Rebecca Fennell is a South African born portrait and wedding photographer, based in Hertfordshire.
It feels like I have never been without a camera in my hand but I do know that my parents bought me my first little point and shoot camera whilst on a big trip abroad from our home in South Africa, age 12, to the UK, Italy, Switzerland and France – man, was I snappy happy! I remember being in Capri watching the sun setting over the ocean with all the sails of the yachts silhouetted against the sun. This is most definitely where my love and photography, travel and sunsets began. I remember my dad saying that you should never photograph into the sun because it probably won’t come out – but I was determined, did it anyway and bar a few glare spots, loved the result. I remember we stayed in a little family run hotel on the cliff edge and it was the first time I saw two young lovers kissing – I was fascinated! On the same trip, my Great Aunt Jean took my sister and I to Madam Tussauds and the Planetarium, which was incredibly exciting. But I went and left my camera on my seat in the Planetarium and didn’t realise this until the next day when it was too late. I was absolutely gutted and cried my eyes out! Luckily I didn’t get into too much trouble because Mum and Dad could see how gutted I was, claimed on the insurance & got me another one for the remainder of our trip - just in time to photograph the mayhem of Portabello Road, what a fascinating place for a South African kid!
Growing up in Africa means that I was always so inspired by the natural beauty that surrounded me. I am so drawn to photographing sunsets, the colours, the warmth, the glow just does it for me. The best image I’ve taken, age 18, is still of a sunset over Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe, where the clouds formed this atom bomb shape over the lake where you can see the silhouettes of the dead trees in the water. And some of the wildlife photography in Africa is just second to none – in my other life I would be living on a game reserve photographing the big cats, they truly are magnificent creatures. Recently on Facebook I’ve become a fan of a wildlife photographer called Richard Miller, his work really is incredible, truly a talented man and a lucky one at that!
The person that first inspired me to take photos is my Dad. He loved photography and has some amazing black and white images of his life growing up in India. Also, my sister is the most incredible artist, particularly when it comes to painting and drawing animals – I've always been in awe of her talent and if I can create a photograph that is half as good as her artwork, then I’ve done well!
But our big trip abroad when I was 12 is the time that I became hooked on travel and photography – my life’s ambition was never an actual career, but to travel, camera in hand, recording life in foreign lands. Why I didn’t think of photography as a career, is beyond me, but I believe life gives you things when the time is right. Whilst life with my gorgeous little boy is a real balancing act, never enough time in a day etc, he is the reason I am doing what I am doing – because it makes me happy and if I'm happy, then I can be the best mum I know how and clearly that makes him happy. Oh, that and recently he took his first pictures with my 30D and loved playing around with effects in Aperture - truly a proud moment!
Who knows what the future holds but for sure it will always be with a camera in my hand. My Dad tells me that I come from a family of entrepreneurs, which is why I will succeed. But what exactly is success? I’m realising that, apart from making a living obviously, it is a long journey of finding ones own unique style, making the most of experiences and people that come your way, never forgetting how far you’ve come and trying to work out where you are heading. When I get to the end of my days, I want to look back on my life and see it as being truly varied and interesting, full of amazing opportunities & people and I believe photography is giving me just that.
I am also very lucky to have met photographer Phil Richardson who not only produces excellent work, but is so keen to share his knowledge, contacts and experience for others to succeed. It’s a rare thing in life to find someone who is not threatened by potential ‘competition’ but instead happily puts in hours of his time and is only excited at the prospect of helping other photographers really succeed. So whilst I am still finding my way, I am very excited about my future in photography and where it will lead.
To learn more about me, you can find me in the following places:
