Photographer: Don Hildred – Self Portrait
About Don…
I’m a professional photographer with 30+ years of industry experience and over 20 years as an educator. I’m passionate about helping amateur photographers build their skills, confidence, and love of photography.
Based in Toowoomba, I travel across Queensland and New South Wales to teach adult workshops and in-school classes. I also offer online Zoom tutorials and lead regular workshops in Tasmania and New Zealand.
Since 2020, I have been teaching both online and face-to-face courses at the University of Southern Queensland, where I lecture in the Professional Photography undergraduate major in the School of Business, Law, Humanities and UniSQ Pathways.
UniSQ Campus Toowoomba
Snappr – Photographer Rating
Photographer: Jenny Simmons – Morton Island Helipad
Social Media Pages
Where my journey began…
My early years
For the love…
My love of photography started long ago when my parents gave me a camera for my twelfth birthday.
Then, I enjoyed photographing landscapes, macros (particularly flowers), street scenes, and abstract subjects with 35 mm B&W film.
Nowadays, I love to photograph macro shots of bugs and time-lapse videos of street scenes, forests, streams, and flowers!
I am also organising the Toowoomba Shutterbugs Group, which anyone in the local region can join. Please check out our Facebook group.
Nowadays
As a professional
I have 30+ years of experience since graduating from QCA Morningside (now Griffith University, Southbank, Brisbane) in 1988.
I also teach online Photography and Photoshop courses for the Bachelor of Communication and Media – Professional Photography (8-unit major) at the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ).
Teaching photography workshops and guided tours has taken me to many locations across Queensland (see below), including Far North Queensland, the Blue Mountains in New South Wales, and the South Island of New Zealand.
Where I live
I now live in Toowoomba, on the beautiful Darling Downs, 132 km west of Brisbane.
This is where I conduct my lessons, but I am happy to travel locally or interstate as needed.
My Informative years of study…
Membership
Education
Affiliations
- Contributor (Shutterstock) library
- Blue Card – Expiry 19/10/2026
- DoorDash – Food Photography
- Uber Eats – Food Photography
- Snappr Photography – Any event
- McGregor School held at UniSQ
Experience and Awards
I now have 30+ years of professional experience in the photographic industry and 20+ years of teaching and tutoring.
In 1988, I graduated from the Queensland College of Art (QCA) with distinctions and won the IAMBI Student Award for achieving the highest grade in the technical course.
I also graduated from USQ Springfield with distinction in 2016 with a Bachelor of Applied Media. I received the Golden Chain award for being in the top 10 per cent of graduates that year.
Where my teaching began
My first teaching role began with Flying Arts in 2001, with a week-long 35mm B&W film photography workshop in Blackall for Queensland Flying Arts Inc. in combination with Arts West Queensland.
Students photographed Aboriginal cave paintings, the Qantas Museum and the Stockman’s Hall of Fame. As a result, they produced a B&W exhibition in a temporary darkroom on location.
Since then, I have travelled throughout regional Queensland, New South Wales, and New Zealand, leading guided tours, conducting week-long workshops, and speaking as a guest at symposia.
I also organise a small Photography group called the Toowoomba Shutterbugs, where I run classes, field trips, and chit-chat lunches in and around South East Queensland. Please email me to join our Facebook page.
Past Workshop locations
Queensland | New South Wales | New Zealand
- Augathella: One River: Centenary of Canberra
- Babinda: Flying Arts
- Blackall: Heartland festival
- Blackall: Experience The Arts
- Blue Mountains: TAFTA: Contextart forum
- Brisbane: Experience The Arts
- Brisbane: Flying Arts
- Brisbane: Textile & Art Academy
- Bundaberg: BRAG Photoshop
- Bundaberg: Symposium photography presenter
- Charleville: Bouncing Back
- Harvey Bay: USQ McGregor On the Bay
- Ipswich: Meetup Group lessons
- Lismore: Art Gallery photographing artworks
- Longreach: Arts West School of Creative Arts
- Longreach: Heartland Festival
- Miles: Possum Park Bird Photography
- Millmerran: Photography & Photoshop
- Mittagong: Sturt: Winter School
- New Zealand: Autumn in New Zealand workshop
- Redcliffe: Cultural Centre photographing artworks
- Richmond: Community Centre
- Roma: Santos GLNG Project Press & PR
- Tasmanian: Southern Lights Photography Tour
- Toowoomba: Photography Meetup classes
- Toowoomba: U3A Photography Classes
- Toowoomba: TAFE: Graphics & Photography
- Toowoomba: U3A Digital Photography Classes
- Toowoomba: USQ McGregor Summer/Winter Schools
- Toowoomba: USQ Student Guild
- Winton: BHP Billiton Photographic Judge
- Winton: Workshop presenter
Contact Don for help
Please feel free to contact me via email if you have any questions.