One of the most exciting things about being a part of the Revival Runway community is discovering amazingly talented creatives who volunteer their time, energy and creativity to help us support the Melbourne independent fashion industry.
Melbourne photographer Amelia Ouwerkerk is one of our newest discoveries. Her work has an emotional depth that infuses fashion editorial work with a style and energy that becomes more like portraiture.
HOW IT BEGAN …
Founder of Haus of Ouwerkerk, a Melbourne-based studio that focuses on weddings, fashion, and creative editorial work, Amelia has always been creative and visually inclined.
“It actually started with hand-drawn portraits as a kid. I grew up on a farm with little else to do, but I quickly realised that spending all day alone in my room was not how I wanted to create. I have always loved fashion, performance, music and storytelling, and photography became the place where all of those interests finally connected,” Amelia explains.
“I studied Studio Arts in high school and received my first camera when I was seventeen. My dad surprised me with it, and I spent my entire gap year shooting nonstop. There were a lot of terrible photos, a lot of experimenting, and a lot of learning. I watched Jessica Kobeissi and Brandon Woelfel on YouTube, photographed my younger sister and friends, and built everything from scratch.
Amelia explains that she transitioned from disposable cameras to a “tiny digital camera, an iPod, my DS, and eventually my first real camera”.
Shot by Amelia Ouwerkerk
“When I finally held a proper camera, something clicked. I realised how much joy it gave me to create images that made the world feel softer and more beautiful. Putting something lovely into the world, one image at a time, felt meaningful.
“That is probably why I love editorial work. It is a small fantasy world. Polished, surreal, elevated. I love building those worlds in my own way. It’s a little bit of escapism.
“My first professional jobs were school portraits, daycare and kindergarten photography, and university graduations. Those roles taught me how to work fast, follow exact briefs, stay calm in chaos, and create something beautiful using whatever natural light I had. Those skills shaped the photographer I am today.
“Now I work full-time as a freelance photographer. I regularly second shoot and subcontract for several Melbourne studios including Flashback Feels and Mandy Wood Studio. At the same time I am continuing to grow my own creative and commercial work.
“This is my first year doing photography full-time, and it finally feels like everything is moving in the direction I always hoped for.”
HOLDING FEELING HAS POWER
Every photographer has their own ‘eye’, their intrinsic sense of what is beautiful to them. For Amelia, her artistic practice is focused on emotion and light.
“My approach always begins with emotion. A photograph can be technically imperfect, but if it holds feeling, it has power. At the same time, a truly strong image blends emotion, composition, and intentional light,” says Amelia.
“Light is the heart of my practice. It is how I sculpt a moment. I am not just documenting what is in front of me; I am always trying to elevate it. Even in fast-paced or imperfect environments, there is always something you can shape, whether it is avoiding awkward shadows during a wedding kiss or using flash backstage to carve out one beautiful frame in the middle of chaos.
“I think my work sits between intentional and reactive. You cannot plan everything or you risk missing true moments, and you cannot be completely reactive or you lose your point of view. I blend both. I anticipate moments, position myself with purpose, and react quickly when things unfold.
“Creating a comfortable environment is also important to me. Even in editorial work, the energy of the person in front of the camera shapes the result. You can have the most striking person in the world, but if they do not feel right, the image will not land. I focus on creating space where people feel open and confident.
“Stylistically, I lean toward elevated and emotional imagery. I love giving everyday moments a slightly editorial feel that still feels honest and human.”
The photographer. Shot by Amelia Ouwerkerk
It is the ability to “elevate the everyday and create something beautiful” that Amelia loves about being a photographer. “The images that stay with me are not always the most technically perfect ones. They are the ones where someone sees themselves and says, ‘I did not know I could look like that’,” says Amelia.
“I love the buzz of getting-ready moments whether it is a wedding morning or backstage at a runway. There is anticipation and electricity in the air. Editorial sets have that same feeling. When the concept clicks and everything comes together, it is incredibly satisfying.
“Photography gives me a creative high. Some people chase adrenaline in different ways. I get that feeling through making images and being a part of these charged and meaningful moments.”
JOYFUL, ALIVE, EMOTIONALLY HONEST
Amelia admits that she finds it hard to define her creative style in words; she loves working across a variety of aesthetics and doesn’t enjoy repetition. “I love shooting gritty Y2K-inspired concepts one day and refined sunset wedding portraits the next,” she says.
“If there is one thread that runs through all of my work, it is emotion. My colours stay close to real life. Not pastel, not vintage, not overly saturated. Just a little brighter, a little bolder, and always flattering.
“I gravitate toward images that feel joyful, alive, and emotionally honest. But I also love exploring gritty or experimental concepts when the brief calls for it. I think my strength lies in taking someone’s vision and translating it through my lens, creating something that feels like them and like me at the same time.”
Shot by Amelia Ouwerkerk
Inspiration comes from “everything”, says Amelia. “My life, the world around me, creators I admire, fashion, film, TV, music, even someone’s outfit or personality. Inspiration does not have to be visual. Sometimes it is just a mood or an energy.
“If you only take inspiration from photographers, you risk comparing yourself and losing originality. Creativity becomes stronger when you pull ideas from everywhere. It is like styling an outfit. If you recreate something from Pinterest, you copy that look, but if you take inspiration from something unexpected like architecture or furniture textures, your interpretation becomes unique.
“Photography works the same way. The most interesting images come from translating different influences into your own visual language.”
FORWARD TO THE FUTURE
As a photographer, Amelia says “there is so much I want to experience. I would love to photograph a European wedding season, travel internationally, and be part of iconic celebrations. Weddings are something I want to continue growing deeply into.”
She also loves shooting fashion: “I would love to work with brands big and small shooting campaigns, lookbooks, and conceptual projects. But most of all magazine publication is a huge goal of mine; Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle. One of my biggest dreams is to photograph a K-Pop photobook.
“I am also obsessed with high-end PR event nights. The themed dinners, the creative direction, the curated spaces. That curation is one of the reasons I love weddings. They are a curated expression of a couple and everything they like . The guests, venue, food, styling, everything is intentional. I love stepping into worlds built with meaning.
Ultimately, my dream work is anything curated. Events, campaigns, weddings, or creative concepts. I love being part of the worlds that people design with intention.
“My long-term goals are centred on growth and mastery. I want to experiment more with lighting and become fully confident with complex setups. I want to deepen my skills in posing and creative direction. I want to refine my retouching to a truly high-end, editorial standard.
I want to try more styles and continue discovering what resonates with me. You learn as much from what you do not enjoy as what you do.
“On a personal level, I want to slow down and enjoy the process more. To be present in the small creative moments and appreciate that this is my job and my life. I already love what I do. I just want to keep deepening that gratitude and intention.”
To see Amelia’s work and to book her, go to www.hausofouwerkerk.com, and you can follow her daily work at @hausofouwerkerk. All photography shot by Amelia Ouwerkerk.
