Meet Tegan, the lovely human behind so much of the imagery you see from Renew! As our in-house photographer, videographer, and graphic designer, she's the one capturing each of your beautiful garments one by one and helping bring the Renew world to life through her work. She's the newest member of our team, but somehow it feels like she's been part of the family forever. When she's not behind the camera (or dropping puns into a conversation like no one you've ever met before), Tegan is a busy mum to her gorgeous crew of kids and an artist in her spare time. Creativity seems to follow her wherever she goes, so we thought it was about time you got to know the woman behind the lens a little better.
Tegan in the Kantha Culottes
Tell us a little about yourself! Who are you when you're not behind the camera?
When I’m not behind the camera I am usually hanging out with my family. We’re big on arts and crafts so there’s always some sort of creative project or DIY going on in our household!
You're one of the creative minds behind so much of what people see from Renew. What does your role involve, and what's your favourite part of the job?
My role here at Renew is really multifaceted. I get to photograph each garment but, fun fact, I’m also a graphic designer. This has meant I’ve got to have a little play with signage, flyer design, business cards and lots of creative brainstorming. My favourite part of my role is being allowed to be creative. We’ve done creative photoshoots, we get to have a play and style the clothing, and I got to go to India to document the women and process behind the clothes, which was absolutely amazing.
The signs Tegan hand-painted and decorated with recycled Indian embroideries for the Renew Bohemian Bazaar pop-up!
Every single garment on our website is photographed individually. What's involved in that process, and what do you love about capturing each piece?
Photographing one-off pieces is probably more involved than most people realise. Sometimes the garments are hanging up and ready to go (thanks team!), other times they need to be unboxed and individually hung before I can get stuck into shooting each piece - front and back. Although shooting can be time-consuming, I actually love this process because I find my flow and snap away in the little studio. I also love that I get to have a sneaky look at all the unique patterns before anyone else does!
You're a creative in pretty much every sense of the word. Tell us about your own art and what you love creating when you have a little time to yourself.
My nan was a local artist up here on Tamborine Mountain, so I was always very influenced by her growing up. I used to draw a lot, I spent some time exploring painting, but currently my energy goes into photography and craft projects. I recently heard the term “serial hobbyist”, and I’ve never related to something more!
Tegan shooting the Brohemians in Brooke's rainforest backyard
As a busy mum with a big family, how do you find time for your own creativity? Does being a mum influence your work or the way you see the world?
I try to find pockets of time around the kids where I can. Being a mum is a huge influence on my work. Setting up activities for them encourages curiosity and creativity and I get to enjoy that with them. Sometimes I set them up to create individually so I can have my own creative time. One example is I would draw mandalas while they were happily playing and I turned those drawings into a colouring book for them. So yes, I would say they are a huge influence and I hope one day they will be just as curious about creativity.
What's something people might be surprised to learn about you? A hidden talent, a funny habit or a random fact we need to know!
I can say the alphabet backwards faster than I can say it forwards, and I can whistle like a cricket if that counts?!
On a visit to the Amer Fort Stepwell in Jaipur
You recently went with Brooke on her annual trip to India to capture some imagery and video content with our teams there. What was one of your favourite parts of the trip? Was there something that stood out to you?
Favourite part - how could I pick? It was the most amazing experience! Their hospitality over there was next level and I apparently I need to up my hosting game. I loved visiting the rural villages (albeit HOT) and seeing the way that stitching kantha blankets fits into the women’s daily routines. Hearing all the stories and learning the symbolism behind the blankets was just so special.
If you could spend a completely free day doing anything your heart desired, what would it look like?
First it would look like a sleep-in with NO alarms. I’ve been meaning to try pottery for the longest time so maybe I would do that. A day of curiosity, creativity and trying a new skill sounds like my cup of tea! (Maybe I should make a cup at the pottery class!)
Styling the Silk Apsara Robe and the Silk Priya Top with an extra special Silk Spellbound Skirt
We hope you've loved getting to know Tegan a little better! From capturing the colour and creativity of Renew to bringing so many of our ideas to life, she's a pretty special part of our team. If you'd like to see more of her creative magic, have a wander through our blog to meet more of the people behind Renew and discover the stories woven into what we do. Find us on Instagram, in our community Facebook group and inside our newsletter for more dopamine dressing fun!
