Our Story

 

“Our older generation deserves to be shared and acknowledged. Not only to their own family and friends, but also to the younger generation and to the world, so everyone can see exactly how amazing this generation is.”

Tanya Jackson-Friend

 

Breed of Their Own began with the vision of one woman with deep country roots. 

 

Tanya (Jackson) Friend grew up in the quaint New South Wales town of Braidwood as one of four children, where her parent’s owned and operated a cattle and horse property.  This live-it, breathe-it connection to the land, and its daily and seasonal rhythms, gifted her with a real affinity for the regions, its lifestyle and, of course, its people.

 

After finishing school, Tanya had itchy feet in only the way that small town girls can get, and she embarked on her travels overseas and around many home states.  During this time, she lived and worked across several locations, but always maintained her connection to the rural lifestyle and all that it offered. Inspired by the beauty of the country and people around her, she eventually decided to turn her burgeoning hobby into her career, by undertaking a Diploma in Photography and Arts at the Canberra Institute of Technology.

 

Tanya’s photography work led her to running her own business doing weddings and portraiture, which she loved and enjoyed for over 15 years. But with marriage, four children and a small property to juggle now as part of her daily landscape, it meant that Tan had to take a step back from the ongoing demands of running a small business.

 

However, Tanya’s passion for portraiture and the country lifestyle didn’t diminish, and soon, both combined to spark the the project that has become Breed of Their Own.

Breed of Their Own ~Australia captures a living, pictorial history of what may be Australia’s greatest generation.  Seen through Tanya’s lens with her eye for character-capturing details, each black-and-white photograph is truly worth more than 1,000 words. The book combines these poignant images with quotes from participants, succinctly capturing a fading generation’s reflections on life, love, farms, friendships – and almost everything in between.

 

Now at work on her second volume in the series, Tanya likes to spends her time (when she has any spare!) capturing more of this amazing generation’s insights, wisdom and images through with her stunning photography.

 

She is excited to see this go many places, with the possibilities of more formats. Just ask Oprah – proud owner of Breed of Their Own