Shutter.Stutter

I’m a finalist I’m a finalist I’m a finalist!!

My work will be shown in an exhibition at the State Library, in addition to being part of a MCPP touring exhibition around Australia. Winners will be announced on March 10th - I’ve got no chance, but can’t wait nevertheless

This is the chosen photograph.

I’ve just put in my submissions for 2009’s MCPP. Fingers crossed!

The deadline has just been extended till the 31st Jan, 6pm. Here are my entries.

These were last year’s winners and finalists.

{WINNER} Four Generations, Belinda Mason

Sam I Am, Stephen McKenzie

Familiar Figures, Katie Pashley

‘Crusty’ Herron: Marriage Celebrant Magnetic Island, Tim Hixson

Weather girl - Rose Kelly, Jack Atley

George Gregan, Adam taylor

Vanessa & Family, Ara Koopelian

It’s been years since I’ve been to Flemington, and it was out of sheer coincidence that I had a few frames left on a roll and decided to jumped in the car with my parents.

I was surprised how many childhood memories came back - of being wheeled around in a shopping trolley loaded with produce, weaving through a forest of legs, holding onto the back of dad’s shirt to avoid getting lost, and the sinking panicked feeling when I actually did.

The sound and smell of the markets hasn’t changed either. Sweat and fresh produce and fish, and booming voices shouting out bargains. It was GREAT. Maybe this will be my next project.

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I accidently underexposed, and had to do some saving in photoshop. Turned out to be a happy accident, as I quite like the heavy grain and saturation.

This is mum and the man we bought our mandarines from - he was a bit shy and didn’t want to be alone in the shot.

I photographed David last weekend. Went into the shoot with an assistant (read: sister) and storyboards. This shoot really taught to stick tighter to my storyboard, or at least get the required shots first before ad-libbing. While I like these, they don’t for quite so well into the grand scheme of the project.

I’ve been meaning to post these up for a while now, but just keep, well, forgetting.

This is a series that I did for the final assessment task of my Photography 3 class. The brief was very loose - take photos with a person or people in them.

I was interested in using fast shutter speeds to create photographs of motion suspended. I wanted a sense of surrealism, of capturing a seemingly banal moment - but with a quirk. I was aiming for photographs that revealed something new on second glance. I feel I’ve achieved this with a few in the series, but not all. I’ll let you decide.

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Inspiration came in the form of Rosemary Laing (recommended by my tutor Karen Mork) and Philippe Halsman.

Laing’s photograph of a bride jumping over the blue mountains is breathtaking. This is part of her Flight Research series.

Flight Research #5

Halsman was a photographer for Life in the 40s and 50s, and is the father of ‘jumpology‘. He believed that in a jump, the subject cannot control their facial muscles, hence revealing a ‘truer’ expression. He’s surreal photo of Salvador Dali leaping is a work of genius, I have never seen (and doubt I will ever see) anything quite like it.

Dali Atomicus

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This is Float.

Float #46

Float #23

Float #106

Float #72

Float #124

Float #151

It’s been confirmed! My photo will be on the back cover of the October issue, so if you’re around UTS next month, please pick up a copy.

Many thanks to Izanda in the UTS marketing and communications unit!

I’ve reached an exciting time in my major project - I’m actually starting to produce the final product. Whoopee!

This is Dane, who you’ve met before. She’s one of my final subjects and this shoot was held in her amazing bedroom. I’m happy with these photos, but I can see where I can do better.

Rest of the photos are here.

Here are some more photos from the session I had with my gramps.

It’s funny how the light can change within a half hour, and give photographs completely different meanings. I’m trying to decide which one I like better, the warm golden tones or the more severe bluer one.

I love photographing my grandfather.

I don’t know if it’s our relationship, or how completely comfortable he is in front of the camera, but every time I have a session with him, something magic happens.

I’m in the process of scanning the rest of the roll, but thought I’ll share a peek first as I’m pretty damn happy with this image. Gramps suffers from dementia, which makes this image is all the more poignant for me.

A couple of weeks ago some good friends and I went over to Cockatoo Island for the Sydney Biennale. Cockatoo Island is the largest island in Sydney Harbour. It begun as a imperial prison and then changed to a reformatory, then gaol, then shipyard, and finally a heritage site.

For the Biennale, old warehouses, tunnels and cells were turned into art spaces - spookily so. I didn’t really undertand most of what was on display, but I did enjoy William Kentridge’s animated projections.

Anyway, it was a good chance to dust of my neglected mamiya and my past-due-date rolls of slide film. Despite the confusing artwork and windy weather, Cockatoo Island is a truly interesting space to photograph in.

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This is the token tourist shot, via the free MCA ferry to the island.

This gentleman was clicking away the amount of people coming off the dock. He had such a great face, and very awesome eyebrows, that I had to ask for a picture.

Reflections are fun.

The sky wasn’t actually this dark, so this photo was tweaked a bit in photoshop. I like the dramatic doom and gloom quality, and also the little rainbow next to the sun.

Donica

Hoi, fellow medium format geek.

This is one of those photos frustrating photos that I know could have been so much better. In this case, I wish I was on the outside of the ferry (check reflection), that I moved just a little to the right (to avoid the window sill on the left), that I carried a polarising filter (to filter out some of the blinding reflection on the water), and that I clicked a little faster (so the sailship is larger in frame).

To that end, I’m still including this because I’m a sucker for back-lit pictures, and I love the light through the sail.

This is me nearly at the end of roll and trying to finish the frames so I can get the role developed. Family members and pot plants are useful in these situations. Meet my mum. She’s so cute :).

more here…