10 perfect Xmas gifts for photography fans

Learn Photography's Paul Farris' essential guide to the perfect stocking fillers for photography fans.

1. Lens Mug

Without a doubt one of the coolest photography related gifts around this year is the 'lens mug'. Available as either 'Nikon' and 'Canon' varieties, these mugs are actual replicas of real lenses with rubber-grip focus and zoom rings, easy to clean stainless steel lining, replica auto/manual focus switch and even a lens-cap lid.

You can purchase the lens mug from PhotoJoJo.com

2. A lens for low light (and great blurry backgrounds!)
Every photographer should have at least one lens in their kit bag that offers a wide aperture and thus performs well in low light as well as providing a shallow depth of field (great for portraits). Canon and Nikon users are some of the luckiest here as they both offer 'fast' lenses at very reasonable prices - The Canon 50mm f1.8 has long been a favourite of many and is a must-have lens for Canon users and a steal at around $135 (AUS). Nikon users should consider the slightly more expensive 35mm f1.8 DX lens at around $350 (AUS) or the 50mm f1.8 for $190 (AUS).

Check out my friends at PhotoContinental for good deals and great service on lenses.

3. Subscription to a cool photography magazine
Photography for me is a continual learning curve - I pick up new ideas, inspiration and hints all the time from other photographers, the internet and from reading photography magazines. Two of my personal favourite magazines are 'Capture', Australia's top selling professional photography magazine and the 'British Journal of Photography' which is an great read and features some amazing contemporary work. For Australian readers 'Capture' is without a doubt the best option and will make any photographer happy at just $38.50 for a years subscription.

 Subscribe to Capture via Yaffa Publishing

4. A tripod

A tripod is a must-have bit of kit for just about any photographer. It doesn't matter if your a keen landscape, portrait, architecture, product or even wedding photographer - at some point the cameras shutter speed is going to be so slow that hand holding the camera is out of the question and using a tripod is the only way to avoid camera shake and blurry images! My advice is simple - buy the best tripod you can for your budget (in fact, stretch the budget if necessary as it's an investment you will not regret!)

I recommend checking out tripods from Velbon as good all-round tripods that won't break the bank or Manfrotto, which although more costly are head and shoulders above most of the competition.
Check out my friends at PhotoContinental for a great selection of Tripods.

5. Remote shutter release

Shutter release devices are available for most major DSLR cameras as either the old-school cable variety or the more popular wireless versions. A remote shutter release allows the photographer to trigger the cameras shutter without the need to physically touch the camera and thus avoid camera shake and blurry photos. This is an essential must-have bit of kit when using slow shutter speeds and can be purchased for as little as around $30-$40 (AUD) from most photography stores.

Check out my friends at PhotoContinental for a great selection of shutter release and remotes.

6. Camera strap
OK so I know every camera comes with a camera strap already....!   The problem with the strap supplied with the camera is that 1- it's a big advert for the camera manufacturer and do you really want to draw unwanted attention to the expensive bit of kit hanging around your neck?  2 - The supplied straps are not well designed and are uncomfortable if your out for a long day of shooting. 3 - The straps easily slide of your shoulder as they have no grip ability.  My strap of choice is the ' ridiculously named 'Industry disgrace' from the cool bag manufacturers Crumpler - it's comfortable, strong, extra long and available in some cool colours for a bargain $40 (AUD)

Visit the Crumpler website for more - or visit their stores in Brisbane (CBD) and in West End

7. Story Bridge Photoclimb experience

The Story Bridge is a Brisbane icon that first opened in 1940 and offers spectacular uninterrupted 360 degree views of the Brisbane CBD skyline that you won't be able to see from anywhere else. Regular climbers of the bridge are not allowed to take cameras along which is what makes the photoclimb both an opportunity and experience that is not to be missed for any photography enthusiast. You will have the chance to capture some amazing images with a brief prior to the climb during which we will give you plenty of hints and tips and advice during the two and half hour climb.

Visit the official Story Bridge climb website for more details

8. Camera bag

I'm of the opinion that there is no such thing as the perfect camera bag, and I should know as I currently number six to my collection in a range of shapes and sizes, all of which get regular use depending on where, what and when I'm shooting plus of course what gear I need to bring along. I've owned a trusty Crumpler backpack for about five years and is my firm favourite as it swallows up a fair amount of gear, is rugged, looks cool and is extremely comfortable to wear.

More recently I've also become a big fan of Think Tank who are very popular with pro photographers around the world, make great bags and until very recently had not been available in Australia. Check out the Think Tank website for more info or drop in at Photo Continental to see the full range.

9. Photoshop elements 9

Adobe Photoshop has long been the essential must-have software for photographers. Whilst Photoshop CS5 is the big daddy and the pro photographers choice at over $1000 (AUD), Photoshop Elements 9 is perfect for the enthusiast photographer who wants to be able to perform essential editing of images without breaking the bank.

Elements 9 can be purchased online from Adobe for around $145 (AUD) or maybe try the free trial version first!

10. Learn Photography gift voucher
The final gift idea is not only a shameless plus but also a great gift idea for any photography enthusiast wanting to know how to get better results from their digital SLR camera. We have gift vouchers starting from just $99 (AUS) that can be used against any of our photography courses, workshops or even One-to-One tuition.

For more info or to purchase online visit the Learn Photography website.

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Hints and tips for DSLR users

If you are new to digital SLR photography then I recommend you check out DTown TV which is a FREE online 'TV show' full of cool hints and tips for DSLR users. This latest episode is aimed at the complete novice and covers topics such as "What lenses should I buy?" and "What are UV filters for?" - enjoy!

Click here to watch DTown TV

Fisheye

I rented a Canon 5D MkII from Brisbane Camera Hire last week to use during some corporate training - what a great camera!  I also grabbed a Fisheye lens to try out and spent a few days seeing what crazy angles and unusual distorted perspectives I could get from it. The lens was a Tokina 10-17mm Fisheye and I have to say it was a lot of fun to use and now has me considering adding a Nikon AF DX Fisheye 10.5mm f/2.8G ED to my collection!!

Why I love cloudy days

I'm lucky to live in Brisbane in the heart of Queensland the so-called 'Sunshine state' where it's sunny pretty much all of the time and blue skies are the norm, in fact it's the tropical weather and climate that is one of the key reasons why we left London - and I have to admit that I love it! However when it comes to taking photos the harsh sunlight and cloud-less skies are not something that I'm over keen of. It's been long recognised that photographers prefer softer morning or afternoon light and therefore avoid taking photos in the middle of the day, and during our photography courses I tell my students about the benefits of cloudy days over bright days and the problems that shooting in harsh sunlight can bring.

Last weekends all day workshop was held on a typically glorious sunny and hot day, however by 6pm as the sun started to go down the wind had began to increase and some dark clouds started to fill the skyline above us, I was delighted by this as I knew that the clouds would add some additional interest and drama to the sky as we prepared ourselves to shoot the Brisbane skyline.

Below is an image captured by Ellis Plata, one of the students on the workshop who had no previous experience of using a digital SLR camera prior to attending the workshop having only unpacked his new Nikon D90 the previous night.

I asked Ellis to send me a copy of the image to share on the blog both as an excellent example of what we cover on the workshop but also because it is a great capture helped by the amazing sky and the clouds blurring as they pass overhead.

 

- Click on image for a larger view -

Image info:
Camera : Nikon D90, Setting : Manual, Shutter speed : 30 seconds, Aperture : f16, ISO : 200, lens focal length : 18mm

"Thank you for an awesome day. I have gone from not knowing my D90 Nikon to now shooting on manual mode. I found your course relevant and easy to follow. The small group size also was good as we all got your personal attention."
Ellis Plata

Many thanks to Ellis for allowing the use of the image and to all the students for a great day. For more info on our all day workshop or any of our courses visit the Learn Photography website.

Paul Farris is Learn Photography's founder and tutor

Studio lighting workshop

Whilst Brisbane was having it's wettest October on record it was warm and dry in our studio as we hosted our very first studio lighting workshop with a small group of students getting to grips with the equipment, terminology, techniques as well as getting plenty of practical hands on experience.

The workshop is designed to cover the essential techniques of shooting in a studio environment with a particular emphasis on portraiture, so after an initial introduction and tackling the theory of studio lighting we got down to the business of photographing our guest model. During the workshop the lighting was continuously changed for different effects with plenty of equipment on hand to try and ample time to review images and even some costume changes (model not students!)

Topics covered in the Studio Lighting Workshop include :

1. The studio lighting set-up explained
2. Setting up the camera
3. Studio lighting types & accessories
4. Using speedlights / flash units in a studio
5. Off camera flash (strobist techniques)
6. Using a light meter for correct exposure
7. Creative lighting techniques

Here's what two of the students had to say about the workshop :

I absolutely loved the workshop you held on Saturday. I learnt so much about the lighting side of studio photography, that now I can't wait to set up my studio.
L. Petfield 

I personally loved the Lighting workshop course & want to thank you so much for organising it - very enjoyable!!  I could have spent the whole day there taking photos (time permitting), if only I had all of that equipment...
N .Tubman

For more info on the course, forthcoming dates and bookings please visit the Learn Photography website.

Manly sunrise

I'm not a morning person at the best of times preferring to shoot in the afternoon, however this morning I got out of bed at 5am, grabbed my camera and headed down to Manly harbour to catch the sunrise. It was a beautiful morning with plenty of clouds in the sky and a low tide which meant I could climb down closer to the waters edge to get a more interesting viewpoint.

Although the sunrise was rather disappointing I still managed to come away with something I like....

Want to join me next time? Follow me on Twitter or Join the Learn Photography Facebook page for a chance to come along with me on a shoot for FREE!

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This weekends workshops

A good amount of my weekends are spent taking small groups out on practical courses and workshops. We spend time exploring the manual features of the camera, understanding the exposure as well as trying out a few different techniques. Capturing moving subjects, using slow shutter speeds for effect, shooting in low light are just a few of the popular exercises that we put into practice. It is rare for me to take my own camera along, however this weekend I thought I would join in the fun and took a handful of images during our SLR workshop. Here's some of my favourites....

(Click on any image to view a larger versions.)

Brisbane CBD panorama
Exploring slow shutter speeds just after sunset. This image is actually 5 individual shots stitched together via Photoshop to give a nice wide panoramic of the city.

The biker
Practicing the 'panning technique' to give a blurry background and a feeling of movement and speed to the image.

The jogger
A quick 'grab-shot' taken after the workshop had finished whilst walking on back to my car. I had to crank the ISO up and slow the shutter speed down to capture the passing jogger as he ran beneath the spotlights and out of the shadows.

And finally . . .
This nice shot of water falling over rocks is courtesy of Ross Miller who was one of the students who joined me over the weekend. This technique for blurring water is always popular on the courses.

Want to join us for an afternoon of photography? - check the website for more details of our practical courses and workshops.

What's new @ Learn Photography

Studio lighting workshop

I am pleased to announce that we are now taking bookings for our studio lighting workshop. With an emphasis on portraiture, our studio workshop will guide you through the basics of shooting in a fully working studio environment. The course covers camera settings, an overview of the studio equipment and most importantly how to use it. This is a hands on workshop involving actual shooting with a model.

Dates have just been announced so for more info or to secure your place make sure you visit the website.

Website spring clean
The LearnPhotography website has had a minor tune up with a new look home page plus new pages on the new all day workshop and studio lighting courses. October dates are also available for booking.

New studio - portrait promotion

To celebrate the completion of our new photography studio I am offering a discount on individual and family portraits booked during August and September. For more information visit my contact page.

Click here for contact details

Chisholm college formal

I had the pleasure of taking photos for the Chisholm college formal a couple of weeks back - A huge thank you to all the staff, students and parents for a great night!

Ordering images
I have been informed today that the school newsletter says prints are available to view & order online - this is incorrect.  Images are now available to view at the college complete with order forms for students to take home.

Parents or students with any questions may contact me directly via the contact page link or alternatively you may leave a comment below.

Click here for contact details

Brisbane panorama

Running photography courses every week I get to meet a lot of fantastic people who all share my passion and love for photography. Sometimes I get sent images that have either been taken on one of the workshops or taken after with the new found knowledge and tips picked up from the courses. A little over a month ago we had a practical workshop in Brisbane which concluded with some shots taken after sundown of the Brisbane skyline. I was really pleased to be sent this image from Lee McMe which an impressive panoramic featuring images taken during the workshop.











Lee has done a fantastic job with stitching the images together and a big thanks to him for allowing me to share the image on my blog for all to see.

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Paparazzi - the next generation

Love them or loath them, celebrities have become a part of everyday life - fueled by the media and the many thousands of magazines and tabloids fighting to survive in the new digital age. The more we want to know about them the greater the demand for exclusive pictures, enter the new breed of Paparazzi who are hungry, competitive and often aggressive in their pursuit of the killer shot!

The word Paparazzi originates from the 1960 film 'La Dolce vita' which features a character playing a news photographer called Paparazzo. The latest generation of 'pappers' however are a long way from what is portrayed in the film as the stakes are high as the right photo can sell for tens of thousands of dollars and appear around the world.

'Paparazzi - the next generation' is a new documentary that follows a group of Paparazzi as they scour the celebrity circuit in London and gives an insight into how they operate and the morality of the modern media game.

'Paparazzi - the next generation' is on ABC2  8:30pm wednesday, august 18th.

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All day DSLR workshop

We are pleased to announce a new all-day workshop. Held at Brisbane's cultural center South Bank, the workshop combines theory along with plenty of picture taking with a break for lunch and time for questions and trying out new found techniques.

Morning session (10am - 1pm)
The morning session is all about tackling the theory and guiding you through the key features of your camera. You will learn how to control the aperture, shutter speed and ISO for absolute creative control of the exposure and discover how to shoot confidently in the manual mode - no more Auto!
The first two hours of the morning session are held in a class room environment with views over the Brisbane river, we then move outside for some practical tips before breaking for lunch.

Afternoon session (2pm - 6pm)
After lunch we will take a casual walk around the South Bank parklands area where there will be plenty of opportunities to explore different techniques including controlling depth of field, capturing moving subjects, using shutter speeds creatively and shooting in low light as the sun sets over Brisbane.

What you will learn
Aperture - What is it and how does it affect the exposure and our final image.
Shutter speeds - How and why does it affect the exposure and our final image.
ISO - Using and understanding ISO sensitivity.
Shooting under varying lighting conditions (including long exposure night shots)
Controling depth of field
Different camera modes
Lenses and accessories
JPEG V RAW
Plus tips on composition and how to get more from your camera

Spaces on this course are stictly limited - for more info visit the website.


www.learnphotography.com.au

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September course dates now available

September photography courses, workshops and private tuition dates are now available on the website.  We are also introducing an exciting brand new day long workshop that will replace the popular Nikon and Canon workshops - if you wish to find out more drop me an email via our contact page.

July update

With Learn Photography one-to-one photography courses the focus is on you and you only. We will be able to answer your questions, help you understand the manual features of your camera and spend valuable time taking photos as well as reviewing and discussing the results.

With private one-to-one tuition we can cover the same subjects as in our other courses or tailor the time to suit your particular needs including help with post processing your images in Photoshop - it's up to you!

One-to-one tuition can take place at our Wynnum location, in Brisbane, your home or maybe you have a favourite location you have always wanted to photograph - this could be anywhere from the Story Bridge at sunrise to your favourite beach location - it's up to you!

Whats happening this month?

10 tips for better portrait photography

As a working professional photographer and photography tutor one of my favourite subjects is portraiture. Capturing the personality of a person within a photographic portrait is not an easy task so here's 10 tips on how to take better portraits.Paul Farris (Learn Photography)

1> It's all about the eyes
It's said that the eyes are windows to the soul so it's essential to ensure your subjects eyes are in focus. As a viewer our eyes are drawn first to what part of the image is in focus, so by ensuring the eyes are in focus the viewer is able to engage with the subject. Selecting a very wide aperture will also give a shallow depth of field for the classic blurry background 'portrait look' (see image.)
You may also wish to try capturing your subject looking directly into the camera or looking 'off-camera' - both will yield different results. Having your subject looking down the lens creates a connection between the subject and anyone viewing the image. However if the subject is looking outside of the 'frame' then this creates a feeling of intrigue and adds interest as the viewer can only imagine what they were looking at.

2> Composition
Choosing where to place your subject within the image can make or break a portrait shot. There is no golden rule here so the best advice is to experiment. It may simply be that the subject framed centrally staring into the camera works best, however placing your subject to the edge of the frame and giving them some space to 'look into' can also work well.

Read all about it - what people are saying about our photography courses

"I learned so much in the four hours, and now understand my camera for the first time. I'll be back for the practical course, this is one course that should be a must for every digital SLR camera owner, I will be telling everyone about this course. Thanks Paul, it was excellent!"

The above testimonial is just one from many that I have received in praise of my photography courses and workshops. If you are a keen photography enthusiast in reach of Brisbane then why not join us for a one of courses and find out how to get better images from your digital SLR camera. I'm a professional photographer offering photography courses that cover the essential theory, and practical courses that put the theory into practice in small groups to ensure you get plenty of personal attention.

www.learnphotography.com.au

For more testimonials click here

Wheels and randomness!

Another weekend goes by and as usual a packed few days of photography courses,  practical workshops and lots of photo taking!  Despite a very cold evening in Brisbane we got some great  images of the city,  the Brisbane wheel and also had some fun creating some random abstract images using the slower shutter speeds available on digital SLR's ...

Interested in joining one our photography courses or practical workshops in Brisbane or on the bay side and learning how to get more from your DSLR camera?  - visit my website for more details  www.learnphotography.com.au

Unusual viewpoints

last week I took a small group of keen amateur shooters on a practical photography course on Brisbane's South Bank. As usual we started out mid afternoon when the light was good and practiced some cool techniques including controlling depth of field and capturing movement. Towards the end of the course the sun had gone down and the lack of light sets us new challenges when it comes to taking images.
I was especially pleased to see one of the students virtually laying on the floor to capture an unusual shot of the Brisbane wheel. The low angle (made easier by the cool flip-out LCD on his Nikon D5000) gave an interesting view on the structure towering above set against the night sky.

Thanks to P Noyes for sending me the pic.

For info on our practical workshops and photography courses check out www.learnphotography.com.au

Shooting fairies

I spent the morning today working with some of the students of nearby Moreton Bay girls college who were having fun staging a mock fashion shoot based on a fairy theme. Whilst the girls were busy getting make up and trying on outfits I spent some time setting up the lighting and cameras before it was time to get things under way. After an hour of shooting the girls started to relax and really get into the swing of things with the tutor finally taking over the role of photographer when it was time for me to go.

Thanks to all the girls, Karen from MBC and Jennie @ moostudio

Variety is the spice of life

What I love so much about being a photographer is not only the creativeness that it allows me but also the diversity of jobs that seem to come my way. Over the last few weeks in my photography business, I have shot portraits of an 80 year old grandmother, an 18 month old grandson, an 80's inspired band, a hopeful student actress and a media company promoting the benefits of the Clem7 tunnel. Each job and project has not only been a lot of fun but also a pleasure to have been the photographer chosen from the many hundreds (if not thousands) out there. I count myself lucky to work in a medium which allows me to indulge in my passion for creativeness as well as meet some amazing people along the way.

www.paul-farris.com

Trip sinister update

It's been a crazy couple of weeks for me with a ton of courses and loads of images to edit so I was really pleased to finally being able to meet up again with Ben from Trip Sinister to look through a selection of the images from the photoshoot. During the actual shoot we had a few costume changes which meant there was plenty to go through and only made the selection process tougher - but after much discussion and debate we selected our favourites, a couple of which I thought I would share here.

You can listen to Trip Sinister via their MySpace page

UPDATE - 28.4.10

Just added another image from the shoot to my website (music) page.

Look out for a behind the scenes of the photoshoot coming soon!

Website makeover

I thought it was time to show the Learn Photography website some love today so we now have a new look-logo, top banner, extended testimonials page and I've also added my much-loved Pelican pic to the front page. June dates have also been added to keep up with demand.

If you are an enthusiast photographer looking for photography courses and practical workshops in Brisbane and on the Bayside or private tuition visit www.learnphotography.com.au

JPEG V RAW - which is best for me?

I get asked a lot about the difference between shooting JPEG and RAW files, so here's a brief overview.

All digital cameras shoot images as a standard JPEG with all DSLR cameras (and some top-end compacts) offering RAW capture as an alternative. So which is best and what are the differences?

Firstly lets deal with the JPEG format. JPEG is a universal 'industry standard' image file format recognised by all camera and computer manufacturers. This makes the transferring, copying and archiving of JPEG image files convenient and easy with no fancy software required.
When shooting in JPEG mode however be aware that the image data (created by your camera) is compressed to allow more images to be saved to the memory card as well as increase the camera processing speed. When shooting high resolution JPEG's the compression is not overly noticeable nor is it anything to worry about for most enthusiasts.

June course dates

SLR : Practical : Canon : Nikon workshops and courses - June dates have just been added to the website.

www.learnphotography.com.au

Trip sinister

Yesterday I had the pleasure of working with Brisbane band Trip sinister who describe themselves as modern day 'new romantics' inspired by 80’s pop acts such as the Cure, Duran Duran, the Models and modern day acts such as The New Young Pony Club and Garbage.

The photoshoot took place at Moo Studios and was great fun with lots of costume changes, amazing make up, hair and of course a soundtrack of cool 80's classics!!! A few days of editing ahead of me so here's some behind the scenes shots until then.

Dodging the rain

Yesterday I did some one-to-one photography tuition with Scott, a very enthusiastic gentleman and his shiny new Canon EOS 7D.

Brisbane's South Bank was the chosen location as there's always loads going on and usually a ton of photo opportunities. However the weather wasn't on our side so between showing him how to get the most from his camera and actually taking photos we spent a lot of time dodging the showers and seeking shelter.

By late afternoon the light was really low which gave me the perfect opportunity to discuss shooting with slower shutter speeds, using ISO and of course out came the tripod. We decided to shoot some long exposure shots when I noticed a large puddle on the floor reflecting the Brisbane Wheel which by now was all lit up and looking great. So I jumped into the puddle to create some ripples and Scott shot into the puddle using various exposures of around 1-4 seconds to capture both the rotation of the wheel and the movement of the water - and he got some great shots!

Scott left feeling damp but more than happy with what he had learned during the afternoon and I learnt something myself... If your going to jump into rainy puddles, don't wear sneakers that soak up water like a sponge!

Nikon workshop

I have just added Nikon workshop info to the Learn Photography website with dates in March and April available. Nikon users wishing to join us should head to the website as places are strictly limited and sure to sell out fast.

www.LearnPhotography.com.au

Canon users workshop

Last week I took a handful of enthusiastic photographers around Brisbane's CBD and along South Bank for a workshop designed specifically for Canon DSLR users. During the four hour walk we discussed features of the cameras, took a ton of photos and of course I demonstrated how each could get better results using aperture, shutter speeds and the camera features effectively. I also took along a handful of Canon lenses for all to try including a wide angle zoom, fisheye, macro and the ever popular classic 50mm.

Our next Canon workshop is on Sunday 7th March and places are still available, so if you are interested in joining in the fun click here to find out more.

Many thanks to Max and Barbara for allowing me to feature images they shot during the workshop. 

www.LearnPhotography.com.au

Brisbane Camera Hire

Ever wanted to try out a new lens, camera body or accessory before parting with your hard-earned cash?
Well my friends over at Brisbane Camera Hire are the guys we recommend for hiring photography gear. They have a huge range of Canon and Nikon gear plus lighting and tripods in stock - just say we sent ya!

www.BrisbaneCameraHire.com.au

The wedding photographer

A photographer friend passed on this hilarious clip taken from UK comedy series 'School of comedy' - very very funny!

Apple release Aperture 3

One of my favourite and much used pieces of software, Aperture 3 has just been given a complete overhaul. With over 200 new features the latest version promises faster organization of images, face detection, geotagging and an improved slideshow feature.

Here's the highlights

Faces - Organize photos using face detection and recognition tools.

Places - Use GPS data to explore photos by location

Brushes - new nondestructive, edge-aware brushes for precise retouching

Adjustment presets - choose from a range of pro-imaging effects or create your own

Full screen browser - Make the most of your monitor when editing and displaying images

Advanced slideshows - Create slideshows with photos, HD video, titles and layered soundtracks.

More info here

Interview on BrisbanePhotography.com

BrisbanePhotography.com have just added an profile/interview with yours truly which also features a few of my personal favourite images.

www.BrisbanePhotography.com

The ultimate camera bag?

According to Lowepro's latest tweet most photographers have 5 bags for different uses!

So is there such a thing as the perfect camera bag?

For anyone out there who thinks they know what would make the 'ultimate photography bag' - Kata is running a competition called Dream Bag Challenge where you can do exactly that and the winner has their bag hand built by Kata plus wins a professional photo kit worth $5000.

My gear....

I actually own 5 different camera bags which sounds crazy but actually each one of them has a different use depending on what gear I need to carry, what job I may be doing as well as what will be the most convenient for the journey and on location.

My first bag was a small shoulder bag from Calumet which I purchased in the UK to hold my first digital SLR and one 'walkabout' lens (18-70mm) which was very similar to some of the Lowepro products. As my kit grew I needed something more substantial so my love affair with Crumpler began when I picked up a bag called a 'company embarrassment' (crazy names, great bags) which had plenty of room for my SLR, 2 lenses and a flash. I was happy for a few months but found that shoulder bags seem to constantly be getting in my way... so wanting my hands free to concentrate on taking photos I looked around at the many backpacks on offer and picked up another Crumpler bag called 'The Schrinkle' - this backpack answered just about all of my prayers as it held all my gear, was comfy and well padded and had some neat features (It also came in a limited edition colour which was cool and it didn't look like the average camera bag stuffed full of expensive gear!
When I moved to Australia a year later I wanted to downsize again and find a bag that enabled me to go out with just an SLR and single lens. Again Crumpler was my choice and I picked up a 'Four million dollar home' which has been my most used bag when traveling light is important.
Fast-forward another year and my latest purchase is a belt and bag system from Think Tank Photo who are a team of designers and working pro-photographers who simply design great, functional bags for photographers. The system I purchased consists of a padded belt and various 'skin components' which are like mini-bags designed to hold individual items. So I have a component that will hold a flash, one for an SLR body, one for a mid range zoom, one for my 70-200mm plus extras for items such as filters, leads, memory cards and other stuff. The 'Skin set' is certainly worth checking out and is now also available in Australia from Photo Continental.

So what will be my next bag....?

Well for now I think I'm very happy with the selection I have! - I have certainly been very impressed with the range of bags from Think Tank especially the 'Shapeshifter' backpack so who knows... I may even have a go and enter the Kata competition and if I'm lucky finally get the bag of my dreams!!

10 tips for portrait photographers

A while back I wrote a page for Photo Continental's website titled '10 tips for portrait photographers' - I thought I would share it via my blog as it's got some cool tips and welcome any comments and additional tips any one may wish to share.




















10 tips for portrait photographers

Summa field dayze

Some friends of mine from the UK flew into the Gold Coast over the weekend to perform at the Summadaze event. It was a huge event with over 20,000 people in attendance and some great acts performing on the various stages. I took my camera along and grabbed a few pics, here's one of Simon and Max aka The Shapeshifters...

Gold Coast wedding

Feeling refreshed after Christmas and a New Year holiday I thought I would kick start 2010 by sharing some images from a wedding that I shot over the festive break. The wedding started at the plush Versace hotel on the Gold Coast with a small ceremony on the nearby beach. The big concern on the day was the rain which had been hammering most of Queensland in the days prior to the wedding so I took every precaution (including extra umbrellas and a change of clothes) just in case we were caught in a downpour! Luck was on our side though as the weather was beautiful and everything went smoothly for the bride, groom and wedding party who were all fantastic fun and a pleasure to work for.