Stepping into the frame

ADRIENNE Dillon has been photographing on the Surf Coast and in Geelong for over 20 years. In fact, she may well have photographed you.

For many years, she was the quiet observer of childhood milestones, capturing the kinder and daycare adventures of thousands of local children, along with hundreds of family portrait sessions.

Her work slipped into family albums, onto living room walls and into the visual history of the community.

But after COVID, it was time for something new.

When the world reopened, Adrienne did not simply return to business as usual. She changed direction.

What had been a successful photography career evolved into something new. Something a little more personal and incredibly inspiring.

The result was ‘Best. Age. Ever.’ a project where she photographed 50 women over 50.

What began as a fun idea became more substantial. The portraits were powerful and celebratory. The project culminated in a book and a local exhibition at The Hoop Gallery, where more than 250 people filled the space on opening night.

The energy in the room was exciting. Women saw themselves reflected with strength, wisdom and all the fabulousness of a woman over 50.

That experience clarified something Adrienne had long felt.

Women, particularly over 40 and 50, often disappear from the frame. They are the organisers of memories, the ones behind the camera, the caretakers of everyone else’s image. Yet they rarely stand at the centre of their own.

Last year, Adrienne rebranded from Little Black Rabbit Photography to Velvet Bloom Portraiture, a name that reflects the direction her work has taken. It marked a commitment to photographing women in a way that feels aligned to who they really are.

Her newest offering, Come As You Are, invites women to step in front of the camera without the pressure of perfection.

These sessions are not about heavy styling or transformation. They are about presence. About softness and strength coexisting and accepting the woman in the mirror without negotiation.

Adrienne works primarily in black and white, removing distraction and allowing expression to take centre stage. The result is imagery that feels less about trends and more about truth.

Running a business with a focus on community has shaped Adrienne’s approach. Relationships matter. Trust matters. The ripple effect of one powerful image matters.

Her vision is simple: create impactful, emotional and honest portraits that remind women they are not past their prime, not invisible and not finished blooming. They are perfectly imperfect, just as we all are.

Sometimes all it takes is one photograph to see yourself clearly. And from there, everything shifts.

Beyond the studio, Adrienne is also the camera and keyboard behind Humans of Torquay, documenting the everyday stories of locals with curiosity. It is another extension of her love of everyone carrying a story worth seeing.

Adrienne is also available for head shots and business branding photography. And as always, family portraits still hold a soft spot, so if you are looking to update yours, it is never the wrong time.