Personal one - Chrissie Hall interview
Could you introduce yourself and tell us a little about your journey as a photographer?
My name is Chrissie Hall. I’m an award-winning photographer, filmmaker, director, artist, and published author. Over the years, I’ve created across fashion, editorial, advertising, portraiture, and social documentary, while also directing music videos and fashion films. My journey has always been about weaving cinematic narratives into still images and exploring how photography can transcend documentation to become something dreamlike and transformative.
How would you describe your style or approach to photography?
My work is bold, colourful, and deeply playful. I have an endless love affair with colour, and I approach photography as a way of staging cinematic moments—worlds where the fantastical and the real blur together. I’m constantly experimenting, whether it’s with analogue film, alternative printing techniques, or reshaping negatives, pushing each image toward something
unexpected and immersive.
“ “Don’t forget that photography is as much about the story you tell as the image you make”
When did you first hear about this exhibition?
When I received the invitation, I felt truly honoured. To be included is both humbling and exhilarating.
Is this your first time participating, or have you been part of it before?
Yes, this is my first time exhibiting in this show, and I’m thrilled to share the space with such extraordinary artists.
What does it mean to you personally to be part of this collective exhibition?
It’s a privilege to exhibit alongside some of the top photographers of today. I’m excited not only to present my work but also to experience theirs, exchange ideas, and draw inspiration from the dialogue this exhibition creates.
What do you hope audiences will take away from experiencing your work here?
I hope people leave with a sense of playfulness and possibility—that photography can be daring, experimental, and joyful. I want viewers to feel colour, to remember that it’s okay to break rules and take risks, and to sense the cinematic heartbeat that runs through my work.
How do you see the photography scene today, especially with younger generations coming through?
Photography today is both challenging and thrilling. While AI has made creating images easier, I believe it’s vital to preserve the raw, tactile honesty of photography—the weight of film, the deliberate act of composing a frame. I do see hope in younger artists who are pushing boundaries while staying true to
the authenticity of the medium.
“ “I want viewers to feel colour, to remember that it’s okay to break rules and take risks”
Has the exhibition influenced or inspired your perspective on photography in any way?
Absolutely. Its just great to create and get the ideas out of your mind
What projects have you been working on recently?
My current project, Acid Hotel, is a surrealist exploration of identity, gender, and personal narratives, told through cinematic vignettes set inside the imagined rooms of a dreamlike hotel. I’m collaborating with two of Australia’s leading makeup artists, Mariel McClorey and Renee Taylor, to create visually explosive characters and worlds. Each room tells its own short story—strange, colourful, and crazy. As I like to say, "Everyone goes on a trip to the Acid Hotel"
Is there a future project you’re particularly excited about and would like to share?
Beyond Acid Hotel, I’ve been working on a long-running series with my daughters, dressing in themes and constructing narratives together—an ongoing dialogue in images that’s spanned eight years. I’m also exploring a body of work re-imagining fairytales, asking: what happens beyond “happily ever after”?
Looking back, is there a past project you consider a milestone or turning point in your career?
Publishing my second book, Layers of the Kaleidoscope Qween at Lunar Studios was a defining moment. It was the culmination of fifteen years of work with my Muse Charly Brown and exploration, and seeing it out in the world—alive and celebrated—felt like closing one chapter and opening a new one.
How has your photography evolved from when you first started until today?
My work has become sharper, more polished, but also freer. Learning through
film taught me patience, discipline, and the ability to visualise before clicking the shutter. Over time, I’ve also had to master the business of photography—a skill just as crucial as the creative. That balance of vision and pragmatism has shaped me into the artist I am today.
What inspires you right now—whether in photography or beyond?
Music videos, art galleries, other photographers’ books, the energy of live gigs, conversations with artists, and the quiet rhythm of nature. Meditation also plays a big role—it’s where many of my most unexpected ideas surface.
What equipment are you currently using, and why?
I shoot with a Nikon D810 DSLR because I love the physicality of the shutter—the sensation of capturing a real photograph. I use Bowen lights, and I’ve been diving back into analogue, experimenting with negatives
and new experimental film stocks. It’s all about discovery and play.
Is there a photographer, work, or experience that has been especially influential in your path?
David LaChapelle’s colourful narratives and Hollywood stars and Nadia Lee Cohen’s bold, surreal narratives have both been huge influences. Cindy Sherman plays a big part also with her cinematic scenes of the characters she creates. Their work gives me permission to dream bigger and go bolder.
What advice would you give to amateur photographers visiting the exhibition?
Stay curious. Don’t be afraid of colour, play, or imperfection. Experiment endlessly, and don’t forget that photography is as much about the story you tell as the image you make.
Anything you want to add?
Just gratitude—to be part of this show, to share space with other visionaries, and to continue this lifelong journey of creating images that vibrate with colour, story, and emotion.
If you want to see more of Chrissie's work, check out her Website, Instagram and Facebook.
See below Chrissie's image for the exhibition. Personal ONE was designed to celebrate Australian Photographers and to bring together an industry which often works apart, the exhibition features over 90 artists and sells prints at an affordable price to raise money for the wonderful local Sydney charity OZ Harvest. If you want to purchase this print, click here. Thanks for being part of personal one.
