Photography is where my creative life truly began.

Hi I’m Kristy 👋 I am originally from Australia but don’t hold that against me! I have now lived in Scotland for more than 20 years… so practically a local.

Long before The Auld Romantics became a studio and a shared body of work, photography was how I found space. Time spent outdoors, walking in quiet places, paying attention to light and weather and learning to be present in the landscape became a way of grounding myself and, over time, a way of healing.

My first ‘*professional shoot*’. Laurel at Kilchurn Castle 2017. *© The Auld Romantics*

My approach to photography and editing has always leaned towards the romantic. I am drawn to softness, atmosphere and a painterly sense of light, influenced by art and literary periods that valued emotion, nature and mood over precision. I am less concerned with photography trends and more with how a moment feels, and capturing that feeling.

Over the years, I’ve also witnessed how Scotland’s landscapes have changed in the age of social media. Places that were once quiet and open have become increasingly busy, restricted, or subject to permissions. While it is wonderful to see such love for these locations, it has also added layers of pressure and limitation to working in the landscape.

The heavy weight of perfection

At the same time, I learned something important about myself. I am naturally meticulous and inclined towards perfection and for a long time I believed that great work required strict outcomes and complete control. In reality, that combination of expectation, internal pressure and external constraint was not healthy for me, and the joy slowly began to fade. I withdrew from opportunities and found myself struggling with imposter syndrome and anxiety, alongside a growing understanding of my own neurodivergent, creative brain. I have learned that my strongest work emerges when expectation is softened and space is allowed.

Letting go a little has changed everything.

By loosening expectations and allowing space for uncertainty, my photography is becoming calmer, more honest and more alive. It has returned to something I deeply believe in. Photography as an experience to be enjoyed, shared and remembered ~ rather than something to be performed or perfected.

Richard is often alongside me on these days, helping, carrying, watching the weather roll in and keeping spirits high. Together, we have spent many hours in Scotland’s landscapes with people from all over the world, sharing time, conversation, laughter and the all elements of Scottish weather.

Experience made together

This is how I choose to work now. Photography remains my art, but it is also a way of connecting with others in a very real world of Scotland’s ever-changing landscape. The photographs are made together - through intention, shared experience and the kind of moments that reveal themselves when you least expect them. If this way of working resonates, we can talk things through and see whether there is availability to spend some time together and create something truly memorable and meaningful.

Make an Enquiry