Driven by her love of nature and natural light, Australian photographer, Lean Timms captures authentic and slow moments of life through her interior, travel, and food photography. She shoots for various travel magazines, editorials, and lifestyle brands. As an explorer at heart, her work takes her across the world, documenting new places and teaching her renowned photography workshops. Her work beautifully captures life moments that evoke a sense of time, place, and with a dash of spontaneity. I am particularly drawn to her travel photography with her minimalist, yet intimate approach of capturing the essence of a place. You can learn more about her work and her workshops here!

1. What does visual storytelling mean to you?

To me, it means gifting an opportunity for people to be transported.

2. When did you start to develop your own style and do you always shoot on film?
I began taking photos and taking my photos seriously, 11 years ago. My style would have naturally started to develop then, and is still constantly shifting, even if subtlety- I love the playfulness I find in that. I mostly shoot digital, especially for work. But I began shooting film to give myself permission to shoot for fun, for myself, to enjoy a more considered process and remove any expectation on the outcome. Mostly when I am on holidays.

3. Do you feel like the style of your work is a “product of your environment/home?”

I often think that one of the best parts about being a photographer is that despite the gear we use, we all see the world in a unique way – from how we frame what’s in front of us, to what draws us in to freeze a certain moment in time. No doubt where this comes from is unique to all of us. I do believe a big part of our style and what we consider to be interesting/beautiful/worth capturing – is innate and intuitive. Trusting in that is key for me and has been from the beginning.

4. Your work has a beautiful way of capturing the essence of a place – was that always there from the beginning or did it slowly evolve with you?

Thank you. It’s so hard to say! I’ve always been drawn to photographing places, with the intention of sharing what it’s like to be there. When I first started shooting 11 years ago, I had a blog, and on that blog I shared three posts a week – a recipe, a travel story, and a creative humans interview. The travel story was always the one that came the most naturally to me, the one I could throw together last minute and be stoked about. Travel photography is still my favourite to this day and I think it’s because it’s the best chance I get to share the essence of a place with someone.

5. When crafting a visual story of a place, recipe, or for a client, where do you begin your creative process?
Who, what, when, where, why is always a great place to start. Then I let the light, senses, and organic/honest moments guide me.

6. Storytelling is so subjective; everyone has a unique eye and creative voice. How would you suggest new photographers to define theirs without being swayed by new styles or trends?
I love that. It’s all super subjective and couldn’t agree more that everyone has a unique eye and creative voice. How beautiful! Imagine how boring the world would be if we were all the same. We talk about this a lot in my photography workshops – how important it is to hone into what feels and looks good to you, not to create from a place of pleasing others, because you can never please everyone. It’s a balance of understanding needs (especially for clients) but to always be guided intrinsically and by what look and feels right to you. Our jobs as photographers/artists/storytellers isn’t to be a chameleon. It is to share a unique point of view. Create for you first – trust in that – if anyone else likes it, it’s a bonus.

*7. Does sensitivity play a role in your creative process?*

Absolutely. I am a Cancer sun, haha. I guess the concept of sensitivity can be applied in so many ways and to the many hats I wear within my work. If we are just talking about the way I photograph – then yes, big time. I’m always hyper-aware of my surroundings. Quite literally, I am a very sensorial person. How the place I’m in feels and how I feel in that place, the smells, the sounds, the tastes, they all guide me when I’m shooting. I find it helps to create layers in telling a visual story, too.

8. In the creative planning process, do you map out every detail or leave room for spontaneity and play?
I’m not much of a detailed planner to be honest. One of the things I love most about my job is making the most of a spontaneous situation - be it an unknown location, shifting light, weather, a completely changed schedule. I love it. Thrive in it even.

9. What is your favourite type of light to shoot in? And does that carry a specific emotion for you in general?
I love this question. I am currently in the Faroe Islands, and I was only thinking yesterday on a walk around a fjord that it’s the light I find here that I love the most. The clouds are constantly coming and going and with them a constant shift in the harshness and softness of the light. It’s always silvery, even when it’s golden. It’s always dancing and playful. Ethereal. Also it’s late autumn right now so the direction of the light is angled, low to the horizon, which creates lovely long shadows and spotlights on the faces of cliffs/buildings/people. Winter light in Tasmania feels the same. I love the top and bottom of the world the most for this reason.

10. Is writing an equally important part of your creative process?
It used to be, but not anymore. Communicating with words often feels hard. Communicating with images feels as easy as breathing. I’m far more visually driven. I love using the power of imagery to tell a story.

11. So much can be said in the composition of photograph; how do you let the scene “live” naturally without it feeling overly styled or contrived?
For me it’s about being driven by and finding real moments. If they exist organically, I’m happy. If they need to be styled, how can that moment be more relatable and real? Real moments will always read as being more comfortable, which means more approachable, which then creates space for deeper connection, which is where the magic happens. I’m always looking for that magic.

12. Lastly, what or who inspires you right now? What are you working on or looking forward to?
Right now its plenty of quiet solo time and wide open spaces. Always nature. Music (all types).
There’s so much to look forward too, I’m so pumped for the future. There are loads of exciting projects on the horizon. Including more ways to share and teach photography with others – I love teaching photography - and some really special collaborative projects coming up, too. Also, as much as I love being on the road, I’m always looking forward to more time at home with my dog.