Debbie Osiecki takes many of the beautiful photographs in her portfolio with her mobile phone.
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She revealed that she spends minimal money on equipment or apps at an artist's talk at Narooma Library on Friday, July 22.
Debbie developed a passion for photography as a teenager in regional Victoria. She put it aside while she focused on her career as a nurse. Years later, when she moved to the Far South Coast and worked at a disability agency in Bega, photography came back into her life.
"I really started to feel that passion again and photography came back into my heart," said Ms Osiecki.
"I got my first camera off eBay 12 years ago and I have had it ever since," she said.
Ms Osiecki does minimal editing to her photos, except cropping out anything ugly.
"I like my photos to tell most of the story themselves."
The editing apps she uses most are Snapseed and Lightframe.
Her minimal toolbox includes a device she uses to hold her camera underwater while she is swimming and the right type of cover for her iPhone 8 Plus.
One of the secrets to Ms Osiecki's "weird and wacky shots" is a flexible device like a mini pool noodle that she wraps around a tree to secure her phone there while it records.
"I go through the recording and snap the photos I want," she said. "There you go. You have the photo of the bug with its tongue poking out."
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Ms Osiecki has a small collection of glass or crystal lenses for her camera and phone.
She has a macro lens for close-ups, a wide-angle lens and a fisheye lens.
She advises against plastic lenses as they don't provide clarity.
Ms Osiecki's novel approach includes using a pure crystal ball. Ms Osiecki places it between the lens and the subject of the photo. "It tips everything upside down, magnifies things and reflects them."
The only filter she uses is a UV filter and she rarely uses tripods.
Tripods are useful for whale watching and other occasions "you are going to one spot and know what you are taking the picture of", she said.
Ms Osiecki prints her photographs through Snapfish and Image Science but waits until they have special offers.
Ms Osiecki is completely self-taught and said she was still learning.
Her ability to create magic without expensive devices and apps goes back to her humble upbringing in regional Victoria.
"I learnt to make my own fun," she said.
Ms Osiecki's exhibition at Narooma Library runs until Saturday, July 30.
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