COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS - with Christine Gugiatti

Aug 27

Christine Gugiatti has become well-known at Gather for the stunning aerial photographs she captures while flying alongside her pilot husband in their aviation business. Many of these landscapes depict remarkable coastal regions across the wide expanse of the Australian land on which she lives. Her bubbly and positive personality is infectious and her wonderful sense of humour is a true gem to have in the Gather Academy community. In this interview, she shares her story in that characteristic vivacious and positive manner which we have all become accustomed to expect!

Thank you so much for joining us for this installment of ‘Community Conversations’ Christine! We would love to start by finding out a bit of your back story. Can you tell us where you are based and how your interest in photography evolved?

My pleasure!

Originally I come from Western Australia, but I moved to Victoria in 2015, and am now based in Southbank (Melbourne). At the moment, I am writing this from where I have set up a short term base in Newcastle, NSW (east-coast Australia), as I have been chasing lockdowns and am stuck here until who knows when?… Ha! I usually travel four states a month pre-covid with my company.

A few of us at Gather has been lucky enough to get to know you, and we love how fascinating your career has been. For the rest of our community, can you share a bit about all the amazing paths you have followed?

Oh, thank you and same to you. I love this community and how it has become my safe place and it has been so wonderful making beautiful new friends. I laugh at myself as the answer I usually give to people (regarding career) is ‘I fly a broom’!

I started my own company when I was 18, working as a professional diver contracting to CSIRO marine laboratories, University WA, environmental science companies and Oil companies etc. I also taught scuba diving and working part-time as a fitness instructor. Just think Jane Fonda, fishnets and leg warmers! (Now I am telling my age…!).

I used to dabble in underwater photography using an old Nikonus and then progressed to a Pentax with an underwater housing during the early 80’s. I had a change in the direction of my career path when if I couldn’t work underwater due to sinus infection etc., and equalise my ears, then I couldn’t get paid. So I consulted a naturopathic doctor. The rest is history. I trained for a degree in ‘Complementary Medicine’, Nutrition etc. (hence, my inside joke of ‘flying a broom’).

I stopped diving professionally when I chose to have my five beautiful children, who are now all grown up. When they were babes, we lived in remote country on the beach (think, only 3 shops) and I loved taking photos with my Nikon Film Camera. These were the days where you had to wait a couple of weeks to get them developed, and because I lived away from the city, I sometimes had to wait three months to collect them. Ha!

I met my partner (the love of my life) 7 years ago, and just before COVID, we decided to start a new company together ….’Nighthawks Aviation’. Our dream was to specialize in night tours in the helicopter as it is so magical in the sky at night! It is like a fairyland.

You often fly from coast to coast by helicopter whilst capturing spectacular aerial views of vivid coastlines and landscapes of Australia. Many of us have been living vicariously through your beautiful aerial photography, particularly while being stuck in pandemic lockdowns. Give us a rundown of what a day in the life of an aerial photographer’ might look like!

Thank you so much, Natalie. I am happy you are enjoying my photos. Most of my aerials are a part of work, but I try my best to take some shots as I go. I love the ocean, and I enjoy the colours of the blue and the ever-changing moods of the sea from the helicopter.

Day to day life well it depends on the work and contracts. We try and say yes to everything. It is nice to mix things up from tourism, Westpac rescues, bushfire assistance, wine tours etc. At the moment, we have a movie contract in the planning... unfortinately, I cannot go as I am not a pilot and being ‘Hollywood’ they have their own very professional film crew. Now you have to laugh!! But it’s exciting, though.

I am trying to learn more and more to become better at aerial photography. It is a considerable advantage to shoot without the doors off. If we are flying for a work job, that generally isn’t an option, but when I can, it is fantastic. You usually have to watch for reflections with the windows, and I have learnt not to wear my sparkly outfits (so boring black it has to be!!!).

My favourite lens I like to use is my 300mm Canon, but it is heavy, and I have to sit the monopod on the floor between my legs to find the right angle that gives me an advantage. Oh, I am becoming a snob as I like to have the back seat all to myself to choose what window I want to use or flick between the two sides of the helicopter.

Going back to lens choices for my aerials, I am now predominately using a 50 mm Canon. I try and shoot with manual settings as much as possible. April Milani is going to help guide me on different settings and ways I can explore my aerials in the workshop I am currently doing with her. I am very excited!

Laugh, but I did try and use my Lensbaby edge 50 and some OMNI filters once in the big Westpac Rescue Helicopter. I had to wear a lifejacket which has a ‘Reserve Air Bottle’, so you can just imagine how clumsy it was and how it was a bit like a magic trick trying to swap lenses and experiment with – ‘let’s play omni’ … I am on a mission to keep trying though, thanks to April and Ute’s encouragement. Rainbows in the sky!!!

You have been a part of the Gather community for well over 12 months now; amazing! What brought you to Gather Academy in the first place?

I was looking for a photography course after completing a certificate from PSC Melbourne. I needed an online course that could deliver what I wanted, and GA had so many choices.

After checking out the instructors on Instagram, I just loved their work, photography and style! Gather Academy has been just an incredible journey. I think I signed up for my first workshop in 2019. The way the workshops are delivered and the amount of care and professional knowledge taught and shared just amazed me and still does. A couple of the courses I am revisiting following the incredible eBooks that are produced. Incredible. Life sometimes gets in the way, but it is a beautiful feeling knowing you can go back at any time and revisit the notes, instructions and fantastic video’s. What has blown me away is the

knowledge of the instructors and the delivery of the workshops. The massive surprise for me is the friendships made.

We were truly honoured to celebrate our first ‘Gather Academy Virtual Bash’, along with you and a number of other community members. All of us were truly touched by your shared experiences with Gather and how the community has positively impacted you. Would you mind elaborating here for those who couldn’t join us?

Oh, you’re so sweet. It was my pleasure to be a part of it and meet so many of the GA community that I had only seen their amazing photography but not met. Wonderful to see the faces and funny how some were celebrating with wine and us Aussies just waking up with our lemon water. Ha! This is just an example of this ‘worldwide’ photography community as I also learn about other countries through the beautiful images everyone posts and different cultures.

For anyone reading this and who was not at our first ‘Gather Academy Virtual Bash’ when it came time for me to introduce myself, I was so overwhelmed I just became emotional as I genuinely felt everyone’s love and friendship… I was (am) in my 7 th lockdown and missing my family etc., so to see my new ‘Gather Academy’ family was terrific, surreal actually… I was just lost for words and wanted to give everyone a virtual hug!

The Gather Academy Community has been my lifeline in these crazy times. I am not only being taught and guided with my creative photography journey, but I am truly a part of a caring, supportive, nurturing environment that I would recommend and encourage you to join.

You will have no regrets.

What’s next for Christine Gugiatti? Where can you see your photography heading in 2022?

I am participating in the ‘Portrait Intensive’ and the ‘Portfolio Intensive’ Workshops. I hope to learn more and improve my skills and learn new creative ways to express my emotions through photography.

I have become addicted to participating in the workshops and staying with my friends as I feel I learn more and more each time, and I can’t imagine a week going by without connecting with my GA friends. Ha!

2022 I hope we have more freedom to fly, create, do more work in the helicopter, and maybe I may go back into the ocean and take up underwater photography again… Watchthis space.

In another chapter of my life, I was a State, Australian and World Champion in two sports – Underwater Hockey and Spearfishing… So shall I get my fins back on and practice breath- hold diving again equipped with a new camera and housing? Maybe my hubby can drop me off by Helicopter – a la Bond Girl… Oh the mind boggles!!!

I am laughing as life is way too short not to have fun, and Gather Academy stirs up not only my creative senses for trying new photography techniques and lenses but also…. Life.

One day my dream would be to meet you all in person xo