golden afternoon
twohundredby200 have just released their second issue of the re-launched twohundredby200 magazine.
I'm featured in the magazine, along with Brian Copeland from Graphic Clinic, and Nightmare Mikey.
Go check it out!
selkie
Left: Merle Pace
Right: me
From Merle's Flickr post:
Selkies are Seal Faeries from Irish and Scottish Myth. In the sea, they are seals who swim with their seal sisters, but they also come on land on nights of full moons and transform into women and dance with their seal sisters. This is when men can steal their seal skins to marry them, as they are known to be the best of and most loyal wives, and they go on to have children and a family on land. But, the Selkie woman is always longing for something. If they discover their seal skins, they have the terrible choice of staying with their human families on land, or returning to the sea with the constant call of their seal sisters, which is so much stronger than their mortal family.
I love this story and concept so much, but was really struggling to put together something I felt captured the idea in the vivid way I would have liked.
My full time day job and other distractions have been a real inspiration-killer for me lately, though I'm working on fixing that [which is also the reason I'm posting this so late...]
My image is a montage of a swirling, animal skin-type cloak I borrowed from a friend for a shoot as part of my 365 days series, and a self-portrait from about 2009. I wanted to capture the sense of the sealskin mingled with water. Merle flipped my image to face right-to-left and adjusted the colour a little in this version to make it work more harmoniously with her wonderful, dreamy image.
She also put together two other pairings which I think are also both beautiful, which you can see below.
selkie ii
selkie iii
kyle
One Friday night in September last year, my then housemate, Nicole Jensen, caught up with a friend who was visiting Brisbane for his brother's wedding the next day. They had met in a pub nearby, and decided to adjourn back to our house for more beers.
I was home editing photos and indulging in some ciders, and Nikki knocked on my bedroom door to invite me to come out and join them, as Kyle had been admiring the print of truth lies beyond hanging over the couch in our lounge room.
We ended up spending most of the remainder of the night talking art, photography, ambitions, travel, etc.
We then stayed in contact through Twitter, and met again about a month later when Kyle boarded with us for a week to do a course in Brisbane. We hung out much of the week watching Terriers, drinking cider and beer respectively, and going to the gym. On his second last morning in town, as we caught the bus together toward the city, he asked me if I wanted to catch up for dinner that night.
Having asked if Nikki was coming with us to dinner, I surmised from his answer in the negative, that he was asking me on a date; though, in case I was unsure, he confirmed my suspicions when he met me outside the gym, giving me the option to decline at that point.
Given that, were we not to go to dinner, we would just end up going back to the house and chilling on the couch watching more Terriers and hanging out together, I figured I got a good deal either way. However, I did chuckle and ask "You know I'm leaving the country, right...?"
Suffice to say, the date went well, and knowing we had only a short time together before I left for London, Kyle came down once more from Winton on Boxing Day and we spent an intense, indulgent and utterly wonderful two weeks together.
On New Year's Day I photographed him, from which this portrait is taken.
Despite my initial reluctance to undertake a long distance relationship, ten months later here we are (though officially we've just passed our eleventh month anniversary, agreeing in retrospect that first date marked the beginning of our relationship; and we won't mention that 2.5 hour break-up...)
We video chat almost every day on Skype, for hours at a time, to the point where it's almost like we live together, despite the vast distance between us. Thankfully he's a morning person and I'm a night owl, so our mornings and evenings overlap. Through the various ups and downs we've both had over the past year, we manage to keep each other going and make each other smile (though admittedly he's usually the one who has the more difficult job with this, as the past few months life has been getting me down a bit), and his encouragement and his own achievements with his weight have definitely been an inspiration in my weight loss.
This weekend he has made the move from Winton to commence a new job in Mackay. A job with more opportunities and that will give him more experience relevant to the IT degree he is currently undertaking.
All going to plan, he will visit in February for a few weeks, and I can't wait to see him in all of his high resolution, non-pixelated goodness. It will also give me a chance to take updated portraits of him as, like me, he has lost more weight and toned up more since January.
Maybe he'll also capture me in illustration, as he is a talented artist himself, though not practicing.
rue du roi de sicile [le marais, paris, france, 2011]
rue des ecouffes [le marais, paris, france, 2011]
untitled #63 [avenue parmentier, paris, france, 2011]
untitled #62 [avenue parmentier, paris, france, 2011]
intersection [avenue parmentier, paris, france, 2011]
leaving and arriving and passing by [avenue parmentier, paris, france, 2011]
untitled #60 [avenue parmentier, paris, france, 2011]
fur from flesh
untitled #13
untitled #14
the gunpowder plot
I was kind of looking forward to Guy Fawkes' Night and getting out to enjoy some fireworks tonight, but after hearing fireworks and crackers going off almost every night for the past two weeks, the novelty has somewhat worn off.
Between Diwali, Hallowe'en and Guy Fawkes', the fireworks manufacturers are making a killing.
As it turns out, I didn't need to go out to enjoy some quality fireworks. I just stood on my bed and looked out my window and watched them go off on the other side of the church on the other side of the park on the opposite side of my street. They're still going off now. Judging by what I've seen and heard, there were about three fireworks displays just within my local area.
So, rather than go out and freeze my extremities, I settle for posting a photograph from the Edinburgh Military Tattoo in August, and spend my evening working on my website update and photo editing.
In the spirit of tonight's celebrations, here's a clip from Not Only, But Also that always comes to mind when I think of Guy Fawkes. Enjoy!
steven
I recall first coming across Steve on Twitter, and though I was initially skeptical about falling into share-housing in Brisbane, let alone sharing with a couple, he suggested I contact Nicole Jensen about a room available in her home, and also introduced me to BTUB, aka Brisbane Twitter Underground Brigade, a gathering of Twitter users from Brisbane and surrounds on the first Friday of each month at Greystone Bar in the Southbank area of Brisbane. These two things led to me feeling a much stronger sense of belonging in Brisbane in the relatively short period I was there than I ever expected possible.
Steve and I have a common interest in photography and lecherous observations about women. But mainly the photography.
Steve is a gentle giant. You can't tell from this portrait I took of him at the Abbey Medieval Festival in 2010, but he is actually very tall; from memory, about 6'3". He occasionally takes extremely creepy self-portraits, but really, he is a big softy at heart.
He works in a museum, is completing a degree in Creative Industries at QUT, and has been heavily involved in the volunteer photography side of both the Abbey Medieval Festival and the Caloundra Music Festival.
He's also a cider drinker, so you can see why we get along.
untitled #19 [hospitalfield, arbroath, angus, scotland, 2011]
Remembering [somewhat] warmer days.
centrefold
getting to grips
how to be invisible
strange bedfellows
living on the edge
I realised a few years ago, when standing on the bench in my bedroom to paint the higher sections of the wall, that I'm not specifically afraid of heights. I'm afraid of falling.
Therefore, one metre off the ground I can go into panic mode.
Walking down a spiral staircase I manoeuvred my way up without thought suddenly becomes a job undertaken in a crab-like posture (just ask my ex about such experiences in La Sagrada Familias and Caernarvon Castle).
An attempt to venture onto The Balconies in the Grampians National Park had me experiencing vertigo - feeling as though everything below was moving and whirling, and I had to drop to the ground to feel like I wouldn't fall off the edge.
So I ventured as far as I could with Phil and Aaron at Shady Rest. They walked to and stood at the furthest edge of the property at that point. I had to stop short from nausea. The best I could manage was to photograph them standing there, as though they were waiting for a bus, or an elevator, or something equally innocuous that doesn't involve falling to their death.
It sounds dramatic to say that, but every second day on the stairs in my house I almost over-balance from this fear of falling. I almost did today.
untitled #78 [park royal, london, england, 2011]
untitled #82 [park royal, london, england, 2011]
untitled #79 [park royal, london, england, 2011]
untitled #80 [park royal, london, england, 2011]
untitled #81 [park royal, london, england, 2011]
There is nothing new except what has been forgotten
There is nothing new except what has been forgotten. - Marie Antoinette
Over: Bee Brady
Under: me
Bee Brady and I were paired for the first time in this round of The Divine Diptych Project, and Marico Fayre distributed some lovely and inspiring quotes for us to work with in creating our images.
Attributed to Marie Antoinette, the phrase kept circling through my mind as I was shooting a series of self-portraits in the bathroom at my friends' apartment in Edinburgh last month.
The memory aspect hinted at by the quote played a part in my thoughts, but for me it also spoke of the repeating cycles that we go through in life. The way that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Or that perhaps the more you think things have changed, that you have changed, that often you find yourself back in the same place, a place you have tried to avoid and steer clear of for so long, but before you realise it you are falling back into.
Though both of our images are somewhat overwhelming in terms of detail and objects in the images, I feel it suits the theme, as memory is like that: overwhelming, cluttered, complicated and messy. Every time you recall a specific moment or place you remember more or different aspects, and there is often too much to take in to really remember everything as clearly as you'd like to think you do.
I enjoy the various references to memory and nostalgia in Bee's image: the mirrors, the camera, the clock, the candelabra, the vintage items. The sense of reflection and angles, and being submerged in the moment.
mel
As is often the case, I don't remember the exact particulars of virtually meeting Mel Brackstone and first coming across her work, but as we mixed in the same RedBubble circles, it was inevitable that we would meet.
Her photography initially centred around landscapes (particularly seascapes), but over the years has expanded to incorporate humans and the human body, both those of her friends and models, and herself.
When I moved to Brisbane we organised to meet one day: myself, Mel, Kelly and one of Kelly's friends. After an early morning wander with Kelly around Redland Bay, the day was primarily spent sifting through op shops in Carindale, then lunch; after which myself and Mel adjourned to an abandoned property soon expected to be demolished near Eight Mile Plains, where I took le moribund.
On another occasion Mel and I met to shoot in her mother's house, which was being put on the market for sale, where I took this portrait of her with a Lensbaby Mel let me try out on my D50.
In all my dealings with Mel, I've found her to be extremely generous with her knowledge and happy to help others, and as equally voracious in her enthusiasm to learn more. She's always keen to learn how a new technique, a new piece of equipment, a new processing trick will help her achieve what she is after conceptually.
I always enjoy seeing what new avenue her work has taken, though I may now spend a lot less time around The Bubble than I have in times past.
aaron
Where Catherine is a whirlwind of thoughts, words and movement, her boyfriend Aaron is often the quiet observer sitting by listening to what is being said, and occasionally interjecting.
From time to time he will take control of the conversation and speak animatedly about a particular subject or situation, but most of the time he's just content to be.
He and Catherine were both heavily involved in building the large kit home on Aaron's family's property in Wombeyan Caves, that overlooks an amazing view over an area at the base of the Blue Mountains in New South Wales.
He was keen to show us around the property - the site of the old home, the waterfalls, and the edge of the property overhanging the valley. I was not so keen on the latter two, involving extreme heights, so settled for the first.
I snapped Aaron contemplating the view whilst we relaxed with a few drinks one afternoon after some exploring.
catherine
I met Catherine in year 10 when I moved to Stawell and started at the local high school. We hit it off pretty much straight away.
She was pretty, intelligent, articulate, a talented illustrator and photographer, very into music and a very good friend. Over the years, very little has changed.
Despite our respective movements around Australia (both of us) and the UK (me), and the odd loss of contact here and there, we have managed to keep our friendship alive.
We were always willing subjects for each others' various assignments: I acted in her TAFE black & white 16mm film (which I wish I had been able to see!); she let me drape her in chains and seaweed (on separate occasions).
We have both been supportive and encouraging of each others' art, whether it be visual or literary.
During my road trip with Philip Ivens through the eastern states of Australia, we were lucky enough to arrange to meet Catherine and her partner, Aaron, to spend a long Easter weekend on Aaron's family's property, Shady Rest, in Wombeyan Caves at the base of the Blue Mountains in New South Wales.
The time spent there was a great opportunity for me to catch up with Catherine and Aaron, but also turned out to be a very inspiring one, with the old home site at my disposal to shoot self-portraits and other photographs amongst what was left of the previous home. I felt very spoilt.
During my time there, I only managed to snap a few shots of Catherine. She is animated to the point that finding a moment of calm in her is often impossible. Her mind and her body move at a rate of knots most of the time.
And though usually I would avoid shots like these; shots where someone is playing up to the camera, and specifically dropping into a defensive stance - the single finger salute taking centre stage - I think this actually sums up Catherine quite well in some respects.
She is done with the niceties of life. She doesn't really care too much what you think about her and how she lives her life. She's all about being in the moment and living her life the way she wants to. And she does.
clutch
The imprints of your fingers leave their mark on my neck like a psychologist's ink stains.
I still feel your fingertips, gently but firmly holding me. My neck, my waist. Exploring, investigating, supporting, caressing, teasing.
In the darkness I can imagine they still sear my skin; still seek me out.
That you're not thousands of miles away, and so far from my touch.
Why, sometimes I've imagined as many as six impossible things before breakfast.