Neighbours' Dan Paris reveals his favourite photographic subject- his girlfriend, Tanya Jenkyn

Picture Perfect

As one of Australia's most popular soap stars, Dan Paris is used to posing in front of a camera. However, when Dan is not filming Neighbours or fulfilling publicity commitments, he like nothing than to position himself behind the camera lens. A keen photographer, Dan invited TV WEEK to join him on a shoot at Melbourne's historic Rippon Lea Estate, He also brought her own gorgeous prop- his girlfriend, Tanya Jenkyn!

"I've just started to do portraits," Dan explains. "Up until recently, I was concentrating on landscapes. But Tanya managed to creep into a few shots and I thought, 'Why not?'. Tanya is a great model, and she also doubles as an assistant. I don't have to worry about carrying my own equipment when she's around!" A professional model, Tanya has worked with some of the best photographers in the business- and she rates Dan as being one of the best. "He's fantastic," she says. "I can't stress that highly enough. He's very critical of himself, but very talented at the same time. The walls in our apartment are crowded with amazing shots that he was taken."

Dan says that several factors must be taken into consideration when trying to take the perfect photograph. "The lighting is probably the most important thing, and when you're outdoors it can be hard to control," he says. "But I love the fact that it's unpredictable. It's a real challenge to get it just right." After taking several shot around the historical mansion and gardens, Dan and Tanya found time to relax. "Rippon Lea is one of out favourite places to visit," Dan says. "You could spend a week here and still not photograph it all."

The way we met

Dan and Tanya fell in love on the high seas.

When Dan first spotted Tanya on board a cruise ship in Thailand, he was immediately smitten by her gorgeous features. "I was attracted to all the little things," he says of their first encounter, which happened just over three years ago. "Most of all, I noticed her eyes. I don't know if I believe in love at first sight, but there was a connection."

 If you think this sounds romantic, then you're right- except for the fact that Dan and Tanya were both working at the time. "We were advertising the cruise ship," Dan explains. "It was a modelling job, so it wasn't exactly The Love Boat. But Tanya and I hit off right away. And by the end of the trip we were together." While Tanya also found Dan attractive, she admits that he did have his faults. "Dan wasn't very organised when I first met him," she reflects, laughing. "I was attracted to him, but I remember thinking that he was all over the place. Over the space of a week we become friends."

 After three years together, they both agree that the secret to a healthy relationship is having things in common- as well as having separate interests. "We're very alike in a lot of ways," Tanya says. "We have similar interests and personalities. But there area also  enough differences to keep us together. If we were exactly alike, it probably wouldn't last." And is there any chance that they will make their relationship more official? "We don't need to get married- we'd only do it id the parents begged up!" Dan says. "It's not something we need to do. Commitment- wise, we're too young to jump into that. We're just happy to stay as we are for the time being."

 Source: TV Week, 2000

Writer: Jason Herbison  

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