to express myself.
I went on after secondary school to enrol in Design Technology College and was accepted into an Art, Design & Photography course, which is where I stepped into a darkroom for the very first time. After college, I was swept into the hospitality industry- where I found myself in a world of chaos, burn out and endless split shifts.
At the age of 20 my mum passed away quite suddenly- and based on her advice before she died “What are you doing here Addie? You should travel!” I packed a bag, my camera, and booked a one-way ticket to as far away as I could. Sydney, Australia.
After a 7 year journey in the veterinary industry, I still had a constant (sometimes annoying!) desire to pick up my phone and photographically document moments, especially in the midst of chaos. There was just something about the empty bottles of anti-venom, the blood stained floors and hands, the tears, the behind the scenes that no-one else saw, that was always so heartbreakingly beautiful to me.
I decided I needed to do something about this burning niggle I had deep within my bones… and Fifth of a Second was born.
I want you to know, dear reader, how much I truly adore taking photographs. How it feels a part of my marrow and how being able to take photographs has shaped me as a human. How I feel a sense of duty to capture moments that are otherwise gone in the blink of an eye. How I love bringing that passion into the world and giving people new eyes to see. A different perspective.
The idea of photography has always ignited my creative mind. It has often fascinated me, how many moments there are in a second, and how after that moment has gone… it is just, gone. We have only our memories, which can often fade or become distorted. But sometimes we can capture those moments on film, and they can be handed down from generation to generation. I still have photographs now that my Grandma Ada took, and I will hand them down to my own son when the time comes. We are quite fortunate these days, with the advancement of technology and the amazing capabilities of the cameras now conveniently on our mobile phones, quite often a moment can be frozen without much thought or effort at all.
So to wrap things up, I live in the beautiful South West region of Australia, Margaret River with my husband, little boy, and our 2 rescue fur babies… a beautiful loving Kelpie called Quiver, and a 3-legged Burmese pirate cat- Davey Jones. Also 8 chickens! Life is lovely here, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. We enjoy a bit of breathing room and a slower pace.
As I approach my 40th birthday, I can now say I’ve been taking photographs for over 30 years. Fifth of a Second has taken me all around the world, from documenting 10 day pilgrimages in South India, to the rugged landscapes of Scotland, to medieval themed weddings in New Zealand, and the lush rice paddies to document retreats in Bali. My work has been printed in publications like Era Magazine, Australian Photography Magazine, quietly won awards Mono Awards in the people category, and have work that now hangs in the homes of many across the world capturing precious moments of life.
I still work with film photography, and set up a dark room in my bathroom to develop my own prints, to honour and respect the original craft.
where the real magic happens …
Despite all the chaos, thank you for taking the time to visit. It means the world to me.
Please do get in touch if you’d like to work together!
Addie xx