'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?

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.

This Jump Is Enormous... Pro MTB Rider Testing

When Sam Frazer invites you to come shoot the gang at young legend Dane Folpp’s place you know I’m there! The afternoon session was a final test for the group before they each head off to different comps around the world.

Sam sending a massive front flip as well as working on his backflip no hander’s.

Eight time mountain bike world champ and olympian Caroline Buchanan with a no hander.

Dane sending a massive triple tail whip 180… and he in only 16 🤯.

Baxter Maiwald with a 360 front flip.

Watching these guys and girls was truly breathtaking to watch. Multiple times in the session my mouth was on the floor. I can not wait to get out for the next one.

Be sure to check out their instagrams for some videos of them sending the noise 🤘.

Luke

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.

Send It!!! - MTB

Sitting there ‘ready’ to take the shot, my mouth dropped as Sam Frazer sends an enormous back flip over a massive jump. Needless to say I wasn’t ready for him to send it like that after only being at the park for 5 minutes 😅. ‘Send it again please’

These are some of my favourite images form my session at Boomerang Farm MTB with professional riders Sam Frazer and Ted Oakley.

The intention of the day was to show the scale, speed and size of the tricks you can throw at this park.

Some of the jumps were absolutely massive for us mere mortals and these guys made them look like play.

Shooting conditions were tuff as there was a lot of distractions in the back ground with the forrest and these guys were ripping some serious speed to keep up with.

Im stoked with the set we were able to come away with, be sure to check out the full set here and Sam and Ted’s instagrams to see more of what these guys can do.

Rogan Dean

Champion. There are those that let a life trauma dictate their life and then there are those that do what ever the hell they were going to do anyway, Rogan Dean is the latter.

Growing up playing football, Rogan was living the life and pursuing his dream of playing for the NRL. In 2020 his life changed forever when he was hit by a car while on his motorbike and suffered a crush injury to his foot leaving him with the decision to either have a prosthetic foot or remove more of his leg to widen the range of prosthetics available and allow him to pursue his purpose.

To Compete.

Competing in any form is one of Rogan’s driving forces and it lead him to become the Crossfit Games Adapted Devision world champion in 2023. Winning gold after only his second appearance at the games (winning silver in 2022) and short time in Crossfit, Rogans achievements are incredible. Most of us fully abled people would wither at the physical feats that Rogan is able to put his body through as an adaptive athlete.

It was an inspiration and an honour to have Rogan sit for his portrait and allow me to hear his story for my Immortals project.

Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting!

Taekwondo* fighting! Competing at world championship level Taekwondo and representing the United Kingdom, Courtney Eardley has been to the pinnacle of her combat sport.

As a third dan black belt her hands and feet have become weapons, so don't let the pretty smile and charming personality fool you, she can mess you up!

Hanging up the competitive belt, Courtney now teaches Taekwondo through her online presence while she travels between Australia and Thailand learning new forms of marshal arts including Muay Thai and Brazilian JuJitsu.

In our interview Courtney shared what it was like to compete at the top level, both the good and the bad, opening up about the intense dieting verging on starvation put upon athletes to make weight for their devision. This compounds when competing in your treens and as a young woman with the changes your body is naturally going through.

Check out the full interview on my YouTube which will be released later this week.

Adrenaline, Discipline and Consistancy

Ash Timmins is not your typical boxer. While many fighters focus solely on their craft inside the ring, Timmins has discovered a unique way to enhance his discipline and consistency by incorporating his love for skydiving, trail riding, and track bike riding into his training regimen. Ash is one of the established armature boxes at Fortitude Boxing Gym and with his pro debut looming he shared with me the way these exhilarating activities have become essential tools in his pursuit of boxing excellence.

Skydiving: Conquering Fear and Mental Strength

Skydiving, with its adrenaline-pumping freefall and breathtaking views, may seem like an unlikely complement to boxing. However, for Ash, it serves as a powerful exercise in conquering fear and strengthening mental fortitude.

In boxing, remaining calm and composed in the face of your opponent is paramount. Skydiving provides him with a unique opportunity to confront his fears head-on, teaching him to maintain focus and composure in high-pressure situations. The rush of freefalling from thousands of feet in the air challenges his ability to stay composed, training him to remain calm and make split-second decisions—an invaluable skill in the boxing ring.

Trail Riding: Building Endurance and Resilience

Trail riding, whether on a mountain bike or horseback, demands physical endurance, resilience, and adaptability. These qualities are directly transferable to the sport of boxing, where fighters must endure grueling training sessions and maintain their resilience during intense bouts.

By engaging in trail riding, Ash builds his cardiovascular endurance, strengthens his leg muscles, and improves his overall physical conditioning. Moreover, navigating challenging terrains and adapting to unexpected obstacles during trail rides sharpens his ability to react swiftly and adapt to changing situations—skills that are crucial when facing diverse opponents in the ring.

Track Bike Riding: Precision and Speed

Track bike riding is all about precision, speed, and maintaining control in high-speed environments. These attributes are integral to successful boxing, as boxers must possess exceptional hand-eye coordination, quick reflexes, and the ability to execute precise movements.

By incorporating track bike riding into his training routine, Ash hones his coordination and reaction times, as well as his ability to control his body and movements at high speeds. The discipline required to maneuver a track bike with precision translates directly to the ring, where precise footwork, quick jabs, and well-timed combinations are essential.

While boxing is undoubtedly a demanding sport that requires focused training, Ash demonstrates the power of cross-training and the benefits of incorporating diverse activities into one's routine. By engaging in skydiving, trail riding, and track bike riding, he not only enhances his physical abilities but also nurtures his mental strength, resilience, and adaptability.

With Ash’s discipline and consistency combined with his relentless training routine, I am excited to track his journey as he progresses into the pro scene of Australian boxing.

Selfie Mode

Sometimes when I capture an image, the thought enters my mind: ‘Will this be the last image I ever take?’ ‘Is this the last image my subject will ever have taken of them?’ This somber thought reminds me of our mortality and brings me into the present moment.

As a photographer, I have the privilege of meeting the most amazing, interesting and talented individuals. However, I never have any images of myself with these incredible humans capturing those cherished memorys.

Inspired by a photographer I draw great inspiration from Platon, I sought to remedy this…Welcome the selfie button. A device typically used by landscape photographers to remotely trigger their shutter when taking long exposures, this piece of equipment has become a staple on every shoot.

At the end of a portrait session I always ask my subject if they would allow me to take a selfie with them to commemorate the occasion, this is always immediately met with a ‘hells yeah’ and a smile as I set up the device for us both to stand in front of the camera.

Drawing inspiration from 1990’s/2000’s punk albums I use a wide angle lens and get us to come in really close to emphasis the wide angle effect. With the screen flipped we can both see the results and it is instantly met with laughter, smiles and high fives.

This has become one of my favorite parts of my portrait sessions and cant wait to see who I may get to share the lens for a moment with in the future.

Cassie - Energy, Empathy, Connection

Holy ball of energy! Cassie was an absolute pleasure to photograph. Not only did she have a natural ease in front of the camera, but she shared some incredibly insightful and profound thoughts on training, human interaction and life.

When it came to human interaction, her wisdom on empathy and connection with clients left me looking inward on how I can better engage with my subjects to draw their true selves out. This is a key part to my portrait sessions and when I get the opportunity to engage with someone that is very proficient at this I try to absorb as much of their insight as possible.

Her contagious smile really sums up her energy, where you couldn’t help but feel uplifted when in her pleasance.

Due to some audio technical difficulties, I was not able to record our talks before the shoot but I cant wait to sit down with her again to record her deep perspectives on being a great coach and a great human.

Luke

Immortals Project

We all desire to be remembered. My goal is to help 100 professional and semi-professional athletes in capturing an image that truly immortalizes their achievements and legacy. Throughout history, various forms of art, monuments, photographs, institutions, and memorials have been created to immortalize the extraordinary accomplishments of the exceptional individuals among us—the gods who walk among men. These athletes captivate our imagination, embody the essence of human potential, and push the boundaries of what is possible.

This project is my homage to the artists, poets, and architects who have paved the way before me, as well as a tribute to the athletes who have touched our hearts. It aims to capture images that offer us a glimpse into their souls, a chance to witness the spark in their eyes that makes them truly great.

Before each of my portrait sessions, I make it a point to engage in a casual conversation with my subjects, seeking to understand their uniqueness and what defines them. It is my responsibility to capture their essence. As part of this project, I have distilled these conversations into three key questions:

1. Why do you do what you do?

2. What are you currently working on that excites you?

3. What would you tell your younger self?

I have been recording the answers to these questions and sharing them on my Instagram, hoping that others will come to realize three vital truths: these athletes, despite their exceptional abilities, are human beings with relatable experiences; they have encountered obstacles on their journey and managed to overcome them, proving that dreams can be realized.

I have had the privilege of meeting remarkable individuals and producing some of my best work thus far. I am tremendously excited about the future of this project and the opportunity to work with more extraordinary athletes.

If you are an athlete striving for greatness or know someone who is, it would be my honor to capture your portrait and reveal your true essence. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me or share this opportunity with someone you believe deserves to have their image captured.

Luke