back to the beginning

(This photo of a chimney was one of my first photos. I loved it so much I had it printed and framed. It hung in my bathroom until 2022. )

The story of how I got interested in photography was:

I was experiencing being a victim of crime and I needed to be getting evidence, every time I went to the police to report each incident.  I was using my phone to take photos and the images were very much crap. One day I was in Dick Smiths and I saw a little camera (FinePix J10), on sale for $100 and something dollars, so I bought it in the intention to get better photos for the police.

Version 1.0.0

I started to use the camera for other things besides evidence and soon realised I enjoyed using it and I wasn’t half bad at taking photos.

To my surprise early on I got published by Apple for one of their apps. This is the photo…

I had a friend who was encouraging me and that really got me fired up. When I stated I was really into HDR. This was excellent for the abstract photos, but not so good for other stuff. I joined Flickr in 2009. My taste has changed a lot over the years. Bill Baldridge was one of the first persons I followed on Flickr. I still love the process of what my mind does when I think about when ‘seeing a photo’, and the satisfying ‘click’ that follows. Gavin.

Mr. Squiggle
Flickr

some night photography suggestion tips

  1. Use a full-frame camera. Wide-angle lens. Sturdy tripod.
  2. A torch. Preferably a rechargeable one. Batteries are very expensive.
  3. Water (essential). A change of socks and undies. Take your ID for if the police come. Money for anything and emergencies. Mobile phone.
  4. Wear appropriate clothing for the weather conditions
  5. I wear steel-cap boots when on my night sessions. These create a sense of authority, and also for protection if you are attacked. I can’t run away because of my kit, so I have to face whatever may come.
  6. When being confronted by someone, I always match their tone. You would be surprised just how effective this works. Don’t back down if you are in the right i.e. not on someone else’s property.
  7. Show people what you do. This helps them understand why you are out in the middle of the night pointing a camera at their house.
  8. If you are approached by police/security be very polite and helpful. The more pleasant you are, this will disarm the authorities. If they are not amenable say nothing, just listen.
  9. The ‘ten minute rule’ is very good. Try to get the shot within 10 minutes of arrival, and then get out of there.
  10. Here trespass is a fine $. The more you get caught, the more fines you get. And if you continue to get caught, you will face jail time.
  11. Enjoy you experience, and relax.

what photography means to me

I really think that anyone can take a photo of something…

i.e. a bunny

or a bird…

these are both excellent photos of a bunny and a bird but for me it’s not really photography.

let me explain

I remember watching this amazing nature photographer talk about this issue when he said: “anyone can take a picture of a polar bear, but it’s just a static image, no context”. In order to have a compelling image the bear needs to have some interesting context.

From day one I didn’t want to be just taking photos of ‘things’ I wanted to make ‘art’.

I watched a Netflix show about these people doing scary stuff on the top of very high buildings. skywalkers

When he meets a girl doing similar stuff, they end up meeting and falling in love. He says: “I was just taking photos of myself on the top of buildings, but when I met her, she was making art”.

Since the advent of mobile phones, everyone is now a photographer, and the need for professional photography is no longer needed. I’m not a purist at all, but I used to be when I first started. Now I like Instagram just as much as the next person.

Gavin.