In the Border region of Australia, five photographers have defied conventional wisdom by converting their creative passions into fully booked, sustainable businesses. Kelsey Hatherall, Gem Latter, Sloan Pleming, Ellen Spannari, and Meg Gibbs each embarked on unique journeys that transformed photography from a pastime into a professional calling, often facing skepticism about market saturation and career viability. Their collective success demonstrates how dedication, community engagement, and artistic vision can overcome the challenges of building a creative enterprise in a competitive industry. These entrepreneurs have not only established themselves as leading photographers in the Wodonga and Albury area but have also created business models that allow them to thrive financially while pursuing their artistic dreams.
Kelsey Hatherall's path began when she received her first camera at age twelve, developing an early obsession that led her to become the unofficial photographer among her high school friends. After graduation, she secured a position with a local photographer using her year twelve portfolio, gaining invaluable industry experience. In 2016, at just twenty years old, she purchased Blissful Love Photography, a daunting decision that left her responsible for studio rent and business operations. The first year proved overwhelming, but Hatherall persevered by attending chamber events and joining Young Business Edge to build connections outside the photography community. The COVID-19 pandemic presented her greatest challenge when all her weddings postponed within days, forcing her to navigate unprecedented uncertainty. After more than a decade in the industry, she now enjoys a stable practice specializing in weddings, motherhood, and business portraits, finally paying herself a proper wage while shooting what she loves.
Gem Latter discovered photography after working in retail management and modeling for other photographers, experiences that sparked her curiosity about the creative process behind the camera. She spent nearly two years building Love, Gem Photography while maintaining her retail position, sacrificing personal time and investing heavily in education through courses and mentorships. After relocating to the Border in 2020, she had to rebuild her network from scratch, relying on social media to establish her presence in a new market. Sloan Pleming's journey similarly involved a career transition, moving from studying human development in Reno, Nevada, to working in medical administration while slowly building Sloan Hanna Photography. Her American-influenced style filled a niche in the region, and she invested substantially in refining her craft through retreats and mentorships. Both women faced personal challenges—Latter battling imposter syndrome and Pleming navigating infertility while maintaining her business—yet each reached a turning point when their calendars filled with clients who genuinely valued their work.
Ellen Spannari began her photography career at seventeen in Mildura, where her business took off organically through word-of-mouth referrals. When she moved to the Border in 2020, she encountered warnings that the region had "more photographers than hairdressers," making market entry daunting. Despite starting over without an existing client base, her bright and energetic style resonated with couples seeking wedding photography, and by late 2021 she found her calling in the wedding industry. Meg Gibbs, who started her business in January 2014, had been photographing "everyone and anything" since receiving a pink compact camera at age eleven. Her photography teacher, Louise Azzi, provided crucial early support that shaped her artistic development. Gibbs built her reputation through community connections, with seventy percent of her 2025 bookings coming from return clients and the remainder from referrals, demonstrating the power of relationship-building in a service-based business.
The photographers consistently identified several shared challenges and strategies for success. Seasonal income fluctuations create financial uncertainty, with winter months particularly slow—prompting many to maintain secondary employment or develop diverse service offerings. All five emphasized that photography extends far beyond "snapping nice photos," requiring business acumen, marketing skills, and emotional intelligence to manage client relationships. Investing in continuous education proved essential, whether through formal courses, mentorships, or experimental projects. Perhaps most importantly, each photographer stressed the value of creating safe, comfortable environments where clients could be themselves, transforming photo sessions into collaborative, joyful experiences rather than stressful obligations.
The Border photography market, once considered oversaturated, has demonstrated capacity for multiple thriving businesses when practitioners differentiate their styles and nurture authentic connections. These five photographers have collectively shifted local perceptions about photography careers, proving that with persistence and strategic planning, creative passions can become sustainable livelihoods. Their success stories offer inspiration for aspiring photographers while highlighting the evolving nature of visual storytelling in regional Australia. As the industry continues to change with new technologies and social media platforms, these entrepreneurs remain adaptable, focusing on the human connections that make their work meaningful beyond the final images.
