Biography

Early Days

I began (as a teenager in the 70's) photographing my friends surfing - using a new Pentax SP500 camera and a cheap (but cherished) 500mm lens. There were dreams of travelling the world chasing waves in exotic locations. Eventually better equipment was purchased and occasionally images were published in Australian and US surf magazines.

Some dreams were realized with visits during the 70's & 80's to places like Sri Lanka, Hawaii, California, Oregon, Washington State and Baja Mexico. Not much money was made but fun and adventure were plentiful - like 6 weeks living and surfing in Sri Lanka for the total expense of AUD$49.00. Or follow focussing (in the days before auto focus) massive Hawaiian waves, witnessing power, style and danger through the magnification of a Century 650mm lens. And wondering why that sea lion chose our stretch of deserted Mexican beach as it's last resting place - midway through a six-week stay. The afternoon onshore winds soon became very aromatic.

Eventually I had to grow up and a business career seemed like a good idea at the time. It was during this period that I discovered the Large Format Camera and the spirit and teachings of Ansel Adams. While he was mostly famous for expertly exposed negatives and finely crafted B&W prints, his Zone System adapted well to my colour images. Working in large format is time-consuming, cumbersome and expensive. I remember a comparison being made between the cost of a new lens and that of a much needed kitchen renovation. Film is also costly so I found my "eye" being trained by my wallet to be more discerning. These "constraints" were most rewarding. I discovered the joy and challenge of waiting for the light - of finding places (remote and around the corner) where the light would hit, glance across and even miss completely to somehow assemble itself inside my camera into something remarkable. (Well, sometimes!)

Professional Career

My passion led to a professional career that continues to excite, frustrate and reward. For the last 15 years I have been commissioned to make images for corporate, industrial and tourism clients. These clients have included large concerns like Visa, Freightcorp, Australia Post, MBF and BHP as well as small family businesses and many in between. I have also undertaken ongoing large-scale tourism and marketing projects for the Hunter Regional Tourism Organization as well as the councils of Newcastle, Maitland, Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens and Penrith.

While I am an advocate of the digital delivery and capture of images it is important that I be able to dispassionately evaluate the advantages of modern technology and utilize that technology where it will provide tangible quality and creative improvements to the images I am commissioned to create. This has required continual education and significant investments in equipment and software.

The Gallery

In October 2001 I opened my own gallery in The Junction, a beachside suburb of Newcastle. I'd spent 5 years learning and testing new technologies - mastering how to make high quality scans and applying traditional photographic techniques to digital. Using my own large format archival inkjet printer I was able to maintain complete control over all aspects of making my images.

The gallery was such a success that late in 2004 I decided to move to Sydney to be closer to existing clients and approach new ones. Fortunately this coincided with a gallery in Newcastle representing me there, thus enabling me to close my own gallery in January 2005 and move to Balmoral in March 2005.

Today

I make photographs hoping to catch some small parcels of light and time and then share them around. My work these days is created using both digital capture and traditional film. Digital allows me to make images without being constrained by the cost of film and processing and giving instant feedback, helping to push my creativity. Using film in my panorama cameras slows down my creative process, giving time for reflection - I take fewer pictures and spend more time waiting.

I have a picture that shows a vibrant sky with bulging clouds almost pouting at the lens. In the corner is the pump house of my favourite ocean baths - its door is glowing red in the reflected sun. I'd left home expecting to make a dark dramatic B&W picture - it was raining with the rolling of thunder out to sea. The large panorama camera takes time to set up and load so (of course) when I was ready with my favourite B&W film the rain abruptly stopped, the sun burst through and completely "ruined" my picture. For a moment I cursed the changing conditions at the same time tearing out the B&W and replacing it with Fujichrome. There are only 4 frames on a roll and the sun was right for just a moment. It was four months later that I finally got my B&W picture.

Awards, Achievements, Contributions

Over the years I have received awards and recognition within my Industry. These include a Gold Medal in 1997 at The National Print Awards, Bronze and Silver awards from the AIPP, acceptance into the highly acclaimed Australian Photographers Collection (2002 & 2003).

I have held three solo exhibitions in Newcastle and Sydney with subjects as disparate as intellectually disabled children and the female nude. I have also been accepted into a number of group shows - the most recent being in Tokyo, Japan (2003).

In 2002 I was invited (with another Australian photographer) to join a group of 50 international photographers and photograph two provinces in China. As official guests of the Chinese Government we were able to visit areas and meet people that were off the usual tourist routes.

In 2003 several of my images made during that trip we used by the Hasselblad camera company in their marketing and publications.

I have also photographed two books:

• Newcastle - New Century, New Horizons (2001)
• Lake Macquarie - Reflections of our City (2004)

As part of my commitment to charity and fund-raising I have been privileged to photograph:

• The Betty Cuthbert Tribute (featuring 58 Prominent and World Champion Australian Sports People),
• The World Professional Surfing Champions
• All of the living AFL Brownlow Medalists bought together at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.