Howdy! Thanks for stopping by. My name is Mallory Holley and I am an Aussie photographer, blogger and speed queen.
GARAGE DAYS & GOLDEN MEMORIES
It was my Daddy who particularly influenced my love of all forms of horsepower. From a very young age, I would often spend time with him in the garage. I’d always find myself mesmerized by a dusty treasure hidden in the very far corner.
That treasure was the very first model Holden, a 48-215, affectionally known as the ‘FX’. She was such a beauty that, despite the dust, cobwebs and spiders that covered her, I fell in love. That early fascination grew with me and sparked a lifelong appreciation for all vehicles.
I love and appreciate all builds of classic and muscle cars, hotrods, ratrods, motorbikes and trucks. Growing up, I spent countless hours being driven around in a Ford F250 ute and some beautiful Landaus and those vehicles will forever hold a very special place in my heart.
I’ve also had a lifelong love for the early model Holdens that I grew up with, the Corvettes that captivated me long before I could ever drive one and the elegance of finned Cadillacs. These vehicles are tied to some of my fondest memories.
Working alongside my Dad in the garage, I delight in the art of restoring cars and trucks, leading to an ever-growing collection of projects… possibly enough to last us several lifetimes. Unsurprisingly, I drive a few classic Chevys and Holdens. Chrome will always get you home!
When I’m not in the garage, I usually dress in vintage clothing from the 1940s through to Y2K and you’ll nearly always find me in a pair of cowgirl boots. I love collecting antiques and nostalgic treasures from bygone eras. I am also a huge animal lover! 🧡🐴🐮🐱🐶🐓
My passions influence my art like stars in the night sky, each one a spark of inspiration guiding the path of my imagination and creativity. I especially enjoy expressing myself through makeup, painting and writing. However, photography has always been my favorite medium… the art form where all my loves, memories and inspirations come together most vividly.
I have had a camera in my hands since I can remember! In fact, when I was a kid, I’d save up my pocket money to pay for film (and developing) for my little 35mm Kodak that besides being reusable, had pretty much as many functions as a disposable film camera. I would then dress up the dogs, cavies, rabbits, chooks or ponies in whatever I found as a suitable fit, whether it be Barbie clothes or items raided from my Mum’s linen closet. I would sometimes even apply their makeup, usually with coloured zinc cream, style their hair and create little glamour shoots. Often my Mum would find the odd few photos on her film rolls here and there, when I had mischievously ‘borrowed’ her camera. She had this fancy Canon, which was usually deemed sacred, yet it was much more exciting and appealing to use than my own camera.
My love for photography was further fueled by my Mum and Dad, who gifted me a photo album and encouraged me to fill it with snapshots of the beautiful cars at the local cruise nights that I attended alongside my Dad in his Corvette.
Despite eventually graduating from university with a Bachelor of Laws (with honours), I had a taste of many incredible photography electives within my degree.
I never imagined that taking a few self portraits for a studio photography assignment would lead me down a completely unexpected career path, especially since I thought photography would always remain just a hobby… but here I am. Life cannot be planned, so you might as well live life, do what you love, and follow your heart.
MY PHOTOGRAPHY
These days, I enjoy empowering women to feel confident and celebrated through pinup photography. Many of my shoots combine classic pinup style with vintage cars and hot rods, which naturally complement the aesthetic. My work encompasses a variety of styles, from 40s, 50s and 60s pinup looks, to moody, cinematic film noir inspired portraits, each capturing a unique story. Anyone can be a pinup model, no matter their age or the number written on the label of their dress.
I greatly admire Bunny Yeager, Bettie Page, Marilyn Monroe and the pin-up art created by Gil Elvgren and Pearl Frush, who inspire a lot of my work.
Beyond pinup photography, I photograph babies, children and couples, often using vintage inspired styling and props to add character and timeless charm to each session. I also provide commercial photography to help businesses shine.
Although vintage inspired photography is my specialty, that’s not all I do… 😉
VINTAGE VIBES & DIGITAL LIFE
In addition to creating images, I share my lifestyle, including my love for pinups, old-skool cars, trucks and everything vintage on my blog which I started back in 2011. You can read about my blog HERE and even get a FREE SUBSCRIPTION to it, if you like!
I recently created a YouTube channel, where I hope to bring my blog to a whole new level with video. I am immensely grateful for everyone who has subscribed to my channel and helped it to grow.
Through whatever I capture with my cameras, I hope to inspire and encourage others.
MALLORY HOLLEY 