Wilz Stevens
17 June 2024
If you have the drive, your passion can take you anywhere your heart desires
Lady in a Landy is a brand created by Photographer Madelyn Holmes, which she describes as “a passion project but has ultimately evolved into a mashup of travel content, 4WDing/camping exploits and general shenanigans related to Land Rover ownership”
She drives a Land Rover Defender 90 and a Land Rover Series III and adds “Plenty of people still assume the car belongs to my partner/brother/father etc. upon meeting me – so this was a tongue-in-cheek way to clear up any confusion.”
Madelyn’s primary employment is wedding and portrait photography, through Madelyn Holmes Photographics, but she has spent a lot of time on photography projects over the years and felt they warranted a place of their own.
She explains “I have been pursuing photography since 2010 and studied Digital Media in 2013-2015 but only created the Lady in a Landy concept in late 2021.”
“Since then, I have learned a lot, and the platform has grown immensely too, so I’m ecstatic that it has received such a positive response.”
“I also have a broad crossover of skills between my photography and marketing background, which – when used in combination – I like to believe gives me an edge over some other content creators.”
She shares that as a part of the brand, “I now offer professional photography, art prints, merchandise, social media content creation/collaborations, product reviews and guest speaking services as part of the brand.”
When it comes to women in the industry, “Whilst I’m not the first and certainly won’t be the last, there still aren’t a lot of ladies who are passionate about 4WDing, Land Rovers and the mechanical upkeep that goes hand in hand with this hobby.”
For the most part, Madelyn works solo but is thankful for the assistance of her partner Josh, he “is a silent cheerleader and often behind the scenes helping me film, take photos or just provide feedback where I need it (which I’m very grateful for) - otherwise, I am mainly solo.”
In her time sharing the brand “I have had some fantastic experiences but one that stood out was being part of The Land Rover Gathering 2023 inaugural event in Hervey Bay, Queensland.”
“I was honoured to lead a convoy of over 75 vehicles and also capture some images of the event as their official photographer.”
“This year, I’ll be a guest presenter as well as participating in various aspects of the event which I’m looking forward to.”
To create brand recognition, Madelyn says “My Lady in a Landy stickers have become popular and a fun way to connect with people both within and outside the Land Rover community.”
“I’ve also taken on collaborations creating social media content and professional imagery for brands that align with my interests which has been really rewarding.”
When it comes to her brand, Madelyn likes to think “Sharing my travels and projects online has been a great way to start conversations, build a community and also make real-world connections.”
“Ultimately I’d like to encourage others to get outdoors, plan their own adventures and prove that women can be equally capable in the 4WD world.”
Going forward with her brand, Madelyn hopes “I’d love to tick off some more 4WD bucket list destinations and combine this professionally through brand collaborations and photography commissions along the way.”
“My dream would be to build Lady in a Landy into a full-time career doing something I’m passionate about – travelling for the love of adventure, showing what can be achieved and encouraging others to do the same.”
If you would like to get in touch with Madelyn about her brand, she is most active on @ladyinalandy on Instagram, Lady in a Landy on Facebook or www.ladyinalandy.com.
She has stickers available through her website with a current promo pack available for the store launch – it helps fund a tiny portion of the Landy obsession so that she can continue sharing.
She encourages everyone to follow along with her adventures on Instagram.