Photographer swaps dumbbells for drones

After Covid prompted South West resident Kira Price to swap fitness for photography, she knew it had been the perfect career move when a friendly highland cow called Bruce decided to strike a pose.

Faced with lockdowns, border closures and job uncertainty, the former personal trainer had left her job in Melbourne, packed her bags and returned to the family farm in Capel.

With time on her hands, she’d picked up a camera and spent many months capturing life on the farm and by the coast.

“That encounter with Bruce, as I was fixing a fence on the farm, has ended up being one of my favourite all-time shots,” said Ms Price, who has turned her new-found passion into a full-time business.

She sells her artwork, a unique blend of ‘farming meets the ocean’ that includes stunning aerial photography and spontaneous animal shots, online, at her store in Busselton and at prestigious art events, including Upmarket Art Fair in Perth on 14 October 2023.

“Those 11 months back on the farm changed my life at the start of Covid. I took more photos than ever and to help fill in time and beat boredom I took my images to local markets in and around Busselton,” Ms Price said.

“I’d taken photos as a teenager, borrowing my brother’s camera, but I didn’t realise it was a passion until I moved back home at the start of the pandemic. Turns out I was always looking to capture the beauty in the world around us.”

Kira’s photography was an instant hit among the Busselton community and now she’s gaining a growing profile in Perth.

“I did my first Upmarket Art Fair two years ago and it was the first real opportunity I’ve had to showcase my work to a Perth based audience.

“Even two years later, I am still having people come up to me saying they remember me from Upmarket Art Fair.”

Kira draws her inspiration from the environment and says her favourite pieces of work are completely spontaneous.

“I love when I’m just out and about and stumble across an animal or stunning landscape, those are the shots I didn’t see coming and yet they are so raw and authentic.

“Bruce had stood there that day, posing as I snapped away. It was not planned at all, it just happened and that’s the photography I love the most.”

You can catch Kira at the next Upmarket Art Fair on Saturday 14 October 2023 from 10am until 4pm at the University of Western Australia’s Winthrop Hall.

To find out more visit www.kirapricephotography.com.au and www.perthupmarket.com.au