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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

Bold . Raw . Minimal - Harsh Lighting Technique

Earlier this year, I embarked on an exciting test shoot in the studio with model Jamie Verster. I experimented with harsh lighting techniques to capture jewelry images, which are typically shot with soft lighting. My aim was to infuse these images with a bold, harsh lighting setup to make them really pop. This shoot served as a creative exploration that I then referenced for ICONS project.

I am particularly drawn to the crisp shadows and vibrant, contrast-rich colours that this technique produces, all while maintaining flattering skin tones. To achieve this effect, I used a bare bulb strobe directed straight at the model.

Although this strobe method can be intimidating to some creatives, mastering its nuances can yield stunning results.

I love how this type of lighting commands attention and distinguishes itself from the conventional 'soft fashion' lighting prevalent in the industry.

Don't forget to follow Jamie — she's an incredible personal trainer, emerging model, and a talented UGC creator!

Mt Coot Tha Trails - MTB

Hitting the trails testing this week with fellow creative Nick Ravn and mountain bike athletes Bergen O’Neill and Noah Davidson.

We hit the trails in the dense bushland of MT Coot Tha which provided some challenging conditions to test our skills against a busy backdrop and fast riders.

Through the bush we found some great framing between peep holes and speckled light creeping through the canopy.

Noah and Bergen are both competitive MTB riders who spend their time racing between Brisbane and the iconic Tasmanian bike park Maydena.

The wooden bridge shot is one of my favourites from the afternoon, especially with Nick laying down and putting it on the line to get the shot! Committed to the craft.

I am also a sucker for back lit photos and especially this one with the evening sun shining through the forrest.

I look forward to creating with these guys again and please be sure to give them all all follow on their socials.

Life Outside - ANZAC Day

As a veteran myself I have a special place in my heart for fellow ex defence members who may be struggling as civilians in ‘Life Outside’ the military.

During the interviews I conducted with veterans I wanted to gain their perspective on what are some of their struggles, triumphs and things they think the community can do to help support our soldiers when they leave the military.

A key take away from Jake who was an infantry soldier and sniper, is that, ‘it can be as small as someone talking to us that can make a huge difference in our lives. We are not psychos, we just might be having a ruff time.’

Brendan has gone onto become a helicopter pilot after leaving defence and he thinks that having a clear purpose once you leave the military is key to success on the outside. Finding or creating your own purpose will help you have direction when you are the now master of your own ship.

For Angus, finding a community is key to dealing with struggles on the outside. Having a group of like minded people that you can lean on in hard times and hold you accountable when building your new life.

For this Anzac Day please take the time to just say hello to a veteran. Because you never know what they may be dealing with and this small act of kindness can make all the difference.

Thank you for your service.

Luke

Luke Cunningham - 80's

You could be excused for thinking Luke has just finished making deals for a Mexican cartel and ready to hit the night life in his 1960’s Chevelle.

Some resent shots from a test with Luke Cunningham for his portfolio and working on getting in character.

Wandering Warriors - Fight For A Cause

During my time in the army as a Riflemen in the 1st Royal Australian Regiment I formed the closest bonds with men that are now family.

When I left defence I was very fortunate that I also had a close family and friend network on the outside to help my transition to civilian life. Unfortunately some veterans don’t have this luxury and the transition can be scary, complicated and lonely.

Thats why I am fighting in this years Fight For A Cause charity boxing match to help raise money and awareness for my veteran brothers and sisters who need that support when they leave defence.

I would appreciate your support by donating or buying a ticket or table for the fight night on the 20th April at the Fortitude Music Hall.

Attila - New Talent

I love the creative collaboration between photographers and models when we set out with no fixed goals but to just see where our creativity takes us.

Greeted by this tall, charming and enthusiastic young man in my lobby, I was taken back by his energy and keenness to try different ideas and modify on the fly.

We worked between a ‘paparazzi interview’, outdoor formal wear (failed haha) and portrait sitting to create some great portfolio pieces.

Very keen to see what we are able to create in the future. Check out the full set in my blog post and give Attila a follow @attila.mbe

Kelly Dixon & Graeme Connors

They may be a little more seasoned from the outback sun but these country music legends still have as much creativity in them as ever.

I have worked with GC on a few projects before so when he rung me with the opportunity for another I was already there.

For a new project he is working on he has brought in acclaimed song writer and poet Kelly Dixon, who has penned over 160 songs including 40 for Slim Dusty.

Kelly is 96 but as sharp as a tack, and listening to these two artists stories and watching them work was truly inspirational.

Fire Fire Fire

I had the privilege of capturing portraits of the legendary members of D Crew from my home fire department. These individuals are true heroes, yet their humility and down-to-earth Aussie spirit shine through.

Working with them on these portraits was an absolute pleasure, and I am thrilled with the final results. To view the complete set, be sure to click into the blog post.

This Is Glam

I wanted to apply my style ‘Bold, Raw, Minimal’ to simple beauty portraits inspired by some of the greats; Peter Lindbergh, Vincent Peters, Mario Testino. So I assembled a team of other creatives to help me pull it off.

Models Josie and Anna from Chic Management.

Hair and Makup Marie Le

Video Nick Ravnn

Stylist Courtney Moane

Along with the stills I also wanted to explore the idea of ‘Moving Portraits’. Short videos framed as if it was a photo with minimal camera movement but the subject in the portrait has some kind of motion. You can view these in the posts from this shoot on my instagram.

Some Favourites from the year

Reflecting on some of the sets and individual images I have created this year, I believe I have produced some of my best work to date. Of these I have narrowed down some of my all-time favourites and the reasons that I like them.

Jimmy Fkn Thunda

This image of Jimmy is the epitome of my style. Bold. Raw. Minimal.

Bold - Big sunnies, chopper moustache, zero cares. Jimmy is gunna do as Jimmy does.

Raw - The rugged cold gaze through his classic shades, coupled with his mou and unkept hair.

Minimal - No distracting backgrounds or fancy light set ups. Straight on single light, straight on framing, black & white.

Phoebe in Pink

The whole set from this shoot is some of my favourite work but this image is just so fun quirky and eye catching. Phoebe’s inquisitive expression combined with the closeness of the wide angle shot makes you feel like she is inspecting the pimple on the end of your nose.

Ahrie

The comfort and calmness that Ahrie presents here, leaves me locked in but comfortable in his gaze. I like the shape that hi body is making. Also the first time I got do you my new custom apple boxes!

Maia

Little Maia’s innocent face also expresses an air of confidence, which matches here beautiful personality. Again the effect of a wide angle lens leaves you feeling like her hand is 10cm from your face. (Which it almost was!)

Jamón

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Monetez . Calvin Klein

Montez is one hell of a specimen of a human. Probably the most well conditioned bloke i’ve met, the contrast of the light as it hits his body leaves in you in awe at a human in peak physique. Almost like looking at a marble statue. I love the way the front on light is then compliments the shadows hugging him.

Jayo Archer

Complete confidence. This portrait of X Games athlete and free style MX lunatic Jayo was taken in my make shift portable studio at the motocross track. The side lighting creating a beautiful contrast of light across his face and the contrasting colour pop of red and blue, emphasises his confident demeanour. Also a top dude.

Courtney

Courtney’s cold, hollow, confident gaze draws you straight into her eyes. It’s quite polarising to see someone so pretty have that emotion.

I love the gorgeous front on lightning and how it hits her face, the messiness of her long hair and the discipline of her uniform and bow.

I have many others, and am blessed to have had some incredible humans sit for their portraits. I hope they have enjoyed the experience of shooting with me as much as I have, and that I have been able to create an image of them that when they look upon it they truly see themselves.