Penny Stephens

Bio 

I'm a freelance photographer based in Melbourne. I shoot a mixture of media, corporate and personal work.  I freelance for The Age, SMH and AAP. My corporate clients include Western Health, DonateLife, World Vision, Australian Super, Monash University, Coretext, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Victoria University, Australia Post and The Australian and New ZealandCollege of Anaesthetists (ANZCA). 

 After 20+ years at The Age I felt it was time to go out on my own. It's been the most rewarding decision. I have a wonderful mix of corporate clients  and still love shooting News for The Age. I'm carving out time to do my own work too.   I got my start at The Age when the picture department was short and needed someone to cover the lawn bowls.

I have a passion for media work. I love meeting  people in their homes, seeing and sharing a little slice of their lives making a beautiful portrait of them, witnessing what is usually an important moment in their lives. 

Expertise

· News, editorial, photojournalism and portraits.

· Shooting and filing photos and video from breaking news stories as they unfold for any medium.

· Strong editorial judgement.

· Video and audio as well as pictures for  longform platforms.

· Operate Phantom 4 and Mavic Pro drones

· Advanced lighting, with Nikon speedlights, Godox and Elinchrom portables.

· Persuasive when required but also able to put people at ease.

· Know the right story angle.

· Work quickly and calmly.

· Highly organised, practical and creative.

· Proficient with Photoshop CC and Lightroom CC to edit, crop and colour correct large volumes of photos.

· Strong and productive professional relationships.