background

Heide took up photography as a young girl in Germany in 1948, when she was given a Zeiss Ikon camera by her uncle. She later received diplomas in photography and advertising, before beginning her career as a industrial photographer.

However, Heide really came into her own when she became a photojournalist, working for daily papers and magazines in Germany, and later as a freelancer in England, where she had moved with her husband Brian in 1963.

In 1971 the Smith family emigrated to Australia, where Heide quickly found work in Sydney as a photojournalist, later working as a technical supervisor in a leading professional colour laboratory in Melbourne.

In 1978 the family moved to Canberra, where Heide soon established her first studio, which she operated until 1997.

In January 1998, Heide and her husband moved to Narooma, a small fishing village in SE New South Wales. Heide continues to photograph people, travel Australia on corporate assignments, and publish books.

2004 saw Heide and Brian return to the Tiwi Islands north of Darwin to gather material for another book.