Award Winning Photographer - Gill Fry
Hi! I am Gill Fry and I am a Professional Photographer living in Australia.
I am an International Award Winning Photographer, having TWICE won the prestigious NASA APOD (NASA Astronomy Photo of the Day). I have been bestowed with many other Photography Awards and some of my achievements are listed below.
But photography is not all about awards. It is about knowing how to get THE shot, feeling your environment and knowing where to be at the right place at the right time.
I have been very fortunate to travel the world with my photography. Norway, Sweden, Finland, Hawaii, Canada and of course throughout Australia are some of my favourite places.
My preferred genres are Landscape and Nightscape photography. But you can also find me in my Studio in Hamiton, Victoria doing product photography or taking that special photo of someone.
I love teaching others the joy of photography. I run workshops and tours in Australia and Norway (cant wait to get back there!!!).
I have a hands on approach when helping others in my workshops because I want YOU to get the shot!
But how did I get started in photography? My Story is below...
Awards and Exhibitions
Features and Awards include;
NASA Astronomy Photo of the Day (APOD) Jan 2 2016
NASA Astronomy Photo of the Day (APOD) May 23 2020
Sony World Photography Awards Finalist "Landscape" 2023
Australian Photography Magazine - Reach for the Stars feature - October 2018
Solo Exhibition - Colours in the night sky - April 2017, HIRL Gallery
David Main Awards 2020 Highly Commended Nightscapes
David Malin Awards 2021 Highly Commended Nightscapes
David Malin Awards 2021 Highly Commended Artistic Animation
Australian Photography Magazine - September 2017 Wilderness Photo Competition, Finalist.
Exhibition - October 2017 Off the Rails, Dunkeld.
Featured in Gurushots article
Featured on Space Weather Live
2020 Finalist Rainbow Bay Lifesaving Photo Competition
Winner of Lume Cube Photography Competition
Featured by The Top of the Best Photographers - twice
NASA Photo of the Day
Gill won NASA Photo of the Day on January 2nd 2016.
“On New Years Eve, the Aurora Australis was producing her own natural fireworks. I stopped on the way home from a New Years Eve party to photograph it. I was stoked that it was chosen to be the NASA pic of the day”. This photo is a limited edition and is for sale.
My story
I think I have been taking photos since I was about six or seven.
My Dad was an avid photographer as was his Grandfather, Harry Ord Thompson, who was a famous photographer in Northumberland, UK. My son David is also a photographer so I guess it must be in the blood. David owns DFPAD and took the photo of me at the top of this page. My other sons also have had input into this website. My eldest son Tim owns Website Design and Formation and made this website and my youngest son Sam is a Nurse, Bodybuilder and Model and features in the model section of this website.
Here is one of the photos my Great Grandfather, Harry Ord Thompson, took of my Grandmother, Mabel.
I remember taking my first photo with my Dads special camera. It was a photo of my Mum and Dad at Malmsbury Reservoir. I remember Dad being quite impressed and pleasantly surprised when he saw the photo.
In my teens and early 20's I often used to go out on photography shoots with my Dad. It was all film of course back in those days so processing was not cheap. I remember one night we went into Kyneton to capture some long exposures of the Kyneton Historic buildings, including some light trails of the passing cars. So I guess that was my first introduction to night photography.
I only really got into serious photography in 2014. I came to the realization that I wanted my job to be something I loved doing. It was also about that time that a photographer friend showed me a picture of the Port Fairy Lighthouse under the stars. I was instantly hooked. I had to do that!
After much research and very much trial and error I finally was able to produce the results that I wanted in such a way that they could also be printed.
I now offer training sessions in night photography and just love it when someone takes their first shot of the stars and goes "Wow!"
It was through my interest in star photography that I learnt about Aurora Australis. Why had I never heard about it before? It is just truly amazing! Those colours in the night sky!
I am often out taking photos of the night sky. I would much rather be out watching the stars rather than watching the TV.
My husband, Ian, often comes out with me and together we shoot photos of the stars, aurora or just lay on our back and look at the stars and satellites. We have all been out hunting auroras now for years.
My Aurora Australis hunting led me to a desire to see Aurora Borealis. So Ian and I planned a trip to Scandinavia in 2015 to capture the "northern lights".
My Dad was then 95. I told him I was going to take a picture of the northern lights for him. He replied "Don't just take one!" Unfortunately my Dad never got to see my photos of the northern lights as he passed away before we went on our trip. We did see the most amazing displays of the aurora and who knows...maybe he had a hand in that. I like to think he got to see it too. And I didn't take just one photo. I took hundreds. I dedicate them all to him.
We went back to tour Norway once again in September 2019 (happy snap below) and have another trip planned in September 2023. So why dont you join me! It will certainly be a trip of a lifetime.
