Payback time.

Those that follow me will know that some months ago I popped out to Parliament house here in Canberra to photographe three people that were skating from Canberra to Sydney to raise money for a young child with Cancer. See here for the original blog post

Two of the three have come back to Canberra to attend the Summer Nats (Summer Nationals Car event) that happens every year here in the Nationals Capital.

Two of the gang of three that skated from Canberra for Sydney for a kid with Cancer.
Two of the gang of three that skated from Canberra for Sydney for a kid with Cancer.

I was so impressed with not only the sacrifice they did for a child and family in need when I heard they were coming back I knew I had to do something. for them as a sign of my appreciation.  Exactly what I didn’t know….

That was until I saw photos of the car they were driving down here to enter it into the Summer Nats.  My little brain started to think of a plan and what I came up with was to get a model together and we would take some photos of them with their car as a keepsake and a way of thanking them

The car was a vintage with some vintage pin-up style image on the side, my job was to match the image of the car with the model….

The question was where the hell do I find a vintage pin-up model with 2 days notice…

I put the word out to the modeling community and was flooded with offers.  One of the models was keen to do it but given the story behind it she suggested she ask her friend.  Miss Ink ACT (Canberra) and Miss Custom vintage pin-up model…

Well well well…  How about that….  I go from an idea of doing a pin-up shoot to scoring the best pin-up model Canberra has to offer and the best thing was she was super keen to help…. YEAH!!!!

A quick couple of message to Dan and Hillary and they were in.

One thing missing was the MUA (Make Up Artist)…  It just so happens that the MUA that was working at a wedding I photographed a week earlier was keen to help…. So the stage was set and with the location on the foreshores of lake Burley Griffin we were off.

Camera in hand and with excited parties…  It was going to be a great shoot.

After parking their car next to the lake, having a quick debrief with the model,  I whipped out my portable studio lighting equipment and the shoot started.

We moved through a few sets of outfits through out the afternoon and with spectators at the ready I had not shortage of hands to help me hold light stands to stop them flying away in the wind…

Putting Dan to work holding one of my light stands
Putting Dan to work holding one of my light stands
Dan was way too close to the model
Dan was way too close to the model

As I snapped way Dan volunteered to be my VAL (Voice Activated Light stand) – i.e. Hey Dan can you move that light 2 foot to the left…. Hey Dan can you move that light stand a little more… Hey Dan can you….. Oh you get the idea…

We moved through the shoot as quickly as we could while still enjoying ourselves and have a great laugh…

We switched between fantastic vintage dress after fantastic vintage dress all with the changing of spectators as they ran around the lake.

Vintage pin-up by the lake.
Whats that!! I have my dress caught in the door

Picture this…  Where we were was right in front of one of Canberra high class restaurants, with the main windows of this restaurant looking out across the lake but in this case they were looking right out onto my set..

I personally think that we should of got a cut from the nights takings as we really did put on a performance.

What do you think?

 

Summer Nats, car, model, portrait, Canberra
Using only one of the studio lights to give the appearance of a elegant profile shot
_MG_8845
Almost the last shot of the night. I am sure the model was happy it was a warm summers night.

Wedding here I come.

The alarm has gone off and the count down has started to what will be a fantastic day for a wedding.

The day will start with me attending the hotel room 8am of the groom and his gang at the Hyatt to then move onto the ladies and capture the wonder that is the pre wedding bride and bridesmaids.

The wedding should kick off just after lunch with around 80 odd guest and a group photo on the steps of old Parliament House.

Then on to some bridal party photos with reception to follow.

I always like to attend a good party and as an event photographer I attend more than most. :). One of the traps of the job.

Then with the couple say on their good byes around 10pm it should be an exciting day.

I wish them all well as they enter this new phase in their relationship and lives.

Good luck Nat and Casey and I will be by your side to support you through today even if I am your wedding photographer.

Family Fun Day – Portraits

Had the pleasure of spending the afternoon capturing some family portraits on-location at an old hut not far from Canberra.

There were 4 million Kangaroos, 408,897 rabbits and a whole lot of fun.  I must say the weather was just fantastic and I was kinda glad it wasn’t too hot as I had to carry my portable lighting and studio equipment some 500 meters there and 500 meters back.

Oh the things we do, to get that shot!!!! and looking at the images coming off the Camera I think we definitely got that shot.

The concepts was simple.  Get some family portraits for Christmas that can be given to the grandparents, and that I am sure we did.   Well done team and considering we had some young ones in the shoot it was a bit afternoon and walk for them too.

I hope to have some teaser images up in the coming days. 🙂

Until happy snapping.