Sometimes, ya gotta get back to basics… one of the first things any composition book will teach is to look for natural frames for your subjects. Frames are not something I think consciously about often enough. This shot features a frame within the frame, which helps take the composition heightens the interest. The two subjects are […]
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Tag Archives: buy film
Does Film Still Matter to Street Photography?
December 28, 2014 
7 Comments
The simple answer is “no”… But why cling to the analogue aesthetic and process? I have noticed a few of my previous stalwart film buddies exiting the genre recently as well, leaving me both a little heartbroken and worried about film. I am not going to prattle on about the dynamic range of film vs digital […]
Continue reading Urbanity Image Review #9
December 14, 2014 0 Comments
Taken in Hong Kong, March 2014. There are weddings happening all over Hong Kong during the week. They appear quite random. Just the bride, groom, maybe one or two others and photographers with magnificent kits of gear. Probably not much different to Melbourne, it is just unusual to see them all week on the streets […]
Continue reading Urbanity Image Review #8
December 7, 2014 0 Comments
Taken in Hong Kong, March 2014. Temple Street Night Market. Well, there is a theme here – a few shots from the Temple Street Night Market made the cut, and there were a few more that got very close to be included in the Urbanity Exhibition. The more you practice a skill, the more you […]
Continue reading Urbanity Image Review #7
December 5, 2014 2 Comments
Taken in Hong Kong March 2014. Another ripper from the International Finance Centre. Make sure you give it a good look if you are in town. The simplicity of this image is what I love. Simple tones and colours, clearly framed in three key blocks, let the composition elements stand out. Things in threes continue […]
Continue reading Urbanity Image Review #6
November 29, 2014 3 Comments
Another image taken in Hong Kong, March 2014. Taken at night in the bright lights that don’t seem to have an off switch. The complete cool indifference of the girl to her surroundings is a universal truth for all “door bitches” around the world. She is some kind of gatekeeper for the “VIP Bar” up […]
Continue reading Free Download of Urbanity Exhibition Catalogue
November 16, 2014 0 Comments
The Urbanity Exhibition is now complete for 2014! Thanks to those who dropped in to have a look, and a little extra to the peeps who purchased a framed print. If you missed the exhibition, feel free to download a PDF version of the exhibition image catalogue by clicking on the link here : UrbanityCatalogue If you […]
Continue reading The Easiest Way to Develop B&W Film. Ever.
November 15, 2014 14 Comments
You no longer have an excuse. Stand Developing is virtually impossible to muff. Have a crack at it, and be surprised at how easy it can be! Developing your own Black and White film is part of the whole analogue experience. Messing about with chemicals, reels etc can be a little daunting at first. Most people […]
Continue reading Urbanity Image Review #5
November 14, 2014 2 Comments
Beware, I get a bit more technical liney on this one… Taken in Hong Kong, March 2014. I am pretty sure this was at the International Finance Center. A perfect set of circumstances for black and white film… The IFC is surrounded by some awesome overhead covered walkways and connects through to the Hong Kong […]
Continue reading Urbanity Image Review #4
November 8, 2014 1 Comment
Taken in Hong Kong, March 2014. For the record, I shot a total of 32 rolls of Ilford HP5 and AGFA APX 400 on this trip – approximately 1000 shots for a total of 13 final images for the exhibition. A hit rate of 1.3% if my math is correct? Hmmm, if you are going […]
Continue reading Urbanity Image Review #3
November 7, 2014 4 Comments
Taken in Melbourne, August 2014. Location is Degraves Street, I think? The Flinders Street end. The only image in the collection leveraging the use of a model. Sometimes ya gotta try new things. There were a few ideas I had that were going to be much easier to realise with a more predictable set of […]
Continue reading Urbanity Image Review #2
November 5, 2014 1 Comment
Taken in Hong Kong, March 2014. Some careful preparation rewarded with an opportunity. The Hong Kong Cultural Centre is regarded by many as one of the worst eyesores in the city. It looks just like a massive block of concrete, without windows, without hope, like a jail. The concrete provides some great texture and […]
Continue reading Thoughts on Preparing for an Exhibition
November 2, 2014 3 Comments
Only a couple of hours until the joint exhibition I am hosting with Roberts Birze opens. Thought it might be worth sharing some more thoughts in general on exhibitions. 1. Yes, You Should Hold an Exhibition. No matter if it is putting up some photos in coffee shop with the permission of the owner or […]
Continue reading Invitation to Urbanity Opening Night
October 17, 2014 0 Comments
Feel free to come along to opening night to see a collection of images from local Melbourne Photographers Roberts Birze, and Damian Young. Opening 5pm – 7pm Saturday 1st November Hogan Gallery, 310 Smith Street, Collingwood. More Facebook details here : https://www.facebook.com/Urbanity2014
Continue reading Crossing Paths with Vivian Maier
October 12, 2014 0 Comments
The Centre for Contemporary Photography has an exhibition of Vivian Maier’s images on at the moment. Going to pop over to have a look today. The details are : http://www.ccp.org.au/exhibitions.php?f=Gallery_1 03.10.2014—26.10.2014 Centre for Contemporary Photography 404 George St, Fitzroy Victoria 3065, Australia E info@ccp.org.au T + 61 3 9417 1549 OPENING HOURS Gallery Hours Wednesday—Friday […]
Continue reading Featured Melbourne Image “Five Ways” – Dee Smith
October 3, 2014 2 Comments
Dee’s print “Five Ways” is an excellent example of toy camera photography. It was taken on a Holga using Kodak Ektar iso 100 negative film. I picked up Dee’s print at the recent Melbourne Silvermine analogue exhibition “Unsensored 2014”. The exhibition is annual event aimed at demonstrating the art of film photography lives on! You […]
Continue reading Vivian Maier – Composition Ideas – Intro
September 14, 2014 9 Comments
Vivian Maier was a Chicago based street photographer who was only recently discovered after her death in 2009. I have been reading the book “Vivian Maier – Street Photographer” which features some of her best work. Maier’s work includes some travel photography, self portraits, and street photography. You can read more about her here. I […]
Continue reading The Art of Bar Photography – Part Two
July 25, 2014 1 Comment
In the last article, I outlined some basic guidelines to getting subjects to pose in bars. This time, I am going to share the story behind some of my personal favourites to help illustrate the lessons. The Punk Kid Taken at The Corner Hotel in Richmond. Delta 3200 film – hence the extreme grain I […]
Continue reading Trent Parke – 3 Lessons from “Summer Rain”
July 19, 2014 1 Comment
A copy of “Magnum Contact Sheets” was in my Santa Sack last Christmas. Who would have thought Santa was that clued up on photography? The book presents some of the most famous Magnum images and pairs them with the contact sheet it was selected from. The photographer also gives some commentary around the photo and selection rationale. […]
Continue reading Holga “Toy” Camera
July 12, 2014 3 Comments
Analogue is good. Overlay that with plastic and you get something great! Holga cameras were designed and started manufacture in China during the heady days of the early ’80’s. I suppose they were manufactured as a super economical camera suitable for a radiant socialist future. The are a medium format camera – ie. they take film like […]
Continue readingHolga Panoramic
June 21, 2014 2 Comments
This is one big ass piece of plastic. Seriously, this thing is massive! The Holga Pan 120 takes medium format film and shoots 6cm x 12cm negs – yes, 60mm x 120mm! The camera technically has a 90mm fixed focal length lens – the best estimate I could find for 35mm equivalency was a 29mm […]
Continue reading Compact 35mm Cameras
June 9, 2014 5 Comments
Hmmm, it would seem I am a regular breaker of one of the ten commandments handed down to Moses on Mt Sinai. “Thou Shalt Not Covet” It is tough when friends come along to a photography function with shiny new items. I find that as soon as I pick up a camera or lens that […]
Continue reading Richmond Station
May 31, 2014 0 Comments
Behold my most favourited picture of all time! Richmond Rail Station provides many opportunities. This particular image was captured looking down the exit ramp from the platform, waiting for the light to stream down from the skylights. The colours of the tiles combine with the dirty whites to deliver great contrast. Here it is from […]
Continue reading Fan Ho – 9 Composition Techniques. Part Four.
May 17, 2014 5 Comments
8. Light Funnels Urban landscapes create many Light Funnels that Fan Ho took advantage of to either add drama to an image, or backlight a subject to some degree. The narrow confines of Hong Kong’s streets offer many opportunities to narrow the flow of natural light into a funnel. In all of the images, […]
Continue reading Fan Ho – 9 Composition Techniques. Part Three.
May 12, 2014 5 Comments
5. Look for Angles that are Not Ninety Degrees. The Beauty of 120 Degrees. Ninety degree angles naturally appear everywhere. Fan Ho often created images using angles other than ninety degrees, often approximating 120 degrees. Angles other than ninety are unexpected and more interesting. The angles of the shadows in this image are much wider than […]
Continue reading Fan Ho – 9 Composition Techniques. Part Two.
May 10, 2014 6 Comments
2. Light Edges Light Edges are very clear, defined strips of light contrasting with a shadow. These feature regularly in Ho’s images to highlight what is usually a small human subject. The size of the subject removes the “human” face and enables the viewer to project themselves into being the subject (IMHO). These Light Edges […]
Continue reading Fan Ho – 9 Composition Techniques. Part One.
May 6, 2014 6 Comments
Fan Ho has captured Hong Kong over the years using a Rolleiflex. Born in 1937, Ho has an important body of work that borrows from his experience as a Hong Kong based film director. You can find out more about him at his website here, and an interview with him here. I have one of his […]
Continue readingUnion Lane, DJ’s Coffee Shop, and Sugden Place
May 4, 2014 0 Comments
I suppose it is time to start sharing some of the “gotta go to” locations rather than the more esoteric “hidden gems.” Union Lane is one of several “sanctioned” street art laneways in Melbourne. Entry is via either from the Bourke Street mall end or Little Collins Street. The street sign is usually painted or […]
Continue reading Busy Places – Buildling Your Skills
April 22, 2014 0 Comments
Busy Places Busy places are full of busy people all moving in different directions with different purposes. Their minds are wholly engaged with their own affairs and missions. Whether in a group or by themselves, their main priority is whatever it is that they are doing. Their default is to not even notice you, unless […]
Continue reading Getting Used to Photographing People – Ruckenfigur
April 22, 2014 4 Comments
The next theme to explore is Ruckenfigur, a German word which translates to “back figure”. The “back figure” is a recurring theme in romantic landscape paintings, typified by Caspar David Friedrich, a 19th century German Romantic landscape painter. Ruckenfigur style compositions are generally seen from behind the main subject, who guides the viewer with their own […]
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Inconspicuosity 