About the Sky Avenue team, Mt Wellington at dawn

About Sky Avenue

who we are and what we do

Our story

from corporate to creative

David had spent 27 years as a blue-collar worker and corporate manager. But he wanted something new. Something challenging and meaningful. Something he could do with his family.

Maddy was about to finish high school and had always wanted to start her own business. To do what she loved and work with her family.

Around this time we realised that there wasn’t anyone in Tassie doing professional virtual tour photography. This was our opportunity to dive in and fill and a gap. But it was something most people had barely even heard of, let alone viewed as something useful for their businesses. But we knew that this was something Tassie would need and want in the future. So we (David, Grace, and daughter, Maddy) decided to give it a go. After all, nothing worth doing comes easy.

With equal parts exhilaration and trepidation, David left his stable corporate job. The three of us started the family business. Abandoning all we had known before, we set foot in an entirely new industry, a new discipline, a new mindset. We bought a camera and a fish-eye lens from a local camera store and learnt to use them. Through countless hours of research, practice, trial and error, asking advice from other photographers and creatives, David became an expert in virtual tour photography.

Maddy studied graphic design and web design in Hobart, so we could offer our clients the services they needed along with photography. And all along Grace was there to support, to encourage, to give feedback and push ahead. Sky Avenue Photography + Design was born.

Starting a small business is never easy. Everyone said it’s all about marketing and “getting your name out there.” But David, Grace and Maddy are quiet people, preferring to work hard under the radar and feeling uncomfortable talking themselves up. Other people said there was no growth potential in Tassie, that no one would see the benefits of VR in their businesses. But David, Grace and Maddy knew there were businesses out there like them – businesses that were brave enough to try something new and push ahead.

We knew what we did could help businesses do better. So we persevered. We kept showing people what we did and how it could help them, one-on-one. It was never about quantity, or quick wins, or marketing campaigns, or gimmicks and fads. It was about helping each one of our clients, one at a time, and building something just for them. Something that shows what is unique about them, what they do best. Something that lasts and is useful for years to come. We’re still working with many of our earliest clients, and those relationships are ones that we value highly.

From a newly formed family business jumping in the deep end, to experts in VR photography and design, we’ve learnt a lot over the last 10 years. We’ve never stopped growing, honing our skills, and pushing ahead.

That’s what being Tasmanian is all about – perseverance and quietly pushing ahead.

Read more about the Sky Avenue Team

David Rayward

David Rayward

Co-Founder, Photographer

David is Sky Avenue’s photographer, videographer and VR content creator.

David spent 7 years in maintenance management and nine years in corporate management before co-founding Sky Avenue with his wife, Grace, and daughter, Maddy. He enjoys using VR to simplify the technical aspects of asset management, maintenance planning, and induction systems, using his background in these fields to inform his methods.

To wind down, David enjoys golfing, kayaking, woodworking, and playing guitar.

Maddy Seeley

Maddy Seeley

Co-Founder, Designer

Maddy is Sky Avenue’s designer, developer and post-production lead.

Maddy has a Diploma of Graphic Design and experience in a variety of design, photography and web projects. She loves working with small businesses to solve their design challenges in a simple, down-to-earth way, and helping creative people start their own businesses.

When she’s not working away in her home office filled with plants, you might find her camping, gardening, or listening to records.

Grace Rayward

Grace Rayward

Co-Founder, Assistant

Grace is Sky Avenue’s photography assistant and advisor.

Grace has an eye for colour, style and composition being an invaluable member of the Sky Avenue team. Her background and skill in art and creative activity guide her approach to our work with clients, as a nice balance to the technical side.

She enjoys gardening and time with friends when she’s not busy with creative aspects of her life.

Our services

VR + photography + design
Saffire Freycinet virtual tour by Sky Avenue Photography & Design

VR Tours

As Tasmania’s leading VR tour creators, we specialise in 360-degree virtual reality tours with interactive elements and embedded media. Our tours can contain video, audio or photographic content, and be customised to suit your branding and individual needs. They are viewable on any device and are compatible with VR headsets. They can also be used with booking systems, safety inductions and asset management systems. Our VR Tours can be as simple or as comprehensive as you need.

Google Street View

Using Google’s Street View technology, we create a high-quality 360° virtual walk-through of your business premises. This VR-ready virtual tour will appear on Google Maps, Google Street View, and can be shown on your website and social media as well.

Google Street View at Chinese Dynasty Restaurant
Commercial photography at Silk Laser Clinic Hobart

Photography

We produce high quality, professional photography with attention to detail. We can help you with:

  • Hotel and tourism photography
  • Commercial and industrial photography
  • Architectural photography
  • Corporate and staff portraits
  • Product photography
  • Food photography

Aerial video and photography

We are fully insured and certified to provide aerial video, photography and 360° panoramas with our professional-grade drone. We have operated in very challenging conditions and captured a wide variety of scenes and events from the air.

Aerial photography in remote locations
Dual crane timelapse video

Timelapse

We can capture professional timelapse footage for construction and other projects or events. We can provide short-term timelapse of significant stages in construction such as crane lifts, or long-term timelapse of entire construction projects, from start to finish, inside or out (or both).

Video production

We can work with footage you already have, or we can supply you with professional video, aerial and timelapse capture, combining these into a finished video with custom branding, animated graphics and licensed music. We specialise in short corporate videos that convey the message you want to get across to your audience, whether it be for internal or public communications.

Video production for TasWater