Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings

Over summer i’ve had the great pleasure of shooting a range of pictures for Sydney Opera House of their ‘Summer at the House’ program.

From kids shows, to dance, comedy, cabaret, talks, pop music and pop-up bars it was an amazing mix of things to cover.

Always such a privilege shooting at Sydney Opera House.

Blaze

Dr Who Symphonic Spectacular

Opera Bar and Kitchen

Opera Bar and Kitchen

La Soiree

The Cove

El Loco

Summer Sleepover

Pelicano @ Guillame

BLAZE skate park

Blaze pre-show party

First Aid Kit

Rodrigo y Gabriela

Cat in the Hat

Blaze

Dr Who Symphonic Spectacular

La Soiree

La Soiree

I could try and regale you with anecdotes from my travels, but words don’t come as easy as pictures for me.

Here’s a slice of my recent trip to the US, Iceland, Mexico and UK.

30 Under 30 cover feature in Time Out Sydney, it’s 5th birthday issue

This new issue of Time Out Sydney marks five years since issue zero hit news stands in 2007.

I’m one of the handful of staff who’ve been with the publication since day one and very proud of what all the writers, designers, sales people and publishers have achieved in that time. To keep a quality independent magazine going through a decline in print media, a slump in advertising and tough competition is remarkable.

There’s been days when it’s been tough, but for the most part it hasn’t felt like work at all.

I don’t have a formal photography education, but the thousands of pictures i’ve shot for Time Out have been the most invaluable education imaginable.

The cover story for this new issue is ‘30 Under 30 – Young people making Sydney awesome right now‘. It was a really fun feature to shoot – black and white portraits of inspiring people all shot on location at Carriageworks.

Levins is the cover star which is pretty amazing. Who’d have thunk that the kid i photographed in 2005 manning a sausage sizzle would be gracing the cover of Time Out? And i’d be shooting it?!

You can check out the feature in the magazine, but i’ve also made a gallery of the out-takes and my favourite pictures.

I’m quite proud of it, and proud of the people in the list. It’s not a collection of celebrity wannabes – but people, many of whom you’ve never heard of, genuinely contributing to making Sydney great.

It’s worth picking up a copy of the magazine to read their stories, in the meantime check out their photos.

The zine presented to guests at the preview dinner

I had the pleasure of taking portraits of five female artists for a zine to accompany a gallery show called In Synthesis. It was curated by Joseph Allen Shea, presented by adidas Originals, produced by Little Hero and celebrated female artists and the communities they create.

What follows is some pages of the zine, some out-takes of portraits that didn’t make it, plus some pictures of the preview dinner and opening night.

Angela and Alice from Even Books photographed at Angela’s home.

Even Books artistic contribution to the show.

Kate Mitchell photographed in The Former Paramount Building that hosted the show

Kate Mitchell up a tree

Kate Mitchell up a ladder

One of Kate’s two works in the show

Nell and Bec Machine

I photographed Nell at her studio in Kings Cross. I turned up AC/DC’s Back in Black really loud and just asked her to rock out.

Nell

Nell and Bec Machine’s performance consisted of Bec jamming out ear splitting guitar riffs while Nell peacefully meditated on the Marsha amp

The audience takes it in

Kevina-Jo Smith photographed at her Leura home and studio

Kevina and her bunny rabbit

Kevina at home, wearing one of her knitted pieces

Kevina’s artwork in the gallery

Parachutes for Ladies photographed in Potts Point

Jess Olivieri and a stand-in Hayley Forward

The balaclavas served two purposes. To demonstrate solidarity with Pussy Riot and for practical purposes as one half of the duo was interstate – so she enlisted a masked stand-in.

Bianca Chang in her Surry Hills home

Bianca had a lovely apartment, which was small but had a large window that overlooked the back alley

Bianca Chang

The opening night crowd

Full credits for the show:

all originals represent

/ IN SYNTHESIS /

Female Artist Collectives and Collaborators

The Kingpins
Kate Mitchell
Chicks on Speed
Agatha Gothe-Snape
Bianca Chang & UTS Students
Even Books
Kevina-Jo Smith
Nell & Bec Machine
Jess Olivieri and Hayley Forward with The Parachutes for Ladies

With unified action and a space for exploration IN SYNTHESIS celebrate women in art and the communities they create. Curated by Joseph Allen Shea

Show runs until Sunday the 2nd September
Gallery hours Fri/Sat 11-5pm, Sun 11-3pm

ABOUT THE SHOW:

adidas Originals is proud to present IN SYNTHESIS, a group exhibition curated by Joseph Allen Shea exploring the strength of young female artists working in creative collectives and collaborations.

Joseph Allen Shea is a Sydney-based independent curator, writer and artist, known for his roaming project space GALLERY A.S and previous work at Monster Children gallery.

The all-female line-up will showcase work from collectives and collaborative efforts, championing the adidas Originals #represent campaign. IN SYNTHESIS will celebrate women in art and the communities they create, inspire and enhance.

IN SYNTHESIS will exhibit work from The Kingpins, Kate Mitchell (Greedy Hen), Chicks on Speed, Even Books, Agatha Gothe-Snape, Parachutes for Ladies, Bianca Chang and UTS students, Kevina Jo-Smith and Nell and Bec Machine.

Like the partnerships that spawned the work, the exhibition acts as if an alloy; the unification of ideas and persons being stronger than the sum of each part.

The works presented are as ambitious, diverse and energetic as their creators. Progressive installations, performance, kinetic sculpture, video and dance will create a living, breathing show of colour and movement. adidas Originals promotes the idea of connecting within a community, and representing as one.

Jack White performs at Splendour in the Grass

While i was primarily at Splendour in the Grass to shoot the Faster Louder Splendour Studio (which i’ll post on another time) i did take the opportunity to duck out and see a few bands when i could.

After the work of coming up with ideas for over 40 different portrait shoots it was quite relaxing to just be shooting the artists doing what comes naturally to them.

At The Drive-In

At The Drive-In

At The Drive-In

At The Drive-In

Kimbra

Kimbra

Kimbra

Kimbra

Jack White

Jack White

Jack White

Jack White

Warren Ellis of The Dirty Three

Bloc Party

Bloc Party

Bloc Party

Bloc Party

Bloc Party

Azealia Banks

Philip Beesley examines ‘Sibyl’ at the 18th Biennale of Sydney

The 18th Biennale of Sydney opened this week and i had a wet and wintery tour of it on Tuesday.

Some of the artists were with their works, so i took the opportunity to get some pictures with their creations.

Tiffany Singh with her installation ‘Knock on the Sky Listen to the Sounds’ at Pier 2/3

Peter Robinson and his large scale sculpture ‘Gravitas Lite’ at Cockatoo Island

Adam Cvijanovic and his vertiginous painting ‘The River’

Philip Beesley’s sprawling ‘Sibyl’ installation at Cockatoo Island felt like something from a Tim Burton film.

Cal Lane imprisoned by her artwork. She told me it didn’t really have a title.

Monika Grzymala with her delicate paper installation ‘The River’

The Biennale runs till 16th September and is well worth a visit. It’s very instagramable.

Here’s some of my Biennale photos from 2008 and 2010.

Irish Breakfast at 4Fourteen

It’s been a while since i’ve posted photos i’ve taken for Time Out Sydney, so here’s a big dump of various things i’ve shot for the past few issues.

You can click each image for the associated Time Out story.

David Abram aka Smokey LaBeef from Freda's

Gay and Serving

Corporal Brychan Hawker

DJ Nic Scali on Sydney Harbour

Time Out writer Erin Moy en route to photograph Nic Scali (above). If only all shoots were this glamorous.

Ash and Andy

Hellen Rose

Ex Sydney Writer's Festival Artistic Director Chip Rolley

Milky Way dessert at Tomislav

The Rum and Cider bar at Hotel Steyne Manly

I braved hundreds of bees to shoot James Hird with the beehives at Wine Library

Kate Mulvany

Finalists for the Time Out Taste Test

Three Blue Ducks

Morena

Paddington Arms Hotel

Belgrave Cartel

Daniel Puskas and Jimmy Parry at Sixpenny

Vivian Tan will represent Australia in Table Tennis at the Olympics

Simon Stone, Toby Schmitz and Emily Barclay at White Rabbit Gallery

Simon Stone directs Emily Barclay and Toby Schmitz in Strange Interlude at Belvoir Theatre

Sonja Porturica and Felix Lara teach Zumba classes

Yana Novak at Madame Tussauds

Photographing Yana at Madame Tussauds was one of weirdest and funniest assignments i've had in a while

Yana Novak

The Fish Shop

Zac Pauling, the Chef at The Anchor

The Anchor in Bondi

Jack Thompson and Sandy Gore

Colin Friels in Death of a Salesman

Shannon Murphy and co.

Pamela Rabe

Ronni Kahn of OzHarvest

Grounds of Alexandria

The chooks of Grounds of Alexandria

Bondi Hipsters

Bondi Hipsters

Bird and Bear Boathouse

Cocktails at Button Bar

Belvoir Theatre B Street

Adam Ant

Anthony Perosh UFC Fighter

Bucket List

Palmer and Co

A model wearing Romance Was Born backstage at Australian Fashion Week 2012

I don’t shoot a lot of fashion related things, but one of my long time clients is Little Hero PR, and every year i shoot backstage photos for their labels that show at Australian Fashion Week.

This year was no different, and i’ve assembled a gallery of Fashion Week images i shot for them. It includes backstage shots from Romance Was Born, Jenny Kee, plus a pre-Fashion Week dinner party for Flannel.

Jenny Kee

Jenny Kee

Romance Was Born

Flannel presentation dinner

Check out the full Fashion Week gallery.

Janelle Monae performs at Vivid LIVE

Sunday night closed a week and a bit of amazing gigs at Sydney Opera House for Vivid LIVE.

For the third year running i was fortunate to be shooting it officially for the Sydney Opera House.

Here’s a taste of the pictures.

Janelle Monae

Janelle Monae wowed everyone with her long overdue Australian debut performance.

Janelle Monae

Janelle Monae and her guitarist Kellindo Parker

Janelle Monae gets acquainted with her audience

Janelle Monae

Florence and the Ceremonial Orchestra

Florence Welch performed without The Machine, instead with a full blown orchestra.

Danny Brown

MED

Kindness

Planetarium by Sufjan Stevens, Bryce Dessner and Nico Muhly

Sufjan Stevens and Bryce Dessner perform Planetarium

Imogen Heap performed in the Northen Foyer which overlooks the harbour

Karen O in Stop the Virgens

Karen O performed her spectacular Stop the Virgens “psycho opera” with a big cast and band from New York, including Nick Zinner and Brian Chase from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Sadly for me, they were the only Vivid act to get photo approval on their pictures, so there’s only two of my photos i’m allowed to show. There’s loads more interesting ones that will live unseen on my hard drive.

Karen O in Stop the Virgens

The Temper Trap

The Temper Trap returned to Sydney triumphant with a number 1 album and two shows in the Concert Hall.

The Temper Trap

The Temper Trap

Zola Jesus

Zola Jesus performs in The Studio

Future Classic Studio Party

Modular Studio Party

You can see more, including extra shots by Prudence Upton on the Vivid LIVE photo gallery.

Back in January, the night before Big Day Out, i photographed a bunch of the artists at the Rolling Stone Awards at the Beresford.

Much like last year i set up a little studio and pulled in the artists to do a quick portrait over the course of the evening.

The photos made up a 5 page spread in the March issue of Rolling Stone.

It was a really fun thing to shoot. One of those days where it doesn’t feel like work, just having a laugh and shooting some pictures with old pals. The free flowing tequila may have had something to do with it.

Here’s the rest of the layout as it appeared in the magazine, followed by some extra pictures.

Kimbra

King Cannons

The Jezabels

Dan Sultan

DJ Minx

Kitty, Daisy and Lewis

Hilltop Hoods

Guineafowl