Logistics of any kind is a big industry on the western periphery of Sydney. CHEP’s new warehouse in Eastern Creek, built by Prime Constructions, is no exception.
CHEP is a company dealing in pallet and container pooling services, serving customers in a range of industrial and retail supply chains. Founded in 1946, it is a subsidiary of Brambles.
Shooting in an industrial landscape at dusk can sometimes be quite surreal. The architecture takes on a futuristic geometry, devoid of the human figure.
I recently photographed the esteemed architect, Mark Butler, at various sites around the CBD, including The Rocks and under the Harbour Bridge. As principal architect of Butler Associates Pty Ltd, his firm required new imagery to use in an up-coming marketing campaign for projects overseas.
Mark is a highly experienced and passionate Australian designer who constantly strives for design excellence through an innovative and imaginative approach. He has extensive international experience working in Australia, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Algeria and the Middle East.
Over the past 20 years Mark has worked collaboratively on a variety of international and award winning projects, with highlights such as, the Watercube for the Beijing 2008 Olympics (2003-2008), the iconic residential project, City Gardens in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam (2006- 2012) the design of the Zenith Theatre and Exhibition Centre for the Arab Arts Festival (2015), in Constantine, Algeria. Currently he is working on a number of new projects in Vietnam having completed the Chi Dong Residential Tower, Kingdom 101 Residence and Banciao Residential Tower.
My portrait of Emily Jacir, taken in one of her favorite streets in Rome, 2016
My friend, the Palestinian artist, Emily Jacir has a solo show at her Turin gallery, Galleria Peola Simondi, Italy (until 14 October, 2021). The photo based works, film and texts are her response to the ongoing conflict between the Israeli state and the Palestinian people in and around her ancestral home and artist’s studio in Bethlehem. Jacir’s house is 200 metres from the “Apartheid Wall”, the imposing security barrier which was supposedly designed to protect the Jewish Israeli population but instead serves to isolate and and antagonise Palestinian communities. As Jacir states in the text by Francesca Comisso, “the wall does not separate us from Israel, it separates us from ourselves”.
Emily photographed in Rome, 2016
I have photographed Emily several times over the years and one of these images was used by La Repubblica newspaper in the review of her current show at Galleria Peola Simondi.
At the lofty heights on the 22nd floor of the Multiplex headquarters in King Street in Sydney, I spent the day photographing the diverse and cheerful team of this global construction company.
The idea was to capture how individual personalities can shine through in a standardised corporate pose. My challenge is to portray each person as interesting and engaging in their own unique way. For me it is really cool… not many assignments give me the opportunity to interact with so many different people over the course of a single day.
On a perfect autumn day in Parsley Bay (although admittedly it was a bit cold for the model) we shot next season’s summer range for So French So Chic. Valeria Sizova, originally from Vladisvostok (eastern Russia) was a joy to work with. Sydney is full of these treasures of nature and the sandstone parkland, bridge and wharf provided a stunning backdrop.
We present our unique blend of A-line silhouettes and soft, falling fabric. This year, our summer range is a mix of bold colours and gentle neutrals. Bright tones of fuschia, coral, turquoise and burnt orange are mixed with fresh pastels, or crisp, maritime white. Be part of our own French identity, adapted to the Australian climate and outdoor lifestyle. This includes loose tops with twin front pockets and large mother-of-pearl buttons, an asymmetrical sundress, a bolero jacket and wide-legged pants reminiscent of French sailor wear.
Trevor Ashley, the Australian musical theatre actor, cabaret and drag artist based in Sydney, is continually inventing new characters and new looks.
Currently he has been working on the Drag Hag podcast and providing re-caps of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under (to see episode 4, click here).
At the studio Trevor posed under the lights showcasing a series of vibrant, extravagant and fun new alter egos with costumes by Frida Las Vegas, under the master touch of Daniel Cater (aka Dallas Dellaforce) who took care of hair, make-up and styling.
Daniel and Trevor in the make-up chair
As a chameleon and from my experience of working with Trevor since the early 2000s, I never quite know who is going to be channeled on set…..Liza, Shirley, Edna or one of his brand new superstars.
The Lighting Council of Australia commissioned me to document the recent visit of Ed Husic MP to the Signify head office in Mascot. The Shadow Minister for Industry and Innovation, Husic is also the first Muslim to be elected to Federal Parliament.
There was a short presentation of the latest innovations and future projects for urban lighting by Signify, formerly Phillips Lighting, as well a general tour of the facility.
During the visit to the manufacturing division of Signify, the Shadow Minister met one of his constituents, a fellow Bosnian, and they happily recognised each other. The two of them are pictured below.
“This work comes from walking through the fire ground after the 2019-20 fires in the Blue Mountains….the textures, the still glowing logs, the xanthorrhoea stumps, the profound and shocking stillness,” says artist Margarita Sampson.
It is great to photograph Margarita’s work and spend a couple of hours with her magnificent and unusual creations. I wonder what’s next….?
“Jewels of all sorts and sizes continue to cross my path,” says Adrian Dickens from Circa AD. “Whether to re-sell for clients, to re-invent, to retail, to source or just to enjoy. Whether valuable or not, each jewel is given the upmost attention in order to make it sing.”
TV & Radio personality Angie Kent (Gogglebox Australia, I’m a celebrity…get me out of here!, The Bachelorette and Dancing with the Stars) has recorded a series of podcasts for NOVA Entertainment, Sydney. She presents a whole array of weird and wacky therapies – past life regression, yoga laughter, fear of spiders, BDSM – in a light hearted manner. In her podcast, Angie Tries It, she debunks myths with irreverence.
