Damaged Goods

As I opened the fridge, there it was—
my pear, bruised and staring back at me.
We locked eyes, or so it seemed,
each of us worn, each a little scarred.

I knew exactly how it felt,
damaged, but somehow still whole.
Not perfect, no—marked from its journey,
a little beaten, a little bent.

In its quiet way, it understood me too,
how we carry on despite the scars,
still sweet, still whole in our way,
not flawless, but enough.

Inspired by my pear, this photo project sought to juxtapose how some of us feel. A little worn, scarred, bruised, but that doesn’t stop us from throwing on a patch and cracking on.

Our scars are proof that we are stronger than the challenges we have faced. If you have scars, you’ve likely had adventures, challenges, high highs and low lows - a life worth living.

I hope you can relate to my damaged goods and next time you see a beat up apple, just say ‘me too friend’.

Luke

Not Your Average Agency Photoshoot - UnBasic Agency

When Maddie sent me the mood board for her latest branding shoot I let out a ‘Hell Yeah’.

Maddie and Mick run UnBasic, a digital marketing agency that specialises in bespoke marketing for clients that are sick of the ‘one size fits all’ approach.

I met Maddie during our prep for a charity boxing match with Fortitude Boxing. After contracting me to shoot one of her clients, we have since developed a friendship around dark humour and sarcasm. Her witty humour combined with a borderline autistic drive for marketing lends to an absolute power house of abilities in this digital space.

The man of a thousand expressions. I was in stitches of laughter during our shoot with Mick’s ability change his face into every meme you could imagine. Head of design, I share Mick’s love for BOLD imagery and love looking at his creative work.

With most internal branding being your boring cliche headshots and dull tones, we wanted to make sure you remembered UnBasic when you hit their website, receive a digital pack or rock up to their instagram.

This was a super fun shoot and i’m excited to continue working with UnBasic on some exciting client work coming up next year.

If you’re wanting to have your brand/team stand out I’d love to help! Get in touch and lets bounce some ideas around on how we can take your image to the next level.

The Cadbury Chronicles: Tales from the Fridge

When we were little snappers, there was always a shimmering Cadbury treasure tucked away in the fridge, just waiting for Dad to claim. Oh, but did he know the fridge had other, far sneakier visitors—my brother and I! By nightfall, the kitchen transformed into our playground, where we'd tiptoe like mischievous burglars, hearts racing, and snatch our golden loot from under Dad’s nose!

“Cadbury is God's chocolate! Everything else is pure rubbish!” Dad would bellow with conviction, his eyes ablaze with devotion. And who could argue? Inspired by Dad’s unwavering loyalty to the almighty Cadbury, this shoot is a sweet tribute to his favourites, captured in my bold, raw, and minimal style.

Got a wild idea bubbling in your brain? Let’s make it something extraordinary! Get in touch, and together, we’ll whip up something magic.

My First Fight Scene

When a bunch of blockbuster stunt doubles hit you up to collaborate on a fight scene, your definitely gunna say yes!

I met Dex who is a fight coordinator and stunt double during an interview shoot for my Immortals project.

After inviting me along to capture bts of his crew training for a new film they’re working on, we got talking and decided we should shoot a fight scene together.

Now, Im no Michael Bay, but I’m stocked with how my first fight scene has turned out!
With guidance from Dex on the intricacies of filming fights, we shot a scene one night in my apartment car park and fire escape.

What else are four grown ass adults gunna do on a Tuesday night but play ‘John Wick’ together?

The fight possy of Joel, Chanique and Monique were so professional to work with and a tone of fun.

I’ve only just scraped the surface but now with a bit of ‘fight scene ignorance’ lifted, Im keen to refine my style and get my audience on the edge of their seats.

Sensei to Stunt Doubles - Joao Cimurro

Competing and throwing opponents all around the world in countries including Brazil, Germany, Austria, Israel and Peru, this young Judo and BBJ champion has decided to bring his talent to Australia.

Hailing from São Paulo Brazil, Joao has competed on the world stage in Judo in arenas such as the European championships. His highlights of 2024 are 2nd in the Australian national championship, 1st in Qld championship and 1st in the Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra international opens!

When Joao is not competing he is coaching out of the Virtue BBJ gym on the Gold Coast. I first met Joao when interviewing Bridget Burt, one of his students who is a professional stunt performer for my Immortals Project.

I was intrigued by Joao not just for his athletic performances but because at only 23 he is sensei to some of Australia’s elite stunt performers that double in massive Hollywood productions such as Mad Max, Planet of the Apes and The Fall Guy.

Joao teaches these ‘stunties’ how to throw correctly and be thrown correctly, how to fall safely, and choreograph fight scenes for the movies they perform in.

I find it so inspiring that a young 23 year old has traveled across the globe to a foreign country with a different language to spread the message of Judo. (1.maximum efficient use of physical and mental energy 2. mutual prosperity (Welfare and Benefit) for self and others).

I can’t wait to keep track of where this journey takes him and to hopefully one day soon see him doubling in the next Hollywood blockbuster!

Capturing Humans as They Are - Candid Travel Photography

There’s something special about capturing people as they are—living in the moment, unposed and unaware. It’s about freezing authentic moments as they naturally unfold, without worrying about perfect lighting or staged poses.

When I travel, I seek out the everyday beauty: a fleeting smile, the laughter of locals, or a quiet moment of reflection. These spontaneous, unfiltered moments tell real stories that can’t be recreated or planned.

We all love seeing epic vistas of the grand parts of the world, but I believe that we need to see how people interact with nature and their surroundings. This brings the human element that’s so important to showing what is special about a place.

Sometimes the imperfections of a frame is what helps tell the story of what it's really like in the moment. Bustling crowded ports, out of focus people, angled frames, eaten food or even bad weather can help sell the real experience of a destination.

With my eyes set on the next adventure I’m excited to see how I can capture humans as they enjoy this amazing world.

Fun Food!

Who doesn’t love fun food! I’m talking burgers, chips, wings and sando’s. This month I took my bold, raw, minimal style and worked with Tippler’s Tap on some bright fun food images.

I have been very inspired to shoot some poppy food pictures the last few months so when the opportunity to work with Tippler’s came about I was ecstatic!

To achieve this look I used harsh light. A lot of photographers are scared to use direct flash and rather go the safe option with soft light... Not me. Turn that bad boy on 100%, point it at the subject and let’s get some glistening highlights and crisp shadows.

This kind of set up lends itself nicely to simple backgrounds allowing the subject to pop and be the centre of attention.

What made this shoot so fun for me was the subject matter. It’s not junk food, but it’s not your fine dining experience either. It’s the kind of food that you know your eating when your out with friends just having a great time!

Head chef Jake did a great job preparing the food, styling and even lending his hand for some modelling. (the other hand has fallen victim to chef life a few to many times 😅)

I’m excited to work on more food projects (not just for the post shoot treats 😁) so if you have a client or brief that wants to stand out I’d love to hear about it!

My Favourite Project This Year - ICONS Jewellery

I have been waiting SO long to share these! Earlier this year I shot the hero images for a new jewellery brand ICONS, who are changing the game in the world of modular jewellery.

I met Amrith (founder) on a personal project I was doing (another reason to always pursue personal projects) and from the moment he began telling me about his vision I knew we would be working together in some way.

After showing him my work he immediately said, ‘Dude, can you do your thing exactly how you do it for my brand?!’
Both of us wanting to challenge the norms of our prospective industries I was ecstatic to have creative freedom to bring his vision to life.

‘I want the opposite of the typical soft, earth tone jewellery look for ICONS’, is what was clearly stated in the brief. My style is BOLD, RAW and MINIMAL, so you could say this brief was written just for me.

Amrith made my job easy, already having the shoot concept sorted and model selected. On shoot day with my talented videographer buddy Nick from VSNZ, and incredible hair and makeup artist Tania Travers we proceeded to make some iconic, bold, artistic images.

Not only is the jewellery itself gorgeous but the locking mechanism that attaches each icon to its base is insanely satisfying to play with. This new, innovative patented design is a game changer in the modular jewellery industry.

With heaps of ICONS to choose from and all the bases including rings, necklace, bangle, and earrings, the combinations and versatility of the ICONS platform is endless.

If you can’t tell already I am a massive fan boy of this new brand, and being a bit of a bower bird myself loving shiny things, this project ticked all the boxes for me.

I cannot wait to work together with the great team again and hopefully build a relationship shooting ICON campaigns well into the future.

You can see some BTS from the shoot on my about page here.

'On Camera Flash is for Amateurs' - Personal Project

I was recently triggered by another photographer proclaiming that, ‘on camera flash is for amateurs’ , so naturally I grabbed some friends and went out to prove that they were wrong.

I wanted to bring that ‘on camera flash look’ to my sports work as it brings a fresh but nostalgic feel to images. We all remember when our mums would bring the point and shoot and set to auto to our soccer and basket ball games!

Bringing that memory and applying a commercial lens to it was the idea for this shoot. (and to prove him wrong 😜)

As talent for this idea I had brothers Attila and Adam throw down some hoops and have some friendly competition.

I’m weary of anyone that paints any creative tools or mediums with such a broad stroke as it’s not about the tools but how you use them.

I’m stoked with how this set turned out and think I have achieved my point. 😁

I’d love to hear what you think! Do you agree with the statement that ‘on camera flash is for amateur’ or that it’s how you use your tools as a creative?

Double Denim - Erik & Phoebe

Two of my favourite humans Erik and Phoebe joined me for a personal shoot titled ‘Double Denim’ and damn they look cute!

Rolling up in West End with my 64 Impala we shot a series of couple portraits while dodging traffic through the streets.

I decided to shoot this series on my Fujifilm camera system because in my opinion Fuji’s colours are the most vibrant, classic and superior straight out of camera which lends itself nicely to my style of portraiture.

Fuji’s glass (lenses) is also absolutely beautiful. A lot of modern cameras are clinically sharp, which takes away from the organic look that great portraiture entails. Fujifilm’s lenses are not excessively sharp and have a gorgeous contrast to them that brings a timeless feel to images.

I am excited to shoot more of my personal projects that I are in the pipeline over the next few months so keep your eyes pealed!

That Was Close! - Karl Herman

I was about a meter away when Karl came screaming past on the mega rail feature, grabbing his board and giving me a quick glance before grinding his landing and boarding off for another lap around the wake park.

An extreme life enthusiast, Karl is a high level wake boarder, skydiver, wing suitor and base jumper and probably the most genuine bloke I know.

We spent a rainy afternoon in Mackay capturing these bangers for some of Karls sponsors.

I highly recommend checking out Karls Instagram because not only are his crazy antics very entertaining, but he is all a real inspiration taking life by the horns, not taking anything for granted and is in constant pursuit of his purpose.

Liquid Emotions

In exploring the themes of sadness, loneliness, and isolation, I created the beauty editorial ‘Liquid Emotions.’

Along with my incredibly talented friend Evie, we set out to the shallows of Shoal Point in my hometown of Mackay. Our goal was to capture the side of some women that contrasts with the outgoing, happy personas they often present.

This shoot was inspired by a friend who, on the outside, seems to be thriving and living her best life. But on the inside, she feels a deep sense of loneliness and isolation.

It's so easy these days to assume that everyone has their life together based on the best versions they show on social media, but in reality, we all face the same human struggles, and some people are dealing with much more beneath the surface.

With 'Liquid Emotions,' we aimed to reveal the hidden truths and give a voice to the silent struggles many experience, reminding everyone that beneath the perfect appearances, the challenges of the human experience are real and universal.

'Caught Back Stage'

‘Caught back stage’ Kia and Cam are a super stare couple of dancers that helped bring my idea to life.

The theme was; a wild singer/dancer duo that where ‘caught back stage’ for a quick photoshoot before a show, flexing their designer sunnies that they are never seen without.

As someone myself that is never seen without his sunnies, I love how bold this set has come out, emphasising their cool shades.

Kia and Cam’s chemistry really added to this shoot and I hope to see them when they are back from Europe for another shoot!

The Ringer - BTS

Amongst the rolling hills and red dirt of the outback near Speedwell, I had the honour of working with an Australian icon.

Kelly Dixon has written countless award winning country classics and bush poetry in his career, including some for the aussie legend Slim Dusty. I had the pleasure of reconnecting with him on a music video for ‘The Ringer’, which is a bush ballad based on his retirement.

96 years young, Kelly has retired to his little farm of 150 acres in the beautiful countryside of Speedwell. The serenity shooting in this bushland oasis was so relaxing, and helped lend itself to the slower pace filming tempo I have tried to bring to this film clip.

Keep an eye out for the music video release of ‘The Ringer’ next month and the possibility of getting Kelly one more golden guitar!

Suits Can Look Cool Too! - Luke Sartor Corporate

All these people in suits have souls too! And I love helping them bring out their personality.

When people hear ‘corporate photoshoot’ they think of a painful experience where they are forced into a half baked smile and left looking like another drone in the matrix.

I think it is crucial as a photographer to give your subjects an ‘experience’ as a photoshoot. So with a little charisma and charm, I try to leave my corporate clients having a great time when we break their usual daily routine for their team photos. This leads to much more genuine, relatable and human reactions, that better translate the companies team and brand.

‘What would you want on the cover of your autobiography?’ This is the question I pose to myself and my clients when we are trying to create personal branding images that gives them authority, translates their persona and communicates their story. In the endless sea of ‘LinkedIn headshots’, I really want my clients to stand out form the heard of suits.

Whether a client is a seasoned media appearance veteran or its their one moment of fame, I want the viewers of their piece to stop and take notice. ‘Bold’ is one of my core style principles (bold, raw, minimal) and that’s how we get their audiences attention.

I loathe nothing more than deathly boring brand comms, you know the ones? Stock images of another company that kind of fits your company and ‘ah it’ll do the job. Bringing the personality out of a brand and having its members bring their own individual elements that contribute to the whole, brings me great joy. Ive had the pleasure of helping some great teams express their quirky selves!

I Am Stoked - Emerging Photographer Awards

There was some absolutely insane work submitted this year in Capture Magazine ‘Top Emerging Photographer Awards’ of which I submitted 5 of my own projects.

I was lucky enough to have 4 of my 5 pieces of submitted work make it through rounds of judging which blew all of my expectations and am very stoked about the result. Coming away with two top 10 rankings and two commended.

My entires where from 3 different personal projects; Fire Fire Fire, Immortals and Good Morning Vietnam.

For Fire Fire Fire I linked up with the gentleman from D Crew at my home town fire department and shot a series of portraits in their different kit outs.

Rogan Dean is a crossfit athlete I shot for my Immortals project and Good Morning Vietnam was from a holiday earlier this year.

Im excited for my next opportunity to submit in competitions later this year.

Tech Meets Allied Health . DAMIEN ADLER - POWER DIARYS

In a niche sector of the tech space PowerDiary’s are making huge waves with their allied health practice management/scheduling system ‘PowerDiary’. I sat down with CEO and founder Damien Adler for an interview for the latest cover of Allied Magazine .

PowerDiary’s is used in over 23 countries globally and is taking the US by storm becoming one of the leading practice management systems and growing rapidly.

In 2011 Damien (psychologist) was managing his practice with multiple softwares and thought ‘there has got to be a better way’. Bringing on his brother Paul (technologist) the pair brought their skills together to solve the issue for themselves, little did they know that they had started something that will grow exponentially.

Damien, understanding the struggles other allied health practices deal with in their management systems, put it out to practices Australia wide to try help them simplify their systems. But as the software gained adoption they noticed that it wasn’t just Australian companies using it…. UK, US and other jurisdictions globally were signing up and that was when the light bulb moment happened that there software solves a problem that allied health practices struggle with globally.

I sat down with Damien who is an enthusiastic and articulate speaker, and thoroughly enjoyed our conversation about the early days, global adoption, the future of allied tech and AI and his love of mountain biking. You can watch our full interview below or download this month’s issue of Allied Magazine here.

Chis from Allied Magazine and Allied Marketing has been working with PowerDiary’s over the years to help them grow in the Australian market. The two were great to work with as it was obvious to see both of their passions for the allied space during our photoshoot.

This is my second cover for Allied Magazine and I am excited to continue shooting together as we cover everything in the sporting and health space, which are both big passions of mine.

Stunt Double - Bridget Burt

Coming off the set of 2 movies in cinemas now, The Fall Guy and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, is larger than life adrenaline seeker and stunt double Bridget Burt.

Interviewing and shooting Bridget for my personal project ‘Immortals’ I could of literally talked to her for hours about all her disciplines including; skydiving, wingsuiting, flyboarding, drifting, Muay Thai, BJJ, motorbike riding, rock climbing, jet skiing, horse riding, gymnastics and shooting!

Bridget uses Muay Thai and BJJ (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) to train for a lot of the physical stunts she performs as her role as an extra or stunt double in Hollywood movies.

The body awareness, flexibility and athleticism required for these sports lend themselves greatly to the fight scenes and stunts she has to perform on set.

When she is not training with her stunt double friends in fight gyms bridget is out doing something else considered crazy to us mere mortals. She is an avid skydiver and wingsuiter with hundreds of jumps under her belt but her current thrill she is chasing is upping her ability as a drift car driver.

Bridget can be found as a guest performer at the drift show at movie world but is currently spending a lot of time in Japan, learning how to ‘Tokyo Drift’ her way around the streets with some of the best drift car drivers in the world.

Growing up Bridget was not exposed to this extreme life and is now living out all her childhood dreams that she was deprived of. She started out with flyboarding which quickly led to her being picked up to perform overseas in China to crowds of up to… 80,000!

Bridget is an extremely humble and down to earth chick and I can’t wait to see where she takes her career in the future.

IRONMAN - Zac Dunn

This weekend I will be hanging out with IRONMAN athlete Zac Dunn again as he is in town to compete in the Brisbane Marathon.

Zac and I first met by a chance encounter with a mutual friend on our yearly snowboarding expedition to Japan. Ever since we have shared our love of sports, training and the outdoors.

Zac not only loves the challenge of endurance sports but is an avid lifter with a grueling training regime. This is what leads to his impressive physique, having him usually about 10-20kg heavier than his endurance competitors. 😂

I look forward to watching him rip the marathon and the post event meal we gorge ourselves on, with many laughs and tails of our 6 months since meeting last.

Colours of Autumn - Queenstown/Glenorchy New Zealand

Every time I visit the New Zealand countryside it reminds me why it is my favourite place in the world.

I feel like I’m am on the edge of the globe. A far away settlement surrounded by a harsh but beautiful land with many adventures to be had.

Unlike Australia which has 2 seasons (hot and slightly less hot) NZ takes its landscape through the full colour spectrum and Autumn being one of the most spectacular.

With golden hour almost the whole time the sun is up, even the most simplest scene transforms into a painting of shadows, colour and light.

If you have not visited Glenorchy before, at the other end of lake Wakatipu I highly recommend it. There isn’t much there… and thats the point. This gorgeous sleepy little town of 500 people is so quaint with its couple of home baking cafes, lone pub and stunning mountain views.

The crisp stillness in the autum air always brings a calmness over me. It’s hard not to be extremely present when wandering through the many walking tracks and hikes.

I can not wait to visit again.