Sorry for being away.. but..

I've gotten a job as a photojournalist, for those who don't know. Bit the bullet and made my way up north to QLD where i now live shooting news everyday. Do I love it? definitely!

It has always been a goal in my life to pursue a career in photography, better yet, photojournalism. It's been a busy few weeks and I must say, getting paid to shoot everyday is better than I ever thought it' be.

It's only been 5 weeks since i've started this new job, but its gone by so fast. My first few days were pretty nerve racking and the pressure of performing and impressing editors and co workers was a big thing. But luckily (I guess) they knew I came from RMIT and had tertiary training in photography and let me do a lot of things my own way, which I really appreciated. TO see my name for the first time in print was something quite special and I guess i'll never forget that feeling.

 Anyways, here's just a small sample of what i've been up to.

Having graduated from RMIT and learning all the things that i've learnt, I must admit it has made a difference.. 12 months ago had you of asked me, i'd have said no.. RMIT was just an excuse to go to uni and get a degree in a craft anyone can do.. But you'd be surprised how much you seem to remember when you're out and about. Obviously i'll get better as I go, but the fundamentals are there. 

But back to the photos.. As you can see, there is a wide variety of different photos ranging from my first ever car crash (non fatal) and a wide variety of sports and environmental portraits. I got crucified back home for having a lack of sports photography in my portfolio but i'm glad to say this is now a problem of the past. I'm getting more creative and going back to my love of using external flash during my portraits, which is something I want to maintain and keep a certain look to the images which i've been so used to shooting.

Hopefully, now that i've got a lot to shoot, i can keep this blog more updated than what I have this past year.. such a shame.. anyways. until then.

Chris.

for the sake of it.

Not very good at converting black and white images but i've always wanted to try it. I don't have the patience to sit and try to tweak channels and tones to get the b/w I want.. maybe i should just buy Nik Silver Effex Pro... but I don't like to pay.. this will have to do for now.. They are old photos I found lying around, thought they'd look good in mono.

Colour cos I can. 

I've been busy editing a bit of architectural stuff. I'm not sure if i've ever put any of it up but I do a bit of work wit han architect. It's good fun and i'm trying to get more work with more architects, stayed up till 4am sending out emails.. now we wait. already got 2 knock backs! hai... 

I made them with white borders in my PDF, so they may look a little funny here. Anyways, thought I might as well post something since i haven't in a while.. 

Chris. 

and we're back

It's been such a long time since i've had the time or motivation to put anything up onto my blog. Have since last year graduated, therefore making me officially a.. "professional" photographer. Been looking for Fulltime steady work for over 6 months and it's been tough. Have had a few interviews but nothing seems to stick. Oh well. must keep trying! Have an interview coming up in NSW so fingers crossed for that!

So, the last 6 months or so.. i've been to the US of A. One word: Amazing! I will post photos up soon but there are just too many photos to go through. In the mean time here are a few photos I took today when I took the dogs out to the local dog park. Nothing special but it's the first post for 2011.. hopefully i'll get back into the swing of things!

Credit to the girlfriend for this photo and the photo of me (can't take all the credit!)

New beginnings.

Hello again.. It's been a while.. so whats been happening.. lost a job, no money, finished uni, need a job, need money.. nice how the world just goes around in a big circle and you end up where you started.

Got a degree, i take photos for a living.. what goods a piece of paper without a job... or a job without a piece of paper.. sigh.. who knows.. who cares.. anyways.. uni is done.. forever.. i hope.. its been a tough 3 years but everything is finished.. it feels weird.. no direction, no goal no objective to fullfil.. OH WELL... anyways.. back to what i was here to do.. got a new Macbook Pro.. is very nice.. 17" i7.. i like it.. need to give it a real work out.. but having said that.. Adobe premiere really kills it.. stupid Adobe..  well after taking lots of PJ doco shots i finally got the chance to take photos in which III wanted to take photos of.. was standing on my balcony this morning and noticed the small tree at the front of our house which was swarming with life. Bees, hover flies, wasps, birds.. everything..

anyways.. D3s, extension tubes, 50mm 1.8, speedlight. went out and took some snaps.

Can get pretty close to things with the extension tubes.. hardest part is tryna lock focus when you are that close to everything. luckily for a few shots it paid off. This is just one of those little moths which fly around fields and such like that. It was sitting on the head of one of those... wheat looking things.. i dunno.. next time you go for a walk you'll see them.. long bits of straw like things... yeah.. doesn't matter.. lol 

as mentioned earlier, the little hover flies.. you might have seen them around before.. te little things like dragon flies which just.. hover around and move shit fast. zig zagging thru the air.. hard to shoot these little bastards.. hard to focus on something that small and that fast. The extension tubes are tricky to focus with.. more like a magnifying glass and having to physically move back and forth to hit focus. Luckily he wasn't moving. 

Unlike this guy.. fluke.. i tell you that.. machine guy.. and wishful praying result in fluke shots like these.. got a few in focus in this sequence, but this one i liked the best, can see his wings. Have always wanted a shot of something in flight and with such detail.. was pretty lucky i guess.. but i suppose all photography is about luck.. well.. the amazing ones anyways.. Henri Cartier Bresson rings a bell.. luck, timing, patience.. whatever.. same shit.. uni's finished.. don't need to care anymore.. Had a bitta fill light in this to make him "pop" a little more. not bad.. will definitely try for more macro stuff later this year. love macro.. always have.. maybe should invest in a macro lens? 

And lastly.. took this one while taking Jack for a walk.. for those who are unfamiliar with Jack he is best friend. 4 legged, stupid faced big nosed and lanky legged best friend. WEll yeah... took this one while walking HIM and yeah... Jack likes walking but doesn't like waiting for me when i take photos.. lies there and barks at me if i don't walk around with him.. i thought this photo was too important to miss. This fly would have been.. half the size of a grain of rice in real life, if not smaller, shows to prove how close these extension tubes can get. Anyways i like the colour of it. so... nice.. 

Any hoo, thats all i had to show and share really.. have done some other free lancing work, one with an engineering firm, which i need to have screened before i can show you the images, and then another one with some architect wanting to start his own firm.. ah well.. we'll see.. anyways... that's it for now.. i'll blog a bit more soon i hope.. 

Ciao for now. 

P.s Jacks down there         

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Back from nothing..

Hello friends and whoever else reads this/.. yeah its been a while since i put anything up here, been busy working, and.. that's about it.. haven't shot in over a month which is NOT a good thing to do considering i'm graduating at the end of this year.. eek.. anyways.. this shoot was organised over 3 months ago, before i went on my trip to Japan. Had emailed Steg engineering as part of my series on industrial work places and thy were nice enough to reply and let me go down and have a shoot. Today was the day.. out in Hastings.. 65km out THAT way.. anyways.. photos.

First photograph i took was of this guy. Kevin aka Kev. top bloke, wanted to do a calendar shoot of the boys at Steg engineering after being inspired by the naked lady calendar hanging up at his work station. Felt strange shooting something.. i like.. after have a month off.. well.. since i got back from Japan really.. been doing a lot of video work.. but that's a different story.

 Kev asked if i wanted to hear something scream.. let this thing whirl for a while and it made a God awful screeching sound. i think he was enjoying himself.

 it was only a small workshop, would have been about 7 people in there max. They make most of the things for the steel company up the road, OneSteel i think it is.. oh well.. whatever.. they'd never let me shoot with them.

not so happy about this portrait.. sort of rushed it, probably should've taken more time with this one before i took it, most probably wont be using this one, i think the first portrait is a lot stronger and tells more than this one. But, we'll see. 

Quite like this photo as well. the series will be made up of about 4 images, so... i guess it'll be 4 out of these 8.. if there's 4 to be chosen.. i hope there is.. i think there is.. you cn make up your own minds on which ones you like or don't like.. anyways.. sent off like 10 emails last night.. got 1 reply.. "thanks for the email, great photos but we're not keen" sigh.. thanks for that... oh well, 1 down 9 to go.. lets hope i can get more before i graduate and time runs out.. need to print them too as well as other shit assignments.. ok... till next time..

Changas.

now that i'm back in the land of Oz

Hello all and now I am back home! has been a fantastic trip and i hope that my photos are enough to justify the beauty and essence of Japan. The assignment was initially to go and document the cultural and traditional heritage of Japan and the continual essence of their culture and history in a modern era they live in. Having an idea which thought to be, at the time, an easy and simple idea to complete, it turns out that Japan, although a country which still cherishes and harnesses its culture and traditions, is not completely enveloped with Geishas and girls in Kimonos. 

There were lots of Kimonos, but didnt see any geishas. My assignment took a slight tangent and ended up being a documentary on the cultural differences Japan has to Australia, a documentary on the life and the way the Japanese live their lives. Broad topic but... hopefully I had enough to cover it all.

just some random image which i quiet liked. Was outside the gates of Osaka castle, which you will see photos of soon..

What i found to be quite interesting about Japan is their continual interest and belief in traditional cultures and heritages. Yes, all the silver there is money.. i'd say alot of money.. in Japan the silver coins are 1, 50, 100, and 500 yen.. so... i wonder how many coins are of which amount haha i wanted to steal some of it...

Kimonos were everywhere.. everyone wears them and its amazing how its such an accepted style of clothing in Japan. in western cultures indifference is considered strange and unwanted, in Japan it seems this is acceptable and welcomed.  I've actually lost track of these photos.. so i'm just gonna put some random ones up in no particular order..

At Osaka castle there was a lantern festival, absolutely amazing, i'd say atleast 30000 candles where lined up all over the premises of the castle grounds, every candle had a wish written on it, its believed that if you write a wish and put it over the candles the spirits will take your wish and grant it for you.. was something to behold.. just amazing..

I could go on forever with these photos.. i'll leave it at that.. but it was amazing.. great night, great place.. wish i coulda taken a few people with me and experienced it with them.. sigh..

oh before i leave on Osaka castle, they had this awesome lantern walk. awesome.. the balloons were filled with little LED lights in there, amazing. 

Bikes everywhere in Japan, even ride them in shopping strips..

Not much to day tonight.. but that's enough of the images.. enjoy.. i'll post some more soon!

Chris.