Kate Ballis first set out on a path unrelated to photography, studying Arts (Media and Communications) and Law at Melbourne University, which initially lead her to a job at a big law firm. ‘I think there is a general pattern of kids getting good marks at school and being encouraged to study law, medicine, veterinary science etc, when at 18 we really don’t fully comprehend what any career entails,’ she tells.
During uni breaks, Kate went travelling, and returned with thousands of photos, as well as a fascination with light, and capturing the spirit of a setting. Seven years ago she met her partner, photographer Tom Blachford. ‘Through traveling the world with a camera, he taught me the technical aspects of photography, and through photography books and galleries I began to develop my style of landscape photography and portraiture,’ says Kate.
Today a versatile lenswoman, shooting everything from fashion to fine art, Kate has jut unveiled two astounding new series: Glace Noir and Infra Realism, which she will exhibit in Sydney in July.
Catching her for a brief moment back on home soil, we chatted to the Melbournian about exploring the unseen.
