Mission in Action - John

Welcome,

I was doing some early evening photography down by the waterside recently when I got into conversation with a passing gent.

John stopped and had a chat about all manner of things - photography,  the sunset, the history of the town from which he came.

He also told me how he helps sponsor an orphanage in Kenya.  It's place called 'Mission in Action' at Nakuru.

It was clear that John was passionate about the place. He and his wife travel there on a regular basis.

He spoke of how hard it for those at the orphanage, the struggles they face, the need for assistance, the apparent hopelessness of the situation. How even travelling there is fraught with danger. How sometimes the young kids of that region need to walk for miles to obtain the basic needs of the day, and that some are attacked, some killed, some raped.

There was a certain sadness was in his eye.  He was looking at the sunset, but it was as though he was looking elsewhere, and seeing something else.

I wish you well with all your endeavours, John.

Stay safe.

Faces on Fernleigh

Welcome,
Continuing with the 'fifty strangers' idea....

This morning the weather was glorious in this part of the Northern Rivers region, so a fast drive along a winding country road seemed to be the best way to spend part of the day.

As such I found myself in the locale of Fernleigh. As usual there was a camera and a couple of lenses with me.

The music was loud and I was enjoying the drive.  Actually I was contemplating stopping and photographing the road with its overhanging trees. At places it was like driving through a tunnel.

That idea was put on hold when I saw a vehicle and trailer parked adjacent to a field.  The thing that caught my eye was the the word "Farrier" painted across the back. Two men and a horse were at the fence.

I stopped and introduced myself.  One was a retired farrier who had likewise stopped to have a chat. He soon left on his motorbike. The other gent was Tim who was just about to finish his work and head off to another job.

Graciously he gave me a couple of minutes so that I could make a quick portrait.

I acknowleded his kindness in sparing a few minutes then continued down the road.

Not far along I saw a man mowing a field on his tractor.

I stopped again and he drove close to the fence, stopped and came over to say hi.

Neil was mowing the field for his eighty four year old mother.  She and his father used to grow macadamia nuts, but since the old man died, she doesn't grow crops anymore - just stays in the old place they shared for decades.

Neil himself lives in Mackay over a thousand kilometres to the north. He reckoned it was cold here today - I guess it's all relative.

Anyway, he comes down regularly and helps care for the place, although he says his mother still drives the old tractor.



I'm glad I met both these gents and heard a little of their stories. It makes this kind of work all the more interesting.  The image of the road with the overhanging trees will have to wait until another time. Then again, if there are more interesting people doing what they do......

Stay safe

Indigo

Welcome,

Last Sunday we took a drive in the Byron Bay hinterland and found ourselves at the Minyon Falls in the Nightcap National Park.

The scenery is spectaular.

As we were enjoying the views I noticed a young lady playing what appeared to be an oriental style bamboo flute.  The music was quite ethereal.

Given that I had recently set myself the task of  photographing  fifty strangers , I asked her if it was ok to make a photograph together.

She agreed, played a few more notes as I made the image, then after saying "thanks" she was off into the forest.

The last we saw of her was at some distance standing in the middle of the river just above the falls playing her music.

All in all it was a strange encounter.

If you find yourself in the forest near the Minyon Falls and you hear a strange music on the wind, keep an eye out for Indigo.

She may still be around.

Stay safe.

Red woman, Bluesfest

Welcome,

At the Byron Bay Bluesfest, early evening.

Rain, raincoat, red light.

Click.

- stay safe.

Fifty Strangers

Welcome,

 It's been quite a while since I posted anything here. The past two years have seen a fair upheaval in my life. I said farewell to Melbourne after over three decades and now reside in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales - a thousand miles to the north. Now it's time to get off the rear end and concentrate once more on photography.

Zack Arias used a term for this. He called it a GOYA project.

What that meant was "Get Off Your A.."
You get the idea. Get up and do what you have to do. Stop making excuses, stop wasting time, stop procrastinating.

So I've set myself a project to get the juices flowing again. The idea is to shoot fifty strangers. That is, approach fifty total strangers and get their permission to make a portrait of them, there and then, where and when I find them. Ideally the image should reveal a piece of who they are.

 Sounds easy - or does it? Walk up to fifty people you've never met, introduce oneself, engage in conversation and get permission to make the image. Actually it's not quite as easy as it sounds, even for someone of a gregarious nature.

This is a different approach form the way street photographers operate. Street photography is generally of a more candid nature, looking for the unscripted, 'decisive moment'.

So last week I found myself in Byron Bay with one camera, two prime lenses (35mm and 85mm) looking for the first of the fifty strangers that I hope to photograph. I would have been happy to shoot just two, but ended up with four people who agreed to be photographed. Bless 'em. I'm not sure how long it will take me to complete this self assignment nor even what the outcome will be. I guess the answer to that will become evident along the way.

P R

That's what he said his name was. P R as in Pirate Rick. Or as he said it - P RRRRRRR

He was playing the ukulele and singing. He had an infectious laugh and a great outlook. He said "Don't send a copy, I don't use email.  Give someone a hug instead!"

You can't argue with that sort of sentiment.

Vincent.

Vincent was sitting in a doorway making ashtrays from discarded drink cans.  They actually looked OK. People would come along and give a donation for them.  He was from France. He didn't say so, but I got the feeling that this was helping to pay for his visit.





Cameron.

As I was walking down the street I noticed the casual way in which he was sitting at an outdoor cafe.  I'm not sure I've seen anyone sitting in such an easy way at an eatery.  When I asked him if I could make the image he said "I'm here, man. Go for it."  Big smile, good nature.  There should be more like him.

Stacy.

Stacy was sitting near Cameron and observed what we were doing.  When asked, she also readily agreed.

Here Stacy is feeding Tyler, her son.  She told a remarkable story. Tyler is her first child.  Now in her mid-forties, Stacy has been trying for a child since her late twenties and after years of IVF is the proud and very loving mother of a beautiful boy.

May she have many years of great blessings.

So there it is.  Four requests made.  Four requests granted.

I dare say there will be a few refusals coming my way, but I've made a start and I quite enjoyed the experience.  I'm looking forward to the rest of this particular journey.

My thanks to PR, Vincent, Cameron and Stacy.

Stay safe

Late afternoon beach shoot...

Welcome,

Recently I was asked by friend, model, fitness instructor and fellow photographer Mariya Mova to come along to a 'beach fitness shoot' that she had organised.

No need to ask twice.

We decided to use a fairly secluded beach at Davey's Bay in the South East region of Melbourne.

Several of the intended participants pulled out as the weather was a little threatening. Those who did come along were only too willing to get into the spirit of the occasion.

Here are a few of the images from the day.

Christian:

Trainer/Instructor Fitness and Kung Fu. Amiable, easy going (and downright scary - just kiddin' Chris).

Justine:

Personal trainer -director. Easy going with a great smile!
More info can be found here.








A 'behind the scene' shot, taken and copyright by Mariya: This was during shooting the sequence that resulted in the previous image.






Paulo:
Bodybuilder - a mountain of a man.






In this image I tried to convey the size of Paulo. He reminded me of an ancient monument.



All in all a great afternoon was had. Thanks for the invitation Mariya - and thanks to the models.


Stay safe.

Faces in the light....faces in the life...

Welcome,

The human face has been and will undoubtedly continue to be the most common subject for artists. No-one could ever guess how many paintings, drawings, sculptures or other forms of artistic expression have been been made with the human as subject.

Likewise with photography - in the past one hundred and fifty odd years who knows how many billions of images have been made of the human form?

Here are just a very few of the faces I had the privilege of photographing this year with a comment or two on technique.

Nynah resting on the shoulder of her mother, Marcella. With Marcella slightly shaded and out of focus, all attention is drawn to Nynah's remarkable eyes. Overcast skies and shade give the soft light.

This was made during the 'Buddha day' celebrations in Melbourne. The sun was lighting the young woman's back, while light reflecting from a building to camera left lit her face.

Sometimes you may have to 'help' the sun. Paul and Sophie were photographed on a fairly changeable overcast Melbourne day. A high FP flash was used to light them, allowing use of a very large aperture for limited depth of field.

Another example of off camera flash. This may look to be a sunlit image, but in fact Peter was standing in heavy shade. A flash positioned to camera left lit the image. Often an image lit by off camera flash outdoors has a distinct 'flash' look about it. I prefer to try to keep it as natural looking as possible. As Joe McNally often says " ..there has to be a logic to the light that you add.."

I think this shot succeeds.

Black and white images can look good on a dull day. This is my friend, Mariya, a fitness instructor, model and photographer. Spot metering is almost a must on days such as this. I often find myself using this or centre-weighted metering. Rarely do I use the matrix metering when photographing people.

Indoor shots can throw up different lighting situations. This is Bridget, the chef at a local cafe. Lit by the lights in the display glass while being separated from the background by the light coming through the cafe doors.

Ashlea. Seated just inside a barn on her farm. The soft light is coming through a large door immediately behind the camera position. Being in the shade but lit this way can produce a beautiful soft light. Careful metering is required.

Tia is here lit by the light streaming in through large opaque windows. As in the image of Ashlea, the light is not striking her directly. The natural fall-off produces a lovely vignette. I placed her on the stairs to show her how to make a quick portrait. Tia is a quick learner with a great passion for photography. I'm not sure if the handrail highlights detract or add to the image.

When photographing indoors, ironically you sometimes have virtually no control over the lights. This is Sophie from the earlier image dancing like a banshee at her wedding reception. I personally never use flash at a wedding. I believe it totally detracts from the atmosphere and prevents the photographer from being unobtrusive. In that case one just has to accept whatever light is given. In this instance I used spot metering and auto WB as the light was changing rapidly.

Linh.

Sometimes you just put away all the expesive stuff, relax on the couch and just use a polaroid to make the image. One of my favourites.

Stay safe.

It's a tool

Welcome,

It's been a while, but what the heck?

I recently had a conversation with an acquaintance on one of the popular social media sites.

He asked me what I thought the next year may hold in store when it comes to the release of new cameras from a certain manufacturer.

I gave him my thoughts. The conversation then went back and forth for some time regarding the merits of this current camera versus that current camera versus another current camera.

It was in fact quite a pointless discussion as he tended to disregard the initial question he himself had asked. Later he mentioned that he enjoyed a good debate on the matter. I did say to him that he has enough experience in this game - indeed he is quite an accomplished and successful photographer - to make up his own mind on what kind of gear he wants to buy.

One thing that kept cropping up was his view that the Nikon D3x was massively overpriced and not good value for the money. Now it seems to me that his reference to the cost was because it is a camera that he would like to use for the new line of work he intends to get into. Indeed, I reckon it is the perfect camera for what he wants to do. My own view on the cost is totally the opposite of his. I reckon it is worth every cent and so does every photographer that I know who actually owns one.

Does that mean that his view is wrong and mine is right? Or vice-versa? Nope. Not at all. It just means we look at the same item with a different set of values. If I could actually afford one I would get it tomorrow. No hesitation.

This same sort of thinking also arose recently when I was shooting for a magazine. The brief was to get shots of tradesmen using tools on building sites as well as studio cover shot (at top of post). The major shots were of power tools supplied by the magazine for the article.

This guy was about 15 feet up the ladder. An SB-900 flash on a very tall light stand into his face and an SB-800 held by another tradesman was used to light the wall. Using remote wireless flash systems on modern digital gear makes this sort of work a lot easier than in days gone by.

However we also did some grab shots of one of the men using a hammer. Here's the point - the hammer he was using costs around $300! Yep, $300.

Would you pay $300.00 for this hammer? To the tradesman it is worth it. To others, maybe not.

Now, no-one who knows me well could ever honestly describe me as anything like a handyman or even remotely dextrous and capable with tools. So if I needed a hammer I would go down to a local store and spend maybe $30 or $40 dollars on one. Hey I don't even know the prices - I'm just picking that figure out of my head.

However - for that tradie a hammer that costs $300 makes a lot of sense. For us lay folk it seems awfully expensive.

Same with the tools a photographer uses. There are obviously a lot of pros around the globe who can justify the cost of a D3x. There are still others who can't do so. Horses for courses.

(wait until late next year when the next model comes out - some folk are gonna faint at the cost)

Like any field of endeavor you can get something that will do the job and will do it pretty well. Or you can get the tool that is undoubtedly the best for the job. Of course it depends on finances too. Either way, only the end user can decide what is worth it for her or him.

I've always believed that in photography you get the best that you can - at least the best gear you can possibly afford. The first SLR I bought was when I was a teenager. It was an old Ricoh Singlex TLS. Even when I got it new in late 1976 it was outdated. Still, I learned a lot with that machine. Still got it too although it does need a service.

My first SLR - Ricoh Singlex TLS. Outdated even when I got it new in December 1976

In June 1981 I got my first Nikon - an FE. Still got that too. Still use it. Recently I have been shooting Ilford black and white in it. Feels great. There's something about getting back to where it began and enjoying the image making process in the way I did it for so many years.

My first Nikon. The FE with its original E series 50mm f1.8. It's been bashed around over the years but works perfectly.

Will I go back to using that one or any of the other film cameras I have when I do commercial work? I can't see it happening. While I love using film for personal or fine art work, it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever to use anything other than digital for commercial work.

And if I can make that distinction, then it also makes perfect sense to make the distinction that the digital equipment I use should be the best possible equipment that I can get.

Yes, they are only tools. Yes, some seem to be outrageously priced (just as a $300 hammer seems outrageous to me). However, and this is the point that I think may have eluded my earlier mentioned acquaintance, no-one forces anyone to buy anything. If you want it or need it and you can afford it, get it. If you don't, don't.

Simple really.

Stay safe.

"....I've been smiling lately...."

Welcome,

After nearly three and a half decades, one of the great figures of popular music played in Melbourne last night.

Yusuf Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens played a brilliant two hour set which had the audience in mixed feelings of joy and love. Warm and sincere is a good way to describe the evening.

A couple of new tracks sprinkled among a marvelous playlist of great memories gave the crowd much to appreciate.

As described in a previous post, one had to be alert to get the camera past the metal-detecting folk at the gate. Success (if you know how).

Here are a couple of shots from the night.

Should he return to your town - get a ticket. Go see him. Revel in a rare, delightful experience. You will not be disappointed to board this Peace Train.

Welcome back Yusuf/Cat.

Stay safe.

From a Budgie to a Vulture, and some things in between

Welcome,

One of my big loves other than photography is music. Always have, always will love it.

Whether it is belting out in the car or going around in my head, I always seem to have it going on somewhere.

Lindsey Buckingham and John McVie of Fleetwood Mac

Lately it seems a lot of 'older' acts have decided the time is ripe to tour and let a new generation of fans see them in concert. Naturally if it is someone I have always liked I will grab a ticket and see the show. This is usually done in company of my daughter Cat.

In 2009 we saw Leonard Cohen, Simon and Garfunkle, Budgie and Fleetwood Mac. I have enjoyed their music since my youth and have waited many years to see them in concert.

Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac with John McVie on bass and an obscured Mick Fleetwood on drums

I guess the only downside to seeing these concerts is that unless you are an accredited photographer, you have a heck of a time trying to get decent shots. Security are all over anyone with what they perceive to be a 'pro' outfit.

At the Fleetwood Mac concert they were even going into the crowd to hassle people with point and shoot cameras. Security claimed that it was at the band's request, but the band didn't seem to mind when those at front of stage were shooting.

Budgie didn't care - you could go for it as long as you respected the request not to use flash. A great attitude. Here is founder and bass player Burke Shelly getting close with crowd.

Still, the feeble minded folk who run the venues have to do something to make themselves feel superior I guess. Give us all a break folks. It does no-one any harm. No one is going to make a killing selling any shots of a group from the back of an auditorium! For what it is worth, many P&S cameras have longer effective lenses than the ones serious photographers have to sneak in to the venue.

Anyway - enough of that gripe.

This week I flew to Perth with Cat and Jess, her friend. The concert this time was "Them Crooked Vultures" a new 'supergroup' consisting of Josh Homme from "Queens of the Stone Age", Dave Grohl from "Foo Fighters" and "Nirvana" and John Paul Jones from "Led Zeppelin".

The concert was LOUD, HEAVY and most enjoyable. Fairly QOTSA with a deal of LZ influence combined with industrial strength steroids!

John Paul Jones, Dave Grohl and Josh Homme. JPJ is playing a custom 'slide bass'

Having waited since about 1972 to see John Paul Jones in concert there was no way I was going to miss the first Australian date of this band. It was not disappointing. Amazing things can happen when very talented people get together in a creative sense and if they park their egos at the door.

John Paul Jones on keyboards

Let's hope that their first album is not their last and this tour not the last either.

Whatever your taste in music - enjoy it to the fullest, and as always,

Stay safe.

Return to beauty (redux) - Trang

Welcome.

Since my February post on beauty (and addiction thereto), I have had the pleasure of photographing Trang, an acquaintance of whom I have the highest esteem.

We met nearly three years ago and clicked almost immediately. In that time I have watched as she has gone through various situations including personal tragedy, career changes and recently, marriage to a wonderful young man, Han.

No matter what the situation there remains a certain constancy about her. She is kind, gentle of nature, funny, caring, generous of spirit, strong and loving.

She is the epitome of beauty in more ways than one.

A couple of months ago she asked me to photograph her wedding. In the ensuing discussion it became apparent that Trang had a distaste for the current in-vogue style of wedding photography practiced by most wedding photographers these days.

Instead, she preferred the images to capture what happens on the day. This fitted in with my own strongly held beliefs on wedding photography.

My personal philosophy is that once the photographer takes charge or 'directs' the scene, it is no longer the couple's day, but the vision of the photographer. My own preference is that the photography should record the authentic happenings of a sacred event on a special day.

Of course that does not preclude making a few formal or semi formal portrait images on the day. After all, weddings are a great opportunity to get images of family and friends who may not have come together for some time.

So a handful of so-called 'setups' may be ok. What I seriously object to is the overwhelmingly staged, contrived, controlled images which are a product of the photographer's idea of how the wedding should be, rather than a genuine, respectful observation of the day.

Now, that is not to decry the very talented practitioners of the other style. Far from it. I am in awe of the talent that some of those photographers possess. It is the style that I detest, not the talent or the photographer.

An analogy could be that while I acknowledge the great talents of musicians, there are obviously, like everyone else, some genres that I cannot stand. Likewise with photography - I can respect the artist, if not the style of the art.

So I was somewhat pleased when Trang voiced the same preferences.

Prior to the wedding day the three of us spent an afternoon in Melbourne as a kind of pre-wedding shoot. Ironically, this involved more 'direction' than the wedding shoot itself. Most shooters have it the other way around - a semi-relaxed pre -wedding shoot and a highly directed wedding! You just got to love irony.

Anyway, to cut the story short - the wedding was a delight. I spent the day with Trang and her lady companions (there's that addiction to beauty again) photographing whatever happened pre-ceremony, the actual ceremony and the reception. It was a joy to witness the event and I am grateful for the experience. It was one of the best weddings that I have ever attended.

As a bonus, they loved the images. Now that is always a relief!

Thank you both.

A little footnote for the photographers. The light at the reception was so low that the ISO was often around 4000 or so, lens at f2, shutter at 1/25th! Low is not the word!

This is where the recent tools such as the D700 come into their own.

The image below was 6400ISO, 1/200th at f2.8 on the 24-70 nikkor (set at 35mm), auto -white balance. Pretty capable little camera!

To Trang, Han and all lovers of beauty -
Stay safe

Random Melbourne

Welcome.

It has been a while since I last posted.

Life gets busy. Sometimes putting stuff on a blog isn't as important as doing other things.

Just to get back into the swing of things, here are a few random images from Melbourne.

Whenever I leave the front door of my home I have a camera with me - always! As Jay Maisel says - "It's hard to photograph without a camera".

So here are a few from various recent wanderings. All found, none staged.

Saw this guy walking through the Tulip gardens at the famous Tesselaars Tulip Festival. Loved the contrast between him and the plants.

Walking down one of Melbourne's alleys my eye caught sight of this RedBull can perched on wood attached to a wall. I just loved the way the paint and the colours of the can were made for each other. An artistic litterer perhaps?



Down another alley is this amazing piece of wall art. 'nuff said.



At my local beach they have been re-constructing the jetty. Most folk just kind of walk by. I like to get an image or two.



Saw this scene this morning. What's a man to do but get the shot? (see my February post about getting the shot - 'you either do, or you don't').
While the young chaps were facing the wall, several police officers were searching their vehicle. It's times like these you have to stand on your conviction to get the shot. The rather large man in uniform did not like to have his picture taken. Tough luck for him I say.
No amount of overbearing approach or attempts at intimidation should put you off doing what you have to do. Funny how they back down when you stand up for your rights. Bottom line - if you're not causing an obstruction to their duties and you are not breaking any laws yourself, then you have every right to make the image.

Note to Victoria Police public relations department - a courteous manner of speaking to members of the public who are going about their lawful business is always appreciated. Bad manners and a surly disposition are not.


Hopefully it won't be such a long time until my next post.

Until then -

Stay safe.