Melbourne November 2005
A small trip was planned, to take a few photos, look through some photographer’s studios and catch up with two of my closest friends.
I had 6 shoots, 4 comedians, 1 musician and 1 Christmas portrait. All the comedian shoots went quite well and were all very different, initially I was in a park next to the Melbourne Children’s Hospital which resembles a country paddock with its lack of greenery and abundance of yellow grass, gum trees and biting insects. Next I was in the inner city in a poster clustered alley way where I had to try make sure non of the posters which used cartoon penis’s as their “clever” marketing tool were not in the shots.
Next day involved breakfast to meet my best friend Bec’s European doctor friend Mark, it was a good breakfast up on Brunswick Street and I enjoyed meeting Mark. I then took them off to the Fitzroy sports oval and did some portraits of them, it’s great to take photos of friends that are genuinely happy and in love, and very special for me and for them I hope! To top if off, they got engaged that evening!
I then managed to get some time to go through the shoots I had already done, I was staying with my friend John X, in his little apartment in the centre of Melbourne. John is doing very well in his new role as Pumba in the Lion King musical, even getting rave reviews from my parents! He is also living with his partner Cassie, I enjoyed beating both of them at the music trivia game on the play station. I also met up with Ben Payne and Andy Muirhead from Hobart who were over for a comedy festival meeting, which I also attended and learnt a little about putting together a show, most of which I already knew. Before the meeting I did another comedian shoot, Marcus Jones, and they were pretty straight shots for him to use as head shots for his serious acting type work.
After the meeting finished I caught up with a couple who are interested in getting me to do their wedding, they had seen my work at a wedding a couple of years ago, so fingers crossed that that one comes off. The couple from the wedding they were at also dropped by and we had some wine and pizza, quite a good night.
Next day was a photographer’s studio tour, where a bus load of photographers spent the day driving about Melbourne and checking out some very impressive studios. It was interesting to see what they had done and get some ideas for my new space. The day ended up with a few drinks at the Spiegel Tent, one of my favorite drinking spots that magically appear at various locations about the globe.
On my last day I caught up with Justin Hamilton, who is a very inspiring guy, I got to take some photos for his up coming show poster and also had an insight into what the show is about. I’m really looking forward to seeing it, he is a great comedian and prepares his shows so well that the flow perfectly and are a bit thoughtful as well as being dam funny.
Then I caught up with Mel Sargent, another comedian, but I was taking photos of her up and coming DJ brother. It was his first shoot and we succeeded with some great photos. Following that I had a meeting with the comedy festival, bought a new stand that will hold my reflector on location, meaning I don’t have to juggle camera and reflector when I’m shooting. Then I jumped on a plane and made my way home.
In other news, I’m still waiting to sign the lease on my new space in central Launceston, all will be revealed once I get it all set up. There will be a little bit of an opening party sometime in January.
