Last weekend I once again was the official photographer at the annual STOMP charity dance event and as always it was both an amazing group of people that put together an amazing show for the people that attend.

For those of you that don’t know what I am talking about, STOMP was the brainchild of a gentleman named Mark McEwen created after the tsunami on boxing bay in 2004 with the first STOMP in 2005 where it raised money for the fishing boars in a small Sri Lankan fishing village that was wiped out.

It initially started out as an Adhoc event but has since transformed into one of Canberra premiere annual Latin dance event. For more information about their history check this link out.

Since that time STOMP has raised over $150,000 towards their selected charities, here each year they select a few different charities to sponsor. One of the main charities they do sponsor is the local Rotary group with most of the money raised going to them.

One of the great things for me as a photographer is that each year has a theme and EVERYONE dresses up in that theme, which I must say is very unique given people come from over 300km away to be there and a range of locals. I can only put it down to that because this is a dance event that the dance community just love to dress up and they are super supportive of each other and enjoy being a bit flamboyant. Either way its always a surprise of what theme the will come up with and something that I always look forward to photographing and being part of.

The event typically runs where people show up at around 6:30 pm to relax with a few drinks from the bar and find their seats. They have about 1 hour of dance performances which are performed by dance studios both from there and Sydney which I think is just amazing. After the performances, they clear the hall and set up two rooms each with their different theme where people can move around as they see fit. Each room has its own personal DJ with the main hall having all sorts of cool lighting that brings out the heritage-listed architecture of the building.

I am not sure what the thinking is behind each performance but what I can say having seen many years of them, they are always just amazing. Its a mixture of both professional and beginners that want to just have a go and perform for the pleasure of others.

One of the great things I love about STOMP is the people…. The people that give up so much of their time to support and give back to others. While I have been photographed all sorts of dance the Latin dance (not be be confused with Latin that is related to ballroom) is the most open and friendly of them all. They give back and in all the years of photographing this style, I have never, ever heard anyone be bitchy or backstab anyone which unfortunately is rare given I have sooo much all-access to all-areas I hear a lot of things. Not from these people.

Most of the night is filled with social dancing and a great chance for me to capture people interacting without them knowing I am there so they are more natural than any staged shoot I could ever do. 🙂

All in all, it was a fantastic night.

So the figures are in and for that night they raised $10,600 which an amazing feat. Here are their official results
* Pets In The Park ($2,120 / 20% of funds). 
* Kelvin Davies 4 the Rainforest ($2,120 / 20% of funds)
* Karinya House ($2,120 / 20% of funds)
* Rotary Club of Canberra Burley Griffin local community programs ($4,240 / 40% of funds).

If you want more information about the event you can touch base from their facebook page their website

I do have a special mention is to 303 Industries where they come up with a white backdrop allowing them to project all sorts of lighting stuff on there. Truly a great idea and it really worked as you can see.

While his website sucks arse the ability to light up a room in a special way is just fantastic. Here is some of his work of his website and in that page, you can see a link to the background and lighting I am talking about. NOTE: If you look closely at the super bright moon in the middle it’s my bald head reflecting off the light. hahahahaha

As I do at the end of every STOMP I look forward to next year. 🙂

If you want to see my other posts about STOMP you can find them here

Every year I am invited back to photograph the Canberra elite public and private companies in the computer-related industries as they fight to win the top prizes at the iAwards.

This event is a combination of cocktails drinks, gala dinner and awards ceremony with a splash of being a convention with a hand full of lucky providers being able to show their wares at the back of the main dining hall.

It is an event like no other in the ICT space here in Australia as it is across the entire country with the local winners going on to the National awards in Melbourne later in the year.

For me, it is an event that I look forward to every year for a few reasons. Other than it being a very formal black tie event I get a fly on the walls insight in the trends and future of ICT here in Australia and has been shooting for the AIIA for maybe 6 years I have seen the growth and effects winning such an award has had on their business and their ability to grow and take their business to another level.

Every year like all the other gathering where they have a keynote speaker I get to meet and learn a lot about what is going on. A few years ago we had the artificial intelligent professor, they have had the owner and founder of AIE and as with almost every year, we have had government representatives to give their vision and support to the ICT industries.

This year was no exception with the none other Mr Andrew Barr MLA and Chief Minister for the Canberra there to support the ICT industry, and this not being his first time to this event and I doubt it will be his last.

All in all it was another great night and great to see so many people involved and to hear the stories of what they are working on and what the future holds in terms of ICT.

I personally can’t wait until next year to see what other amazing things the switched on ICT industry comes up with. 🙂

Last weekend I attended the Bulldog fun day at held at the Tuggeranong Dog Club where they had 60+ dogs and owner show up to enjoy the fantastic weather and hang with other like minded people, not to metnion participate in some fun competion and win a few things on the raffles.

Was great to see soo many bulldog in one place and TBH never really spent much time with this breed before so it was intergesting to see how they interacted with each other and their owners.

Look at this little pup. Looking proud as punch and ready to take on the world even at 1 foot tall. lol

Where was also best dressed which this little chap won hands down in his custom x-mas sled. Ho Ho Ho

All in all a great day out but didn’t my legs know about it the next day as I must have done about 8,374,227 squats so I could get down low to photograph the dog, but hey… Whoever said photography wasn’t good for your health. 😉

Had a chance to catch up with Tim The Yowie Man over the weekend to photograph the screening of his YouTube serires “The Tragedy of Henry Dunkley” latest part in his web series of documentary-style YouTube videos.

I have photographed some of the behind the scenes of his events and YouTuseriesres and seeing the end product of his and his teams latest editioin I was very much impressed with how far they have come. The clearly have learnt a lot from their past effort as this was a as sweet as nectar in what they produced from the first to this one.

Without giving much away, its a real-life tale of murder, lovers and strange execution.

Tim and his production crew had their screening out a place called Pyer Cottage in Gunning NSW which is close to where the real events took place but given the cottage is a historical cottage it was used in the filming of “The Tragedy of Henry Dunkley”.

While I have been out to Gunning a few times as it is a fantastic place to ride your motorcycle and the cafe there is just the best with some fantastic scones and coffee, I didn’t until the weekend know the cottage was there which BTW is now turned into a museum.

Then after watching the screening of “The Tragedy of Henry Dunkley” I had a new outlook on this little country town and had an urge to go to the sewage works….. Oh, you will have to watch “The Tragedy of Henry Dunkley” to see why. lol

Given it the screening was at Gunning there was a great turnout with a bush fire control center filled to standing room only and as I stood at the front of the room watching and photographing their faces I could just tell the were fixed to the screen to see how the story played out.

After the great viewing, the night ended with a few speaches a feed put on by the local “The Old Hume Cafe”. Me being me mentioned it was a bit posh but I was assured that this was just normal Gunning hospitality. Not sure if I believed it with things like this put out for us to eat.

There was a few locals there selling some of the books that were the drivers for Tim’s episode which I would have loved to buy however as I was on the motorbike I wasn’t in a position to take extra things home as I was already full taking 2 x Canon 5D iv, two lenses and a speedlite on my back. lol

All in all a great night and great viewing.

If you want more information here are some links for you to follow.

Tim The Yowie Man YouTube Video – Make sure you click on and subscribe to his channel.

Gunning & District Historical Society –
https://gunninghistory.blogspot.com/

The Old Hume Cafe
https://www.facebook.com/TheOldHumeCafe/

The most amazing thing I do as a photographer is to take photos of life experiences, to capture memories, to take a fraction in time of our lives and put it in a still photograph.

Over the years I take photos of people that have been the last photos anyone has taken of them while they are alive.

Please do not let me be that person…… More importantly, don’t make the last word you say to someone be bad or hateful, don’t make the last word of feeling you have for someone be with hate, don’t let the last word you tell someone be one that is bitter and regrets.

Life my friends is sooooooooo short…. Love with an open heart, love without regret and love like there is no tomorrow as there may not be any tomorrow.

It’s been a busy first month of the year for me in lots of areas of my life and with things starting to seattle down and get in to a new rythym it’t nice to relax, and take in the things that life has to offer.

Taking the time to have a look around and appreciate all the things, and people that are around you and what all that means.

For me to be able to look out over this sunset almost every day is one of the very special things in my life and a decission to buy and keep this house is a decission that I will also appreciate.

Its my home, its my santurary, its the place where I raised my daughter, a place where I spent many years of my life through dark and sunny days and a place that I will call home for the unforseable future.

The fact that you are reading this means a lot to me. You have taken time out of your life to be part of mine even if it may be through the writing of this. So thank you. <3

I love the creative aspect of photography and the post processing aspect of the art.
I know in my classes that I teach I always talk about the ability and skill students need to learn not only in the ability to be able to take a photo but to then take that into post processing and turn what they have taken into something amazing.

Photos are taken in camera but make in post production!

For all the amazing photos people take in this day and age if you do not have some post processing on the image you are selling yourselves short. Yeah yeah yeah I hear the old.. but I want people to see my photo and not some edited version of it… I get that but really you can do that but take it from me you might have the best camera in the world and skills like a fat man eating a pizza in one breath but without post processing your images will just not stand out.

Take this picture for example. It is made up of 4 individual images and about 20 hours of post-processing and something that could never be taken without post processing. aka she would fall on the ground. hahahahaha

The photo was taken in the front of one of the Australian Govenment buildings here in Canberra and I must say it is an amazing building. Built with massive stone blocks and would fit in to a film set of Batman. 😉

Boy oh boy it’t going to be a hot day today with the forcaste weather to be 40c degrees once again.

I guess the best thing to do is to crack on the swimmer, grab a super cold drink and enjoy the day with family and friend while sitting next to or in some water.

How Aussie is this photo I captured.. Was getting an Australia day photo by the lake with the Australian Parliament house in the background and a jogger passing by wanted to get into to some of the action. hahahahaha

Have a great Australia Day. :Australia Day 2019!