Case Studies
Issue No. 8 - December/ 2002/january
Elska Studios
SAYES mentor helps young entrepreneur‘s flying start
Kelly Taylor began learning the fine art of photography as a child at her grandfather’s knee, so it’s fair to say she grew up in the trade.
Ebullient, enthusiastic but unselfconscious, Kelly is the principal of Elska Studio and when speaking of her young venture always uses the third person—Elska, not Kelly Taylor, does this or that.
Kelly took on her first job as a wedding photographer at 17, when working as an assistant to Mike Slattery. After graduating from the School of Fine Arts in North Adelaide, she worked overseas for a time, turning down a career at Photomakers in London to return to Australia and a job with Georges France photography in 1997.
Management work as a coordinator for photographic shoots led Kelly to discover a talent for body art, and she took further training in professional makeup and body painting during the late 1990s. Moving on to work for fashion photographer Chris Pucetti and The Look of Australia Quest, Kelly travelled around Australia doing production and photographic work.
Given the opportunity to take on marketing responsibility for The Look, Kelly went back to the lecture hall to gain marketing qualifications.
Never before had she worked independently, and much of her work experience was in well-supported positions within big firms, but this rounding-off of her skills led Kelly to begin thinking entrepreneurally.
“No one else was prepared to be a photographer, and also offer skilled makeup artistry and hairstyling. This was completely new,” Kelly recalls.
She launched Elska Studio in 2000, expecting to be a one-woman show for some considerable time. But involvement with the SA Youth Entrepreneur Scheme (SAYES) and her mentor, Graham Rodda, led to an award in the Shell Operation Live Wire entrepreneurial competition that year. Recognition and profile flowed from that and other awards (American Express and Australian Bridal Industry Association competitions). Kelly now f...
