Synology Server

I'm happy to have finally invested in a high end NAS server as an additional archiving module and a system for clients to access their files should I not be available. I went with an 8 bay +Synology DS1812+, and that should serve my purposes very well. Here it be:

http://www.synology.com/products/product.php?product_name=DS1812%2B&lang=enu

David Stone at +DRevolution did the setup and I can wholeheartedly recommend his services as a super-techie.

The DSM web based interface rocks. This is dangerously geeky shit, I know, but you can't help getting excited about the potential of that much storage.

Nikon D800E after some use

I have been shooting with my D800E on some jobs, and while it hasn't replaced my Phase P45 in the studio, it is adding flexibility and speed to my location shoots which I might have previously used the MF Mamiya/Phase combo for.

I used it heavily for the Allianz Image Library shoot, and there a good and bad points. (oh dear, I feel bullet points coming on...

*At the camera end, I seem to have trouble setting up the AF so as not to back-focus. I'm using a target and the individual lens fine adjustment settings, but even then it misses.
I'm not the only one to report this, and Lloyd Chambers highlighted these issues exhaustively as he does (we are grateful as someone has to do it).

I use mainly fast primes and mostly Nikons best glass, but it doesn't help if the razor sharpness is off on the background.

*Capture One misbehaves with the Nikon. It crashes, it freezes, it looses tether, it fails to see images on CF card. This is probably the main reason I'm not totally ditching the Phase back. C1 is rock solid when tethered to its own hardware (as it should be). Wonder if Canon users struggle with CaptureOne as much?

All that aside, the quality is amazing and exceeds what is needed in hand held 35mm, as camera shake at such resolution becomes an issue, and forces me to a tripod unless shutterspeed is way up. I'm a bit old school and like to keep ISO at or near 100 (a fact that I notice doesn't seem to matter as much to young shooters)... (until they have an image rejected on quality grounds).

I will say this at my peril. We DO NOT NEED MORE MEGAPIXELS in 35mm cameras. I'm sure the amateur brigade and pixel peepers will scoff at this, but hey can go terrorise some online forums. Those of us shooting 35 and MF professionally know when enough is enough, and when it isn't, turn to the Phase when the job demands it.

RSVP and working with Cherith Crozier

After meeting Cherith and being impressed by her book and attitude, I'm happy the opportunity for a shoot together came around soon. The shoot for mature dating site RSVP involved set-builds and lots of back and forth on the propping, but the shoot day was a breeze, and client loved the results.
AD Niccola Philips was a pleasure to work with as usual and I'm sad to see her leave Mercer Bell to greener pastures.

Shoot the Chef 2012 Finalist

A fun shoot with the Crutch family of Avalon, Mum Sam and the six children who Sam cooks for daily.
A nod to Mums time in the kitchen (four hours a day in Sams case) to cook for their families. A thankless task but worthy of an entry to Shoot the Chef.

My appreciation to Cherith Crozier (Stylist), Rebecca Riegger(Stylist asst), Hilary Ho(MUA) and Katy Young for setting this up.

Fingers crossed

Doug Pitt for Virgin Mobile

It's great to get involved in something that you know is going to be huge. AD Ben Pearce at Euro (who has been a supportive believer in my work since I started up in Australia), thought I'd be the man for the job, and I'm glad he did.

The shoot was to happen in Vancouver, Canada, and proved to be a quick 72 hours on Canadian soil for me, (not to mention 30 hours of airtravel).

My treatment suggested that we break through the PR veneer that a man in his position resorts to when faced with cameras, and that is what we did. Mr Pitt was a dream to work with, and kept his composure through some hectic shoot days involving TVC filming and full day stills studio work.

Doug being an avid mountain biker too, I had plenty to chat about which no doubt served to break the ice too.

Working in Canada went seamlessly, with gear hire, assistants and studio being similarly priced to home.

The campaign was a huge success for agency and client, and Ben is hoping for an award somewhere down the track. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Hungry Jacks as ongoing

As I'm shooting for +Hungry Jacks Australia regularly and enjoying the shoots and the team.
I won't post each and every food shot here as it is kinda something you are interested in only if you are involved in that industry. Lets face it, most punters  never consider where the images they stare at above the counter originate from (typically with a bit of drool leaking from the agape backup breathing orofice) and then I've done my job correctly. The images are to appeal to our primal appeal for the burger, and in celebration of that, here are some of the latest hits in burger world. With apologies to vegetarians.

Streetfighers

With apologies to Guy Ritchie.

Like my image of Garth Wood in a previous post, I wanted to shoot a story with palpable energy, almost like a freeze-frame from a movie fight scene.  Flying spit and all. To really involve the viewer in the dark and dangerous world of streetfighting.

Make up by the talented Michelle Dube

My talent of choice is up and coming boxer Paul "Showtime" Fleming and Hussy Hussein