Jodie Rainsford

LIZ BRESLIN

It’s fair to say that Wanaka local Jodie Rainsford is busy. In fact, she’s probably the epitome of busy, what with her marketing consulting business, her two photography businesses, her volunteer work as a senior firefighter and the Daily Mole (aka The Mole Prince of Squigglepanthia, aka Benson) - her alarm clock, trainer and bedwarmer of a dog.

Quite the life to juggle, and although Jodie wouldn’t leave mid-photoshoot to go to an emergency callout, many’s the time she’s raced to the fire station straight afterwards in her wedding outfit. She’s also had to cancel quite a few photoshoots with real estate agents because of fires and other emergencies.

The recent fire on Mt Alpha was a case in point.

"Luckily we don’t have fires that big very often as it takes a lot of time and resources from a lot of different people,” Jodie says. "It definitely had me pretty wrecked the first week with three weddings in amongst the mix of staying up until 4am in case the fire spread. Thank goodness for lots of local people dropping off food to the station - that was very much appreciated.”

Jodie is a senior firefighter in the Wanaka Volunteer Brigade and has done a range of week-long trainings and courses around the country to get experience of how to deal with a lot of different aspects of the role – motor vehicle accidents, first aid, driving, pump operating and live fire training.

In 2016, one challenging day of coursework included entering a building that was 800 degrees, which she describes as "pretty toasty”.

As to the nature of the fire brigade being run by volunteers, Jodie says, "I think it’s great that it is volunteer, however I didn’t realise how much time and energy it would actually take up - it’s like having another job some weeks.”

"It has completely opened my eyes as to how much and how difficult some of the jobs that the emergency services do in our country - not only fire and ambulance but also the police. Many of the people have been doing it for the majority of their lives. There are a lot of very undesirable, upsetting, tough jobs that I don’t think anyone would want to do but unfortunately someone has to do it. Some weeks it has a pretty big toll on your personal life, especially living in a small town.”

She’s very clear that photography and emergency assistance are two very different parts of her life. "I would never be a photojournalist of emergencies for the news. There are too many stories where people see their loved ones online before they hear about terrible accidents and I think it’s just not on.”

She feels strongly about media outlets which intrude during an emergency. "All these other volunteers have dropped everything in order to help these people - and the media are swarming like hawks. I am pretty sure if it was their loved ones in that situation they wouldn’t want some stranger in there taking photos in order to exploit them for their own benefit. I just wish they would show some respect and give these people the dignity they deserve.”

Growing up in small town Wanaka, Jodie didn’t have a burning desire to get into photography, but remembers her mum had "millions and millions of photo albums that I used to spend hours looking at”.

After her schooling at "good old Mount Aspiring College”, Jodie took the not unknown local path of two degrees at Otago University followed by some quality ski bum time. Eventually she became marketing manager for a big outdoor clothing brand, but quit when the fun factor wasn’t high enough, to come home and concentrate on her photography.

Her latest photography project, alongside her business Jodie Rainsford Photography, is The Good Wedding Company, which she describes as "an awesome collective of wedding professionals working together to make something cool to be a part of and an awesome product to offer our clients.” Their strapline: ‘Well, that’s bloody excellent news. You bring the love. We’ll supply the mountains.’

Jodie’s enthusiasm for the business is obvious. And it’s not just in taking the photos that she gets a buzz, but in looking at the results. "There’s something about it when you get a feeling from a photo, it’s like a mental high five. That’s what makes me want to take them,” she says.

In between all her businesses, the odd push bike and motorbike ride, the daily outings with Benson and the occasional beer, Jodie is planning to work more on her personal photographic projects. It’s exciting to see where all her hard work and enthusiasm might take her.

PHOTO: Andy Brown