PERPLE LOVES: Ilsa Wynne-Hoelscher Kidd (Photographer)

 

 

Perple Loves is a profile series of amazing individuals

that we are lucky to come across with. First is Ilsa. 

 

We spoke about her craft,

motherhood,

the present and future.

 

 

 

 

 

Ilsa Wynne-Hoelscher Kidd, photographer. 

 

 

I've always had a love of photography, in particular the nostalgia and honesty of film analogue. My father was an art and fashion photographer, so watching him from a young age inspired me to see the world creatively and moments in a sort of candid way.

 

 

I've had many experiences in various arts industry careers, from publishing to performance, and photography in a professional setting came about when I became a mother, with more time at my disposal than usual. I had a lust to fill the quieter, still moments with storytelling, learning through practice, and freezing profound self growth and a new found sense of love (for my child) into photographs to look back on. From there my enthusiasm and bravery grew, and I jumped right in to creating a new photography business- taking on portraiture (motherhood mostly), births and creating art works. I eventually moved into fashion and editorial photography as my interest took a turn back to my roots, inspired by all of my father's art and fashion photography books that my head was usually buried in- all shot on analogue.

 

The journey has been steep, wild, rewarding, and certainly has it's ups and downs. The momentum lately has been wonderful and finding my balance between work and family has started to settle into place. 

 

 

 

 

 

Every shoot offers a new experience, both in its creative potential and in its learning. I also love that I get to meet so many like-minded, and/or interesting people in this line of work. I adore all the subjects I shoot with, it's such a privilege to witness vulnerability and beauty at its deepest level, and with someone (in most cases) that you've only just met. The mutual trust and bond formed, is something of profound generosity and makes my heart skip a beat.  

 

 

 

 

 

Inspiration for me usually comes from felt experiences, my navigating of life, or from life itself (as myself as witness). I am a natural storyteller, and empath, and photography lends itself to me to express mood, feeling, and concept through a visual language that is often more articulate than my written or verbal form. I find great inspiration from art, history, human intrigue and individual stories, and on a more aesthetic note looking at other artists and photographers work globally- continually pushing me to refine my unique style and voice within the art world. 

 

 

 

 

 

I haven't any secrets, but a simple aim of capturing the realness, and truth of my subject. I am hooked on the motherhood tale- as a very maternal person, so I look to uncover the complex feelings and beauty of this experience of and for another woman. I always shoot to create art from life, and like to honour the process of a woman/mother photographer capturing these other women and mothers. There's an unspoken understanding of one another, and I think that allows my subjects to open up. 

 

 

I keep saying "this age" is my favourite- and I say that at every age!

So I love it all evidently! There are challenges to being a working mother, also caring for your children at home (both my kids have been in my full time care, with work falling around that), but I am so grateful for these precious early years spent together. Such beautiful bonds and memories are formed. The imprints you leave with them, the endless growth of love- it's insane. I get great kicks out of seeing their personalities become more defined with time, and seeing parts of myself and my husband, or family members within them. It's wild.

 

I adore pregnancy (although trying at times for sure), and likewise birth- such a out of body experience, and the transformative power of it all, truly captivating and I'm so thankful to be a woman, to be able to experience this role in life. We teach our children, but they also teach us, and their gift of (a new kind of) love as well as inviting us to see the world in a simpler and more beautiful, innocent way, I find very satisfying. 

  

 

 

 

 

Not much has changed for the kids at home with covid19. We do better if we follow a rhythm to our day. We have never been able to stick to strict routines as parents- it's just not suited to us as we don't thrive on the same routine everyday, so instead we allowed our children to guide us to a happy place of the day to day. It's ever-evolving as they grow and their needs change, but generally there's a lot of play, a lot of creating, a bit of down time (guided of course, as they would party all day if they could), and a dinner to bed routine.

 

Some days its a write off, other days we go through these motions smoothly. Outdoors is very important to us, so we always aim to get out of the house too- whether an outing to a gallery, or a stroll to the park, or a drive to the country, we try to mix it up (for them, but also for us!) 

 

 

 

 

 

We enjoy living in the city, but eventually would like to return back to the countryside. Our children thrive outside, and we all love to be in nature, and with space. It's so great for our mental health, to quiet our minds after busy days and work periods. It would be a dream to have a little sanctuary away from it all to hide away when we need it, as our work tends to bring us to the cities.

 

 

We would love to do some travel overseas as a family, but with the world as it currently is, who knows when that will be, so we are excited to do more little trips within Australia and New Zealand. We hope to give our family security, creativity, to allow them to find themselves and be supported in that journey, and to lead by example staying true to our values and to find our happy place individually. Health and happiness is where it's at. 

 

 

Dream dress! It's romantic, but slightly dark, feminine and strong, bold. I feel very beautiful in it's timeless design, and tells a story but is subtle enough at the same time to just cruise on by without too much of a statement. It's pretty darn versatile - which I love, as I like to build a capsule wardrobe rather than a trend focused one. I like to wear clothing that is comfortable, beautiful in its own right (wearable art), ethically made or even better- local designer handmade, and will last the distance. The quality is second to none... well done you!