a chinwag with photographer kara riley

We had a wonderful time working with Melbourne photographer Kara Riley on our recent short film ‘the birdwatcher’. Inspired by our 2021 diary (which doubles as a bird-watching journal), Kara set about capturing the native bird life around her local nature reserve. After the film wrapped, we nabbed five minutes to chat about careers, inspiration and nature with the lovely lady herself. 

Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into photography. I’ve always been the girl that likes art, and knew I’d end up in some sort of creative career – it just took me a while to get focused and figure out what I really wanted to do. I became obsessed with shooting on film in my early 20, while living overseas, and did it as a way of capturing my surroundings and memories. I was always interested in photographing plants and flowers, and found it very meditative. I then started to enjoy photographing people, which led to shooting models and fashion editorials for local businesses. I love capturing quirky and interesting humans, especially other creative women just being themselves. 

Where do you usually find your inspiration? I'm always inspired when I walk around the streets and see what plants and flowers are growing where. I'm inspired by the colours the sunlight creates on the side of buildings in the afternoon. If I’m ever feeling uninspired, I go for a little stroll and there's always something interesting and unexpected to be found. 
We loved working with you on the frankie film. How did you set about capturing all the amazing birds? I'm lucky to live on the Mornington Peninsula, which is bursting with natural goodness and lots of bird life. I knew if I walked around the reserve near my home, I'd be sure to spot some interesting birds. My partner Liam is the one who got me into birdwatching, and came with me to help find the best spots! The rosellas were filmed from my balcony – they visit us every afternoon and are very friendly.

We know you’re a keen birdwatcher. What are your tips for first-timers wanting to spend more time in nature? I would suggest going to a spot in nature with lots of trees and simply waiting and being patient as you learn to notice where different birds like to hang out. Some birds, especially the smaller types, can be really hard to see, but as you pay attention to the noises they make and try to be still and silent, you can become aware of a whole other world up in the trees. Over time, your bird eye gets sharper – practice is key. 

Where can we find more of your lovely work online? You can see my work at www.karariley.com, and at www.therunawayhearts.com where I make Super 8 wedding films.