Eddy, Wanderer on the Wild Side

Those of you who follow me on my Bush Babe of Oz Facebook page will know I am a huge fan of Aussie photographer Edwina Robertson… Eddy has some MAD camera skills, and has adventure branded into her very soul.

This amazing wedding image she took 16 months ago went viral (and raised some serious $$ for Tie Up the Black Dog charity helping those with depression), prompting me to explore her wedding photo page (here) and opening my eyes her unique ability to capture people at all kinds of events, with a candid and natural style.  A photojournalistic style.  Something pretty close to my own heart.

Eddy came up with a scheme late last year to explore Australia, in an old four-wheel-drive, taking photos for people along the way. But here is the twist… she is NOT taking any money, nor will money exchange hands along the way.  Those who seek her incredible photo skills will give her a bed for the night, food to send with her for the next day or so, fill her car with fuel, and take care of whatever repairs might be needed along the way.  (They can pay her for her work via bank transfer, which she won’t touch til she arrives home).

She called it ‘Wander of the West’ and it kicks off in May.

What a brave, fabulous, crazy, exciting, mind-boggling adventure!

Already – as she undertakes her ‘practice run’ around Central Queensland over the past ten days – she has experienced both the challenges and the generosity of the bush.

She almost didn’t make it to visit us!

That’s right … somehow our funny little family made it onto her itinerary (and there were dozens and dozens of applicants)!  So even though Dash and Violet had literally JUST gone back to school, we dragged them home (not kicking and screaming) for a family photo shoot.

Then, on Friday morning (after Mr I had headed to pick the kids up from school) Eddy’s old Toyota decided to stop. She hired a car (a diesel because that’s what bushies usually have in their on-farm tanks) and made her way to us (a six hour drive from Emerald).  Her hire car proved to a bit of a rugged ride – so late Friday night I picked her up from our local town, where I had organised our wonderful tyre specialist to take care of her wobbly wheels.

And a few hours later, we were doing THIS…

If you look SUPER closely at this pic, Violet is having the most massive yawn!!

And, while Mr I got the horses and children to wake up and prick their ears, Eddy was doing what she does best!

I cannot WAIT to see the results…

Even Diamond, Dash’s dawg, got into the action! She was quite the diva… what a poser!

And me, being me, snapped a couple of shots of Eddy too. She hates doing selfies, and like most photographers, is a bit camera-shy. (We are weird like that!)

She is quite gorgeous – shot here in our freshly growing buffel paddock with her little shadow Jordie (the border collie-cocker spaniel cross).

She has a fabulous laugh and a great smile – her enthusiasm kind of bursts through, don’t you think?

And here…

Are you ready?

My first peek at the shoot…

A beautifully lit snap with my darling Dane, Axel Rose…

*sigh*

Isn’t she incredible?  She was here and gone within 14 hours… fast and furious.

Thanks Eddy… cannot WAIT to see each and every instalment on your amazing adventures. (Make sure you follow along on her Wander of the West facebook page!)

😀