Great day for Mataatua Wharenui.

This little lass should be proud to be the chosen one to cross the threshold of the recently returned Mataatua Wharenui.

One Feather To Many?

Had to share this

Grasshopper

Well it had to happen sooner or later, me the teacher. I have been drifting towards helping those who wish to express themselves through the lens so its great to share as many have shared with me. The main focus is to help with the creative aspect allowing individuals to express themselves through photography.

Wish me luck

The Empty Chair.

Yes it's been a while since my last post and yes I am still alive.

Recently I attended a meeting of local emergency, police and council personal for discussion on a strategy aimed at combating youth drink driving. The police liaison officer had a bit of trouble putting his feelings into words so he placed a chair in the middle of the floor and asked "What is This?" and the reply came back "An Empty Chair". This prompted me to shoot a project, creating a series of pictures based on the personal loss of a loved one. The challenge is to capture a series of pictures depicting the emotion the pain, the effects of time on the healing process and the memories associated with those love ones lost.

As it turns out this is proving to be a bit of a challenge. Trawling through the emotions of past experiences seems to do nothing but yield memories highlighting the confusion of thought at the time. The eyes were open but I saw nothing as the mind struggled to come to terms with what had happened.

The project is well underway but unfortunately I can not share any of these pictures until the project is finished but there will inevitably be a few extra pictures made along the way and the picture below is one such extra.

I cant help but think images reflecting such a serious subject warrant pictures more down to earth, raw and truthful. I wouldn't expect images like that.

Friendships Take 2

My Niece loves to celebrate her friendships with photographs. Having an uncle as a photographer certainly helps to keep the costs down but its a gesture I am all to willing to help her with.

Friendships in this day and age seems to be a concept that is unfortunately taken for granted by a few to many but its enlightening to see such values still held high by those closest to me.

There is a strong symbolic depth to the above picture that one would hope would make the closed minded among us stop and think. I don't believe this warrants an explanation so will let it speak for its self.

As always, your comments are welcome.

Shock for Effect

Accidents may be the least liked aspect of my job but I am glad to say the pics below are mealy part of a mock accident. This provides emergency service with essential training which you may say is obvious but what isn't is this whole exercise is designed to shock risky youth into understanding the potential results of there behavior.

It was all rather to realistic if you ask me.

Relly of Chucky

Saw this and couldn't help myself. There's a bit of chucky revisited here.

NorthShore Success.

Entry into the 2011 NorthShore Salon of photography has netted me a Gold Medal for Open Colour Prints. Last years comp saw a silver medal come my way so the Gold was a definite goal for 2011. The image below was the winning image and is a statement about conservation. This was part of a small series as part of the "Birds A Plenty Festival" exhibition here at the Whakatane Museum Gallery. The inspiration was the story of the Huia (now extinct) and a passage I read from Perrine Moncrieff, an old time conservationist

"One feels inclined to write an indignant protest at the ghastly manner in which lovely birds have been twisted into grotesque shapes to adorn women throughout the ages...
For every bird killed to provide warmth, hundreds have been slain merely to trim dresses , or worse still, stuck on hats".

This image is also part of the Birds A Plenty" collection and received Hounors.

I am stoked with the results this year and have to thank the model "Tasha" for the stunning look she gives to each image she contributes to.

Montys Revenge

Whakatane is an outdoors mans mecca so it makes perfect sense that there will be plenty of well attended and respected events that celebrate our unique environment.

Motys is a fantastic event and a joy to shoot.

Unfortunately not all photographers were able to enjoy that day as much as I did with this unlucky shooter stuck on the side of the road after attempting a U turn and this culvert kind of snuck up on him.

Walking the Walk in Kawerau

Kawerau, a town with a bad rap. With all the negativity in the press, Kawerau proved it has what it takes to WOW and impress. The youth fashion show is a case in point where those who sat beneath the bright lights and streaming lasers had nothing but great things to say about Kawerau and the organisers of this fantastic event. I am sure there are a few who kicked themselves for missing out but hey, you will have to wait till next year. In the mean time here are a few pics to keep you going.






Sadler having a go. Great Job.

.

.