I've been taking photos for almost a decade, that is, photos taken with a DSLR and now mirrorless. We've all taken photos all our lives, but its the last decade that I've really focused on actually understanding it.

I take my camera on every holiday and even book them with my photography vision in my, often taking a laptop to compliment the camera.

I sometimes take candid photos of friends but never anything formal. When I moved to Southern Cross, I ventured into paid work. I took photos of the local AFL team, social events and some corporate photos. Really though most of my past time was travel and landscape. Then, one day I bought a flash and wanted to expand, but the nerves still hold me back.

Just before I left a friend helped, as my muse to explore some flash photography and portrait work, I then returned to the city, let it all take a back seat to everything that I've always been more confident with, like telling stories with the photo blog.

Last week that all changed, I signed up for a studio photo workshop with photographer Meiji Nguyen. Taking photos of people, directing them and using flash setups. Three things well outside my comfort zone. I was nervous, bordering on scared. A contrast to my day job where all I ever seem to do is direct people. But it comes from an area where I have expertise. So, I'd paid, and well, it'd be worse to waste money than listen to my apprehensions, so I went.

Thankfully the venue wasn't too far from home, reducing the amount of time that I could think or even have second thoughts about going.

A concrete studio in the middle of an industrial estate, I arrived early as directed and gradually introduced myself to a handful of the 15 participants.

Our host Meiji introduced himself, explained the three stations at which 5 of us would take photos of one of the three models, directing them as we saw fit. Technically two of the stations employed flash photography whilst the third station used a constant light source. A little different but the fundamentals applied.

My group of five were wonderful. Confident, creative, energetic, curious, open-minded...we all brought a little to the table and it was wonderful bouncing knowledge off my team mates, culminating in an exchange of instagram handles, of course.

I loved the photo taking, even with my awkward demeanour, my inexperience in pose direction. I managed to get by with my knowledge of fitness and the judgement free atmosphere for trying out new things.

3 hours later, I'd taken about 400 photos. I've already seen a few of the photos my team mates had worked on and they look incredible.

Meanwhile it's taken me over a week to decide what is and isn't good, working on them and having the confidence to post them here. I've grouped the photos into the models that posed for them.

First set are of Chantelle Baker, WBFF Pro (World Beauty Fitness & Fashion), online fitness coach and sports nutrionist.

Courtney Cheetham, a personal fitness trainer, coach and master of glutes.

...and not least, Veronica Amber Peace, fitness model, environmental scientist and going by some of her bad ass shin scars, clearly a part time shark wrestler.

No serious photoshoot would be complete without the behind the scenes photos.

That's a wrap, feeling better. Taking photos of show jumping horses tomorrow who will absolutely NOT take any direction, and just do whatever they want.