Misty Morning

Pano taken on a spring bushwalk deep in the Wandoo area east of Perth.

We use Google Earth to locate these small granite outcrops then set GPS waypoints and hike into them. No tracks, just virgin Wandoo woodlands. Each outcrop presents something new. This one is tiny, most are much larger and often offer great views (as they mostly occur on top of hils due to erosion) but we like this one thanks to the small pond and stream that is home to dozens of frogs.

Magic spot…

Click to see bigger…notice distance between tents, snoring can be an issue!!

Photography that matters…

Check out this series of images taken by photographer Chris Jordan. The dude is good, very good and this is some of his most important work yet…

Chris Jordan

Thanks mate.

Sleep When You Are Dead

So it’s been a bit of a whirlwind coupla weeks. Hella good fun but why oh why does all the work come at once…cant the great God of income space things out a little?

 Started with a custom shoot on a farm out east:

 

Next day we flew to Singapore to eat deep fried ducks backbone:

 

Then onto Thailand:

 

Where I got reminded why I don’t shoot weddings (cos I CANT…and the Bridesmaids are a little intimidating):

 

Flew home, had 7 hours sleep before driving for 12 hours to shoot this:

 

Got covered in dust and cracked a lens cover getting close on this shot:

 

Nailed 3 magazines, with multiple DPS…we eat this month! Drove home, slept, got up and spent 3 days in the bush getting chased by ticks and a dude called Angry shooting one of these:

 

Now got 10 days to put it all together before a 7 day 4WD shoot, followed by another 7 day travel DVD shoot.

As the Master Mr Jovi said, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead”

For those that just cant get enough…

…a whole magazine about…ME!!!

Its finally here, lust no longer, go out and get your fill. 100 full colour pages, 1000’s of photo’s,  365 days, 11 Journeys, 2 people and 1 car…about as much fun as you can have with your clothes on.

I wont let it go to my head, I will remember the little people.

Autographed copies available on request (used copies extra).

 

Stupid things that make ya laugh…

Donkeys, I dont know why but I find them amusing…stick a few small kids on them and well, for me its a riot!

These dudes came riding into camp from seamingly out of  nowhere, of cause we couldnt talk as we had no common language but that didnt stop us from having a ball. At one point I managed a ride (riding a donkey isnt all that exciting, they dont move real quick…) which was cool, I can tick that box on the Must Do list!

Anyway, coupla cool pics of young dudes on donkeys…

I think this one wanted to grab my hat…but Im swift and have thumbs, screw you donkey.

Back To Kyrgyzstan

OK, I need a break from the real world for a few days, as such, its back to Kyrgyzstan for a little while.

This is a the Russian Orthodox Holy Trinity Cathedral in the amazing centre of Karakol. Its built without the use of nails. Thats pretty darn impressive…least I think so.

I shall always remember taking this image for two reasons, firstly, just behind me to my right was tied the largest, meanest looking mongrel dog I have ever seen and it was going NUTS…it wanted western traveller blood! The second reason being that I was suffering from a rather urgent case of Kyrgy Belly, things were touch and go and that bloody dog wasnt helping.

Busy as…

…a one legged man in an arse kicking competition!

Funny thing photography, you bitch when the assignments dry up and the down time seems to never end, then suddenly you get gig after gig, travel all over the state, never at home…living the life…and the downtime starts to look attractive again!!

Thats been me of late, living out of my car, travelling just about everyday (or so it seems), chasing deadlines, cranking out more images than I have in ages, oh and did I mention living out of my car? However I am not complaining (well, not loudly), Im living the dream, shooting and writing for a living, gotta be one of the luckiest blokes around.

So, Ive been up north for BBOT, shooting for Express, been wading through articles, and print requests from MGGR09, shot and written half a dozen customs, done a product shoot for Express and one for a private firm (stay tuned for this one, kinda funky twist on an age old theme…), been stranded on a lonely country rode at night after an afternoon shoot (dont ask) and in between trying to catch-up on the backlog left behind. Moving forward, I have 3 more customs in the next 12 days (how I dont know) plus preparing for Gas Dash (gotta mentally prepare for the bloody helicopter shoots, now THATS a down side to the job!!), get ready for a wedding shoot in Thailand in just under 2 weeks time (Charlene, any advice here would be most welcome, as a wedding photographer I make a bloody good welder) plus prepare for a 7 day DVD and stills shoot next month.

So in short, busy as a one legged man in an arse kicking competition!!

Here’s a couple of my fav. pics from the last few weeks:

OK, these chaps had just completed their last run over what was 2 days of pretty tough competition…I just love the smiles, its late, they are knackered, covered in mud and as happy as pigs in shit!

This is a quick grab shot of the blokes above, moments before they decided the photog was fair game (you learn to move fast in this game!)…notice the smiles, again, loving life!

Custom shoots are great value, they are my bread and butter, I like custom shoots. The below is from one done mid last week…I just like it.

On a shoot for a fourby club, as a feature for a national publication…Im always on the lookout for an image that can be used as a DPS opener on these jobs, didnt have to look far! This guy went sooooooooooo close to rolling, I swear, a mistimed burp and he would have been on his side, instead, he got the hero shot and likely a DPS…nice work champ!

And lastly…a shot that kinda shows how I operate during times of increased workload, such as now…a big run up, heaps of shit flying around, dangerous to anyone in line of site and the occasional odd gaseous expulsion.

Cheers folks, more TK.

And to finish things off…

…the moto division (or cars in normal speak). Sun flare sucks, that I know (and has been removed in post for commercial use). Same technique as for the bikes and quads, only a car is a far more intimidating creature to stand 3 feet away from when they are doing 120K’s an hour on dirt. Meh, toughen up Princess (then run screaming when it all goes pear shaped).

 

Well…thats it for Aus Safari 2009, heck of a trip, heck of a gig to land. Fingers crossed I can pick it up again next year…

Tomorrow I drive 700Km north to shoot more large all wheel drive vehicles doing outlandish things, do 2 custom shoots for Express and finally finish a long running travel feature. Gonna be a long 5 days…see you all on the flip side!

Custom Shoot – Favourite Shot: Gold Rush

Every shoot I do, I come away with a favourite image from the day. Might not be the “best” image, nor even one that gets published but it is always one that makes me smile.

As such, I thought I would start a new post for each shoot I do, showing my favourite image from the day.

This is from the Gold Rush comp GQ shoot…I like its potential for a cover shot, the light, the angle and the fact that I  slipped down the track and ended up on my arse, not a split second after this shot was taken…graceful I aint!!

Quads…

Next up, the unsung heroes of the Australian Safari, the crazy hell men on the quads. These guys, who are at the top of their game, are amazing to watch. Their bikes look like they are going to throw the rider off at any moment…stand right next to them as they slide by and, well…makes golf look damn lame (actually, golf is pretty lame…).

I really like the eye contact in that last one, I was only about 2m away, on the inside of the corner (thats the safest place to be for “most” high speed corners) when this guy came around on full opposite lock and started heading directly for me. I have been taught to listen to the engine and watch the vehicles front wheels to determine whether to stand your ground, or run screaming like your hair is on fire…this guy was all good and went by harmlessly.

I take my hat off to the quad riders…hard, hard men!