Words by Tom Disalvo //

Chilling Poolside with Stephanie Eidse

Just like the windblown beauty of her models, Brisbane resident Steph Eidse’s portfolio is a masterclass in effortlessness. Shot on film, the frames capture an assortment of sun-kissed and bikinied talent as they breeze airily in front of radiant backdrops. Drinking martinis by the pool or driving vintage Mustang’s on the shore, the 31-year-old’s light-leaked snaps elicit the nostalgia of 70s summertime to shine a light on “the things within [women] that make them feel beautiful or powerful or strong,” Steph says. 

This eye for feminine beauty arose at age seven, when Steph’s Mum won a free portrait shoot: “I remember everything about the first time I saw the final photos as she excitedly showed them off,” she says. “I remember the glamour of it all (that only the 90’s could produce); the teased hair, the purple velvet dress, the confidence she wore in the photos that I’d never seen on her before. Every time I saw the portrait I thought about how amazing photography is.”

The glamorous impression of that 90s portrait was Steph’s “first awareness of photography,” and she carried it with her from her native Canada during a “dodgy backpacking gap year” to Australia eleven years ago, where she’s stayed ever since. Here, in the glaring Aussie sun, Steph’s fashion photography – and her gloriously feminine models – really shine:

“Photography can show a woman something about herself that she may never have seen before. You can empower her, encourage her, amplify her, take her somewhere she’s never been before…It’s a privilege to see those things in a woman and to be able to draw on them and give them life,” Steph says. 

While Steph has given life to the beauty of her subjects with blissful ease; it hasn’t always been the picture of grace: “I got food poisoning the night before a big campaign shoot, from my favourite restaurant of all places…betrayed by a taco. But the shoot went on and it somehow came together okay in the end, so not a total disaster.”

Cast aside that not-so-pretty picture and feast your eyes on some of Steph’s work below, and catch her Instagram here. Presented by Tens Sunglasses:

From a time of life where I had to have reflections in every single photo I shot.

This photo is so Australian to me.

Just one of those perfect backlit moments in time

We stayed at a haunted house and Vanessa (pictured) told ghost stories all night.

Summertime with boys in cars and the way that feels.

This is the closest I’ve gotten to shooting men haha.

90’s supermodel.

Jenaya in this car was my Iphone wallpaper for an embarrassing amount of time. I’m in love with her here.

The good life.

We had 90’s R&B pumping through the speakers, the captain served us sparkling wine and cheese and I know I have the best job a person can wish for.

This is my husband’s favourite photo I’ve ever taken, so this one’s for him.

I’ll always love this photo, it was the end of the shoot and we were just exhaling and taking it all in when I snapped this.

I think I vibe this one so hard because it looks straight out of the 70’s but I took it this month haha.

My forever muse, Cynthia.

This roll of film is probably the first where every photo that came back turned out! That never happens for me, it was just a dream day, with the dream team and I’m proud of it.

Ariarne had just gotten back from her European Summer and I feel like that bled through into all our photos from this shoot, which I loved.