ecodigitography

Bellingen Wilderness Youth Theatre

2008-11-12T13:24:00.005+11:00

Its funny - for all the time I spend on the computer it seems rare to find time to update this blog....a bit like catching up with old friends after an extended absence I suppose! In addition to spending as much time away from reliable internet connections, extensive travel often precludes a stint posting on this blog....

All that aside - there have been numerous events and projects which have come and gone but this is one way to share those experiences in a small way...

Some of the projects I've had the pleasure to be involved with resonate on a much deeper level and the recent stage production "The Endless Song" - created and performed by the Bellingen Wilderness Youth Theatre is no exception. A group of young people are taken into the wilderness for a 10 day trek during which they journal their experiences, engage with their surroundings in silent and guided meditations and return to "civilisation" to workshop this process and eventually present their views and perspectives to a public audience.

The striking and most rewarding aspect of my association with this project is the warmth and openness with which I am embraced coming into the project in the last weeks prior to the performance. This year I had the opportunity to engage with the participants and facilitator at their rehearsal camp in the lead up to designing lighting, set and audio components for the show. It was an awesome weekend of bonding, shared meals, intensive blocking and script revisions, but overall, a joyous celebration of life in a wonderful environment.

We presented 4 performances over 3 days at the Bellingen Memorial Hall to almost full houses and appreciative audiences. There is no doubt the quality of the show and content could not be missed by those attending. There are a few photos that follow, including the poster and some shots taken during a warm prior to one of the performances. [Unfortunately I didn't get to shoot during the show because I was busy operating lights and audio] There is a short video timelapse which shows the set up and pull down for any tech heads out there!

From BWYT_08_Mt Hyland

Click on this image to go to the rehearsal weekend

album

From Bellingen Wilderness Youth Theatre

Click on this image to see more "show" shots

Timelapse of the bump-in and bump-out with some show looks in between...
[Taken over about 5 hours over 3 days - one shot per minute]

The past 6 months....

2008-06-12T05:08:00.011+10:00

You may have noticed the lack of posts in the past 6 months - well - it all began with a motherboard malfunction on the laptop just prior to Christmas....I guess thats one of the inevitabilities of working with technology! However, it didn't mean that work slowed down in the slightest, with a busy Christmas and New Year and a full program right up until now [and beyond]....here's the abridged version of my life since...authored on a new computer and with much transference and filing!

CURRENT PROJECTS - JUNE/JULY/AUGUST

DIGITAL CAMERA WORKSHOP SERIES
I'm always being asked for advice on how to take better photos and have been presenting 1 Day Intensives for some time now. I love being able to share my understanding of this new medium [based on my film background] and aim to make the subject matter easily digestible and dispel a lot of the fear surrounding the knobs and buttons!

Earlier this month I sent an email out for expressions of interest from people who would be keen to do another course. The response was overwhelming and as a result I've put together a series of workshops entitled "Getting the most out of your digital camera" - six 1 Day Workshops at locations from Port Macquarie to Coffs Harbour. Here's the first flyer - there's a couple of dates still to confirm and if you're interested in hosting a workshop in your town - feel free to contact me.

As well as the "one-dayers" - I conduct Digital Storytelling Projects for communities and other organisations. These 3 day projects look at developing either individual or community group visual stories culminating in a screening at a local venue or for posting on youtube. Sometimes the subject matter is issue based, other times quite lighthearted but always rewarding. Its an intimate look into our selves or the world around us and I always enjoy this extended process. If you know of a youth or other community organisation that would be interested in a project like this - please feel free to contact me.

MENTORING YOUTH IN BOWRAVILLE
There's a group of young folk in this small rural town who are motivated to put on youth related events in their home town. We first met late last year and they successfully produced an event on Australia Day this year. Now, with a little help from myself and some other locally based performers with vast event experience, we're working towards a mini-festival in October this year. Stay tuned.....

Kim from "natty sparks" performing at "Atomix" on Australia Day

SHORT SHARP FILM FESTIVAL 2008
Back again for the 2nd annual event - this year promises to be bigger and better, with a new naming rights sponsor - Janison - more than $5,000 in prizes and the organisation is now an Incorporated body - ready to seek further funding. A great committee considering we're all volunteers! Entries close this Friday June 13, so unless you have your film ready you may have to wait until next year - or join us for the Premiere Screenings and Awards night on Saturday July 26. Full details on the website here: Short Sharp Film Festival

and what happened between December 07 and now..

"LITTLE THINGS" FILM SHOOT - May 5 to May 11
Writer Director Simon Portus, cast and crew shot his AFC funded short film which has now been re-titled "Tomorrow". The filming took place in Dorrigo, Raleigh, Coffs Harbour and Woolgoolga included shooting a number of night scenes. It was an ambitious production schedule but well paced and enjoyable with a pro-crew who were a delight to work with. My role as production co-ordinator and stills photographer had me crawling over the set in between generator deliveries and assisting the gaffa and grip crews. Congratulations Simon and the team for a great week of creative output! Click on the photos below to see the photo album.
More about Simon Portus

Mounting the camera on the tracking vehicle on one of the night shoots.

The set up at Dorrigo Rail Museum

CAMDEN HAVEN MUSIC FESTIVAL - April 24 to May 4
Having worked as production manager at the 2007 festival this year saw me engaged as their official photographer and archivist. While there was no festival tent at Laurieton this year, the programme was just as varied throughout all the venues, and the schedule still pretty busy. Its a great festival and a beautiful area to visit. Visit the Festival website here.

Michaelangelo and the Black Sea Gentlemen

BAZ SURF CLASSIC 2008 - Saturday April 12
The community where I live has their very own homegrown Surf "comp" which celebrates a past members love of the surf....its an irreverent day of fun, with novelty and kids events and finishes off with presentations, a BBQ and band at the main house. Click the photo to go to the album.

RABBITS EAT LETTUCE - Saturday March 22
Yet another bush doof in our local area - don't ask me who comes up with the names for these events! Anyhow, it was a fun night and morning and always a good opportunity to catch up with friends, camp out in the bush and check out the "wildlife"....click the photo below to go to the album...

The moon setting just before sunrise...

The token rabbit...

EARTHFREQ - February 15 to 17
Earth freq is a weekend-long music, lifestyle and environment festival.
The concept of Earthfreq is not just a party, but a gathering of the tribes and a weekend of intention. The focus is on creating a meaningful space to gather, where we can raise awareness and share useful information on environmental issues and sustainable lifestyle choices, consolidate community bonds with creative and fun activities, and provide a positive transformative party experience in the beautiful australian outdoors.
Click here to visit the Earthfreq website or click on the photo to go to the album.

Art from nature at Earthfreq...

DJ T-Learyus plays the main stage

Morning Monsters CD Launch

2007-11-08T09:42:00.000+11:00

SATURDAY OCTOBER 27
Some local lads released their first compilation CD and celebrated in style with a big and enthusiastic crowd. I didn't arrive till after midnight and had to be back at work by 10am so my experience was brief but full! Here's the evidence...lol

AQUASCULPTURE

2007-11-08T09:17:00.000+11:00

SUNDAY OCTOBER 21
The annual aquasculpture exhibition is held on Town Green in Port Macquarie, right on the river. An awesome location and perfect for the theme, not unlike Sydneys Sculpture by the Sea, but with a local flavour. The standard of works was high nonetheless and a soundscape performance opened the celebrations.

A few of the pieces that graced the lawns....

all natural materials - a tribute to a local aboriginal elder

Kyogle Show

2007-11-08T09:04:00.000+11:00

Saturday October 6
For the first time in its history, the Kyogle Show featured some other components of a more wholistic nature....climate change workshops, massage, alternative energy and drum making and a tree planting on the banks of the river - it was kind of a stark contrast to see the woodchoppers and dodgem cars on one side of the showgrounds, with tree plantings and talks about sustainability on the other! Well done to the organisers for introducing some much needed balance into the equation!

A green presence at the show www.daleysfruit.com.au

The local climate action group...www.kyoglecan.com

Cowboys on the dodgems...

and these guys were in a tree nearby, just checkin out the action....

Wollumbin Festival

2007-11-07T23:19:00.000+11:00

SUNDAY OCTOBER 7
Cool indigenous festival with Mt Warning in the distance.....

beautiful dance and songs and food and friends...magic moments

the creed

indigenous dancers

installations for the closing fire ceremony

some zany street performers captivating the kids...

Click here to go to WOLLUMBIN DREAMING WEBSITE

TRIPTYCA

2007-11-07T23:15:00.000+11:00

after having so much fun with the lightpaintings, I decided to make a collage of a series of shots and see what happened - heres the result...

VIEW THE WHOLE ALBUM HERE

trippin the light fantastic

2007-11-07T23:10:00.000+11:00

my belgian friend Karim arrived from Brisbane and with a full moon, his new camera and a few found objects we created these lightscapes...none have been photoshopped - they are as they were taken - hope you enjoy!

VIEW THE WHOLE ALBUM HERE

The After Party

2007-11-07T22:58:00.000+11:00

Bellingen has the Global Carnival and well....then there's the "unofficial" after party - kindly hosted by a very supportive property owner just north of Coffs Harbour...an awesome night [and day] of tunes and friends...

Main stage

View from the hill - with afterburners!

Second stage was smaller but still pumping and equally colourful

and then came the dawn...

bubbles of goodness from the goddess..

VIEW THE WHOLE ALBUM HERE

eArThDaNcE 2007

2007-11-07T22:51:00.000+11:00

SEPTEMBER 15/16
Nestled in the forest at Mt Pikapene, NNSW, this event is the local expression of a global event that takes place each year - a dance for peace, a chance to celebrate this amazing planet and our diversity. Always an amazing vibe....and back outdoors after last years event in Byron.

Battle Skool

2007-11-07T22:35:00.000+11:00

SEPTEMBER 22
This is one cool night of intense hip-hop between schools in the local area. Its the brainchild of Travers Ross and supported by the Coffs Harbour PCYC and Council. Some funky and fresh moves all round with an enthusiastic audience of families and friends. This was the second year the event has run with me as production manager.

Superheroes?

Flippin out on the dance floor

Chad levitating in one of his routines!

Trav at the desk and in his element [where'd you get the pj's man??!!]

Click here to go to Travs' website

Lunar Eclipse - August 28

2007-11-07T22:27:00.000+11:00

Quite a spectacular event, with the moon completely obscured for about 70 minutes as a dark orange orb...kinda eery when the landscape eventually went dark and then it was light again

morning monsters masquerade

2007-08-13T01:01:00.000+10:00

JULY 28/29
a birthday celebration for a friends of the crew, hastily reconvened at the eleventh hour and relocated to a beautiful [but very cold] forest.....somewhere in NNSW...
the morning mists added to the mystery....with all sorts of wonderful creatures of the night revealed...

Taikoz

2007-07-23T11:57:00.000+10:00

Port Macquarie July 19
Its been at least 4 years since I saw Taikoz perform [at the Global Carnival in Bellingen], and this show was the first leg of a northern NSW/Qld tour. The performance is huge in all aspects - the size of the drums, the sheer volume in play and the energy required to master thesee impressive instruments is a sight [and sound] to behold.

A couple of new members in place including Anton who grew up in Port Macquarie, so a bit of a homecoming for him with friends and family in the audience.

Riley Lee on Shakahachi flute to add the light and ethereal to the equation.

If you want to check them out, you'll find a link to their website below.

Click here to go to Taikoz

HaPpY tReE fRiEnDs

2007-06-25T11:38:00.000+10:00

Saturday June 23 - somewhere deep in the forest
There's something about gathering in the forest to dance and get together with friends...night time is one thing but its greeting the morning that really does it for me....this event was surprisingly big considering the weather was looking a bit iffy - nonetheless, some 300 people braved the elements which were in our favour. A couple of decent fires to warm up with and sit and talk around always makes for a social evening. Congratulations again to the Bass Camp / Art Official crew....

Click here to view this album
Click here to go to the Bass Camp website

Flamenco Festival Bellingen

2007-06-25T11:07:00.000+10:00

Teatro Del Munde are an Adelaide based Flamenco Dance troupe who graced Bellingen over the weekend with their latest show as part of the Flamenco Festival. All things Flamenco were on offer including a series of workshops and masterclasses, with two performances in the Bellingen Memorial Hall on Friday and Saturday night. Full houses on both nights and an opportunity for me to design and operate lights for the performances. These shots were taken before Saturdays performance during the pre-show warm up.

Click here to view this album
Click here to go to Teatro Del Munde website

FreshART 2007

2007-06-22T23:06:00.000+10:00

A few weeks ago as part of the FreshArt Festival in Port Macquarie, I ran an introduction to Events Management for young people in the area.

Check out the 'Youtube' link and the 2007 FreshArt Ad put together by Ben Swinbanks of Blue Ice Graphics - Swinny was one of the participants in the Events Workshops and edited another short video piece for the "Editions" Youth Team as part of their funding submission. Swinny is a volunteer on the FreshArt Committee. He's a twenty year old graphic designer who's worked on building a new fresh media campaign for the FreshArt & Hastings to Ocean Festivals including the events calendar at the end of this post.

FreshArt opens the Hastings to Ocean Festival on Saturday June 30th and runs over the school holidays till the 'grand finale' on Friday 13th July.

It includes the FreshArt Exhibition , FREE workshops including two I'll be presenting - An Introduction to Digital Photography and a three day Short Fimmaking Intensive as well as live performances over the July school holiday break.

Congratulations Swinny and the FreshArts team for putting together a great program!

Visit FreshART at Myspace

Michelin Man

2007-06-11T23:31:00.000+10:00

This mobile sculpture was an afternoon's project for a bush doof some months ago....I bought the air conditioning duct real cheap from a recycling joint in Brisbane a few weeks earlier and was just hanging [excuse the pun] to make something of it - well a few beers and some rope and a pair of pliers and voila!

The best part of this sculpture/mobile was that when the sound system was pumping, he actually began dancing in time with the music - it was a bit freaky but then I discovered some rascal on the end of the rope - hidden behind the trees - had quite a few people fooled bigtime!

He stands about 3.5 metres tall and looks pretty impressive in all his shiny glory!

Short Sharp Film Festival

2007-06-10T09:44:00.000+10:00

COFFS HARBOUR JULY 21 2007

Here's one for all you budding short film makers - but you'd better hurry Entries close 5pm June 29
for all the details go to the festival website

Another one of my graphic designs as part of my role on the organising committee, as well as being the production manager for the Premiere Screening & Awards at the Coffs Harbour Education Campus on Saturday July 21.

This is our first year, and we've got an experienced committee on hand - people from within the film industry, television, events and graphic design...shaping up to be a great night showcasing emerging talent - tell your friends!

Links:
Short Sharp Film Festival
Screenlinks
Coffs Harbour Education Campus

Graphic design

2007-06-08T19:14:00.000+10:00

Invitation design for client

Creative Industries Launch in Coffs - a great night at the newly refurbished museum - a new initiative to research the cultural and economic benefits of the regions artistic contributors.
I'd like to think that I fall into that category....

Links:
Arts Mid North Coast
Southern Cross University

Camden Haven Music Festival

2007-06-03T19:09:00.000+10:00

Camden Haven, April 27-29

Cocos Lunch vocalist

Now in its twelfth year, this festival originally started out with Chamber Music as its primary focus, but has progressed to World Music and some dance as its staple. I'd been invited to stage manage the two main venues - one in a huge hoecker structure and the other in the old School Of Arts Building located directly across from the common. Although the festival proper ran from Friday 27 April to Sunday 29 April, the weeks leading up to the main event included a series of workshops and masterclasses with some pretty talented artists. Check the festival website at the bottom of this post.

The programme this year included some well known artists such as Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter, George Washingmachine, Coco's Lunch and some relative unknowns who are sure to make their mark in time nonetheless.

Camden Haven [Laurieton] is a beautiful, somewhat sleepy "fishing village" that has retained a lot of its charm - quiet streets, friendly people and some of the most beautiful coastline around. Surprisingly, the festival is run almost entirely by volunteers and capable ones at that!

Although the weather leading up to the weekend might have dampened crowds initially, by Saturday night the whole place was buzzing. Sunday nights' high energy closing performance by Monsieur Camembert and their irreverent take on gypsy folk was a fitting end to the whole weekend.

My job was made all the easier by the extensive pre-production work carried out by the festival co-ordinator and my audio and lighting crew who managed to contend with a few last minute but demanding changes. This allowed me to take a heap of photos - click on any photo below - it will automatically take you to the album page.

Congratulations to everyone involved - maybe I'll get invited back again next year?

In the meantime - here's a few more pics...

Karifi - African Traditional

Professor Michael Atherton @ workshop

Festival and artist links:

http://www.camdenhavenmusicfestival.org.au
http://www.washingmachine.com.au
http://www.syncsonics.com
http://www.cocoslunch.com
http://www.kristinaolsen.net

Subscribe to RSS Feed

woopiwood

2007-04-17T18:43:00.000+10:00

14 April
Festival of Vaisakhi, the Sikh New Year

http://www.curryfest.com.au/

Woolgoolga or "Woopi" as the locals call it, has the largest regional Sikh/Punjabi population in Australia and is the site of the first Sikh temple built in Australia.

You can see more photos of the event by clicking on any of the following shots...

From curryfest 07

From curryfest 0

Other links:
www.sikhs.org
www.sikhnet.com
www.sikh.com.au/inaus/wool.html

and then there were firetwirlers on the beach...Kyle and Niki, Josie and a few others who were kind enough to pose in the shallows for the shots here...

From curryfest 07

a words worth

2007-04-10T22:54:00.000+10:00

About a week ago I met Paula - a photographer, architect and poet [amongst other things!] - and since then we shot stills and video to accompany her exhibition at gallery 37 in coffs harbour which closed today.

Unfortunately it was only up for a week but the opening on Saturday night was a blast, with quite a few new faces, some good wine, friends from Brisbane and some crazy footpath antics.....

As part of the exhibition we shot a series of time lapse stills [one every minute] which documented the installation [from bare gallery], the opening night, and the bump-out tonight.

This will end up edited down into a 3-5 minute sequence, to accompany the video screened during the exhibition, along with other selected photographs, transcripts of Paulas poetry, and whatever else takes our fancy - a kind of "virtual tour experience" of the whole process - from whoa to go so to speak. The final package will be a DVD with cover sleeve adorned with photos relating to each of the poems and the worded text.

If you're interested in purchasing one - drop me an email.

In the meantime - here's a few selected shots to whet your appetite.....or pique your curiosity...

From "words worth"...

where did the last 6 months go?

2007-04-09T00:20:00.000+10:00

Only now does it seem there is time to update this blog and to make sense of it all I'll send it through in chronological order. There's a host of photos to accompany the adventure that has been and much to share.

To pick up from the last post, I was asked to shoot some promotional photos for Circus Amorphus crew, and mid October saw the fruition of my Exhibition. As well there were screenings for the Dorrigo Youth Services premiere of their Digital Storytelling Project and another Bass Camp Party [with the photos to prove it!]

Circus Amorphus photo shoot
This talented performance troupe features stilts, poi, flags, firetwirling and fluoro shows. Although they only got together a short time ago, they've performed all over northern NSW and have a varied range of costumes and routines. Email me if you'd like to get in touch with them.

Here's a few sample shots from their portfolio:

From Circus Amorphus

Enlightened Exhibition notes and background:
October 14 saw the opening of the Enlightened Exhibition, a joint venture between myself and my kin brother Paul from Kyogle. Without his long distance support and artistic contributions this would never have happened. In between teaching at Port Macquarie TAFE in the lead up [2 hours from home], I managed to pull together 49 digital prints - sort of themed in seven categories but with the emphasis on light and nature - how and what we see and the beauty that surrounds us in our ever fragile environment.

Fortunately school holidays fell 2 weeks leading into the exhibition, in which deciding from some tens of thousands of photos the final selection was made. Then sizings and titles and paper types and invitations and a host of other tasks. Paul is mostly responsible for the mandala nature series and has been a collaboration for a few years now...

We decided to donate a portion of the print sales to Rainforest Rescue - www.rainforestrescue.org.au - you can save a portion of rainforest in perpetuity for very little money....

Heartfelt thanks to Ray & Ann at digital fotofx coffs harbour for their technical advice, support and quick turnarounds. [ fotofx@bigpond.com ] We printed on Epson ecography chemical free papers and the results were no less than astounding.

From Random

Then there were 6 orbital lanterns, made from recycled automobile wheel trims suspended within bicycle wheels stripped of their spokes and adorned with various other kitchen implements and found objects. Suspend from ceiling and add a candle and voila - you have an orbital lantern.

From Orbital Lanterns

Add 6 more hanging lanterns - this time perspex tubes wrapped in nature images printed on backlit film, lit from within by 1 metre lengths of tubelight - nice, warm, even light. The technical and physical design and construction was done a few days before we installed. [To add to the deadlines, it had been raining for weeks and the property I live on is exclusively solar powered - so any prolonged use of computers/internet/lights, was completely out of the question!]

The Bunker Gallery curator, and volunteers were amazing. I entrusted the framing to the volunteers and only needed to advise on a couple of minor issues. Collectively we decided upon placement, groups and spacings for the overall plan and this was executed in the space of a day. My time was spent assembling the orbital lanterns and rigging the electrics and making sure everything stayed in the roof. Paul arrived by train at lunchtime and assisted with the rest of the install, ready for Saturdays opening.

Once the physical objects were in place, we rigged an LCD projector and spaceframe with screen to project all of the images in the exhibition plus the ones that didn't make it into print form but were part of the same series or sequences. This DVD runs for about 40 minutes and has a nice ambient chill soundtrack as accompaniment. The crossfades and dissolves between shots are slow and gentle - it makes for a nice organic background or meditative assistant!

Lastly, we introduced some potted palms, dracenias, and shrubbery to reduce the size of the entrance into the space - like entering into the forest...I wanted to make it intimate and interactive, and it turned out to be exactly that.

Paul in the foreground [and background]
15second exposure - playing around at the end of the day

From Randoms

Heres a shot of the gallery before we opened

From Random

and a few of the exhibition shots

From Randoms

From Rainforest

Since this was my first public exhibition and my name doesn't appear on the invite, I was curious to see who would be curious enough to show up.....I'd sent out a bunch of emails to friends and others and figured all would be revealed on the night.

A crowd of about 60 people propelled and bumped and manoeuvred through the space as it was quite busy with all the hanging implements! There was a large contingent from the community on which I live, a few travellers from afar and some new folk venturing into the unknown.

The whole idea was for people to engage with the elements within the space, and pretty much everything was designed to be "industrial" strength - tested with kids and survived! It was a very social night and the feedback was positive on all levels...

and once all the pleasantries were done, it was time for the drive to......

Bass Camp Mystery Doof www.basscamp.info
This party was held on the same night as my exhibition - we drove the 90 minutes to the remote site to join in the festivities. This crew have been operating for the past few years and have put on some nice events, quite inclusive and usually well organised....its always nice to have some installations well lit to document the night activities - here are some of the results:

From Bass Camp Pro...

an invitation

2006-09-27T14:22:00.000+10:00

this exhibition has been in the pipeline and floating around the ethers for quite some time, but now its a reality...we've decided to donate a portion of sales to rainforest rescue [www.rainforestrescue.org.au] since this is what the exhibition is really all about...

orb

2006-09-06T00:55:00.000+10:00

the keeper

2006-09-02T00:57:00.000+10:00

tacking point lighthouse at midnight
15 second exposure with small handheld torch
providing the illumination for the hand

about the photos

2006-09-01T21:08:00.000+10:00

All of the photos on this site are pretty much as they were taken, I prefer not to spend too much time altering them, apart from maybe a little cropping and some slight adjustments if necessary.

As for the sorts of photos you might see here - well they're likely to be all sorts! I don't tend to specialise as such but I do like to focus on different perspectives if you'll excuse the pun. I feel equally at home photographing nature, people, events and love creating interesting looks "live", rather than "photoshopping".

A background in lighting design probably helps and I only use available light and preferably natural light......

the beginning

2006-08-31T21:12:00.000+10:00

Whilst I am by no means a techno-phobe, it has taken a while to come to post some of the material I have created, received or discovered and share it with a wider audience.

I am a photographer but that does not define who I am, merely how I see at that moment in time.
Within my local and extended community I am involved with cultural events of all types. I am interested in the human condition, in all aspects of life, in the way each of us attempt to define our place on this planet. Sometimes as individuals and sometimes as a community or nation.

There is beauty everywhere we look, but only if we are willing to see, and nature has been my inspiration all my life.

I trust you enjoy the experience.

In La'kech
Tony