Thanks. No, really...

It's good being a photographer. OK, there are some points that do verge on the negative - but if you treat them as 'challenges', harassi- er, reminding editors about outstanding invoices, interpreting client briefs (OK, accurately interpreting) and the constant thought of where the next job is coming from actually add to the experience. Admittedly, you might have squint and hold your tongue just right to see this as a positive.

More bar work...

It's a tough job, but someone had to do it.
The tough job in question was shooting a range of cocktails for a summer campaign for an inner-city restaurant and bar, hoping to increase their female patronage.
I was sent via PXT an example of each cocktail, photographed on a mobile phone, and during a pre-shoot briefing,the General Manager and I decided on a three-fold image capture approach.  Want to know more?  A bit more info after the jump...

Multiple light sources

For one reason or another, sometimes I don't want to head to a job, laden with gear.
Fighting your way on and off public transport systems with a camera bag full of kit, a tripod, reflectors and a 2-3 monobloc lighting set-up can make you pull whatever remaining hair you have out.

Snapfish - FAIL.

I was looking at having some promotional printing done, and as is the norm in these 'grave financial times', have been mindful of my budget.
So, out of curiosity more than anything else, I found myself at www.snapfish.com.au - an online printing service, powered by HP (I think).
And other than the website being gratingly annoying (just tell me how much it will cost, and stop trying to get me to register/log in!), I found myself reading the Terms and Conditions. When you join or register to become a member for sites such as these, do you read them? Honestly?

It might sound like a joke...

OK. A Peruvian, a Scot and an Italian walk into a restaurant...
Sounds like the lead-in to a corny attempt at humour, but in this case, it's true - this happens every day. Where? At Ormeggio, a brand new restaurant in Mosman, at The Spit in North Sydney.
These images are a few from last weeks session - part one of a package I put together in a proposal to the restaurant directors for promotional photography. Part two is covering their opening night - lots of happy (fingers crossed) 'grip-and-grins'.
I'm happy to have the job - but not for reasons you might guess.

Shoot the DJ...

In this instance, it's not because of the dodgy tunes, or botched mixes, it's because the DJ in question, DJ Rubz, is heading overseas and needs some promotional material.
So - on a warm Saturday afternoon, we embarked on a multi-outfit photo session. It was a busy session, with a few technical malfunctions (gotta get myself an ST-E2!) but the challenge was trying to keep up the energizer bunny himself...
Nice. (More pics after the jump...)

In the kitchen with Dobey Blaze...

As if photographing Fat Freddy's Drop wasn't enough, I could hardly turn down the request I received on Sunday night.
"The boys are having a bit of a cook up on Tuesday - want to bring your camera and photograph it?"
Um. Time required to come up with an answer: 0.0041 secs. Time required to frantically rearrange my schedule on Tuesday to accommodate this request: 2.37 minutes.
Hell yes.

By popular demand...

Here are some more images from the Fat Freddy's Drop gig recently, brought to you by a stream of comments and requests from a range of people far and wide...
Enjoy, and feel free to leave comments.



More pics after the jump...

Dropped on both nights.

Wow. What a weekend.
Monday is never a fun day - public holidays excepted - and after two nights of Fat Freddy's Drop, my Monday is definitely living up to expectations. I'm shattered - but in a very good way.
On Saturday night we were invited to see FFD as guests, so albeit rather uncomfortably, I left the camera kit at home and headed out with MSO to catch the show.

Dropping it this weekend...

A while ago I was lucky enough to photograph a music festival, held in Ye Olde Sports Oval of the local University. Lucky because it was was one of the best line ups I've seen when it came to Nu Zild choons. One of my favourite parts of the day was Fat Freddys Drop, who incidentally won two awards at this year's 2009 NZ Music Awards - Best NZ Roots Album and Best Producer. So nice work, FFD.

Unembargoed. If that's actually a word...

So recently I shot a marketing manager for an international finance company, but due to a publication embargo, wasn't able to post any images.
Well, ta-daaa.....
And to be honest - I quite like them. I used only two light sources (one was my flash on a sync cord - can you guess what the other one was?) and with a minimal amount of photoshopping, was able to achieve some quite cool results...
So - hardly groundbreaking news, but after dangling the 'embargo' carrot in front of you in my last post, I thought I'd put you out of your misery. Or relieve the anticipation. Or something.

I'm sorry, the contents of this post have been embargoed...

I'm sorry.
I'd like to tell you about my latest job - really, I would. Although it's hardly earth-shattering stuff, I'd like to tell you who I photographed, where, how, when - but when it comes to 'why', it all becomes clear.
Computer says no.
Well, not the computer exactly, but a missive from The Missile 'advised' me of IP rights, and asked me to embargo the image release until publication date. Which is next Friday.
So as disappointed as I know you must be (?), you'll have to wait until then. Kinda like two weeks before Christmas, but without the joy of unwrapping presents, eating/drinking yourself beyond sensible loading limits, and getting something you actually want/need.

What I will let slip is that instead of the photo shoot being harassed and scrutinised by pedestrians, we were left relatively alone as everyone's attention was focussed on three muscular guys wearing red Speedos, handing out condom-covered bananas. At 0815am. No, really. Togs, togs, togs - undies.

And now for something completely different...

So last week I photographed Gunnar, who's appearing in three scenes of the new Underbelly 3.
He appreciated the more creative approach I took to the shoot, but was also interested in upgrading his portfolio to include slightly safer images - ones that didn't illustrate him 'in role'.
So - an hour later, we had knocked out a stack of images. Sitting down in front of the processing computer, we made our selection, and another hour later he had his extra images. Fast image processing was mainly due to a. the fact he needed to leave and pick up Mrs Gunner, and b. all the years of working to deadline on the Picture Desk of the newspaper has my processing skills dialed in.
Nice.

So - here are a few more images from the shoot, set up in a graphics layout program so they can be quickly printed and distributed to talent extra agencies. And yes, that is some shameless self promotion across the bottom of the card...

Underbelly, thugs, murderers and chefs.

Being given complete creative control is definitely a wonderful thing. Especially when it comes from a prospective subject who acknowledges that their current photographic portfolio is getting dated, and requires refreshing.
OK, they can provide you with suggestions, ideas and guidelines, but other than that, last week it was all up to me. Noice.
The story goes - over a few ales one evening, an acquaintance mentioned that not only is he an apprentice chef, but he's also an actor. And has just landed a part, albeit a minor one, in the upcoming Underbelly 3 series. As part of his acting, he needed portfolio images to supply to agents and talent scouts when he was looking for work. An apprentice chef makes even less than, well, almost anyone I know, so I decided to throw him a line and offer to do some shots for free.
WIIFM? I get to try some new ideas out, without the pressure of adhering to a client's commercial brief. Win-win.
As you can see from the images below, he's playing a thug who gets arrested for murder. Admittedly Gunner does have a rather brutish look, but it goes to show you should judge a book by its cover etc etc, because he is a top bloke. Mind you, at the time of writing, I haven't actually p*ssed him off. Yet.

To satisfy some of the photo-geeks out there (you know who you are...), here is some info about the shoot.

Location: Two locations - one inside in a make-shift studio space, one outside in a funky wee alleyway with an awesome textured brick wall as background.

Light sources: Top pic: Softbox. Below: 'Naked' flash as fill, with rim provided by the big burning ball in the sky. Then honeycomb, skimmed across the face and bounced off silver reflector. Under that - 'naked' flash, and sun as rim light. Finally, honeycomb as main.

Hmmm - left handed cameras...

You got to love image embargoes - even if they are mutually agreed upon.
Last Thursday I photographed the CEO of ABC for The Missile's magazine.
The building was a ghost town, as at 5.30pm, the majority of the worker drones had left the hive for the day. But not the boss. Time was money, money was time, and he projected a feeling of "I'll-tolerate-you-but-only-briefly" and even during the photo shoot he was multitasking and engaging the interviewing reporter so he could finish the interview and get back to work.
Busy man. So - short story - get in, get the shots, get the hell out.

And if there was one thing I would have liked it was a left handed camera - as mixing a camera and a slowly-healing fracture in the right elbow was starting to get a bit 'tweaky' towards the end of the session. Me and my bung wing. Sounds like a dish from a Chinese takeaway.

Short and Sharp

The past few posts have been tending towards the shoe-gazey, thought-provoking end of the spectrum, so instead of DnM, here's something about DnB.

Made a flying visit to a DnB gig on Saturday night - being hosted in a basement bar that had an uncanny similarity to the now defunct Carbon venue.
Opening the proceedings for the evening was Murder1 (sp?) - a fine DJ. Great technical skills and his choice of hiphop wasn't too far off the money as a crowd warmer. I did feel slightly hard done by as I've heard him play at a DnBBBQ a few months ago, and his dubstep/DnB selection was off the scale. He handed over to a DnB DJ - didn't get his handle - and not long after that MSO startd to wilt, so I did the chivalrous deed and walked her home.
Murder1 was photographed using an uncomfortably high ISO, with the flash handheld, and fired with an off-camera flash cord.

Desperately seeking...

Attention? Help? Peace from from whatever turmoil is haunting him?

OK - so the plan was once I'd the less-than-pleasant administrative stuff out of the way today, I was going to post some images from the recent weekend. Surfing, wine and some new friends. You know - fun stuff. But that'll come.

While digging through the paper-war I call my office, I heard a male screaming and yelling outside. Not necessarily an unusual thing in this neck of the woods, I left him to it and tried to concentrate on unravelling the Sanskrit-ian mystery that makes Excel spreadsheets operate. Not having any luck, I tracked out into the kitchen to make a cuppa - to find that the carry on outside was, well, still carrying on.

We've got a Wesley Mission in our neighbourhood, and as I said, it's not unusual to have vocal examples of how eclectic and varied our area can be, carried out underneath the kitchen window. At volume. But this time, the source of the noise was a middle aged male, ranting away to himself. I watched him for a while and as he tired of his yelled one-man dialogue, he fell his knees in the gutter, suddenly crying. The street once again was quiet. I don't think it was the first time in his life that this man was being ignored.

What to do? Well, I reached for my camera - I felt this could provide a photographic opportunity of interest. And it did - while sobbing and mumbling to himself he reached into a pocket and withdrew a stick of chalk. Carefully, thoughtfully and painfully eloquently he left six words inscribed on the road, temporary, until the next rainfall or passing street sweeper.

Should I feel good about this image? I'd be lying if I said I don't feel like I've taken advantage of him and his misfortune on some level, but that niggling itch of conscience has just given rise to a wee idea - but you'll have to watch this space. Admittedly in the grander scheme of things, it's not quite on the scale of the late South African photojournalist Kevin Taylor, who captured this Pulitzer Award winning image at a refugee camp , and hopefully won't have the same effect on me.

To read more about Kevin Taylor, his work and that of his 'band of brothers' I would definitely recommend reading The Bang Bang Club: Snapshots from a Hidden War, by Greg Marinovich. Not a nice read, but an amazing one anyway.

And the six words?


Why don't you just kill me.

Enjoying the sun while he can...

The guy in the centre of the image is a local 'displaced person' - as far as I can tell, he doesn't have anywhere to live other than a homeless shelter round the corner from our apartment.
So it's no surprise that without the luxuries of heating, hot running water and oh I don't know, a roof, he makes the most of what he can get when he can get it.
The image was taken just as the sun was about to descend behind the city skyline, and the company I was with had just ventured into a nearby shop. The subject (too clinical? Guy? Bloke? Man?) - anyway - he spent maybe ten minutes that the girls were shopping picking up cigarette butts and rollie ends from the footpath and gutter, chasing the sun as it finished for the day.
I think he knows what he's doing isn't right, and there's a glimmer or of self-respect in there somewhere - it's that or he's right at the other end of the spectrum where he's the sole occupant of Planet ME. He doesn't look anyone in the eye, or acknowledge passers-by - he reaps enough tobacco from discarded butts, roll ups, and smokes - happy in his own mind that even if he has no roof, he has a cigarette to smoke.

The best laid plans of mice and men...

Last week I received another brief from The Missile, regarding an editorial image for 'his' magazine.
Time was organised, as was subject, then finally location. So the night before the shoot I trundled off to the location - a flash hotel in the CBD. From recent experience, I decided to introduce myself to the corporate marketing people, who as it turned out, were very chilled about the use of their venue for a photo shoot. I received a tour of possible sites, exchanged business cards, and headed home with a couple of solid ideas in mind...
...To get in and check my messages to find out that the venue was in fact in correct, and that I was required to photograph the subject at another hotel, even deeper in the CBD. Ooooh-kay.
So then next morning, I show up at the location with armfuls of gear, to be told that 'Marketing' knew nothing about it and until we had the Official Management Approval, we were to cease and desist. Luckily enough the Platinum Member's Club Guest Personal Satisfaction Consultant Executive (ahem) didn't mind me conducting some lighting 'tests' in case we received management approval. The funny thing was (as you can see in the images) we didn't actually include any branding, logos or anything remotely identifiable (unless of course you're a handrail enthusiast) - I just wanted the view. And who owns the rights to that?
Needless to say - the subject, who stays at this particular venue on a regular basis and who holds and decidedly expensive membership to the aforementioned member's club was particularly put out - which made it even harder to cultivate and maintain a relaxed vibe for the photoshoot.
Still - even though we had the brakes thrown on by management, I still managed to salvage a few (OK, more than a few) suppliable images for consideration for publishing. Heh.

Singo Jr, Polkadots and other randomness

In one of those last minute rushes that the print media seem to gravitate towards, I was asked by a magazine editor I've recently been supplying images to to photograph a local businessman. Story aside, Singo Jr or Jack - choose your preferred monicker - is a character that comes from a famous and well off family, but has decided to make it on his own. And, to his credit, isn't doing too badly.
When I visit a subject, I try to grab a few options for the publishers. One or two 'safe' options, and, if I get a good vibe from the subject, I might try something a little different. So after a few different locations (one with the city scape in the background and another at his desk) I asked one of his office associates to become my VAPLS (Voice Activated Portable Light Stand). Holding the flash directly above him and just in front of him, I used the soft light at the edge to provide the main light, and bounced some fill from under his chin using a rather large silver reflector. There were quite a few 'serious' shots of straight to camera, but his constant and amusing interaction with the VAPLS provided a shot of his cheeky grin, and eyes looking away from the camera - a little bit more candid and less contrived. Because he was situated in front of a pillar, the two windows on either side provided the slightest of cold (blue) skim light, but by dialling back the shutter speed I was able to darken the background for some definition. A little bit of post, and voila, simple really. Anyway.
So - using some of the advertising industries easily recognised faces, I put together a quick DL sized PDF flier, and started emailing. Happily enough, I've received a reply from a PR company that requires some portrait photography done. I've submitted an estimate for consideration and am waiting for a reply. So fingers crossed.

When life goes downhill...

Celebrating anniversaries can be fun.
And it's those spontaneous events that really stand out.

We've been chatting with one of our neighbours over the past few weeks - he lives above us, works in health and does some stupidly mad hours - but as it turns out is also a firm believer in the 'Work hard, play hard' adage. He'll disappear into the darkness some nights with his BMX or street rig and shred up some concrete and drop offs. So it was a pleasure to be offered the use of one of his bikes for an afternoon of riding. OK - so I haven't ridden for over a year, and being in marginal control of a hardtail, with street slicks and no body armour, riding over very unfamiliar terrain did provide more than a few clenching moments. But Dr M and his friend James were great guides, and despite downplaying their own riding abilities, were hitting up some mint obstacles.

The terrain is nothing like I've ridden on before so I was glad that I'd packed the camera, flash and off-camera flash cord. So I set up, and caught some images of both the riders flowing over sections like The Temple Of Doom but unfortunately a new built lead-in jump to a berm failed to provide any spectacular images. Next time.

Samba Australia

A rather wet and dreary Sunday afternoon saw me head out to a local beach hotel, to help a budding photographer out with a favour he had been asked to do.
Eduardo, my friend, had been asked by a friend of his - Vinnie - to come along and take some photos of their band. Ed and Vinnie are Brazilian, and the band was a samba band, playing traditional samba music. I'll admit, if given the choice, I'll pass on the opportunity of listening to samba, but the chance to take some photos after a draining and tiring weekend was too appealling to pass up.




A few of the photos are attached - the rest are going to be given to the band for their website and promotion. And what a bunch of guys - it's always a pleasure to photograph musicians who aren't just talented, but also whose passion, enthusiasm and fun is present during their performance.
They're playing again over the next few weeks - might just have to take MSO out so she can check them out too. It'd be wrong to keep something like this to myself.

WOOT!

WOOT: (sl., exclamation); to show exuberance or excitement, normally following the reception of good news.

OK, I made that up, but after receiving an email this afternoon I've been woot-ing continuously. The organisers of the KXAG Photographic Competition that I entered recently sent me an email informing me that my image Essential Animal had won the Peoples Choice Prize for best Image of the Cross 2009.

Noice.

So I'm happy - made a few dollars, people like my images, and as soon as I can figure out how to turn off the italics and MSO gets home to help me celebrate, my day will be complete. Cheers to everyone that voted, and especially to Animal for giving up his time to sit for me.

They might be right. It might be about who you know...

So a few weeks ago, I was busy at my non-photographic job, when who walks in but an ex-workmate from Nu Zild. I worked with 'The Missile' indirectly for a few years - he worked upstairs in the editorial department as a reporter, and I was entrenched downstairs working in advertising. We briefly caught up last year at a social function where over a few beers we swapped details and had a few laughs etc etc etc.
Now he's a managing editor for an independent publishing house - he's definitely made some headway from the days of reporting on provincial rugby matches. To cut a long story short, he contacts me about a breaking story - a 'maverick' has left an advertising agency he helped establish a few years ago, and is joining ranks with another agency. Other media think there's something happening but the Missile and his reporters have the exclusive story pretty much nailed down - all that requires is images to support the story.
So - I supplied two main images. One was shot on the roof of a local apartment block, and it was here that I found out about the Canon flash inconsistency in remote firing/IR trigger failure in direct sunlight. The problem was remedied by going old school - simply linking the off-camera main/master to the camera with a sync cord, and fingers crossed that the slaved skim flash would fire (which it did!). Second location was downstairs to the basement garage for a more grittier, underground vibe.
Quite happy with both shots, but prefer the underground option - and funnily enough the 'roof' option was printed on the front of the magazine. Still - The Missile and I have booked in another shoot for another issue, and if all goes well, this could be the foot in the door I was looking for...

Competition Update

OK - well, didn't win any prizes at the exhibition opening the other night - but had a great time, met some great photographers, and had a wine.
While I've got my eye on a few other things, I'm stoked that MSO was there with me on the night for support and encouragement.

Guilty of neglect

As charged, your honour! It's been a while - ok, almost a month, and I'm now aware that I haven't blogged for a while. In my defence, I've started a new job - unfortunately, it's not photographic based, but it pays money (well, some) and if I play my cards right, it could lead to 'things'. Anyway. I entered a photographic competition a few weeks ago, and found out last Friday not one, but two of my images made it through to the final. Noice. One is of a character called Animal, the other Graham - the brief was essentially to capture iconic faces or places in Kings Cross. I'm not really one for fine art landscape photography, so I stuck to photographic people. I'm happy with them, and they're shown below (and above). So - fingers crossed - they exhibit in May, and I'm guessing after that I'll find out how successful (or not) I was. Comments appreciated - email me at contactchris@chrismckeen.com.au

New toy...

Yep - a new toy.
Nope, not an expensive one - very old school technology, if you will. Kinda like a 'string-between-two-paper-cups' version of the mobile.
A week or so ago I bought a hot-shoe mount and a 10m sync cord and as the weekend just passed saw MSO out of town for a few days, I kicked around with a local DJ and accompanied him to a few of his gigs. And helped him sink a few beverages.
Fun times - I did learn that while my new additions do give me the advantage or reach and new lighting angles, they don't allow the same degree of control and finesse that Pocket Wizards (mmmmm) and Canon ST-E2s (aahhhhhhhh) do. So apologies to Yinyang for having the flash strength a touch on the strong side. Oh well, he's English - he needed the tan.

Was it worth it? (part 2)

I was checking out one of my favourite blogs - www.strobist.com - a few months ago and he was discussing whether as a professional photographer, he (or any other photographer) should work for free - especially nowadays, with the general doom and gloom atmosphere of the international market.
Now don't get me wrong - I like getting paid - who doesn't? And MSO would be strenuously agreeing with me here - but when you're starting off in business, can it hurt to go out and shoot for the hell of it?
So - yesterday being March 17 - St Patrick's Day - I grabbed my camera kit and wandered round the corner to the local Irish pub. Which was going off like a bag of seafood in the Sydney sun. Huge. Admittedly there was only about 25 people in there when I arrived, but the majority being ardent, vocal Irish (and strangely enough a few British ones thrown into the mix) backpackers, they were making enough noise to drown out the local traffic - no mean feat. And as the afternoon progressed, and the bar filled up and the occupants became more, er, 'socially excited' I continued snapping away. A few pints later, and it was time to head home to meet MSO, albeit with a full CF card.
I'd spent the afternoon handing out cards and email addresses and promising to send copies through. In return, I'd been shouted a few jars of Guinness, got some great crowd shots, and also started informing people that I was a professional photographer, had a website, and was basically ready to hire. Time will tell if I get any emails/calls or bookings - but just being there with a camera enjoying the passion and fun of a room full of Irish (or wanna-be Irish) was worth a few hours away from the desk.

Was it worth it? (Part 1)

So - on Saturday My Significant Other (MSO) and I decided to go exploring. Packing our bags for the day's activities, we set off into the wilderness known as the Eastern Suburbs.
In my backpack, I had my camera, flash, sync cord and hot shoe adaptor, tripod, togs (mine), togs (hers), two towels, 1ltr water bottle, jandals and just because it's Sydney, a raincoat.
We walked anything from 5-11km (depending on whose version and navigation you go with) just to sit on a wharf in 26+ degree sun to have fish and chips (and a wee tipple of wine).
And how many photos were taken after lugging the gear round the bays?
Nada. Zip. Zero. Not a single frame.
But was it worth it? If it was just for the spectacular fish and chips on the wharf, then a resounding yes. Even though I sweated. strained and groaned under the load, like a sherpa I persevered. Even though I didn't pull the camera out once. OK - to be honest the only time I did pull it out was to make some room to stash my running shoes after a temperature based decision to change footwear.
Why go through the dramas of lugging the camera kit through such an expedition? Well, even though I didn't snap a single frame, I'd rather have had it with me than seen something to shoot and not have a camera with me at all.
The days ended - just in case you were wondering - with a very tasty Indian curry (albeit an over priced one) and a glass or two of wine on the balcony, watching some amazing lightning and some torrential rain. Because it is Sydney, after all.

'She' is the cat's mother

And in this instance, while 'she' does feed, groom, and co-exist with three cats (and a husband), 'she' also utters words of wisdom every now and again. Like just now. "You're a photographer, right? Then put up some photos on your blog!" Hardly brain surgery admittedly, and yes, I would have gotten around to it myself, but it's always nice when someone provides a bit of (blunt) advice. Especially with everything else that's going on at the moment. More about that later. Probably. So, without any further ado, a few photos. Ta da.

Well...

G'day. Welcome to my first post on my blog. Over the next, er, while, I'll be dropping in every now and again to discuss things photographic. More or less. So - if there's anything you'd like to know about photography, let me know. Email me: contactchris@chrismckeen.com.au or visit my website www.chrismckeen.com.au

BTW - the joker trying to recover his line on the mountain bike is NOT me.

But, to be honest, I've done that on more than one occasion. And no, he was horrifically unsuccessful in his attempt to stay on his bike. It was funny though. It always is when it happens to someone else.