REBEKKAH FARRELL is a fresh young photographer with a bright future ahead - I've got my eyes on her! It is such a delightful story, the way she managed to float through university without a real understanding of where her talent lay, right until the end. Ending up with an advertising major and a beautiful photography portfolio, I'm glad that she realised her calling before she graduated!

Farrell's delicate discernment reveals a consistent, almost muted aesthetic throughout all of her photos. I would call it: Beauty in a bottle.

Coup De Main were lucky enough to ask Rebekkah a few questions about all things interesting...

How did you get into photography?
It took my 5 and a half semesters studying Graphic Design at AUT, but I suddenly figured out I loved it, so thought I'd have a go and turns out I'm a bit of alright.

What advice would you give to high-school students that want to get into photography?
If you really enjoy photography, always have some form of camera with you so you can document everything that you're drawn to. We did an exercise at uni that really helped me figure out what I enjoyed - find 100 images of interest, scrapbook them. I think it's really important to explore and understand what you're passionate about. Keep taking photos and see what experience you can get with current photographers you admire, you will learn a lot.

Where or whom do you draw your inspirations from?
I'm always inspired by films, stories, music and my friends.

What is the process for coming up with an idea - how do the ideas spark?
With films and stories it's the characters; I like to take an existing character and further understand their personality and background. I create a narrative about what other sides of a character I can explore, where are they now, what their interests are etc. Although it's mostly me just deciding these ideas about the character, I think it helps produce a more interesting photograph. I always like to subtly hint at a narrative, it's intriguing for the audience. Music helps spark the atmosphere and look I want to project - I usually pick a song to go along with a shoot and have it in my head to remind me what I'm trying to depict. My friends personalities, interests, jobs, life and general marvellousness constantly inspires new ideas. Even knowing them inside out and back to front, they'll always be fascinating to me.

Congrats on finishing your Bachelor in Graphic Design at AUT, what does this year hold for you? Or at least what would you like it to?
Thank you very much! I have just found out that I won the photography award so I'm taking that as a positive sign that I should continue down this path. I'm hoping to get lots of different experience, with as many different people so I can understand the industry better. And to just take lots and lots of excellent photos.

What is your all time favourite fashion purchase?
When I was eight I was a die hard Spice Girl fan. My aunty lived in London so I got her to send over these absolutely massive white, platform Sketches shoes. They were so ridiculously high, I would only wear them in front of the mirror to sing Baby Spice's lines in their songs. I truly believed I was a Spice Girl, and I think the shoe purchase made me that much closer to being one.

Who would be at the top of your 'best dressed' list?
The Spice Girls circa 1996-8.

What are three things you can't live without?
Family and friends, music and films.

What did you dream of becoming when you were younger?
My very first ambition at three years old — become a gymnast and run away with the circus.

HEART LISTENING = Best Coast — Sun Was High (So Was I)
HEART WATCHING = Romeo + Juliet — Baz Luhrmann
HEART READING = Frank Miller's Sin City comics
HEART IN GENERAL = These hilarious cat ornaments my friend Lise bought me in Bali.

Where can we go to keep an eye on your future projects?!
I will be posting many of the whimsical things I do on my blog — www.rebekkahfarrell.blogspot.com it's also updated on facebook and twitter! And hopefully a website in the near future so keep checking the blog to see what's going on!