METHOD
Thank you for visiting my art space. For two decades I worked as a portrait photographer in various commercial studios in Sydney and Melbourne. Now in my own studio, I like to do things differently. If you are thinking of participating in one of my art shoots, be aware that this is not a generic portrait studio. I work independently as a photographic artist set up in an industrial shed which I use as my studio. I do photo shoots that I believe are unique or at least, will produce stylistically different results from those you may encounter commercially. For me, studio portraiture is a true art form that’s taken me two decades to master.
Photography sessions typically follow two themes. “Identity Portraiture” and “Figurative Art”. Many sessions will explore both. I use a combination of traditional film photography and digital capture, often combining the two. You are invited to enter my art space for a uniquely creative photo shoot experience. Go to Bookings in the menu.
IDENTITY
The Identity theme is open to anyone from teenagers to the elderly. As part of the preparation for this theme, participants are encouraged to answer a couple of philosophical questions which remain optional but recommended. These questions concern the participant’s views on life and purpose.
Identity is somewhat of an enigma. ‘Who am I’ is the simplest of questions, yet can it ever be truly known? Is the sense of self, the “I am,” a conceptual form beginning at birth or before? It could perhaps be better labeled as “I-density”, because it is the “I” that experiences itself in physical form and identifies so throughly with embodiment. “I am” is a boundless mental concept contained within a corporeal form, qualified by the succession of moments that become the stories and struggles of a lifetime.
My interest in identity and the search for meaning have informed my art practice. Superficial portraits aimed at flattering the subject, though common in studio-based portraiture, have never been my primary focus. The soul of things has coloured my view.
Model: Taku Rogers
FIGURATIVE ART
The Figurative Art theme can incorporate semi-nude depictions, a choice left entirely to the individual being photographed. Therefore this theme is age restricted. Participants must be 21 years or older.
It is no exaggeration to claim that the human figure, particularly its depiction as the nude, is the most explored genre in Western art. The human figure evokes a wide range of feelings, judgments, and responses. One person’s pride is another’s shame. In modern times the internet has contaminated the status of the nude figure as a respected photographic art subject. There’s now a whole generation of people who equate the nude in photography with the nude in pornography and fail to understand the difference. Traditionally the nude has always conjured a battle of opinions between those who appreciate the tradition of the human figure in the visual arts with those who uphold the prudish view of the body as a subject of shame to be hidden. Sexuality is a divisive subject and the human body sits at the centre of this discourse both celebrated and scorned, but always observed.
Model: Britainia Flower
PEOPLE WHO HAVE APPEARED IN THIS SITE
Aisia Hamson, Alex Pychtin, Alex Siegers, Ally Moulis, Alyssa Quinlan, Asha Gillard, Ashley McHenry, Ben Gerrard, Benjamin Monger, Ben Stokes, Bevan Vickers, Bianca Wolf, Brenna, Britainia Flower, Caitlin Jill Hunter, Charlotte Westerlundh, Chloe Rosenburg, Craigh Pratt, Darko Kubatka, Emma Floreani, Fran Elmasri, Georgia Sanchez, Huntar Towers, Jasmin Louise, Jasmine Ghazi, Jayme Edwards, Jeff Hamilton, Katie Bostelaar, Lara Carpenter, Leonardo Selinas, Louise Herd, Luke Lamers, Marc Cottrell, Melissa Atkinson, Narelle Dunkley, Niamh Coppola, Nicole Clayton, Olivia Ambrose, Owen Taylor, Rachel Burges, Raphaelle Perigot, Rob Sutherland, Rosa Salvator, Sarah Vassallo, Seaton Kay-Smith, Simon Wheeler, Simone Thornett, Stephanie Micallef, Steve McGrath, Taku Rogers, Tony Burns, Vanessa Black, Will Killin, Zac Hennesy
