Teddy Bear

I saw this whilst I was waiting outside the Spy v Spy shoot on Saturday and I just loved it.
How big was this Teddy Bear!

The Spies!

Last Saturday morning I had the privilege to photograph an incarnation of an Australian Rock band called Spy v Spy in the studio. They have had various names over the years and had a number of line-up changes but it was a pleasure to meet and photograph the current members of the band. Each of them bring a unique musical heritage to the group and it certainly now has an impressive pedigree. I am sharing a few of the shots I took, just a few, as this will be used for their promo shots and tour merch, and hopefully form the basis of a new album cover artwork. I have included a You Tube clip of the band as well, I am looking forward to covering some of their gigs. One of the things I love about a lot of Australian bands, there is not a lot of special effects, they have a great rapport with their audience and punch out music that is reminiscent of adolescence when you were jammed into small venues with the sweat and fist shaking and all dancing to the beat of a seemingly rebellious drum. It is great vibe.

I also did a studio shoot for the Angels (Australian Rock Band) on a stage with a great lighting director Daryll and it was a shoot on a 30 foot sound stage with gobo's and some beautiful lights. I used some props and we got some great shots for their promo. I wont include any pictures here yet.

I must admit, that whilst I absolutely love photography, I am particularly loving the experience to express myself in a medium and industry that I really enjoy, music - I cannot play an instrument, though as a teen I did learn the saxophone, and I have purchased a guitar to learn in recent times.

I am very grateful and humbled when my images are being seen and appreciated by people who have seen many images of themselves, and I am finding a growing well spring of support which is opening new doors of experience and opportunity, all of which are being embraced.

I think it fair to say that there is nothing which gives me more pleasure and satisfaction in a holistic sense, as achieving your goals and gaining friends & supporters in the process. It is a wonderful thing to be a part of. Typically, in my life, it has not come with earth shaking thunder claps or lightning, there have been no heavenly ministrations of angels that have shown me the way, but by small degrees and persistence I am achieving what I once thought was only possible in my dreams. I have noted personally, on more than a few occasions also, that I am on a journey, much like those whom I photograph and I am pleased that we find a symbiotic space that helps propel us all forward.

The Motown event

I had the wonderful opportunity the other night of going to see the Motown event in the 50th Anniversary of Motown, America's greatest record label and global music icon. To mark this momentous occasion, Producers SEL have reunited the the legends of Motown music in a once-only world premiere event The Motown Event Celebrating the Hits of Motown!

What a great and outstanding opportunity to see, hear and mix with some of these legends of music. It was a thrill.

The Motown Event stars THE FOUR TOPS, THE TEMPTATIONS, MARY WILSON OF THE SUPREMES, MARTHA REEVES & THE VANDELLAS and THE MIRACLES. All artists who delivered some of the biggest hits of their era and shaped music as it is today. The performance will also star SIX TIME GRAMMY NOMINATED American artist JOAN OSBORNE, and iconic Australian soul singer and guitarist IAN MOSS, and a very special guest in JIMMY BARNES. Jimmy of course needs no introduction to soul music having had two multi-platinum albums of soul music, with a third to be released later this year.

The Motown Sound went worldwide in the 60s and that sound still resonates today with nearly 200 Number1 songs worldwide! Everybody young and old remembers the Motown hits. These Motown songs are so good that they continue to dominate commercial radio play lists half a century after they were recorded. Classics include Ain't No Mountain High Enough; My Girl; Reach Out, I'll Be There; I Heard It Through The Grapevine; Heatwave; You Can't Hurry Love; Baby Love; Stop in the Name of Love; Baby I Need Your Loving; What Becomes of the Brokenhearted; Dancing in the Street; Money (that's what I Want); What's Going On; and River Deep, Mountain High. The music of Motown connects generations incredibly it is the music of today, yesterday and tomorrow!

Motown's music hits continue to feature worldwide in TV and radio commercials, in hit television series (like Scrubs) and in major Hollywood big screen movies. Everybody remembers The Big Chill, Little Miss Sunshine, My Girl, You've Got Mail, Something's Gotta Give to name but a few, which all built scripts around Motown hits. Motown music continues to provide great inspiration to today's biggest pop and R'n'B stars, and gives hope to everybody around the globe.

SEL Director and Executive Producer, Tony Cochrane said "Without question, this is an absolutely unique and timeless concert of some of the greatest songs from the truly outstanding Motown catalogue and the original artists who brought these songs to life. It is a real privilege to be presenting this once in a lifetime concert extravaganza".

And it was. At the end they all joined on stage in tribute to "their little brother, Michael (Jackson) and sung "I'll be There", it was a fitting tribute and a very good concert. I must admit whilst the appearance of Jimmy Barnes and Ian Moss on the bill was a surprise, especially in light of the Motown vibe, it was an unusual, but certainly exciting pairing on stage, and when Jimmy's daughter Mahalia came out there was an audible wave of emotion when her voice was every bit as powerful as his. I sat in my chair rocking to the tunes that spanned generations, I loved the music, and just wished how nice it would have been to have Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, the Jackson 5 and others of mowtown. Well, this was the closest I have ever come to that sort of greatness. It was great. Thanks to the stars and to the wonderful friend that invited me to this event.










The inspirational Ian Moss and I


The engaging and truly wonderful Martha Reeves of Martha and the Vandellas and I


The gorgeous Mary Wilson of the Supremes and I

Early the next morning I had a shoot on for some promo shots and possible album cover artwork for an Australian band called Spy Vs Spy at a shoot ion Waterloo, then raced home to get the family, went to pick up Mum and drop her to the airport as she was off to New Zealand for a few days, then in the mood to kick back somewhat, I and the family went to the King Street ofd darling Harbour, near cockle bay and went a marvellous Italian Restaurant on the water and it was yummo, we really enjoyed the time together and to relax. Then a relaxing evening after the hectic last 36 hours. Everyopne is in town atthe moment, Whitney Houston, George Michael, AC/DC, Faith No More, and Boz Scaggs as well! My little bloke is getting taller!

Tor-Ific

I met Torah once a few years ago and got her autograph on the cover of a magazine that featured her on the cover. I have been hoping she would do very well, and I am personally very happy for her Gold medal win and wanted to share the article here on my blog from Sydney's Daily Telegraph. I have also included a comedic clip from You Tube. She may have another career in the wings!

SNOWBOARD sensation Torah Bright has won Australia its first gold medal of the Vancouver Olympics - and its first-ever snowboarding medal - by dominating the ladies' halfpipe competition at Cypress Mountain today.

Bright, 23, overcame a spectacular first-round crash in the final to post an impressive 45.0 points in the medal round.

It was good enough to beat America's 2006 Torino gold medallist Hannah Teter (42.4) into silver, with another US rider, Kelly Clark, taking bronze with 42.2.

Australia's team flag bearer Bright looked to have blown her chance of Olympic gold when she scored only 5.9 points with her first run and had to go first in the medal-deciding round.

But she put any nerves aside to pull off the finest run of her career and take the gold.

Send Torah a congratulatory message below.

Cheering Bright on was her fiance, fellow snowboarder Jake Welch, and parents Peter and Marion, who had made a secret dash to Vancouver from their home at Cooma, at the foothills of the NSW Snowy Mountains.

Bright celebrated her victory with her coach and brother Ben at the bottom of the halfpipe, before going looking for Welch and her family.

"This is just so cool,'' Bright said as she came to terms with her Olympic triumph. ``And my parents are here! I can't believe that.''

"Maybe ask me tomorrow (how I'm feeling). I don't think it's sunk in yet.

"I was standing up there and was like, 'there's nothing I can do now, whatever will be, will be'."

"We were planning on having a big party, whether I was on the podium or not."

Bright plans to marry Welch, who shares her Mormon beliefs, in Salt Lake City in June and her parents had told her they couldn't make successive trips to North America for the Games and her wedding

The Australian had gone into today's final as the highest qualified boarder after scoring 45.8 points with her routine - ahead of Clark and Spain's surprise packet Queralt Castellet who was injured in practice and did not take her place in the final.
Bright's victory was even more satisfying because she had to overcome the physical and mental scars associated with two crashes in the lead-up to the Games that left her with concussion and kept her off the snow.

Bright's gold takes Australia's medal tally at Vancouver to two _ following on from Dale Begg-Smith's silver in the men's freestyle moguls skiing on Monday.

The gold medal was only Australia's fourth-ever at a Winter Olympics and she joins Steven Bradbury, Alisa Camplin (Salt Lake 2002) and Dale Begg-Smith (Torino 2006) at the top of the podium.

One of five children brought up in Cooma, Bright has lived close to the snowfields all her life and her Olympic gold was just reward for taking the sport to a new level in the women's competition.

Blessed with striking good looks and taking a fearless approach to her dangerous sport, Bright is already the highest-earning winter sport athlete in Australia, with an estimated annual salary of over $1 million.

But her earning power is set to soar even higher on the back of this victory.

Bright is based in Salt Lake City in the US, where she has close access to the world-class Utah snowfields and is also surrounded by people who share her Mormon beliefs.

Earlier, Cooma-raised Bright, 23, scored a massive 45.8 points with her second qualifying run to earn the right to proceed to the gold medal round.

Her biggest rival was US rider Kelly Clark, who had scored 45.4 points with her first run but crashed in her next attempt to match Bright’s score.

Bright has dominated women’s snowboarding for the past four years and will have to fall to miss the medals today.

Bright is in for a surprise after the medal event – her parents Peter and Marion have made a secret dash from Cooma to watch their daughter in Vancouver.

Helicopter Boys!

These two kids with the help of a few tech savvy adults have synched a few Nikon S1000PJ cameras together around the bodies of the kids and taken pictures and one of the incredible features of this camera is that it has a built in projector. I have one and have really only used it occasionally, but this is so creative.

Both sides now

I am still in awe of the opening ceremony from the games, and I have been immersing myself in the music and soundtrack from the ceremony. I just love so many things about it and cannot go past this track, again. From the prolific Joni Mitchell. Thanks Joni for your beautiful song. It still touches me, and touched the world all over again. It speaks for me, because just when I think I have everything figured out, life goes and changes on me. I share the sentiment, and can honestly say, with Joni,

I really don't know life at all.....

Songwriter: Mitchell, Joni

Bows and flows of angel hair and ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons everywhere, i've looked at clouds that way.
But now they only block the sun, and they rain and snow on everyone.
So many things i would have done but clouds got in my way.

I've looked at clouds from both sides now,
From up and down, and still somehow
It's cloud illusions i recall.
I really don't know clouds at all.

Moons and dunes and ferris wheels, the dizzy dancing way you feel
As every fairy tale comes real; i've looked at love that way.
But now it's just another show. you leave 'em laughing when you go
And if you care, don't let them know, don't give yourself away.

I've looked at love from both sides now,
From give and take, and still somehow
It's love's illusions that i recall.
I really don't know love
I really don't know love at all.

Tears and fears and feeling proud to say "i love you" right out loud,
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds, i've looked at life that way.
But now old friends are acting strange, they shake their heads, and they tell me that I've changed.
Something's lost but something's gained in living every day.

I've looked at life from both sides now,
From up and down and win and lose, and still somehow
It's life's illusions i recall.
I really don't know life at all.

It's life's illusions that i recall.
I really don't know life
I really don't know life at all.

Rachael & Stu's pre wedding pictures

The rain has been constant in Sydney for the last few days, and whilst it can often be inconvenient, it poses it's own set of opportunities unique to the rain. Like puddles, reflections, and the overall sheen that a rain soaked road or footpath only can provide. I have so loved the opportunity to cover a few things over the last few days. I covered a wedding reception on a rain soaked Sydney Harbour on Friday night, taught a photographic course to a retail store's 15 staff on Saturday morning early, and then had a photo shoot for Evelyn and Jamies families, which will be posted soon, then covered Rachael and Stu's pre wedding shots, and then went to TVSN for an 8:30pm TV show.

Life has certainly been very hectic of late, and I am grateful for each of the people whose lives I interact with, I am grateful that I have this medium to express myself with. I am certainly very fortunate.

I am including the pictures below of Rachael and Stu's pre-wedding shoot in and around Sydney Harbour. I had a great time and I just loved the setting. I have been and photographed here on these spots many times, there was something very different about it today. I hope you like these shots.

2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver BC

I saw the opening ceremony for the 2010 Winter Olympics yesterday and was thrilled and greatly moved by the orchestration, the execution and delivery of this huge event. I have often been non-plussed at watching the opening ceremonies of the olympics, winter or summer, though there have been highlights in all that I have seen, this just jumped out at me as being the absolute best ever.

Canada, you did real good. I loved everything about it it. The whales looked so real, I just was left in awe at the seamless weaving of the projected images on the ice and the blending of people within those frames, I was left breathless. I find it hard as I write to isolate one single element that I loved more, it was all so very good...exceptional would be a better choice of word.

I loved that the Governor General was a woman, and loved that the chairman of the Canadian Olympic committee was himself an emigrant to Canada from Ireland, who took the customs officers words literally when emigrating he was told,

"Welcome to Canada, make us proud"!

and boy what a beautiful thing it was to see and feel his pride in living up to that small comment from a customs officer. It has left an impact upon me that has not gone away, how small and insignificant a kind or hurtful word can be to the person who says something, but how strong and impacting the words can be in the life of another. It kind of makes me more aware to be a little kinder, a little more thoughtful.

Last night and now, I felt a connection to a place I have never been before in Canada and Vancouver BC in particular. I have always wanted to visit Prince Edward Island. I have determined that I will visit those shores one day soon....hopefully VERY soon.

I loved the theme song and have included it here by Nikki Yanofsky in case you have missed it. She is a 16 year old singing sensation from Canada who is wowing the music world with her Jazz style music I love the lyrics and I love the clip. It is inspiring and inspirational.

When k.d Lang sang Hallelujah by Leornard Cohen, I was again blown away. Thank you k.d for sharing your beautiful voice with the world. Then what about the wonderful song Ordinary Miracle by Sarah Mclachlan, it was a visual and audial paradise. I have rarely looked at an opening ceremony anywhere and yearned to be there, but I did yesterday.

I was so impressed with the music I went on to i-tunes and bought the album straight away. How good was Donald Sutherland's vocal introductions?!!!

I am a believer in the power of you and I.

There comes a moment when my heart must stand alone
On this lonely path Ive chosen
like a house thats not a home
sometimes when I feel Ive had enough
and I feel like giving up
you will me to be all I can be
now nothing can stop me
I believe in the power that comes
From a world brought together as one
I believe together we'll find
I believe in the power of you and I

This is the moment we have dreamed of all our lives
Well be the change we wish from others
Well stand tall for what is right
And in my heart there'll be no doubt
The arms of the world will come reaching out
And embrace me to be all I can be
Now nothing can stop me
I believe in the power that comes
From a world brought together as one
I believe together well fly
I believe in the power of you and I

I believe the time is right now
Stand tall and make the world proud
I believe together we'll fly
I believe in the power.

I believe in the power that comes
From a world brought together as one
(Of you and I)
I believe together well fly
I believe in the power of you and I
(power)
I believe the time is right now
(Oh you and I)
Stand tall and make the world proud
I believe together well fly (Together well fly)
I believe in the power of you and I
(I believe in the power of you and I)

Trash da Dress

I had the opportunity to photograph Sierra and Kate recently. These two wonderful ladies are friends who recently were married, Sierra's wedding I photographed, who wanted to trash their dresses. So never having done this style of wedding photography I took to the prospect like a duck to water.

The ideas I have had and started organising since this is event last week is exciting and very different to me. These are some of the shops I took that I think give you some real glimpses of the character of these fun ladies and a sense of their playfulness. Hope you like them.

Thanks Sierra and Kate for asking me to do these, I had so much fun.