I recently did a shoot for Hailey Calvert, an incredibly talented Brisbane singer-songwriter.  We set out to shoot a few different locations based on some of Hailey’s inspirations and tell the story of her and her music.  You can check out some of Hailey’s music here: myspace.com/haileycalvert.
Here are a few of my favourite shots:

The day was eye opening, challenging and exceptional, with just 5 photographers and 3 starlight volunteers, we set up in 2 spaces at the hospital and also visited those unable to come to us.  There were a few issues with printing, but we still achieved our main goal, which was to give the kids and their families beautiful portraits and a fun experience through photography.  The children were thrilled to be a part of a photo shoot and the grateful looks on the faces of their parents told a story in itself.

I’d like to thank the photographers, family, friends, and everyone who helped and showed support, whether it was through donations or just spreading the word through twitter, you made the day amazing for some very needy children and their families. With our fund raising efforts, we ended up raising over $900 to cover costs and the remainder was donated directly to the Starlight Foundation.

I’d also like to mention the great efforts of another group of fine photographers who made another Help Portrait happen for Vital Connection.  With all the interest shown through the Brisbane Help Portrait page and emails received, I have no doubt Help Portrait in Brisbane will only be getting bigger and more frequent.  We’d be interested in getting the ball rolling on the next help portrait, so if you have any ideas for future events, as well as potential suppliers, please let me know.  I’d really like to see a lot of small groups of photographers getting out there, giving portraits, and doing their thing!

Thanks again!

Time lapse video from one of the Help Portrait locations:

Whether it be through story telling, print donations for art auctions or charity event coverage, there are quite a few ways a photographer can dedicate their time and skills towards a greater good.  Upon hearing about Help Portrait through photographer Elleni Toumpas, along with Brisbane photographers Adam West, Toby Scott and Ian Henderson, we decided to discover new and more direct ways to give, rather than just “take” pictures.  In major cities around the world, photographers are coming together to donate their time, equipment and expertise to giving to those less fortunate as a part of the Help Portrait movement.  Although Help Portrait shoots will be happening across the globe on December 12 this year, we have all agreed and are planning towards carrying out these shoots on a more regular basis.

In support of hospitalised and seriously ill children,  Help Portrait Brisbane will be working with the Starlight Children’s Foundation to take portraits with the kids and their families and give them professional prints from the day.

Want to help out?

Chip In!

While our time and equipment are all covered, we still need to raise the money to give prints to the children and families of Starlight!  So we are aiming to raise $500 to give them something nice to keep.  If you can spare just $5-10, or even more to help us reach our goal it would be greatly appreciated. You can use the widget above to donate, or visit the Help Portrait ChipIn page here: http://helpportrait.chipin.com/help-portrait-brisbane

Get Involved!

While we’ve reached the number of photographers needed to help the children at the Starlight Foundation, there are still so many more people out there that could do with a portrait to brighten their day!  So if you are a photographer and want to take part in Help Portrait this year, it’s not too late!  Check out the Help Portrait website, on how to get involved and get something started.  The local Brisbane site can be found here: http://community.help-portrait.com/group/brisbane .  There are still so many people who want to get involved, team up and make something amazing happen!

For more info on the Starlight Foundation go to: http://www.starlight.org.au/

Some videos explaining the Help Portrait Concept:

Brisbane’s creative community can feel like one big happy family at times, so shooting for Finders Keepers this weekend was lots of fun.  An event originating in Sydney, the Finders Keepers markets supports local designers and artists through a two day independent market. I spent most of the day strolling around, listening to music and chatting to stall owners about their creations and the ideas behind them.  It’s really left me feeling re-inspired to focus a bit more on my side projects like VonVintage, and the BNE project, to bring more to a photograph than just a print on a wall or an image online.   Here are some of my favourite stalls and shots from the day.  More images can be found here and soon in the Finders Keepers gallery.

In support of the Inspire Foundation and to help raise funds and awareness for the prevention of suicide and improvement of mental health and well being in men, the “Man Book” was launched today.  Put together by the very inspiring Mark Pollard and Gavin Heaton, the book titled The Perfect Gift for a Man – 30 Stories about Reinventing Manhood,  focuses on the stories of 30 contributors on topics such as respect, fragility and loss.  Although I didn’t manage to write anything for the book, I was honoured to play a part through my contribution as a photographer.  2 images, destined to spend the rest of their lives on my hard drive, were given life and purpose again through use on the front cover and within the book!  For more information on the book, head to theperfectgiftforaman.com.au or you can support the Inspire Foundation by buying an

eBook:
http://www.theperfectgiftforaman.com.au/products-page/

or a

Real life physical book!
http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/915312

Please buy this perfect gift for the men in your life.

Earlier in the year, as part of my BNE Project, I did a shoot with Joshua Levi (Brisbane photographer, gallery owner, entrepreneur), while he was working on the construction of a second new gallery.  I had always intended on doing the second portrait for the series back in the same space once it had been finished, but also really wanted to somehow incorporate more of Josh as well as his trademark bathtub at his main gallery.  Residing mainly at Joshua Levi Galleries in Woolloongabba, the vintage clawfoot tub had been used in helping to promote his past shows as well as in his latest combined photographic exhibition “Coke Can Spirituality” where it even found itself on the back of a ute in front of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s electoral office.

Like most of my shoots, we threw around a couple of ideas and tried out a few different approaches before deciding how we wanted in the shot to look and everything to work.  After rehanging and rearranging all of Josh’s own “bathtub” photography a few times and having to refill the tub (and clean up) after a few explosive splashes, we finally ended up with what we wanted.

As I did with the previous shoot, I also shot a time lapse video:

The first portrait and timelapse of Josh from the BNE project series photo shoots:

Every year, cities around the world participate in “Global Illumination” to raise awareness of Breast Cancer, through the bold pink lighting of buildings, monuments and well known landmarks.  Affecting 1 in 8 women, including those in my own family, breast cancer is a disease that touches so many of us in one way or another.  This year, in support of the Breast Cancer Month and the National Breast Cancer Foundation, I got behind the Brisbane Global Illumination Cocktail Party as their photographer.  It was a night full of entertainment with hosts Camilla Severi from b105 and Lidia Box “Brisbane’s Leading Gender Illusionist”, fire twirlers, a 12 piece soul band (SoulZu), auctions and an after party at Cloudland.  

Some photos from the event can be found below and in the following web gallery: www.marklobo.com.au/nbcf

If you were there and would like some photos of yourself, please feel free to contact Rachael Moni - rachael.moni@nbcf.org.au

For more information about Global Illumination and to support breast cancer research through the National Breast Cancer Foundation, please visit their website: www.nbcf.org.au

Thanks to the generosity of friends and strangers, I now have 7 vintage cameras which I’m running film through.  If you know anyone that collects film cameras, or would like me to put a roll of film through an old camera you have, please get in touch!

You can see my “scrapbook” of related imagery on the VonVintage website here:  http://www.vonvintage.com/scrapbook/,
follow the feed of images on tumblr
or if you are interested in the progress of the project, be sure to follow @VonVintage on Twitter.

Here are some shots from my last roll. Shot on an old Nikomat FT2.

In February this year Brisbane “Tweeps”, along with thousands of other users of online social media community Twitter, from over 200 cities around the world, came together to help raise over $390,000 AU for Charity:Water.  Following the success of the International event, September 10-13th 2009, now marks the dates set for Twestival Local, where Twitter communities will be holding events to support their local causes.

On September 11th 2009, Brisbane Twestival will be helping to raise funds for the Inspire Foundation, who through a number of programs, support young people through the prevention of youth suicide and improvement of mental health and well being.  Twestival will be held at Joshua Levi Galleries, a great supporter of local artists and musicians, where I have showed my work before.  The night will showcase local bands and acts, raffles and also an art auction to which I am donating one of my framed photographs (above + below).  So please come along, have a few drinks, listen to some great bands, buy some artwork and help support the Inspire Foundation!

Brisbane Twestival

September 11, 2009 - 6pm
@ Joshua Levi Galleries
4 Ipswich Road, Woolloongabba
07 3392 2220
Tickets and Online Donations: http://www.amiando.com/bnetwestival.html

Mark Lobo Photography - News